Admission

Who Should Apply?

Students in Emerson’s on-campus graduate Creative Writing program come from diverse backgrounds and have majored in, work in, or have a passion for writing and storytelling. The majority of our students aspire to publish their own novels, poems, or stories or teach creative writing to the next generation of writers. Our students are dedicated to their craft and welcome constructive feedback from peers and mentors. They also have a solid understanding of the themes and writing types they want to focus on. Housed in the School of the Arts, our graduate program offers students the option to choose from literary fiction, creative nonfiction, or poetry tracks. 

Application Deadlines

Applicants can apply for admission for a fall start.

Fall

• Priority: February 1
• Regular: April 1
• Late: Not offered

*Priority Decision Advantages: priority review for admission, first consideration for scholarships, and earlier receipt of an admission decision.

For official term start dates, please review our Academic Calendar.

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Admission Requirements

• Online Application 
  • After submitting your application, you will receive an email with your Admission ID. Please use your username and password to log in and check the status of your application.
• Official Transcripts
  • Review the official transcript requirements.
• 2 Letters of Recommendation
  • From persons best able to assess academic and professional qualifications, including motivations and goals.
• Admission Essay
  • Emerson College's graduate programs form a vibrant and engaged community of creative artists, professionals, scholars, and clinicians who all believe in the power of language and communication to transform society. Your careful responses to the following prompts will help us determine if the program you are applying to is the right fit for you. Please answer each prompt as thoughtfully as possible.
    • How does the focus and curriculum of the program to which you are applying align with your experience and goals? What particular aspects of your current and/or future work do you hope to develop while in graduate school? 500 words.
    • ​​Drawing on your personal, professional, creative and/or academic experience please share an example of a time that you overcame an individual or collective challenge and the approach you took to address that challenge. 250-500 words.
    • The mission of Emerson College is the betterment of society through communication and the arts. With this in mind, what impact do you want your work to have? 500 words.
• Writing Sample
  • Submit a maximum of 15 pages, double-spaced, of fiction or nonfiction or a maximum of 15 pages of poetry. Label the writing sample with your preferred genre as indicated on the application form. You should supply writing samples that reflect your preferred genre.
• Resume
  • Include your professional and educational history.
• English Proficiency: Applicants whose native language is not English must provide evidence of English proficiency by submitting official TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo, or Pearson test results.

View our graduate admission policies

International Applicants

• This program supports the issuance of an I-20 for the full duration of the on-campus portion of the program. To learn more about applying for an I-20, review the International Student Enrollment Checklist. No documentation is required until after you have been admitted.