Department scholarships, teaching assistantships, plus other grants and awards are available to MFA students in the Creative Writing Program.
See our Financial Info Letter for Prospective MFA StudentsThere is no application process for departmental scholarships. Eligible MFA applicants are automatically considered for each scholarship for which they qualify (based on genre/year).
To honor the outstanding leadership and pioneering work of Dr. Robert H. Byington in establishing the Creative Writing Program, an award of $2,000 at the start of the thesis year to an MFA student of outstanding creative achievement who has demonstrated unusual generosity of spirit toward faculty, staff, and peers and contributed significantly to the morale, community spirit, and excellence of the MFA program. Awarded by faculty and student nomination, and faculty vote.
Amount of fellowship varies annually (generally in the $5,000-6,000 range). Awarded to the highest-ranked incoming student applying in the nonfiction genre. Based on merit of application portfolio, letters of reference and undergraduate GPA.
Amount of fellowship varies annually (generally in the $10,000-12,000 range). Awarded to an incoming student based on merit of application portfolio, letters of reference, and undergraduate GPA. Includes a full tuition waiver the first year, and an additional $2,000 for part-time work performed for the department. Contingent on the availability of state funding, converts to teaching assistantship position (with full GTA pay) in the second and third year (recipient pays own tuition in years two and three).
A graduate merit scholarship awarded by faculty nomination, designated for an MFA student entering the second year of the program, whose GPA is at least 3.2 and whose creative work shows outstanding promise. The amount varies annually (generally in the $2,000-3,000 range).
$1,000 ($500 each in the fall and spring semester of the first year) awarded to an incoming student based on merit of application portfolio, letters of reference, and undergraduate GPA.