A generous endowment from the late James A. Michener and Mari Sabusawa Michener makes it possible for us to offer unparalleled financial support for graduate study.

Each student we admit receives an annual fellowship ($25,000 as of Sept. 1, 2007) which allows them to work full-time on coursework and writing without competitive pressure for funding or the extra workload of teaching or grading. That, plus the small number of students we admit (10-12 each year), creates a tight-knit and nurturing community. Many of our graduates have gone on to teach, but our focus is on their development as writers first.

Tuition and fees are paid as part of the fellowship package, and support is renewable each year of the program with satisfactory progress. The stipend, paid monthly from September through May, is adequate to meet living expenses in Austin.

Students in good standing may also apply for Professional Development Funds to attend writing conferences or residencies, to assist in research travel, or for summer support to complete a major writing project. The current PDF allotment per student is $6000 over the three years.