How To Apply

Please note: The application period for the 2013/2014 academic year begins October 1, 2012 and closes on April 5, 2013.

Normally, successful applicants for admission to the M.F.A. in Creative Writing Program will have an undergraduate or Master’s degree in English or Creative Writing, but exceptions may be made for students with extraordinary talent. In addition, other requirements of the university regarding graduate admission may also apply. For instance, students may not be concurrently enrolled in the M.A. in English Composition and the M.F.A. in Creative Writing. For complete information on graduate study at CSUSB, the current Catalog of Programs is available online.

University Application Deadline for Fall 2013:

April 5, 2013: CSU Mentor Application (apply online to the university and submit official transcripts in sealed envelopes, from all postsecondary institutions attended, to Graduate Admissions at CSUSB). You must also choose a concentration in Fiction or Poetry. You are required to submit this application even if you are currently a CSUSB undergraduate. The GRE (Graduate Record Examination) is not a requirement.

Department Application Deadline for Fall 2013:

April 5, 2013: Supporting Documents (submit a writing sample, statement of purpose and three letters of recommendation to the English M.F.A. Coordinator).

To apply for admission to the M.F.A. program, the following materials should be sent directly to the Department of English.

  1. A sample of your creative work consisting of ten poems or two short stories or a short story and a novel chapter. The poetry submissions should not exceed twenty pages; the prose submission should not exceed thirty pages.
  2. A two-to-four page autobiographical statement describing your literary and academic goals.
  3. Three letters of recommendation describing your maturity as a student who can receive and give constructive criticism, and your ability to be academically successful in the M.F.A. program.

Note: to submit your letters of recommendation, print three copies of the “Recommendation Waiver Form,” complete and sign the upper portion of the forms and give them to the three individuals you have selected. These letters should be submitted to us by the recommenders OR given to you signed in sealed envelopes for submission.

Attention International Students: There are additional documents required for international student applications. For information about these additional requirements and forms, please see the International Student Status information on the Admissions and Student Recruitment website.

Supporting documents and questions about the Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing should be addressed to:

California State University, San Bernardino
Department of English
M.F.A. Program Coordinators
5500 University Parkway
San Bernardino, CA 92407


Telephone: (909) 537-5824