A variety of forms of financial assistance, including merit-based tuition scholarships, are available from the university to help students — including international students — offset the cost of tuition and fees.
It is not necessary to have an admission decision to begin the financial aid process. The Office of Financial Aid can answer questions about applying
for financial aid, calculating the overall cost of attendance, and billing and payment options.
Scholarships & Fellowships
New School Merit Scholarships
All graduate students in the Creative Writing Program who indicate on the application their interest in these awards will be considered for a competitive tuition scholarship. Awards are based on the strength of the application (statement of purpose, letters
of recommendation, writing portfolio, and prior academic performance) and the contributions the admission committee believes the applicant can make to the Creative Writing community. No additional application components are required for most university
scholarships. Scholarships cover up to 75 percent of tuition. A large proportion of admitted students are offered merit-based tuition scholarships.
Public Engagement Fellowship
The Public Engagement Fellows Program is a two-year fellowship for incoming leaders committed to addressing equity, inclusion, and social justice (EISJ) challenges while pursuing a master's degree at the Schools of Public Engagement (SPE). Through the fellowship, we recognize incoming students who have demonstrated commitment to positive change in New York City and around the world. The Public Engagement Fellowship will place each fellow in one of our college’s centers, programs, institutes, and labs to further the work of various EISJ initiatives. Students who are selected for the Fellowship receive $5,000 each year for two years. Students are eligible for fellowship funding in combination with merit-based scholarships, not to exceed the cost of tuition. For more information on how to apply, visit the Public Engagement Fellows Program website.
Impact Entrepreneurship Graduate Fellowship
The Impact Entrepreneurship Graduate Fellowship is designed to attract
and support high-potential leaders from diverse backgrounds who are
committed to creating positive social impact through entrepreneurship
while pursuing a master's degree at The New
School. Fellows participate in a cohort-based experience that
includes mentorship, workshops, networking opportunities, and the chance
to apply for a Venture Lab in the second year of their program.
Students who are selected for the Fellowship receive $5,000 each year
for two years. Students are eligible for fellowship funding in
combination with merit-based scholarships not to exceed the cost of
tuition. For more information on how to apply, visit the Impact Entrepreneurship website.
Special Programs & Recognition
Creative Writing gives additional consideration for merit-based awards or special recognition to those applicants who have actively participated in professional or academic programs, such as the Fulbright Program. Also, as a veteran-friendly
institution, The New School invites veterans and their dependents to apply to our graduate programs; they may be considered for special recognition awards. To learn more, visit the Student Veteran Services website.
Mayor's Graduate Scholarship Program
The university offers competitive scholarships of up to 75 percent of tuition costs to qualified permanent New York City government employees who are entering part-time students in master's degree programs. The Mayor's Graduate Scholarship is awarded for the duration of a student's registration in the program as long as the student takes at least six credits each semester and makes satisfactory academic
progress. Applications are available from the Mayor's Scholarship Program, Office of the Mayor, City Hall, New York, NY 10007. You must submit a letter of intent with your application in order to be eligible for the scholarship.
Fulbright Program
The Fulbright Program supports educational exchanges that strengthen understanding and communication between the United States and more than 140 countries. It is administered through the Institute for International Education (IIE). The fellowship is evaluated
and awarded on a case-by-case basis; the decision is informed by IIE's evaluation. For more information on how to apply, visit the Fulbright website.
Third-Party Funding
Students expecting reimbursement from their employer or a sponsoring organization can defer payment of tuition and fees upon presentation of a signed official authorization from their employer or sponsor on company letterhead and a deferment form available
on the Office of Student Accounts website.
Assistantships for Current Students
Graduate Student Teaching Program
The New School provides graduate students with employment opportunities as Teaching Fellows and Teaching Assistants. Teaching Fellows are the instructors of record for their courses and bear full responsibility for the classes they teach. Teaching Assistants
work under the direction of a course instructor to help with a range of instructional responsibilities. See the Graduate Student Teaching Program page for how to apply.
Research Assistant
Each year, the MFA in Creative Writing offers a limited number of research assistantships to MFA Creative Writing students. These assistantships are announced each spring for the following academic year. Research assistants support ongoing research projects
and perform substantive academic tasks associated with coursework and/or faculty research. These positions are available for faculty grant projects.
Creative Writing Teaching Fellowships
Teaching fellowships are also available exclusively to MFA in Creative Writing students through the WriteOn NYC Program. Under the direction of Professor Helen Schulman,
WriteOn NYC Teaching Fellows lead creative writing workshops for fourth through eighth grade students at George Jackson Academy in Manhattan as well as high school students at the High School of Economics and Finance, a public school in the Financial District of Manhattan.
The New School and Teachers & Writers Collaborative (T&W) provide up to six T&W associate opportunities for MFA Creative Writing candidates each year. Four students are selected for T&W education associate positions, and two students are selected as T&W
editorial associates. T&W associates receive a stipend of $3,000.
Additional teaching opportunities may be available at Parsons School of Design and the Teachers & Writers Collaborative.
All MFA Creative Writing students are encouraged to register for the one-credit Teaching of Writing Seminar. Designed specifically for MFA
students, the seminar focuses on teaching the creative writing workshop to a wide variety of populations, including undergraduate and adult students, K-12 students, and retired professionals, with specific training for working with incarcerated students
and those in rehabilitation centers. The seminar is designed to prepare beginning teachers to enter the field and for experienced teachers who wish to expand their skill set.