CCA MFA WRITING
San Francisco
WHO WE ARE
CCA MFA WRITING is a community for writers looking for a dynamic & highly personalized MFA experience. With tracks in poetry, creative nonfiction, and fiction, ours is an individualized two-year program featuring one-on-one mentoring, small classes, continuous professional development opportunities, and unparalleled access to San Francisco's rich literary scene.
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Alka Joshi '12, New York Times bestselling author of The Henna Artist
What Sets Us Apart
At CCA, we believe writing is a living, collaborative art. Whether you're working on fiction, poems, essays, or memoir, you'll be part of an inclusive community that pushes boundaries and supports bold new voices.
Our MFA program benefits from being embedded within the #1 art school in the nation for return on investment - the same career-focused culture, industry connections, and practical approach that makes our undergraduates successful also supports our graduate writers in building sustainable creative careers.
At CCA, writing meets art. Our MFA program offers a unique interdisciplinary advantage within a 116-year-old arts college, where you'll collaborate with painters, filmmakers, and bookmakers while accessing specialized resources like Risograph printers, audio suites, and letterpress studios. Graduate as more than a writer—become a versatile creative professional ready to shape the future of literature and media.
Four Semesters of
One-On-One Mentorship
Focus on Professional Development
Electives in Film, Painting, Photography and more
Our MFA in Writing program offers students practical tools, industry insight, and a dynamic creative community that supports their development as working writers. Whether students are preparing a manuscript, applying for a residency, or launching their first book, we provide the programming and mentorship to help them succeed.
A Creative Home in San Francisco
At CCA, writing doesn’t happen in isolation—it lives in the world.
The Bay Area has long been a haven for visionary thinkers, artists, and writers. Our campus in San Francisco connects you to a network of literary organizations, small presses, and public arts institutions. You’ll find inspiration not just in the classroom, but in the city around you.
Our New Campus in San Francisco
Now in its 25th year, CCA's MFA Writing program is embedded in an action-oriented art and design school in San Francisco. Our newly expanded campus includes 82,305 square feet of space for graduate writing students in one of the city's most exciting cultural neighborhoods.
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The Homeroom
This is where we come together–whether to write alongside others, socialize at events, attend a reading, or simply hang out. It’s a place to build community and be in good company.
You Invest in Your Writing. We Invest in You.
We believe financial barriers shouldn't stand between you and your creative future. That's why 100% of admitted students receive substantial financial aid.
Guaranteed aid: $36,000 over 2 years. Less than other Bay Area private—but with smaller cohorts, intensive one-on-one mentorship, and an arts college experience.
Featured Events
Tue, Dec 02San FranciscoJoin us for the final Tuesday Talks of 2025, featuring CCA Professor Denise Newman.
Meet A Few Of Our Alumni Authors
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Alka Joshi,
The Henna Artist
ALUMNI BOOKS
Our alumni publication record speaks to our success in nurturing writers over the course of our twenty-five years at California College of the Arts.
