Admission & How to Apply
The Application Process
To apply, candidates should submit the following:
- Butler Application
- A writing sample in your intended genre (12 pages of poetry or 30 pages of prose).
- A statement of interest (1–2 pages).
- Two letters of recommendation.
- Official transcripts or copies of official transcripts from all colleges and universities where candidates:
- Earned a degree
- Earned more than 15 credits (undergraduate and graduate)
- Completed any program prerequisite (regardless of number of credit hours)
- Completed courses for which candidates are applying for transfer credit
International applicants must additionally submit the following:
- TOEFL scores or equivalent proof of English proficiency
- A clear copy of your passport
- Evidence of financial support
Note: GRE scores are NOT required.
Transcripts
Copies of official transcripts may be uploaded in the online application for application review only. Applicants who receive an offer of admission will be required at that time to submit official final transcripts issued directly from the institution(s) for verification prior to enrollment. More information is available in the application for admission.
Application Deadlines
MFA students are admitted for both fall and spring semesters based on the following deadlines:
- November 1, 2025: Spring 2026 application deadline (local applications only)
- January 1, 2026: Priority fall 2025 application deadline
- April 15, 2026: Final fall 2025 application deadline
Please direct questions about application materials or the status of your application to the Office of Admission.
Admission
Every year, The Butler MFA in Creative Writing matriculates approximately 15 new students, divided roughly equally across our three core genres of fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry.
Tuition Remission Students
The MFA in Creative Writing is glad to have Butler employees and other eligible tuition remission students in our program. From our beginning, tuition remission students have been a valuable part of our community. At the same time, we need to balance our commitment to serving the Butler community with our responsibility to meet the program’s financial obligations.
Tuition remission students may comprise no more than:
- 2 students in fiction
- 2 students in nonfiction
- 2 students in poetry
The program will observe an overall cap of 6 tuition remission students at any given time. (This provision allows for the possibility of students switching genres mid-program.)
Once the program reaches the cap in a genre, no additional tuition remission students may be admitted in that area until a space opens. Applicants who are otherwise qualified will be informed of the policy and encouraged to reapply in a future term when space is available. In extraordinary cases, the program reserves the right to make an exception to these caps when doing so would clearly serve the best interests of the program.
Tuition remission students are expected to complete the MFA program within 4 years. This timeline helps ensure that other Butler employees can also access this benefit. If a student does not complete the program within 4 years, they may apply for a single additional year to finish their degree, though such an extension is not guaranteed.