Overview

The MFA Program in Writing at the University of California, San Diego is a two-year residency program foregrounding the interconnectedness of literary arts practice, modes of production and distribution, and the rigorous study of literatures, arts, and cultures. The program offers the option of extending residency a third year.

Quick Facts:

All graduate writing workshops are cross-genre and often interdisciplinary, investigating and often undermining a studio-versus-academic distinction in advanced literary education. Moreover, the program encourages interdisciplinary research and holistic approaches to teaching and learning. Therefore, teaching creative-critical reading and writing skills as a Teaching Assistant is a popular choice among all Writing students in the MFA program, most of whom are eligible for scholarships and fellowships in addition to union-represented compensation for Teaching Assistant work.
Program participants are encouraged to focus exclusively on writing, teaching, research, and art-making during their residency, allowing writers to integrate pedagogical training and artistic practice as a way to prepare for future scholarly endeavors while creating a book-length work of literature. To that end, each quarterly cross-genre workshop discusses writing-in-progress and published works in terms of poetics, prosody, and literary conventions alongside the interrelationship between aesthetic intervention/ experiment and radical social change across cultures, nations, regions, and movements.

Programme Structure

To obtain additional information about the program, we kindly suggest that you visit the programme website, where you can find further details and relevant resources.

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 24 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2026-09-23 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-04-12 00:00:00

Language

English

IELTS

Free IELTS Mock Tests!

PTE Academic

Schedule a PTE test!

Check IELTS test dates and locations. Book an IELTS test now!

Credits

30 ECTS

Delivered

On Campus

Campus Location

San Diego, United States

Disciplines

Creative Writing General Studies Literature View 398 other Masters in Creative Writing in United States

Join for free or log in to access our complete career info list.

Academic requirements

GPA

English requirements

IELTS

Free IELTS Mock Tests!

PTE Academic

Schedule a PTE test!

Check IELTS test dates and locations. Book an IELTS test now!

Other requirements

General requirements

Applicants must hold a bachelor's degree or the equivalent from an accredited institution in the United States or from a recognized university-level academic institution abroad by the time they enroll. Generally, applicants must have a minimum grade point average of B or 3.0
International applicants must also demonstrate proficiency in the English language unless English is their native language or they studied full-time for one uninterrupted academic year at a university-level institution in which English is the language of instruction and in a country in which English is a dominant language. UC San Diego accepts the TOEFL, IELTS, and Pearson proficiency exams.
Please provide 3 letters of recommendation
Your statement of purpose is very important and is given careful consideration in the selection process.
Please upload a PDF or your CV or resume. Include a Teaching section if you have any relevant experience.
Writing Sample (Required)

Student insurance

Make sure to cover your health, travel, and stay while studying abroad. Even global coverages can miss important items, so make sure your student insurance ticks all the following:

Additional medical costs (i.e. dental)
Repatriation, if something happens to you or your family
Liability
Home contents and baggage
Accidents
Legal aid

We partnered with Aon to provide you with the best affordable student insurance, for a carefree experience away from home.

Get your student insurance now

Starting from €0.53/day, free cancellation any time.

Remember, countries and universities may have specific insurance requirements. To learn more about how student insurance work at University of California, San Diego and/or in United States, please visit Student Insurance Portal.

Tuition Fee

To always see correct tuition fees

International

29118 USD/year

Tuition Fee

Based on the tuition of 29118 USD per year during 24 months.
National

29118 USD/year

Tuition Fee

Based on the tuition of 29118 USD per year during 24 months.
In-State

14016 USD/year

Tuition Fee

Based on the tuition of 14016 USD per year during 24 months.

Living costs for San Diego

1400 - 2455 USD /month

Living costs

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Financing

Interested in financing your studies? Find a student loan that works for you.

MPOWER Financing Loans for studying in the USA & Canada - no co-signer or credit check!

Learn more

DISCLAIMER – Subject to credit approval, loans are made by Bank of Lake Mills or MPOWER Financing, PBC. Bank of Lake Mills does not have an ownership interest in MPOWER Financing. Neither MPOWER Financing nor Bank of Lake Mills is affiliated with the school you attended or are attending. Bank of Lake Mills is Member FDIC. None of the information contained in this website constitutes a recommendation, solicitation or offer by MPOWER Financing or its affiliates to buy or sell any securities or other financial instruments or other assets or provide any investment advice or service. 2022 © MPOWER Financing, Public Benefit Corporation NMLS ID #1233542. 1101 Connecticut Ave NW Suite 900, Washington, DC 20036

Funding

Win a €10000 Scholarship! Deadline: 30 June 2020

Embark on your journey with the Studyportals Scholarship! We're giving away a total of 20,000 euros to help you achieve your dream of studying abroad.

Win a €10000 Scholarship! Deadline: 30 June 2020

Embark on your journey with the Studyportals Scholarship! We're giving away a total of 20,000 euros to help you achieve your dream of studying abroad.

In order for us to give you accurate scholarship information, we ask that you please confirm a few details and create an account with us.

Scholarships Information

Below you will find Master's scholarship opportunities for Writing.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

About