Tuition, Financial Aid, and Scholarships

Tuition & Financial Aid

Randolph College > Academics > Graduate > MFA Creative Writing > Tuition & Financial Aid

2024-2025 Tuition and Fees

Direct Costs

These items are directly charged by Randolph College. You will see these on your billing statements. This figure is before any financial aid (scholarships/grants, loans, etc.) is applied.

Summer Term

  • Tuition: $8,980 ($598.67 per credit hour*)
  • Summer Housing: $225 (Optional)
  • MFA Student Fee: $350 (Each Semester)
  • MFA Residency Fee**: $285 (Each Semester)

Summer total: $9,615

Winter Term

  • Tuition: $8,980 ($598.67 per credit hour*)
  • Housing: $995 (Required)
  • MFA Student Fee: $350 (Each Semester)
  • MFA Residency Fee**: $285 (Each Semester)

Winter total: $10,610

Other Fees

  • Graduation Residency Fee: $775 (During 5th Semester Residency Only)
  • Student Health Insurance: $4,576 (If student is not already covered, charged only once per year)

Two-Year Program Total = $39,235

* Students enrolled in the Masters in Fine Arts – Creative Writing program take 15 credit hours a semester, which results in a $17,960 annual tuition cost

** Residency fee covers breakfast, lunch, and some activities.

Indirect Costs (used to calculate financial aid)

These items are NOT charged by Randolph College, but are estimates of education-related expenses. These amounts are based on averages for students, and can vary based on your needs. 

  • Books, Course Materials, Supplies, and Equipment: $300 (Each Semester)
  • Transportation: $763 (Each Semester)
  • Personal Expenses: $940 (Each Semester)
  • Housing Allowance $6,245 (Each Semester)
  • Food Allowance: $3,570 (Each Semester)
  • Loan Fees: $108 – $158 (Each Semester, depends on loan type)

Financial Aid

We provide a comprehensive program of financial assistance.

When applicants are admitted to the program and have completed their financial aid forms, the financial aid office reviews each student’s financial aid application and determines the assistance available.

All new MFA applicants who complete their FAFSA paperwork will be considered for financial aid and scholarships.

The most common form of assistance available to graduate students is the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program, from which qualifying students may borrow amounts covering the full cost of tuition, fees, and approved housing.

The FAFSA form, available at www.fafsa.ed.gov, is the first step in applying for federal aid.

The Randolph College federal code number is 003734.

To be considered for any grants or scholarships that are provided by the MFA program, students must complete the FAFSA form.

Scholarships & Grants

The Randolph College MFA program is committed to supporting our students by developing grants and scholarships.

The limited scholarships available are awarded on a combination of merit and need, and with awareness that it is good for our community to maintain an aesthetically and socially diverse community of literary artists.

The Nancy Craig Blackburn ’71 Fellowships & Scholarships 

The Nancy Craig Blackburn ’71 Fellowships and Scholarships Program honors the life, legacy, and family of Nancy Craig Blackburn, a 1971 graduate of Randolph-Macon Woman’s College.

Nancy Blackburn, the embodiment of sweetness and love, was a wife, mother, friend, gardener, avid reader, artist, humorist, and hostess – a tremendous generous spirit. Those whose lives she touched will carry her memory with them always.

This appreciation now continues and grows as The Blackburn Fellowships and Scholarships are awarded to select MFA students in each new cohort, allowing the Randolph College MFA to serve writers who our world needs to read.

Other Scholarships

At this time, a few other small scholarships are available. All new MFA applicants who complete their FAFSA paperwork will be considered for fellowships and scholarships.

If you have additional questions, contact Chris Gaumer, MFA Assistant Director.

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