MFA Financial Support

Updated October 2023

All applicants who are admitted to the MFA Program (in FA21 and beyond) will be guaranteed three years of financial support, including coverage of most of the tuition/fee costs.  The support may come in the form of guaranteed TA positions on campus, other forms of campus employment, non-employment financial awards, or any combination of the three.  The most common form of support is a 50% TA appointment on campus, and the current nine-month salary of a first-time TA with a 50% appointment is $29,125.00.  As the actual financial support package for each admitted student may vary, applicants should refer to the financial support package letter that they receive upon being admitted.

Financial support (including employment as a TA, fellowship, and tuition payments) is contingent upon fulltime registration (12 units/quarter), satisfactory progress toward degree completion, campus time limits, and remaining in good academic standing.

As many financial support packages will include a guaranteed TA position for one or more years, please note the following policies regarding this guarantee:

• Students are responsible for submitting on-time and complete applications to as many open TA positions as possible (for which they are qualified).  Students should absolutely apply to the College 
• Students are responsible for accepting the first year-long 50% TA position offer they receive. 
• International students must meet the English language certification requirement for teaching assistants.

Above a beyond the salary/stipend amounts paid directly to the student, the financial support guarantee includes most of the tuition and fee costs charged to student each quarter.  This includes the base tuition charge (currently $4,088 per quarter), the Student Services Fee (currently $402 per quarter), the Health Insurance premium (currently $1,470 per quarter), and most of the remaining campus fees (currently $355.12 per quarter).  The fees that are left for the student to pay themselves is the one-time $100 document fee charged to newly admitted students and the UCGPC Systemwide Fee (currently $7 for the year, with students able to "opt out" if they wish).

Non-Residents will also be charged Nonresident Supplemental Tuition in the amount of $5,034 each quarter. Our department supports these students by paying this Nonresident Supplemental Tuition for their first year in the program (totaling approximately $15,102).  Prior to the start of the second year, it is expected that these students will apply for California residency for tuition purposes.  Once they have this residency status, they will not be charged Nonresident Supplemental Tuition.  Should they choose not to file for residency, they will be required to pay the cost of the Nonresident Supplemental Tuition after the first year.

International students will also be charged Nonresident Supplemental Tuition in the amount of approximately $5,034 each quarter. Our department supports these students by paying this Nonresident Supplemental Tuition for their first three years of enrollment (or through the quarter of graduation, if that happens before the end of the third year).  If international students choose to remain enrolled in the program beyond the third year, they will be required to pay the cost of the Nonresident Supplemental Tuition after the third year.   

Other Funding