Overview

Whether you’re interested in fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, or a combination of genres, including course options in graphic novels, young adult (YA), and screenwriting, the MFA in Creative Writing from Chapman University invites you to write better than you ever thought you could.

Your Writing Comes First

Workshops with genre options that appeal to your tastes and style of writing including Fiction, Poetry, and Creative Nonfiction, with electives offered in areas such as Screenwriting and Graphic Literature.

Each MFA student's degree program culminates in a book-length thesis project of distinction so that you graduate with a complete (or near to complete) manuscript, as well as a diverse portfolio from workshop writing.

Six competitive fellowships (three awarded each year) with full tuition waiver and a fellowship payment of $18,000, each renewable for a second year and requiring no work obligation — so you can focus on writing. Limited full-tuition scholarships are also available.

Literary events like the Tabula Poetica Reading Series every fall, the John Fowles Center Reading Series every spring, and Pub(lishing) Crawl in April make this MFA program an especially energetic milieu for emerging writers.

Programme Structure

Courses include:

Aspects of a Writer

Techniques in Fiction Writing

Techniques in Poetry Writing

Techniques in Creative Nonfiction Writing

Publishing in the 21st Century

Techniques in Screenwriting

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 12 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2026-08-25 00:00:00

Apply anytime.
Starting 2027-02-01 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-11-01 00:00:00

More details

Applications received after these deadlines will be considered on a rolling basis as space is available.

Language

English

Duolingo English Test

130

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IELTS

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Credits

36 SCH

Delivered

On Campus

Campus Location

Los Angeles, United States

Disciplines

Creative Writing View 385 other Masters in Creative Writing in United States

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Academic requirements

GPA

2.5

English requirements

Duolingo English Test

130

Take A Free Practice Test!

TOEFL^® IBT

Schedule TOEFL®

PTE Academic

Schedule a PTE test!

IELTS

Prepare for Your English Test

Cathoven AI IELTS Preparation

Learn your IELTS Score

AI-powered IELTS feedback. Clear, actionable, and tailored to boost your writing & speaking score. No credit card or upfront payment required.

Trusted by 300k learners
98 accuracy using real exam data
4.9/5 student rating

Other requirements

General requirements

Official transcripts from ALL degree-granting (bachelor’s or master’s degrees) colleges and universities attended. An official transcript submitted in a sealed envelope which you have received from your college or university is acceptable.

Your resume or curriculum vitae.

A statement of intent; an essay expressing your reasons for wanting to join the particular academic program to which you are applying. What are your personal and career goals, and how will this particular degree from Chapman University help you reach those goals? Your essay should be double spaced, size 12 font and 1-2 pages in length.

A portfolio of creative work. You should submit work that best represents your style and demonstrates your potential.

Two letters of recommendation that speak to your academic and/or professional preparation, intellectual ability and aptitude for graduate study.

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees are shown in and the most likely applicable fee is shown based on your nationality.

International Applies to you

Applies to you

Non-residents

43380 USD / year

≈ 43380 USD / year
Out-of-State

43380 USD / year

≈ 43380 USD / year
Domestic

Applies to you

In-State

43380 USD / year

≈ 43380 USD / year

Living costs

Los Angeles

United States

1520 - 2570 USD / month

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.

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Free visa & career support through our Path2Success program

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 Creative Writing.

Available Scholarships

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

On this page

About

Overview

Your Writing Comes First

Programme Structure

Key information

Duration

Start dates & application deadlines

Language

Prepare for Your English Test

Credits

Delivered

Campus Location

Disciplines

What students do after studying

Academic requirements

English requirements

Prepare for Your English Test

Other requirements

General requirements

Tuition Fees

International Applies to you

Domestic

Living costs

Los Angeles

Financing

Funding

Scholarships Information

Available Scholarships

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