CLA Creative Writing MFA Admissions

How to Apply

All materials should be submitted by February 15. If you would like to be considered for a teaching assistantship or fellowship, please submit your materials by December 15. Applications submitted after December 15 will still be considered for a teaching assistantship or fellowship, but those meeting the initial deadline will be prioritized.

To apply, submit Temple’s online graduate application along with an application fee of $60.

Candidates will be asked to submit the following along with their application.

Transcripts

Submit official transcripts from every college and university you have attended.

Applicants must have completed their bachelor’s degree. A degree in a related field, such as English or creative writing, is preferred; however, all applications will be considered.

An applicant must, however, display evidence of talent as a fiction writer or poet. A minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 is required for admission.

Letters of Recommendation

Statement of Goals

In two to four double-spaced pages, discuss literary influences and models that influence your creative work. In your statement, consider which writers and texts have been important to you in recent years, describe your work or teaching experience, and discuss your goals for the MFA program. You should also include what attracts you to Temple’s program and whether you are familiar with Philadelphia. The statement of goals should give Temple a sense of who you are, especially if you have a nontraditional background or atypical undergraduate record.

Standardized Test Scores

The GRE is optional. However, if you are taking or have taken the GRE and wish your scores for the general test to be considered, please have them forwarded electronically by ETS to Temple.

Applicants who earned their baccalaureate degree from an institution where the language of instruction was other than English, with the exception of those who subsequently earned a master’s degree at a U.S. institution, must report scores for a standardized test of English that meet these minimums:

TOEFL iBT: 79
IELTS Academic: 6.5
PTE Academic: 53

Résumé

Writing Sample

Send a packet of writing in either poetry or fiction. For applicants in either genre, you may include a critical essay in addition to the creative sample.

For poetry, submit 10 pages. These pages may include shorter poems, longer poems and/or an excerpt from a longer project. Individual poems should be separated by page breaks, not run together. Poems may be single spaced or formatted in whatever way you see fit.
For fiction, send a total of 15 to 25 double-spaced pages. The pages may include a single story, a series of stories, and/or an excerpt from a longer work. Please identify the excerpt as part of a long story, novella, novel or hybrid work.

Official electronic transcripts must be sent via email to mfaapplications@temple.edu, or mail original transcripts to the following address.

Temple University College of Liberal Arts
Creative Writing Program
1020 Mazur Hall
1114 W. Polett Walk
Philadelphia, PA 19122-6090

Additional Requirements for International Applicants

TOEFL iBT: 79
IELTS Academic: 6.5
PTE Academic: 53

See more detailed instructions on applying to Temple as an international student.

Application Deadlines

Fall: Feb. 15

If you would like to be considered for a teaching assistantship or fellowship, please submit your materials by December 15. Applications submitted after December 15 will still be considered for a teaching assistantship or fellowship, but those meeting the initial deadline will be prioritized.

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