DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH

THE LITOWITZ CREATIVE WRITING GRADUATE PROGRAM

Applying to the Litowitz MFA+MA program

Look for Program Code E26MF when searching for the MFA+MA program in the online application system.

application deadline

• The application deadline for Fall 2026 matriculation is December 15th, 2025.

• All application materials are due by 11:59 pm (CST) on the day of the deadline

Applications for the Litowitz MFA+MA program are considered for Fall admission only. Prospective students must submit all application materials by the deadline listed above. The English Department admissions process occurs once each year and ends in early February.

Important

All supplemental application materials must be submitted through The Graduate School's application system. Please do not send, or have sent, paper copies of any documents. If you or your recommenders are having difficulty submitting any component of the application online, and the application system's online help is unable to resolve your problem, please contact the Graduate Program Coordinator. Never have any application materials sent directly to The Graduate School or their Office of Admission.

In all cases, our department's specifics regarding supplemental application materials supersede those listed on The Graduate School's website, as well as any listed in the application itself.

Supplemental Application Materials

In addition to the online application, the English Department requires the following documents for application to the MFA+MA in Creative Writing and English.

• One copy of the OFFICIAL transcript from the Registrar of each institution you've attended;
  • You do not need to send the original document; a pdf, scan, or photograph of the transcript will suffice
  • We cannot accept unofficial grade reports from your online student record
  • Transcripts for non-degree courses are not needed
  • Transfer credits and courses taken as part of a study-abroad program will usually be included in your degree-awarding institution's transcript. There's no need to submit separate transcripts from those other institutions.
• A minimum of two letters of recommendation, (we strongly advise three)
• An academic statement (1000 word max) which answers the following questions: what are your academic interests, why do you wish to pursue graduate studies in our department, how has your academic and professional background prepared you for graduate study, and how will our program help you achieve your intellectual and professional goals? Please include mention of any research, training, or educational experiences you have that would be relevant to our program.
• A personal statement (500 words max) describing formative experiences you would like the admissions committee to know about. These can include pivotal experiences and/or challenges that have influenced your educational and professional development; leadership experiences; community outreach; service initiatives; or research projects you have participated in or plan to pursue that aim to positively impact others in the broader community. Other matters you would like to share with the admissions committee that are not discussed elsewhere in the application can also be addressed here, including any gaps in your academic and professional experience, or additional context if you believe your academic record does not demonstrate your true capabilities. If needed, you may also use this space to expand upon topics discussed in the academic statement.
• A creative writing sample in the genre for which you are applying- 10 pages poetry; 20-25 pages prose;
  • Standard margins, Times New Roman 12 pt, double spaced
    • Poetry samples do not need to adhere to these formatting guidelines
  • You may submit more than one sample in fiction or creative nonfiction, so long as the total page count does not exceed 25
• A sample of your writing on a literary topic, preferably a critical essay, ideal length between 12 and 15 pages (20 pages maximum).  Scholarly citations must be included, but do not count against the page limit;
  • Standard margins, Times New Roman 12 pt, double spaced
  • You may submit two samples, so long as the total page count does not exceed 20
• All non-native English speaking applicants are required to report scores from either the TOEFL or the IELTS exam;
  • To be considered official, the exam must have been taken no more than two years prior to the intended September of entry,
  • Because of the level of English fluency required of students in our program, we will only consider applications with a TOEFL score of at least 100, or IELTS score of at least 7
  • Rules governing exemptions from this requirement can be found in our FAQ.
• Additional details from Northwestern's Graduate School about the application (including further details on the TOEFL/IELTS requirement, transcript submission, application fees, etc...) can be found on The Graduate School's website.