Admission Information

Your Application

We don't have a certain number of seats in any given genre we seek to fill. The application committee considers each application on its own merits, weighing most heavily the statement of purpose and creative sample.

We accept applications in the following genres:

Fiction
Creative Nonfiction
Poetry
Playwriting
Screenwriting
Young Adult

Application requirements for each concentration are detailed below. Material in genres other than the one in which you are applying will not be read.

Review Process

Our application committee begins the review of each application once all materials have been received, and the Program Coordinator makes a final decision within three weeks. If you have a question about your review status, contact us.

For assistance with the online application, contact the Office of Graduate Studies.

International Applicants

If you are an international applicant, you will need to submit additional documents. Because the MFA in Writing is a low-residency program, international students are eligible for an F-1 Visa only during the residency periods in July and December-January; the majority of the program is completed online in the home country.

For details about your application process, see How to Apply (International).

Application Deadlines

To apply for the Summer Residency/Fall Semester, choose Fall as your term.
To apply for the Winter Residency/Spring Semester, choose Spring as your term.

For purposes of Financial Aid and Tuition/Fees billing, each residency is considered part of the semester that follows.

Applications are considered on a year-round basis.

Priority Deadlines

If you miss one of the priority deadlines below, contact us. Due to room reservation deadlines set by the Lied Lodge & Conference Center, late admissions might be placed on a waiting list, pending room availability.

If you have questions about your particular circumstances, let us know.

Priority Application Deadline for the Summer Residency/Fall Semester is June 1
Priority Application Deadline for the Winter Residency/Spring Semester is November 1

All applicants must fulfill the following:

Hold a bachelor's degree or equivalent professional certification from an accredited college or university. You should request that official transcripts from each college or university attended be sent directly to the Office of Graduate Studies. Hand-carried or student-submitted credentials are not acceptable, and submission to any office other than Graduate Studies will delay your application.

Note about transcripts: In order to avoid delays in processing your transcripts, please make sure you officially submit your application before ordering transcripts to be sent electronically. For more information, please see the Graduation Admissions Policy. If in doubt about the timing, contact the Office of Graduate Studies.

Fill out the Online Application. Information entered is received by the Office of Graduate Studies for processing before being distributed to the MFA Program Office. If you have any questions or encounter any problems with the online application, please contact the Office of Graduate Studies.

Application Requirements

Fiction, Creative Nonfiction, Poetry, or Young Adult

Statement of Purpose	Submit a single-spaced statement (1-2 pages) including the following: • a self-assessment of your background in writing • reasons for wanting to attend the University of Nebraska MFA in Writing program • your goals as a writer • how you believe our MFA in Writing program will benefit your goals • any other experience you have in the wider community of literature (e.g. organizing or participating in craft workshops, attending conferences, working for literary magazines, etc.)
Creative Sample	Submit a single manuscript representing your best work in Fiction, Creative Nonfiction, Poetry, or Young Adult: • 15 total pages of poetry • 30-40 total double-spaced pages of fiction or nonfiction (complete piece, excerpt of longer piece, or multiple pieces, as long as the submission is a single document)
Recommendations	When completing the application, you will submit email contact information for two people who can attest to your ability to complete a course of graduate study, the ability to work independently, and/or the quality of your prior literary achievements. Recommenders will receive an email with instructions for submission.

Playwriting/Screenwriting


Statement of Purpose	Submit a single-spaced statement (1-2 pages) including the following: • a self-assessment of your background in writing • reasons for wanting to attend the University of Nebraska MFA in Writing program • your goals as a writer • how you believe our MFA in Writing program will benefit your goals • specific experience as it pertains to full-length scripts, one-act scripts, and/or ten-minute scripts, as well as any experience in other areas of theatre, television, and/or film
Creative Sample	Submit a single manuscript representing your best work: • 15-20 pages of original playwriting or screenwriting.
Recommendations	When completing the application, you will submit email contact information for two people who can attest to your ability to complete a course of graduate study, the ability to work independently, and/or the quality of your prior literary achievements. Recommenders will receive an email with instructions for submission.

With the exception of international applicants who must submit a TOEFL score, applicants do not need to submit any standardized test scores such as the GRE. International applicants should contact the International Studies and Programs office regarding questions about transcripts or TOEFL.
Applicants not admitted into the program may reapply with new manuscript material after one year.

Next Residency Dates:

Winter/Spring '25: December 27, 2024 – January 5, 2025

Summer/Fall '25: July 18, 2025 – July 27, 2025

Winter/Spring '26: December 27, 2025 – January 5, 2026