MFA Financial Support

Updated April 2022

All applicants who are admitted to the MFA Program (in FA20 and beyond) will be guaranteed three years of financial support.  The total support for the calendar year (October through the following September) will be at least $30,000, with at least the equivalent to the nine-month salary of a 50% TA (for that given year) being distributed during the academic year (October through the following June).  The support may come in the form of guaranteed TA positions on campus, other forms of campus employment, fellowship/stipends, or any combination of the three.  The current nine-month salary of a 50% TA is $23,246.51.  As the actual financial support package for each admitted student will 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 will be required to submit on-time and complete applications to at least three departments offering Teaching Assistantships for the following academic year. 
  • At least one of these departments must be the College Writing Programs, which is considered one application, and you must select at least three of the colleges as possibilities within your application. 
  • Your other applications may be to any of the academic departments on campus (including the Literature Department). 
• Students will be required to accept 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 paid to the student, a 50% TA position also covers many of the tuition and fee costs charged to student each quarter.  The position will cover the base tuition charge (currently $3,814 per quarter), the Student Services Fee (currently $376 per quarter), the Health Insurance charge (currently $1,285 per quarter), and $100 per quarter towards the remaining assorted fees.  This leaves $231.17 per quarter in fees for the student to pay.  For students admitted FA20 or later, a 50% TA position will also pay this balance of $231.17.  Many other forms of campus employment and fellowships will also come with similar tuition & fee waivers, but students will need to refer to the specific offer for confirmation and details.

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