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Vermont College of Fine Arts MFA in Writing

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Program Description

Cited by Atlantic Monthly as one of top five low-residency programs in the U.S., the Vermont College of Fine Arts MFA in Writing offers fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, writing for children & young adults, and a concentration in translation. The program was one of the first low-residency programs to offer an MFA through study with accomplished authors without leaving their home communities. The program features residency options in Slovenia and hosts a literary/art journal, Hunger Mountain.

Unlike residential programs, ours brings writers together twice yearly for 10-day residencies in beautiful Montpelier, VT. After residency, students return home to complete the self-designed semester under the guidance of faculty. One of the great benefits of the program is the opportunity to become part of an especially close community of writers.

VCFA offers post-graduate semesters for writers with an advanced degree who may want to work specifically with one of our faculty, work in a new genre, complete a writing project, or simply advance skills further. VCFA also hosts the only summer workshop in the country for postgraduate writers.

Average Student Ratings

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Student Reviews

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VCFA xceeded my wildest fantasies, hopes and dreams for an MFA in Fiction.

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VCFA is the most supportive, inspiring, challenging and innovative MFA program to grace the arena of artistic masters programs in…

October 24, 2009 | 2 of 5 people found this review useful | Report as offensive

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Ingrid Alana Silverstein | '2008

Writing Program Left Me Speechless...

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Review of the Program:

...and the whole experience was indescribable.

Like the protagonist of a Shakespeare play, the program's greatest strength…

October 16, 2009 | 2 of 4 people found this review useful | Report as offensive

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dick bentley | '1992

One of the best things I have ever done.

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Review of the Program:

There are times you look back on and think, "Wow, those were good days." Not only do I think this…

October 16, 2009 | 3 of 5 people found this review useful | Report as offensive

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Sam Howie | '2002

The most intensely positive writing experience of my life.

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Review of the Program:

I found Vermont College to do everything I expected. I never imagined such attention to my work, and such expansion…

October 15, 2009 | 0 of 0 people found this review useful | Report as offensive

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Carol w. Bachofner | '2004

VCFA: inspiration that changes you

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Review of the Program:

Unlike most MFAW students, I joined the program at an advanced age with no experience whatever in creative writing. I…

October 15, 2009 | 2 of 2 people found this review useful | Report as offensive

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Richard Moore | '2009

Both nurturing and rigorous

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VC MFA gave me firmer footing for my writing; the teachers are accomplished and inspiring, my fellow students were amazing…

October 15, 2009 | 3 of 6 people found this review useful | Report as offensive

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Anne Bauer | '2006

An MFA is about experience, not credentials.

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And the experience I gained in reading poetry, talking about poetry, and writing poetry simply can't be measured. I enrolled…

October 14, 2009 | 2 of 5 people found this review useful | Report as offensive

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Cyndle Plaisted Rials | '2008

The program was far more inspiring and demanding than my Ph.D. in Educationn.

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Review of the Program:

Outstanding multi-genre program.
I wish I could've studied them all.
I went back & recently did a post-grad…

October 03, 2009 | 2 of 2 people found this review useful | Report as offensive

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Joan Seliger Sidney | '1989

If you can get in - go now!

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Review of the Program:

I graduated from Vermont's Writing for Children and Young Adults program - there simply isn't anywhere like Vermont. Seriously. There…

October 03, 2009 | 1 of 1 people found this review useful | Report as offensive

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Lisa doan | '2008

Beyond Amazing

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I entered this school terrified. I had never written an entire novel, never sat with literary rock stars and talked…

October 03, 2009 | 2 of 2 people found this review useful | Report as offensive

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Carrie Jones | '2007

Simply the best

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I would not be a published novelist without Vermont College's MFA program in Writing for Children and Young Adults. At…

October 03, 2009 | 2 of 2 people found this review useful | Report as offensive

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Liz Gallagher | '2006

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Contact

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Montpelier, Vermont
New England

Admissions

Full-time: No

Part-time: Yes

Student Body

Genre

Fiction
Poetry
Creative Non-fiction
Children/Young Adult
Other