By February 1 of the year in which you are applying, the following items should be sent or delivered to

Virginia Commonwealth University
The School of Graduate Studies
Post Office Box 843051
Richmond, VA 23284-3051

— A completed Application for Graduate Study
— A $50 application fee
— A completed Application for Virginia In-State Tuition Rates if you are applying as a Virginia resident
— Three letters of recommendation from people who are qualified to give information concerning your probable success in graduate school, especially in a creative writing program. (If you are applying for a graduate teaching assistantship, at least two of these should specifically address your qualifications for an assistantship.)
— Official transcripts from all schools you attended after high school
— Official GRE test scores. The creative writing program requires the general scores only (although subject scores may be submitted) and places greatest emphasis on the "verbal" and "analytical" sections.
— A "Personal Statement." The School of Graduate Studies asks that you write an essay addressing "your reasons for seeking graduate education," emphasizing such areas as goals, aptitude, awards, and honors. The creative writing program asks that you focus more on the following:

— Your reading habits;
— Your writing habits;
— Your experiences with criticism of your own work and the work of others, in workshops, perhaps, but in the study of literature as well;
— What you see as your responsibilities in the community of writers of which you are a part.

By February 1 of the year in which you are applying, the following items should be sent or delivered to

Graduate Programs Coordinator
Department of English
Virginia Commonwealth University
Post Office Box 842005
Richmond, VA 23284-2005

— Your portfolio, consisting of eight to ten poems or twenty to fifty pages of fiction. The portfolio may consist of a combination of these, and it may also include drama or nonfiction. Be certain, however, that it includes only your best work, and that it contains a sufficient amount of work in the genre to which you are applying.
— A completed Application for Graduate Teaching Assistantship. Note that the Graduate Teaching Assistantship is the creative writing program’s primary source of funding for its students. If you seek funding other than loans, you must submit this application.

*Note that if you are applying for a graduate teaching assistantship or any other type of financial aid, you must complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and submit it in a timely manner to Federal Student Aid Programs, PO Box 4008, Mt. Vernon, IL 62864-8608.

*The Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing awards a number of fellowships each year to outstanding new students in fiction and poetry. The fellowships cover the cost of tuition and fees and provide a stipend (currently $6500 per semester). To be considered for fellowship support, applications must be received by January 15 rather than February 1.