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Editorial selection

Best Online MFA Screenwriting Programs

Actual MFA degrees in screenwriting, or MFAs with a formally named screenwriting pathway, delivered online. Programs without required campus attendance come first; low-residency alternatives are shown in a separate, labeled section. MA programs and generic creative writing MFAs with one screenwriting elective are not included. We publish only what qualifies — there is no padded top ten.

4 programs · methodology v1.0 · criteria and evidence rules · reviewed October 12, 2026

Only Master of Fine Arts degrees qualify, and only when screenwriting is the degree itself or a formally named MFA pathway. A creative writing MFA with a screenwriting elective, or an MA in screenwriting, is not used to fill this list.

Attendance is the first split. A fully online MFA has no required campus attendance; a low-residency MFA requires periodic residencies, usually at the school or another site, with travel and lodging at the student's cost unless the school says otherwise. Both can suit working writers, but they are not the same commitment, so they are listed separately.

What to compare. The workshop structure (live sessions or asynchronous), how faculty feedback is delivered, the number of scripts and the thesis requirement, the writing sample you must submit, the published duration and tuition, and any professional-development resources the school documents. Funding for online MFAs is rarely published; where it is not, the entry says so.

Listed alphabetically, not in order of quality. Required for this list: Eligible degree or formal pathway · Verified online model · Published structure · Published admissions materials · Source quality and freshness. Sponsored placements are never part of this list.

Online with required campus visits

  1. Asbury University

    Wilmore, KY

    MFAMFA in Screenwriting

    Asbury University awards the Master of Fine Arts in Screenwriting, with verified screenwriting focus. Published length: Two years full-time; up to three years.

    Exact award
    Master of Fine Arts in Screenwriting
    Fields
    Screenwriting (dedicated degree)
    Formal pathways
    None published
    Format
    Online · Limited visitsMostly online, with some required visits to campus.
    Length
    Two years full-time; up to three years · 42 credit hours (36 core, 6 electives)
    Thesis / capstone
    Not verified
    Portfolio
    Screenplay sample (required)
    Equipment & facilities
    Access terms not published
    Tuition
    $595 per credit
    Production costs
    Not published
    Funding
    Partial funding

    Strengths

    • Scholarships, assistantships or grants are published (not guaranteed for every student).
    • Covers film and television together.

    Tradeoffs and gaps

    • No program-specific production or equipment costs published — budget for them separately.
    • Equipment access terms are not published.
    • No dated deadline published for the next intake.
    • Mostly online but requires some campus visits.
    • A longer commitment: Two years full-time; up to three years.

    May suit

    Writers developing feature or television scripts; people who need to keep working or study away from campus; applicants who already have creative work to show.

    Evidence for each criterion
    Verified online model
    Limited campus visits; documented: coursework delivery, campus residency.
    Source quality and freshness
    Eligibility and facts verified on official pages; last verified 2026-10-12.
    Eligible degree or formal pathway
    Master of Fine Arts in Screenwriting: Screenwriting — dedicated degree.
    Funding evidence
    Partial funding.
    Published cost
    Tuition published (1 verified rate).
    Published structure
    Format and length verified: Two years full-time; up to three years; 42 credit hours (36 core, 6 electives).
    Published admissions materials
    1 submission item published (screenplay sample).

    Each fact links to its official source on the program page.

    View program and sourcesPartial fundingReviewed October 12, 2026

  2. Hollins University

    Roanoke, VA

    MFAScreenwriting M.F.A.

    Hollins University awards the M.F.A. in Screenwriting, with verified screenwriting focus. Published length: Two years (six terms). Thesis screenplay: Second-year thesis course with a one-on-one advisor; the completed thesis is the thesis-course feature or TV pilot plus one additional original feature or pilot written in a Hollins course.

    Exact award
    M.F.A. in Screenwriting
    Fields
    Screenwriting (dedicated degree)
    Formal pathways
    None published
    Format
    Online · Limited visitsMostly online, with some required visits to campus.
    Length
    Two years (six terms) · 48 credits
    Thesis / capstone
    Thesis screenplay — Second-year thesis course with a one-on-one advisor; the completed thesis is the thesis-course feature or TV pilot plus one additional original feature or pilot written in a Hollins course.
    Portfolio
    Screenplay sample (required)
    Equipment & facilities
    Access terms not published
    Tuition
    $915 per credit
    Production costs
    Summer Writers Intensive housing: $165 (basis not stated by the school); Travel to campus
    Funding
    Funding not verified

    Strengths

    • Culminating thesis screenplay documented.
    • Production-related costs are published, so you can budget beyond tuition.
    • Covers film and television together.

    Tradeoffs and gaps

    • Equipment access terms are not published.
    • No funding policy verified.
    • No dated deadline published for the next intake.
    • Mostly online but requires some campus visits.

    May suit

    Writers developing feature or television scripts; applicants who already have creative work to show.

    Evidence for each criterion
    Culminating work
    Thesis screenplay verified.
    Verified online model
    Limited campus visits; documented: coursework delivery, campus residency.
    Source quality and freshness
    Eligibility and facts verified on official pages; last verified 2026-10-12.
    Eligible degree or formal pathway
    M.F.A. in Screenwriting: Screenwriting — dedicated degree.
    Published cost
    Tuition published (1 verified rate).
    Published structure
    Format and length verified: Two years (six terms); 48 credits.
    Production resources and costs
    2 production cost items documented.
    Published admissions materials
    1 submission item published (screenplay sample).

    Each fact links to its official source on the program page.

    View program and sourcesFunding not verifiedReviewed October 12, 2026

Low-residency alternatives

  1. Emerson College logo

    Emerson College

    Boston, MA

    MFAWriting for Film and Television MFA

    Emerson College awards the Master of Fine Arts in Writing for Film and Television, with verified screenwriting focus. Published length: Two years. Portfolio: Professional portfolio: short screenplays, a feature screenplay, a TV spec script, an original pilot, an additional script and critical essays.

    Exact award
    Master of Fine Arts in Writing for Film and Television
    Fields
    Screenwriting (dedicated degree)
    Formal pathways
    None published
    Format
    Hybrid · Low-residencyShort mandatory residencies combined with remote study. Not fully online.
    Length
    Two years · 40 credits
    Thesis / capstone
    Portfolio — Professional portfolio: short screenplays, a feature screenplay, a TV spec script, an original pilot, an additional script and critical essays.
    Portfolio
    Writing sample (required)
    Equipment & facilities
    Access terms not published
    Tuition
    $1,551 per credit (2026-2027)
    Production costs
    Residency travel
    Funding
    Partial funding

    Strengths

    • Culminating portfolio documented.
    • Production-related costs are published, so you can budget beyond tuition.
    • Scholarships, assistantships or grants are published (not guaranteed for every student).
    • Covers film and television together.

    Tradeoffs and gaps

    • Equipment access terms are not published.
    • Requires travel to residencies; not fully online.

    May suit

    Writers developing feature or television scripts; people who need to keep working or study away from campus; applicants who already have creative work to show.

    Evidence for each criterion
    Culminating work
    Portfolio verified.
    Verified online model
    Low-residency; documented: campus residency, coursework delivery, synchronous.
    Source quality and freshness
    Eligibility and facts verified on official pages; last verified 2026-10-12.
    Eligible degree or formal pathway
    Master of Fine Arts in Writing for Film and Television: Screenwriting — dedicated degree.
    Funding evidence
    Partial funding.
    Published cost
    Tuition published (1 verified rate, 2026-2027).
    Published structure
    Format and length verified: Two years; 40 credits.
    Production resources and costs
    1 production cost item documented.
    Published admissions materials
    1 submission item published (writing sample).

    Each fact links to its official source on the program page.

    View program and sourcesPartial fundingReviewed October 12, 2026

  2. Stephens College

    Columbia, MO

    MFAMaster of Fine Arts in TV & Screenwriting

    Stephens College awards the Master of Fine Arts in TV & Screenwriting, with verified screenwriting focus. Published length: Two years. Thesis screenplay: Thesis project: a television pilot, web series, limited series pilot, pair of short films, academic thesis, or an approved custom project.

    Exact award
    Master of Fine Arts in TV & Screenwriting
    Fields
    Screenwriting (dedicated degree)
    Formal pathways
    None published
    Format
    Hybrid · Low-residencyShort mandatory residencies combined with remote study. Not fully online.
    Length
    Two years · 48 credit hours
    Thesis / capstone
    Thesis screenplay — Thesis project: a television pilot, web series, limited series pilot, pair of short films, academic thesis, or an approved custom project.
    Portfolio
    Screenplay sample (required)
    Equipment & facilities
    Access terms not published
    Tuition
    Not published
    Production costs
    Not published
    Funding
    Partial funding; 1 named award

    Strengths

    • Culminating thesis screenplay documented.
    • Scholarships, assistantships or grants are published (not guaranteed for every student).
    • Covers film and television together.

    Tradeoffs and gaps

    • No program-specific production or equipment costs published — budget for them separately.
    • Equipment access terms are not published.
    • Tuition not published on an official page we could verify.
    • No dated deadline published for the next intake.
    • Requires travel to residencies; not fully online.

    May suit

    Writers developing feature or television scripts; people who need to keep working or study away from campus; applicants who already have creative work to show.

    Evidence for each criterion
    Culminating work
    Thesis screenplay verified.
    Verified online model
    Low-residency; documented: campus residency, coursework delivery.
    Source quality and freshness
    Eligibility and facts verified on official pages; last verified 2026-10-12.
    Eligible degree or formal pathway
    Master of Fine Arts in TV & Screenwriting: Screenwriting — dedicated degree.
    Funding evidence
    Partial funding; 1 named award.
    Published structure
    Format and length verified: Two years; 48 credit hours.
    Published admissions materials
    1 submission item published (screenplay sample).

    Each fact links to its official source on the program page.

    View program and sourcesPartial fundingReviewed October 12, 2026

At a glance

Published figures only. Tuition bases differ and are not directly comparable; production costs are separate from tuition.

ProgramAwardLengthCulminating workTuitionProduction costsFunding
Asbury UniversityMFA in ScreenwritingMFATwo years full-time; up to three years—$595 per creditNot publishedPartial funding
Emerson CollegeWriting for Film and Television MFAMFATwo yearsPortfolio$1,551 per credit (2026-2027)1 item publishedPartial funding
Hollins UniversityScreenwriting M.F.A.MFATwo years (six terms)Thesis screenplay$915 per credit2 items publishedFunding not verified
Stephens CollegeMaster of Fine Arts in TV & ScreenwritingMFATwo yearsThesis screenplayNot publishedNot publishedPartial funding

Not selected does not mean not good: a program can be missing because we have not yet verified the evidence, because it is outside our current coverage, or because it publishes less information. Schools can send official sources through Suggest an update.