Low-residency MFA

As the only arts college focused solely on graduate education through exclusively low- residency programs, VCFA provides artists and writers a transformative educational experience in an inclusive creative community. VCFA offers low-residency MFA programs in Visual Art, Graphic Design, Writing, Writing for Children & Young Adults, Film, and Music Composition, with outstanding faculty and highly individualized curriculum to help you refine your craft, experiment creatively, and develop a meaningful body of work.

What is low-residency
At VCFA, low-residency means a supportive community, individualized learning plans tailored to your goals, and close relationships with faculty-mentors, all without having to change your job or relocate from your home. As a student in VCFA’s low-residency MFA programs, you convene with your program community twice a year for intense, vibrant nine-day residencies. These residencies kick-off each semester and are packed with workshops, lectures, critiques, exhibitions, performances, readings, and more. The low-residency mentorship model mirrors the lives of professional working artists and is ideal for developing each student’s distinctive voice. Our award-winning faculty are professional artists and writers immersed in their fields.

Low-residency is far from an online degree, yet offers the opportunity to earn your MFA in a flexible setting that is designed for working adults. When you start your first residency, you immediately become part of a thriving, highly engaged community that enriches your creative life. When you graduate, you leave with an enhanced artistic practice and a network of collaborators, peers, mentors, and industry contacts that will remain with you as you embark on your post-MFA journey.

Now accepting applications for summer 2024. Apply to VCFA today!