MFA in Creative Writing Checklist for US Applicants
Portfolio
Present a portfolio of original creative work in a specific genre of emphasis: poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, or dual genre. The required length is 20–25 pages of prose (double-spaced) or 10–15 pages of poetry (single-spaced, one poem to a page). Excerpts from longer work should start with the first chapter and include a brief synopsis. Ideally, your admission portfolio should showcase the range and/or the potential of the project you plan to work on in the program.
A fiction portfolio can be an excerpt from a novel or a selection of short stories and/or flash fiction pieces. A creative nonfiction portfolio can be an excerpt from a memoir or a selection of personal essays and/or flash nonfiction pieces. A poetry portfolio can include poems of any length in open as well as fixed form, including prose poems. A dual-genre application can be cross-genre work and/or can include portfolios in two genres with a total length of 20 – 25 pages. Writers working in hybrid forms can be dual-genre without applying expressly to the dual-genre emphasis track. We welcome cross-genre work in our program.
Please note that the quality of the admission portfolio is the key deciding factor in the admission process. To submit your portfolio materials, email them to your admissions counselor as attachments.
Transcripts
Request that official transcripts from your bachelor’s degree program be submitted to Maharishi International University. Transcripts must come directly to us from the institutions attended. Transcripts can be sent electronically to admisdoc@miu.edu. Paper copies should be mailed to the address below. Official transcripts sent by mail must be delivered to us in a sealed envelope; official transcripts sent by email must be password protected.
Maharishi International University
Office of Admissions
1000 North 4th Street
Fairfield, IA 52557
Statement of purpose
Applicants must present a statement of purpose form outlining their relationship to their chosen genre(s) and their own writing process, as well as their reasons for applying to our program (500–1,000 words).
Craft analysis essay
Present a 750-word, typed, double-spaced essay exploring the mechanics of craft in a literary work of choice. Please use MLA or APA citations, text references as illustrations of ideas, and proper incorporation of quotations. Your essay can have a personal slant but should demonstrate original thought presented in an intelligent, professional manner, showcasing your ability to engage in critical analysis. To submit your craft analysis essay, email it to your admissions counselor as an attachment.
Résumé
Present an up-to-date résumé that lists your degrees and relevant coursework, attendance of summer writing programs or conferences, TA-ships, professional work experience, publications, and other awards and accomplishments. To submit your résumé, email it to your admissions counselor as an attachment.
Three letters of recommendation
Request three letters of recommendation from writers, teachers, or other professionals who know you in a professional and/or academic setting. Send the link for our recommendation form to your recommender, who will then submit the form directly back to us.
Interview
Engage in a pre-acceptance interview (in person or online) with the MFA in Creative Writing program director and department faculty.
Before your first class
All MIU students practice the Transcendental Meditation® technique. If you have not learned it yet:
- Once accepted as a student, the cost of TM instruction is covered through a grant offered by MIU
- Students are required to learn the TM technique before starting the first class
- Contact your admissions counselor for details
- Find information on the TM technique or search for a TM teacher at TM.org
Reminders
- Submit your FAFSA if you’ll be seeking financial aid. Our school code is 011113.
- If you are a US permanent resident, be sure to email or fax a copy of your Permanent Resident Card (green card) or I-551 form.