Application for admission to the Graduate School is made to a specific program for a specific degree. For the M.F.A. in Writing and Literature, applicants must fulfill both the Graduate School admission requirements and the specific requirements for the M.F.A. in Writing and Literature. See sections I and II for details on these requirements. Application forms may be found on line at http://www.grad.sunysb.edu/admissions/. Please note that applications for Admission to the M.F.A. in Writing and Literature are made to M.F.A. in Writing and Literature Program and not to the Graduate School.
Application Deadline:
The MFA program in Writing and Literature accepts applications for admission on a rolling basis. To receive full consideration for admission with financial support, complete admission and financial aid applications should be filed by January 15 for the fall semester and October 1 for the spring semester.
I. M.F.A. in Writing and Literature Admission Requirements
Applicants for the MFA program in Writing and Literature must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university. The program accepts applications from candidates whose undergraduate degrees were taken in areas other than the humanities.
Admission to the program is based on the evaluation of a portfolio of the applicant’s writing, made in conjunction with a review of the candidate’s entire academic career, and letters of recommendation. The portfolio may include works in any written form including fiction, creative non-fiction, poetry, scripting, or other genre. Results from the Graduate Record Examination are encouraged, but not required.
In addition to the Graduate School Admission requirements listed below, the M.F.A. in Writing and Literature requires the following:
- Letters of recommendation from three instructors or writing professionals familiar with your written work.
- A statement discussing your reasons for graduate study (1-2 pp, may be submitted with the online application)
- A writing sample consisting of up to 10 pages of poetry (single-spaced, stapled) or 30 pages of prose (double-spaced, stapled), your name should appear on the writing sample
- A single sheet listing your address, phone number, email address, and title(s) of submission(s).
- A copy of your résumé or c.v.
Any deficiencies in these or the Graduate School admission requirements shall not automatically bar admission, but it is understood that inadequacies in undergraduate preparation normally will require the student to take additional work, the amount to be determined by the appropriate graduate advisory committee. Additional work may not be used to fulfill M.F.A. degree requirements.
II. Graduate School Admission Requirements
Admission to the Graduate School requires that the applicant have the preparation and ability that—in the judgment of the program and the Graduate School—are sufficient to enable satisfactory progress in the degree program. A U.S. bachelor’s degree or the equivalent is required (for example, a four-year/120 credit hour) with a minimum overall grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale; the student must present evidence that such a degree will be awarded by the time graduate work is to begin. Application for admission to the Graduate School is made to a specific program for a designated degree.
To be considered for admission, all students must submit a completed application as well as the following documentation to the graduate program:
- An original signed and dated application;
- Two official copies of all previous transcripts for all colleges and universities attended, including junior and senior college and graduate transcripts (if transcripts are in a foreign language, certified English translations are required in addition to the original documents);
- Three letters of recommendation;
- Scores for the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test (although this requirement has been waived for applicants to the MFA in Writing and Literature, it is strongly recommended);
- A nonrefundable application fee of $60 made payable to Stony Brook University;
- Documented proficiency in English for international students (See the English Proficiency Requirements for Non-Native Speakers of English below for details).
Early application is suggested for students seeking financial support. To receive full consideration for admission with financial support, complete admission and financial aid applications should be filed by January 15 for the fall semester and October 1 for the spring semester. Admission decisions are made by programs. Late applications will be accepted, but will be considered only by the programs where openings still exist. Students apply on-line through the Graduate School Web site at www.grad.sunysb.edu.
An offer of admission to graduate study at Stony Brook is for a specific semester. An applicant who is unable to enroll for the semester specified should request a deferment of admission from the primary department or program. If the request is granted, the student will be sent a new offer of admission for the subsequent semester and the Graduate School will be notified accordingly. Students who do not enroll within 12 months of the original offer of admission must submit a new application and fee. International students must submit a new “Request for Certificate of Eligibility and Declaration and Certification of Finances” form to request an updated Form I-20 or IAP- 66 valid for the updated semester of admission. Unused Forms I-20 or IAP- 66 must first be returned.
English Proficiency Requirements for Non-Native Speakers of English
Students are expected to read, write, and speak English. They are also expected to comprehend the spoken language. Applicants whose first or native language is not English must demonstrate proficiency prior to matriculation. To be considered for admission, an applicant must present a passing score for either the TOEFL or IELTS tests. Students who fail to meet this requirement cannot be admitted and must enroll in a course at the Intensive English Center (IEC) and achieve satisfactory grades before admission to graduate study. Students who have taken either of these tests more than two years ago must retake the test. A minimum score of 550 (paper)/213 (computer) is considered passing for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). All doctoral students and master’s students who wish to be considered for a teaching assistantship must have a Test for Spoken English (TSE) or Speaking Proficiency English Assessment Kit (SPEAK) score of 55 or better. These tests are given at centers throughout the world several times each year; applicants should forward their scores directly to the Graduate School (the Stony Brook code is 2548). Further information is available by contacting the Education Testing Service, Princeton, New Jersey 08540, USA, or at www.toefl.org. Students who take the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) tests instead of the TOEFL are not required to take the TSE. A score of 7 will be considered passing. Further information is available by contacting the IELTS Web site at www.ielts.org. Admission to the Graduate School is contingent upon satisfactory fulfillment of the English proficiency requirement.
Performance in the IEC and on the SPEAK test will determine whether a student will be cleared or assigned to an ESL (English as a Second Language) course. All non-native English speakers will be required to pass a test of spoken English before being allowed to teach as a Teacher’s Assistant.
Health Records
All accepted students are required by New York State law to file a completed health history and physical examination with the Student Health Service. Transfer students may submit copies of their health forms from their former schools provided they contain the information required by the Student Health Service and are less than two years old.
International Students
Financial Verification
Applicants who are not citizens or permanent residents of the United States must provide the University with verification that the necessary funds are available to finance their education at Stony Brook and for living expenses. The University form SUSB103R2 must be submitted for this purpose before immigration documents will be sent to the admitted students. (The form SUSB103R2 may also be downloaded at www.grad.sunysb.edu under the heading “Applying.”)
I-20 Documentation
Government regulations require that every international student attend the institution that issued the I-20 used for entry into the United States. Transfers between institutions may be possible if a student can show that he or she reported to the original institution with the appropriate clearance.
Non-Matriculated Status (GSP)
Any person holding a bachelor’s degree, its equivalent, or an advanced degree from an accredited institution of higher learning is eligible to be considered for admission to the University as a nonmatriculated graduate student. Such students may enroll in graduate courses through the School for Professional Development (SPD) as non-degree students after submitting a completed application form to SPD. Contact SPD for additional information at (631) 632-7050 or at http://ws.cc.sunysb.edu/spd/. Non-degree students who later wish to pursue a graduate degree will need to make a formal application for admission to the Graduate School and a degree program and may transfer a maximum of 12 credits taken in non-matriculated status to the graduate degree program.
Special Circumstances
Waiver of Application Fee
All applicants are required to pay the application fee. Exceptions include:
• Students who reapply for admission within one academic year;
• Students who are U.S. citizens and have current documentation from a financial aid administrator of an appropriate college or university official substantiating that they are currently enrolled and that the payment of the application would create a financial hardship (complete financial information for the current academic year must be provided, including total cost of education and amount and types of financial aid received);
• Currently enrolled undergraduate students in a U.S. institution who hold a cumulative GPA of 3.75 or better.
To qualify, the waiver request must be submitted with the application for admission, including official copies of all transcripts.
Readmission
Graduate students who have interrupted their attendance at Stony Brook by withdrawing from the University or by taking a leave of absence must be readmitted to graduate study. The student initiates the process by submitting a completed “Readmission” form to their program. The form is available at the Graduate School or may be downloaded at www.gradsunysb.edu.
• Students not on an official leave of absence must submit a $500 readmission fee, as well as the first two pages of the admission application.
• International students must also submit a new financial affidavit and be cleared by an international student advisor before the readmission process can be concluded. If the program approves the request, the readmission form is submitted to the Graduate School for final approval. The program or the Graduate School may set specific requirements to be fulfilled by the readmitted student during the first year of admission.
Conditional Admission
In exceptional cases where certain admission requirements are not met or the undergraduate preparation is inadequate, an applicant may be admitted conditionally. Such applicants will be considered on probation during the first semester. Program recommendation and Graduate School approval are required for conditional admission.
• Students admitted conditionally for a low cumulative GPA must earn an overall graduate average of at least a B (3.0) during the first semester of enrollment to be permitted to continue. In this case, the student is considered to have achieved regular status.
• A student admitted conditionally because of a low cumulative GPA who fails to earn a B (3.0) average in the first semester will not be permitted to reenroll. Both the student’s program and the Graduate School may set conditions that the student must satisfy during the early period of graduate work.
Change of Major
Should a student wish to change programs following admission, a “Change of Major” form must be submitted to the Graduate School with original signatures by both prior and new department or program chairs and advisors. The form is available at the Graduate School or can be downloaded at www.grad.sunysb.edu. In addition, international students who seek to change their program must obtain approval of an international student advisor.
Secondary Program
Should a student wish to add a secondary program to his or her primary program of study, a Permission to Enroll in a Secondary Degree or Certificate Program form must be submitted to the Graduate School with original signatures by both prior and new department or program chairs. Final approval rests with the Graduate School. International students are required to obtain approval of an international student advisor.