Every Writers’ Workshop student receives full funding for the duration of their 2-year MFA program; this funding is equal for everyone. Postgraduate funding is also available.

Tuition and Stipend

Tuition for every admitted student is covered by scholarship, whether they are in-state, out-of-state, or international students.*

With the help of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and Writers’ Workshop donors, every student also receives a generous stipend to cover living expenses while in the program; this includes funding for the summer between the first and second years. These stipends are composed of fellowships and research and teaching assistantships.

Many of our alumni make use of the teaching experience gained at the University of Iowa in their subsequent careers. While all students can expect to teach a light load in their second year, the Writers’ Workshop works to secure a certain number of teaching positions for first year students as well. If teaching is of particular interest to you, please be sure to indicate this on your application; you are not required to have teaching experience to be considered for a teaching position.

All Writers’ Workshop students are eligible to apply for postgraduate aid. Postgraduate aid includes fellowships, adjunct teaching, and other opportunities. We do our best to match graduates with the type of funding they most desire. All graduating Writers’ Workshop students receive some level of support for their postgraduate year.

Health Insurance

The Workshop provides health and dental insurance coverage to all students. This health insurance is comprehensive, with modest co-pays for services, including great coverage for mental health services. Iowa City is home to both the University of Iowa Hospital (the top-ranked hospital in Iowa), as well as Mercy Hospital; access to healthcare is a perk of living in Iowa City.

*International students are eligible for all the funding and benefits offered to every student in the program, with certain fellowships only available to international students. There are some differences in the fee and taxation rates for international students (as a result of state, federal, and University policies over which we have no control), and the process for securing a visa varies from country to country, but we do our best to make sure everyone is able to attend. Every year we welcome many international students into our program, and do everything we can to make the transition as painless as possible.