Tuition, Fees, and Financial Aid
What is the cost?What about financial aid?Scholarships and AssistantshipsWhat is the cost?
The tuition for the Program is $7,000 for each semester through Summer 2010.* The tuition includes a $150 graduation fee, a $100 Creative Thesis fee, and a fifth-residency fee. Each semester, students have a $15 technology fee. The Spalding application fee is $30.
For the Louisville residencies, students are responsible for travel and housing, while most residency meals are included
. The cost for housing ranges from $180 to $825 for nine nights. If they prefer, students may make their own accommodation arrangements. Students who bring a car to the residency may have parking fees.
For the summer residency, students are responsible for travel, housing, and meals; the estimated cost is $2,900-3,900.
The cost of books is difficult to determine because each semester's reading list is individually determined, but an estimate is $200-$250. Postage to mail packets during the semester ranges from $150-$200.
Upon acceptance, a $500 deposit is required to hold the student's place in the program. This deposit is non-refundable and is applied to tuition.
Tuition and the technology fee are due before the beginning of the residency and may be sent by check or money order, paid by Visa or MasterCard by phone before arrival at the residency, or for spring and fall semesters paid at the Enrollment Services Center on the Friday of arrival up until 5 p.m.
*A tuition increase of 3-5 percent is expected each fall. Top
Graduate students who are U.S. citizens or eligible non-citizens may use federal student loans to help finance their studies. No grants or fellowships are available through Spalding University.
Federal students loans for graduate students are available to U. S. citizens unless they have defaulted on previous student loans or have reached the lifetime limit. (See www.fafsa.ed.gov for a discussion of the limits.) Full-time graduate students are usually eligible to borrow up to about $20,000 per year (2 semesters per year).
Even before being accepted to the Program, students interested in financial aid through student loans may fill out the federal form (FAFSA), which is included in the application packet. The form may also be filled out online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. Spalding's code is 001960.
While applicants who wish financial aid through federal student loans should fill out the federal aid form (FAFSA) as soon as possible when making application, Spalding's Financial Aid Office cannot provide financial aid package information until the applicant has been accepted into the Program. Once accepted, students may contact the Financial Aid Specialist at (502) 585-9911, ext. 2731, or (800) 896-8941, ext. 2731.
Through of generous donations of alumni, faculty, students, and friends of the MFA, the Program several scholarship funds (see below). Persons interested in making a donation to any of the MFA in Writing scholarship funds or in setting up a special named scholarship should contact the Bobbie Rafferty, Director of Advancement and Philanthropy.
MFA in Writing Scholarship Fund for Minorities: These scholarships, usually in the amount of $500-1,000, are based on merit, then on need. To apply, eligible new students email the Program Director Sena Jeter Naslund describing their need and stating the desire to be considered for a minority scholarship. Please put "Scholarship Request in the subject line. The deadline for application is April 1 for the spring or summer semester and August 1 for the fall semester. (Minority is defined as person of color.)
MFA in Writing Scholarship Fund: From this fund, several scholarships in the range of $500-$750 are given to new students based on merit, then on need. In 2008-09 school year, the program awarded 41 scholarships totaling more than $38,000 to new students. To apply, new students email the Program Director Sena Jeter Naslund describing their need and stating their desire to be considered for a scholarship. Please put "Scholarship Request in the subject line. The deadline for application is April 1 for the spring or summer semester and August 1 for the fall semester.
MFA Alumni Endowed Scholarship. Beginning in spring 2010, new students are given scholarships based on need from this fund. More details to come.
J. Terry Price Scholarship. Beginning in spring 2010, a new student in fiction is awarded a scholarship from this fund 
based on need.
Diana M. Raab Scholarship in Creative Nonfiction: In 2007, a creative nonfiction student was awarded a $250 scholarship, which can be renewed each semester as long as the student returns the following semester and remains in good standing in the Program. In general, this scholarship is awarded every two years to a new student.
Eileen Spinelli Writing for Children Scholarship. Each semester, a new student in writing for children and young adults is awarded a scholarship of $250 based on need.
For
second-, third-, and fourth-semester students, several graduate assistantships are available that result in tuition remission from about $600 to $1,800 per semester. Assistantships are competitive and for one semester only (though a student may re-apply for assistantships in subsequent semesters). In 2008-09 school year, the program awarded 26 assistantships totaling about $40,000 for the spring, summer, and fall semesters.
The amount of the assistantship depends on the nature of the assistantship and the amount of hours a student is able to commit to the assistantship. For example, an assistantship for a student who wishes to work 5 hours a week during the semester is $1,200. Assistantships include working on the program newsletter, working in the MFA office, working as a publication specialist for The Louisville Review and Fleur-de-Lis Press, and assisting with The Louisville Review, a national literary magazine. Students do not have to live in Louisville to apply for graduate assistships. The deadline to apply for an assistantship for the fall 2009 semester is August 28, 2009.
last updated 07/28/09 information subject to change without notice
Spalding University
851 South Fourth Street
Louisville, KY 40203
MFA Office: (502) 585-9911, ext. 2423 or (800) 896-8941, ext. 2423
mfa@spalding.edu
FAX: (502) 585-7158
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