2018 MFA Index: 153 Full-Residency Programs

Genres

The program offers tracks in these genres.

P = Poetry; F = Fiction; N = Nonfiction; T = Translation; NGS = Not Genre-Specific; + = Additional Genres, such as playwriting/drama, screenwriting, TV writing, writing for children and young adults, digital language arts, popular-genre fiction, comics and/or graphic narratives, and experimental literary forms. Note: Some programs offer translation as a concentration or as required coursework; only translation tracks are noted here. Many programs offer dual-genre or crossgenre tracks or opportunities, which are not noted here.

Duration

The number of years it takes a full-time student to complete a degree. The only exceptions are programs in which all students enroll part-time

(e.g., Northwestern University).

Size

The total number of students in the incoming class each year across all genres.

XS = 2–9 students; S = 10–19; M = 20–30;

L = 31–49; XL = 50+

Funding

The level of financial support students receive toward their tuition. This includes tuition waivers, fellowships, scholarships, and/or teaching/research/graduate assistantships.

Full = All students are offered full tuition support for the duration of the program. Partial = At least some students are offered some tuition support for the duration of the program.

Note: Many programs cannot guarantee full funding for all students, as funding often depends on university budgets that change unpredictably each year. If a program has funded all or nearly all of its students for the past several years, it is listed as “Full.”

Cost of Living

According to bestplaces.net, which calculates total cost of living for each U.S. city compared with an overall national average.

VVL= Very Very Low :25% or more below

V L= Very Low :16–24% below

L = Low: 6–15% below

A = Average: 5% below–5% above

H = High: 6–15% above

V H= Very High :16–24% above

VVH= Very Very High :25% or more above

App. Fee

The lowest application fee (postal or online) for U.S. students. Note: Many programs charge a higher fee for non–U.S. students.

Next Deadline

The next application deadline on or after September 1, 2017, whether that be a priority deadline, funding deadline, or final deadline.

For most programs listed here, it is the final deadline for entry into the program in fall 2018.