Tuition, Scholarships, and Aid
Tuition
Tuition for the MFA in Creative Writing at Butler University is set at $920.00 per credit hour for the 2021-2022 school year. Allowing for small annual increases in tuition, a student entering the program in Fall 2021 should expect tuition and fees for the degree to total roughly $33,000. A quick glance at the tuition costs for other MFAs shows that Butler is an extraordinary value, especially when one considers the high quality of our faculty and visitors, our small class sizes, and our auxiliary programming.
More information about tuition, billing, and payment can be found at the Student Accounts webpage.
Funding
The MFA at Butler offers considerable funding to its students through a growing system of scholarships tied to service and professional development.
Scholarships
Efroymson Scholarships: The Efroymson Family Fund, a fund of the Central Indiana Community Foundation, sponsors the Efroymson Scholarships in Creative Writing. These scholarships are awarded to two out-of-state applicants who show great promise. The scholarship awards $15,000 to scholars, typically applied as $6,000 for the first two years and $3,000 for a third year.
K-12 Teacher Discount: Announced in Feb 2023, the MFA will offer a special tuition discount for any K-12 teacher in Central Indiana. The discount will be applicable throughout the student’s time earning the degree. Please contact our MFA Director for more information.
Work-Study
A variety of funding opportunities are available, some directly from the MFA program and many through our affiliate programs.
Section editors are hired by application and must have previous experience as a Booth reader.
Vonnegut Youth Writing Internships:
As part of an ongoing partnership between Butler MFA’s Writing in the Schools Program, Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS), and the Kurt Vonnegut Museum and Library (KVML), students can apply for a paid internship that will place them as writing tutors within four IPS high school writing centers (Arsenal Tech, Crispus Attucks, George Washington, and Shortridge). These interns will support high school students with a variety of writing tasks—from academic papers to college application essays— and will also help to establish an after-school creative writing club at the respective high school they are assigned to.
Both current and incoming MFAs are eligible for this opportunity.
Funded directly by the MFA program, fellows shadow and assist instructors teaching undergraduate core courses, most likely First Year Seminar. Awarded by application, with a one-year appointment.
First year MFA students are ineligible for teaching fellowships.
Open only to students who have previous experience at a university writing center. The Writers’ Studio provides tutoring to undergraduate students of all majors. Graduate tutors report directly to the Director of Peer Tutoring, who makes all hiring decisions, including rate and hours. MFA administration only provides references.
Financial Aid
Financial Aid is available to graduate students through Federal Direct Loans, Federal Direct Plus Loans, and private loan mechanisms. Graduate students must attend the MFA half-time (3 credit hours or more per semester) to be eligible (please consult with the Office of Financial Aid to confirm such details in your case). Loans are also available for summer study.
Visit the financial aid website for more information. For counseling, please contact Financial Aid at 317-940-8200 or toll free at 877-940-8200.
Health Insurance
For information on health insurance options for Butler graduate students, please contact Butler University Health Services, 317-940-8728.