A bachelor's degree or its equivalent.
Transcripts according to the requirements of the Graduate School.
Three letters of recommendation.
A writing sample in the genre of emphasis: eight to 10 poems, 20 pages of prose, play-writing, essay, or screenplay.
A statement of purpose.
The admission factors will be reviewed holistically to assess the potential of the applicant. The successful applicant would typically have an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher that demonstrates focus on academics in a field that requires critical thinking and creativity, a writing sample in the genre of emphasis that illustrates the applicant's ability and potential, a personal statement that demonstrates maturity and commitment to a career related to creative writing as well as willingness to interact with diverse cultural backgrounds, and three letters of recommendation from supporting faculty or advisors who can serve as judges of the applicant's competence and commitment.

For graduates of institutions outside the United States where English is not the first language, the Graduate School requires a minimum score of 550 on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) (or a 79 on the TOEFL ibT) or a minimum score of 6.5 on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).