All application materials, including at least two letters of recommendation, are due by 11:59 PM, EST, on December 15, 2025. The third recommendation letter needs to be received by December 20th, 2025.
The application fee for United States citizens and those with permanent resident visa status is $75. The fee for non-U.S. citizens is $90. The application fee for current Rackham students, regardless of citizenship, is $10. This fee is non-refundable and subject to change.
Application Fee Waivers
We no longer have application fee waivers available.
The Rackham Graduate School provides fee waivers for eligible MFA and PhD applicants, please review their webpage: Application Fee and Payment. Please contact Rackham, [email protected], if you have any questions.
Application and Admissions
Successful applicants will be admitted as writers of either poetry or fiction.
Please note: Applicants will not be able to apply to both poetry and prose; applicants must choose one genre. Applicants must have a Baccalaureate degree by the time of expected enrollment. Although the degree need not be with a concentration in English, the applicant should demonstrate sufficient skill in undergraduate language and literature courses to enable him or her to enroll in graduate English literature courses. We do not accept Non-Candidate for Degree status applicants to our program. We do not offer online courses. The Helen Zell Writers' Program is a full-time full-residency program.
The GRE is not required for MFA applicants.
Admission decisions for Fall 2026 will be made and applicants will be notified via email in early March 2026.
Submitting your application
Transcripts: All applicants must upload a scanned copy, front and back, of their official transcript/academic record issued by the Registrar or Records Office to the applicant, to ApplyWeb for each bachelor’s, master’s, professional, or doctoral degree earned or in progress. The scanned copy of the official transcript is used for initial review by the graduate program faculty..
A downloaded transcript from your school portal or system is an unofficial transcript and not acceptable for review.
If you are attending or have graduated from a Non-U.S. institution, review the Required Academic Credentials from Non-U.S. Institutions for requirements by country.
If you have community or junior college, non-degree, or study abroad coursework, indicate this information on page ten of the application under the “Additional Information” section. Do not submit any transcripts from a community or junior college, non-degree, or study abroad coursework to Rackham unless you attended a Non-U.S. institution.
After an offer of admission is made, an official transcript sent directly from the registrar’s office must be submitted to Rackham. For further instructions on how to submit your official transcript to Rackham, visit Rackham's website: https://rackham.umich.edu/admissions/applying/transcripts/.
TOEFL: Applicants whose native language is not English must demonstrate English proficiency. Applicants are required to provide an official score report from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). The minimum accepted TOEFL score for our Graduate Program is 106 on the internet. The test date must be within two years of the application deadline.
IELTS: Academic version, minimum overall score is 6.5. Official IELTS scores are sent electronically to the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. For additional information please visit Rackham English Proficiency Requirements website.
For a full list of Engish proficiency tests accepted please visit Rackham English Proficiency Requirements website.
- Applicants who completed all of their Bachelor's or Master's/Doctoral degree are exempt from submitting an official English proficiency score if:
- The degree was earned from an institution where the language of instruction is English, exclusively. This exception does not apply if some classes completed were taught in a language other than English. Verification from the school may be required.
- The degree was earned from a country where the official language is English (United States of America, Australia, England, New Zealand).
Writing Sample: This is the most important part of your application. Your creative work.
- Poetry applicants should submit 10 pages (max 15 pages). Each new poem must start on a new page. There is already a prompt in the Poetry application to upload the Poetry writing sample.
- Prose applicants should submit a 30-40 pages writing sample to allow us to judge the applicant's work not to exceed 40 pages, double spaced, of fiction (this submission may be part of a novel, several short stories, or a combination of both as long as it is within the 40 pages limit).
Academic Statement of Purpose: Clearly labeled, concise, up to two pages in length, double spaced, about your academic and research background, your career goals, and how Michigan's graduate program will help you meet your career and educational objectives. Disregard the 500-word limit stated on the application.
Biographical Personal Statement: Clearly labeled, concise, up to two pages in length, double spaced, about how your personal background and life experiences, including social, cultural, familial, educational, or other opportunities or challenges, motivated your decision to pursue a graduate degree at the University of Michigan. This is not an academic Statement of Purpose, but a discussion of the personal journey that has led to your decision to seek a graduate degree. Disregard the 500-word limit stated on the application.
A curriculum vitae/resume: No page limit.
Admission Conduct Code: The Admission Conduct Code question is part of the online application process. You will be prompted to provide the necessary information and your response will be submitted electronically.
Three letters of recommendation: When you register your recommenders in the CollegeNet application, each recommender will receive an e-mail notification to complete the recommendation form through CollegeNet. We do not accept letters of recommendation through Interfolio or other equivalent platforms, and we do not accept them emailed directly to the program.
Please Note: When completing your application please be sure to select a sub-plan, either poetry or prose. All credentials submitted for admission consideration become the property of the University of Michigan and will not be returned in original or copy form. We do not archive applications. Therefore, any materials submitted in a previous application for the Helen Zell Writers' Program must be resubmitted.
Immunizations for International Students
The University of Michigan does not require immunizations. However, it is recommended that students come to school fully immunized to protect their health. Immunizations are one of the most effective public health measures in preventing communicable diseases. Immunization recommendations can be found on the University Health Services website.
