Graduate Programs with Funding
Some schools offering generous funding for graduate study
(remember, if you want to attend grad school in the fall, you have to apply the 8-10 months beforehand,
typically Dec. or Jan., but some as early as Oct.)
- Temple University: Offers 2-year program (MFA) in Fiction or Poetry. A LIMITED number of fellowships and teaching assistantships are available.
- Ohio University M.A. and Ph.D. in Fiction, Poetry, and Nonfiction: Nationally competitive stipends up to $15,000 per year, with opportunities to teach literature courses and creative writing workshops.
- Chapman University in Orange, California offers two $18,ooo fellowships for MFA students each fall, PLUS full tuition remission.
- West Virginia University offers and MFA in Creative Writing through their English Department. Most graduate students receive full tuition remission through teaching assistantships plus a stipend.
- Boise State University offers an MFA in creative writing and offers several full funded TA-ships and GA-ships with the opportunity to teach creative writing in your 2nd and 3rd year.
- Mills College near San Francisco offers MFA in Creative Writing and MFA in Book Art and Creative Writing: Full-tuition assistantships available
- Texas Tech M.A. and Ph.D. in Creative Writing: Offers 4 $12,000 scholarships AND generous teaching stipends.
- Texas State offers $60,000 for an incoming writing student through the W. Morgan & Lou Claire Rose Fellowship (additional scholarships and teaching assistantships are available). They offer an MFA in creative writing with a specialization in fiction or poetry.
- Colgate University in Hamilton, NY. The annual fellowship is designed to support writers completing their first books. It provides a generous stipend, office space, and an intellectual community for the recipients, who spend the academic year at Colgate. In return, each fellow teaches a creative-writing workshop each semester and gives a public reading of his or her work.
For additional information about the fellowship and the application process, please contact us at[email protected] or 315-228-7262. - University of Missouri Creative Writing Program: All of their graduate students receive assistantshipsor fellowships and teach both creative writing and literature courses.
- San Jose State University. Fellowships Offered:Currently, SJSU offers one-year fellowships in Steinbeck scholarship and in creative writing, including drama, creative nonfiction, and biography. In awarding fellowships, the selection committee considers the quality of the candidate's proposal and any factors that would lead to expectations of future publication and other achievement. The creative writing fellowship does not require that there be any direct connection between Steinbeck's works and that of the applicant.Applicants who are enrolled in a graduate program of study must furnish evidence that they have completed all coursework, except any course registration associated with a thesis.
Stipend: $10,000. Housing assistance may be available. Residency in the San José area is expected during the academic year.
What types of funding are available?
- Scholarships
*Free scholarship search here.
*Check your employer, foundations, religious organizations, community organizations, local businesses, and civic groups - Fellowships:
The best fellowships pay tuition and a stipend of up to $30,000 a year, for multiple years. Some also provide money for research expenses. Most often fellowships are monetary awards — scholarships — connected to working in a specific field, usually at the graduate or post-graduate level. While former or continuing graduate students complete extra training in a field, or have funding to continue research, they usually receive a stipend, slightly above living wage, from either a private or public institution. This allows them to complete their training, internship or research without having to devote time to working outside their field, or to resorting to additional loans for support. - Graduate Assistantships: GAs offer opportunities for students to engage in research, teaching, and/or other projects during their graduate study. These are paid appointments that promote the missions of the university. For eligibility, students must be accepted as a graduate student in a degree program and be enrolled full-time.
- Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTAs): GTAs carry out responsibilities as classroom instructors, co-teachers or classroom assistants, graders, lab assistants, or other roles directly related to classroom instruction for credit-earning courses. Mandatory training requirements are often required.
- Grants
Look for specific grants, as Pell grants are not available at the graduate level. BUT there are actually a lot of funds available only to graduate and doctoral students. These funds may come from the graduate school itself or from private organizations around the world. Be aware that there may be funds for specific types of purchases or uses. For example, you may find small grants available for travel or for the purchase of important technology like laptops. No grant is too small. Some grants are for specific minorities, women, military members, or for specific majors. - Loans: Private (see your bank) and Federal (see below)
- Federal Student Aid from the U.S. Department of Education (ED):
*Federal student aid accounts for the largest percentage of aid received by graduate and professional students. For information about types of federal student aid, eligibility criteria, and repaying student loans, and to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), visit StudentAid.gov - Federal Student Aid from other federal agencies:
To find out about funding from agencies other than ED, take a look at StudentAid.gov/types - Don’t forget to research tax benefits at the Internal Revenue Service’s website! www.irs.gov
- State Aid: Many states offer assistance for graduate or professional school: www.ed.gov/sgt