Peace Through Education

Admissions

Each year, we receive hundreds of applications to fill only a handful of spots in fiction, poetry, and literary translation. Our admissions committees review each manuscript carefully. Though the process takes time, we consider it a privilege to read your work.

Applicants should not expect to hear about their admissions status until late Spring. If you have not heard from our program by June 1st, please contact us at mfa@uark.edu.

Instructions: Application for Admission!

Required Application Materials

Below is a list of materials that you'll be required to submit:

  • A Creative Writing Sample:
    Fiction applicants – 20 pages of short fiction or a novel excerpt
    Poetry applicants – 8-10 poems
    Translation applicants – 5-6 pages of poetry OR fiction translated into English, together with copies of the original texts

  • Statement of Purpose – a statement approximately 300 words in length that gives us a sense of who you are as a writer and a person

  • Contact information for 2 Recommenders – Names and email addresses for two recommenders. This is a multi-stage process. Recommenders of applicants who progress to the second stage of consideration will be contacted for letters of recommendation in January 2023.


Please note: there is no application fee for the first step of our application process. Initially, applications will be evaluated solely on the merits of the writing. You should not apply for admission to the UA Graduate School until you receive permission from the MFA program to do so.