Creative Writing (MFA)

Application

Complete the online application.

A nonrefundable $50 application fee paid as part of the online application.

Recommendation Letters

Two recommendation letters are required for all degree applicants. Letters should be written by individuals who have personal knowledge of your work. Whenever possible, letters should come from faculty members who have instructed the applicant. If necessary, professional recommendations should address skills that are relevant to your academic qualifications to do graduate-level work. Recommenders can submit recommendations online; instructions are included with the online application. If preferred, the recommendation form can instead be sent by mail in a signed, sealed envelope. To send by mail, download the PDF recommendation form found in the online application, complete the personal information, save the form, and forward it to the recommender for completion and submission. Applicants can also send signed and sealed recommendations to the Office of Admission using an Application Materials Cover Sheet.

Statement of purpose

In approximately 500 typewritten words, explain your interest in and preparation for pursuing graduate study in Creative Writing. Discuss in detail how your graduate work will help you attain your academic and/or professional goals. You should consider this statement as another sample of your creative writing and an opportunity to tell us something about yourself that your application might not otherwise show.

Writing portfolio

Applicants to the graduate Creative Writing Program are required to submit examples of their writing to demonstrate that they have the skills and a sufficient body of quality work to advance to graduate-level study.

• Poetry: Submit 10 pages of poetry.
• Fiction or Nonfiction: Submit up to 20 pages of prose.
• Writing for Children and Young Adults: Submit up to 20 pages of prose or a draft of a book for children or young adults.

Portfolio manuscripts must be typewritten (or printed letter quality) and double-spaced. Your name must appear on the top of each page. Copies received by The New School will not be returned. Applicants with substantial accomplishment in more than one area of concentration may request that their application be considered for a dual concentration, but they must still declare a primary and a secondary field of study.

Provide a one to two page résumé/curriculum vitae summarizing your education, work/volunteer experience, and/or published writing.

TOEFL, IELTS, and PTE: All applicants whose first language is not English must submit valid TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE scores. The minimum score required for TOEFL (IB) is 100, for IELTS is 7.0, and for PTE is 68. Our TOEFL institution code is 2554.

A TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE score is not required for applicants

• Whose primary language is English
• Who have earned a four-year degree from a U.S. college/university or from a university where English is the primary language of instruction

Upon review of your application, the Office of Admission reserves the right to request a TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE score.

Arrange for the testing service to send your test scores directly to The New School using the institution codes listed above. We accept scores taken within the past two years. If your scores are older, you must retake the test.