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The University of Texas at Austin · Department of Radio-Television-Film

MFA in Screenwriting

MFAMaster of Fine Arts in Screenwriting (Radio-Television-Film)Partial fundingEditorial selection: Top Screenwriting Schools

Overview

A two-year, 42-hour MFA in Screenwriting covering feature screenplays, TV pilots and spec scripts, with a required industry internship and a writers' room workshop. All incoming students receive a $5,000 first-year fellowship, renewable for a second year with good progress.

Official program name
MFA in Screenwriting
Awarded degree
Master of Fine Arts in Screenwriting (Radio-Television-Film)Master's · Master of Fine Arts
Source: rtf.utexas.edu · verified October 12, 2026
School
The University of Texas at Austin — Department of Radio-Television-Film
Location
Austin, TX
Delivery
On campusClasses, workshops and productions meet in person on campus.
Source: rtf.utexas.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Required attendance
Regular campus attendanceStudents attend classes on campus throughout the program.
Source: rtf.utexas.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Study intensity
Not published
Duration
Two years including one summer
Source: rtf.utexas.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Required credits
42 semester hours
Source: rtf.utexas.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Start
Fall
Source: rtf.utexas.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Film and television
The program covers both film and television.
Source: rtf.utexas.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Fields of study

FieldClassificationEvidence
ScreenwritingDedicated degreeThe degree itself is in this field.Source: rtf.utexas.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Why this degree is listed

MFA dedicated to screenwriting for film and television.

Source: rtf.utexas.edu · verified October 12, 2026

We list verified film degrees only — no certificates, workshops or generic degrees with a few film electives. Eligibility rules

Curriculum, pathways and faculty

Thesis, film or capstone

PortfolioGraduates leave with a portfolio of feature screenplays, original TV pilots and TV spec scripts.

Source: rtf.utexas.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Internships

Workshops

  • TV Writers' Room Workshop creating an entire season of an original series.
    Source: rtf.utexas.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Faculty listed by the program

  • Maya Perez — Area Head for Screenwriting, Assistant Professor of Practice, screenwriting
  • Stuart Kelban — Associate Professor
  • Jordan Levin — Professor of Practice

As listed on the program's official page on October 12, 2026. Listing does not mean a faculty member is teaching or supervising new students in a given year.

Source: rtf.utexas.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Production costs and equipment

Production and equipment costs are separate from tuition. Tuition does not include cameras, crew, actors, locations, software or thesis-film budgets unless the school says so.

Equipment and facility access

Equipment access: not verified. We publish this only when the school states it on an official page.

Published production and equipment costs

Production and equipment costs: not verified. We publish this only when the school states it on an official page.

We never estimate a total cost when key expenses are unpublished. Compare production costs

Admissions

Each submission item is shown exactly as the school states it. Anything not listed is not verified — never “not required”.

Portfolio and submission materials

MaterialStatusInstructions as published
Screenplay sampleRequiredOne primary sample: a completed feature screenplay or a 30- or 60-minute TV pilot.Source: rtf.utexas.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Writing sampleOptionalOptional secondary writing sample.Source: rtf.utexas.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Other requirements

Prior degree
RequiredBachelor's degree from an accredited institution.
Source: rtf.utexas.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Statement of purpose
RequiredStatement of purpose, no more than two pages double-spaced.
Source: rtf.utexas.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Recommendation letters
Required3 letters — Three recommenders.
Source: rtf.utexas.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Résumé / CV
RequiredResume or CV.
Source: rtf.utexas.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Tests

GRE General Test
Not required
Source: rtf.utexas.edu · verified October 12, 2026
TOEFL iBT
Required — minimum 79International applicants unless exempt; Graduate School minimum.
Source: rtf.utexas.edu · verified October 12, 2026

We do not publish acceptance rates or estimate competitiveness. Build an application checklist

Deadlines

Dates are shown with the year and intake the school printed. A past date is marked passed and is never carried into a new cycle.

  • Application deadline

    December 1, 2026 · for Fall 2027

    Source: rtf.utexas.edu · verified October 12, 2026
    Upcoming

Tuition and fees

Each amount keeps its applicant category, academic year and basis. Per-credit, per-year and whole-program figures are not comparable with each other. Production costs are listed separately above.
CategoryAmountBasis and year
In-state — Full-time graduate, Texas resident (fall and spring, estimated range)From the school's rate table for this level$8,684 – $10,554per academic year · 2026-2027Source: onestop.utexas.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Funding

Some scholarships, assistantships or awards exist for some students; full funding is not stated. “Fully funded” never means every personal or production expense is covered. How we classify funding

Partial funding

Funding guarantee
All incoming students are awarded a $5,000 fellowship for the first year.
Source: rtf.utexas.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Tuition coverage
Fellowship recipients become eligible for the Texas resident tuition rate.
Source: rtf.utexas.edu · verified October 12, 2026
Renewal conditions
$5,000 for the second year with good academic progress.
Source: rtf.utexas.edu · verified October 12, 2026

Named scholarships, assistantships and production grants

Sources and verification

Every fact on this page comes from the official pages below. Last verified October 12, 2026.
  1. onestop.utexas.edu/managing-costs/cost-tuition-rates/cost-of-attendance/ — Official tuition and fees page, verified October 12, 2026
  2. rtf.utexas.edu/faculty/production-screenwriting — Official program page, verified October 12, 2026
  3. rtf.utexas.edu/graduate/admissions-mfa-screenwriting — Official program page, verified October 12, 2026
  4. rtf.utexas.edu/graduate/frequently-asked-questions-about-admissions — Official program page, verified October 12, 2026
  5. rtf.utexas.edu/graduate/graduate-funding-resources — Official funding / aid page, verified October 12, 2026
  6. rtf.utexas.edu/graduate/mfa-screenwriting — Official program page, verified October 12, 2026

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Similar programs

Same degree level and field. Listed for discovery, not ranked.

Loyola Marymount University

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Format: On campusClasses, workshops and productions meet in person on campus.
Fields: Screenwriting (dedicated degree) · Producing (broader film degree)
Duration: Three years
Funding: Funding not verified
Tuition: $1,814 per credit · All students — Graduate tuition per semester hour, School of Film and Television · 2026-2027
Deadline: November 15, 2026 · Fall 2026 (as printed)
View programSelected in: Top Screenwriting Schools
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Chapman University

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MFAMFA in Screenwriting
Location: Orange, CA
Format: On campusClasses, workshops and productions meet in person on campus.
Fields: Screenwriting (dedicated degree)
Duration: Two years
Funding: Partial funding
Tuition: $28,018 per semester · All students · 2026-2027
Deadline: November 15, 2026 · Fall 2027
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