Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What do I need to send with my application, and where do I send it?
A: Apply to the Graduate School online at http://www.grads.vt.edu/admissions/applying/index.html. Please remember to select MFA as your option. Applications for the upcoming fall semester must be submitted by March 15.
In addition to the Graduate School application, send the following materials to the English Department:
Creative Writing Portfolio
Applicants in fiction: a 25-page portfolio of original fiction (stories or novel excerpts)
Applicants in poetry: a 15-page portfolio of original poems
Applicants in playwriting: an original script of approximately 25 pages, either a one-act play or an excerpt from a full-length play
Personal Statement
A copy of your personal statement explaining why you want to pursue an MFA
Resume or Vita
Publications, awards, professional record
Academic records
A copy of your academic transcript
Three letters of recommendation
Preferably from former teachers and professors, or from creative writers familiar with your work. Send your recommenders the required reference form (available here and on the Graduate School site) and ask them to send their letters directly to the English Department.
Send the creative writing portfolio, the personal statement, and the resume or vita as a PDF, Word, or RTF file. Title the file “YourlastnameMFA.PDF (or .doc /.rtf, as appropriate). The email’s subject line should read “MFA [Poetry/Fiction/Playwriting] Portfolio.” Include your contact information in the body of the email. Send to: MFA-portfolio@vt.edu. If you prefer, you may send a paper copy of these materials to the English Department using the address below.
Academic transcript and letters of recommendation should be sent to the English Department:
MFA Program, Department of English
attn: Ashley Hilton
306 Shanks Hall, Virginia Tech
Blacksburg, VA 24061-0112
All materials must arrive at the English Department by March 15.
Q: What financial help can I look forward to getting while I am pursuing my MFA at Tech?
A: All students will be offered graduate teaching assistantships (GTAs) which means they will teach composition in the English Department (0 sections first semester; 1 section second semester; 2 sections per semester thereafter, until the final semester, when they teach 1 section of creative writing).
Q: Do I need to take the GRE general test and the subject test?
A: We have recently revised our policy on this. We require that you take the general test, but now the English subject test is optional. If you have taken it, it can help us to get to know more about you, but the subject test is no longer required.
Q: How important are my undergraduate gpa and my GRE scores in my application?
A: Grades and scores are a necessary part of getting to know applicants from as many directions as we can, but the most valuable tool to us is your portfolio of work in determining your gifts as a writer. Of course your letters of recommendation and your list of publications/awards (if any) will be helpful also to us in getting a fuller picture of you as a dedicated writer.
Q: Are international students required to take the TOEFL exam for admission into the program, and what minimum score do they need?
A: International students may take either the TOEFL exam with a score of 213 (computerized), 620 (paper-based) or the IELTS exam with a score of Band 8.
Q: Can I pursue my MFA as a part-time student?
A: If your portfolio and other materials qualify you for our program, you may be accepted, but we cannot offer scholarships or GTAs to part-time students, so you would be required to pay your own way.