University of Southern Maine

How to Apply

Admission Requirements:

Admission is highly selective; students will be accepted on the basis of manuscript samples and past educational experience in creative writing.  Applications for the two annual admissions cycles are due on September 1st and February 1st.  Later applications may be considered in exceptional cases or until all places are filled.

For admission, please submit the following to:

The Office of Graduate Admissions

University of Southern Maine

P.O. Box 9300,

Portland, ME 04104

• Two copies of the USM graduate application form. (You may download a pdf application form or complete an online application form).  IMPORTANT: list the literary genre in which you are applying as the "Major Area of Concentration."

• A 1-2 page essay describing your writing background, your reasons for wanting to enroll in our MFA program, and your goals after graduation.

• A sample of your writing (see guidelines below), clearly marked to indicate the genre in which you are applying: Creative Nonfiction, Fiction, Poetry or Popular Fiction. Manuscripts will not be returned; do not send originals.

• Two copies of official transcripts of all previous undergraduate and graduate work.

• Three letters of recommendation, including at least one from a published writer. Each letter must be accompanied by a recommendation form.

• A 500-750 word statement discussing the work of at least three writers in the genre in which you are applying who have influenced your own writing. This statement may involve close readings, critical analysis, and/or a more personal discussion of why and how you value these writers. Ideally, it should convey a sense of the literary heritage in which you situate your own work and of your skill as a reader.
  

• A check for the nonrefundable application fee of $50.00

GRE scores are not required. Please do not use any staples when submitting your application.

Writing Samples

For Creative Nonfiction, submit an excerpt from a memoir, a personal essay or a piece of literary journalism, a maximum of 20 pages. Creative Nonfiction for this program does not include book reviews, letters, feature journalism or job-related documents such as memos, legal briefs, etc. For Fiction, submit a short story or novel excerpt, maximum of 20 pages. For Poetry, submit a maximum of ten poems. For Popular Fiction, submit a piece of fantasy, horror, mystery, science fiction, romance, or thriller, maximum 20 pages.

All writing samples should be double-spaced, with 1 inch margins, in 12 point font.  You may submit as many short pieces of Fiction or Creative Nonfiction as you like, provided that they do not exceed the 20 page limit.  If your sample is a novel excerpt, it may be helpful to  include a synopsis of the novel as the first page.

Technology

Students and faculty must have Internet capabilities on home computers in order to participate in Web-based workshops and conferences.

University of Southern Maine

The University of Southern Maine, with campuses in Portland, Gorham and Lewiston-Auburn, has gained a national reputation for the breadth and quality of programs that serve the population center of the state. Over 4,800 students attend classes during the summer and the academic year enrollment is over 11,000. Approximately 2,000 students are graduate students.

For more information, please contact the Office of Graduate Admissions at (207) 780-4386, or the MFA offices at (207) 780-5262.

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Related Links:

USM graduate application forms and additional application information can be found by visiting the website of the Office of Graduate Admissions www.usm.maine.edu/grad.

For additional information on University policies, please see the rest of this website and consult the current USM graduate catalog, available at www.usm.maine.edu/catalogs/graduate.