2027 Accredited Online Creative Writing Degree Programs With No GRE or GMAT Requirements
Co-Founder and Chief Data Scientist
Choosing an online creative writing degree is harder when programs advertise "no GRE" but still vary widely in selectivity, cost, format, and outcomes. The decision matters because federal May 2024 labor data reports a $73,690 median annual wage for writers and authors, while technical writers show a higher $91,670 median.
This guide is for prospective bachelor's, master's, and MFA students who want an accredited program without standardized-test barriers. You will learn how no-GRE admissions work, what schools evaluate instead, and how to compare quality, affordability, and career fit before applying.
Key Things You Should Know
- Many accredited online creative writing bachelor's, master's, and MFA programs do not require the GRE or GMAT, but graduate programs usually replace test scores with a writing sample, statement of purpose, résumé, recommendations, and prior GPA.
- No-GRE does not mean low quality: accreditation is based on institutional standards, faculty qualifications, student support, and academic processes, not whether a program requires standardized tests.
- Skipping the GRE can save time and testing costs; the GRE General Test is currently $220 in the U.S., while the GMAT typically costs more, but applicants must still submit a stronger writing portfolio and application narrative.
Which Accredited Online Creative Writing Degree Programs Do Not Require the GRE or GMAT?
Accredited online creative writing programs without GRE or GMAT requirements are common, especially because creative writing admissions depend more on demonstrated writing ability than quantitative testing. The GMAT is rarely relevant because it is designed for business graduate admissions, while the GRE has become optional or unnecessary at many humanities and arts programs.
The table below summarizes examples of accredited online or low-residency creative writing degree options that commonly advertise no GRE or no GMAT requirements. Always verify the current admissions page before applying because test policies, portfolio rules, and residency formats can change.
| School | Program type | Online format | GRE or GMAT status | Accreditation type to verify | Best fit |
| Southern New Hampshire University | BA or MA in English and Creative Writing options | Fully online | No GRE or GMAT commonly required | Regional institutional accreditation | Students seeking flexible, career-oriented online study |
| National University | MFA in Creative Writing | Online | No GRE commonly required | Regional institutional accreditation | Graduate students who want genre-focused workshop training |
| Lindenwood University | MFA in Writing | Online or flexible formats | No GRE commonly required | Regional institutional accreditation | Students balancing writing study with work or family responsibilities |
| University of Texas at El Paso | MFA in Creative Writing | Online | No GRE commonly required for many creative writing applicants | Regional institutional accreditation | Writers interested in a bilingual or cross-cultural literary environment |
| Wilkes University | MA or MFA in Creative Writing | Low-residency with online components | No GRE commonly required | Regional institutional accreditation | Students who want mentorship plus periodic in-person residency experiences |
| Full Sail University | BFA or MFA in Creative Writing | Online | No GRE or GMAT commonly required | Institutional accreditation recognized by the U.S. Department of Education | Students focused on entertainment, media, and storytelling careers |
When comparing programs, look beyond the phrase "no GRE." The most important distinction is whether the program is test-free, meaning scores are not used at all, or test-optional, meaning you may submit scores if they strengthen your file.
Why Have Accredited Online Creative Writing Degree Programs Eliminated GRE and GMAT Requirements?
Creative writing programs have moved away from standardized tests because the GRE and GMAT do not measure the central skill these programs teach: the ability to produce, revise, and critique original writing. A strong writing sample usually tells faculty more about readiness than a general verbal or quantitative score.
The shift also reflects broader changes in graduate admissions. Many online programs now prioritize evidence of persistence, professional maturity, and fit, similar to how some career-focused fields promote access through flexible admissions pathways in areas such as the cheapest online master's in human resources.
For creative writing applicants, this trend has three practical effects. It reduces the cost and delay of applying, it places more weight on writing-related materials, and it gives career changers a better chance to explain their goals directly.
However, test-free admissions are not automatically less selective. In many MFA programs, faculty review writing samples closely because workshop quality depends on admitting students who can give and receive advanced critique.
What Admissions Criteria Matter Most Without GRE or GMAT Scores?
When a creative writing program does not require test scores, the application becomes more qualitative. Admissions committees usually ask whether you can write at the expected level, revise thoughtfully, contribute to workshops, and complete a sustained thesis or manuscript project.
The table below shows the materials that typically carry the most weight when GRE or GMAT scores are absent. Use it to decide where to spend your preparation time before submitting applications.
| Admissions factor | Why it matters | How to strengthen it |
| Writing sample or portfolio | Shows your current craft level, genre fit, and revision readiness | Submit polished work in the genre the program supports and follow page limits exactly |
| Statement of purpose | Explains your goals, influences, and reasons for choosing the program | Name specific faculty, genres, course features, or workshop models that match your aims |
| Undergraduate GPA | Signals academic consistency and ability to complete reading-heavy coursework | Use optional explanations if a low GPA was caused by circumstances that no longer apply |
| Recommendations | Provides outside evidence of writing ability, discipline, and collaboration | Choose recommenders who can discuss your writing, work ethic, or editorial growth |
| Résumé or professional background | Shows publishing, teaching, editing, communications, or professional writing experience | Include writing-adjacent work even if your job title is not "writer" |
| Interview, if required | Helps faculty evaluate fit, maturity, and workshop readiness | Prepare to discuss your writing habits, revision process, and long-term goals |
If scores are optional, submit them only when they clearly help. A high verbal score may support an application with a weaker transcript, but a strong portfolio usually matters more than a modest standardized-test score.
No-GRE online creative writing programs may be easier to apply to, but not always easier to enter. Removing the test requirement lowers one barrier, yet selective programs can still reject applicants whose writing sample is underdeveloped or whose goals do not fit the faculty's strengths.
The right way to judge difficulty is to compare the full admissions model, not just the test policy. A program with no GRE but a competitive portfolio review may be more selective than a program with open or broad admissions requirements.
Applicants should pay close attention to the level of degree they are pursuing. A bachelor's program may focus on prior coursework, transfer credits, and general college readiness, while an MFA usually evaluates artistic potential and manuscript quality. If you are not ready for graduate-level writing study, starting with an associate's degree or bachelor's pathway may be a more practical first step.
To estimate your competitiveness, review these signals before applying:
- Whether the program requires a portfolio, and how closely your sample matches the program's preferred genres
- Whether faculty publish or teach in your genre, such as fiction, poetry, nonfiction, screenwriting, or writing for young readers
- Whether the program lists a minimum GPA or asks for additional materials from applicants below that threshold
- Whether the program uses rolling admissions, cohort admissions, or limited MFA seats
- Whether online students receive the same faculty access, workshops, and thesis support as campus students
If your writing sample is not yet polished, delaying an application by one term to revise may be more valuable than rushing into the first no-GRE program you find.
Skipping the GRE or GMAT does not, by itself, reduce academic quality or accreditation status. Accreditation evaluates whether an institution meets recognized standards for governance, faculty, curriculum, student support, financial stability, and learning outcomes. It does not require creative writing programs to use standardized tests.
For most students, the more important question is whether the program is accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. Regional institutional accreditation is common among public and nonprofit universities, while some career-oriented institutions hold national institutional accreditation.
Use the following checks to avoid confusing admissions convenience with academic quality:
- Confirm the school's accreditation status in a recognized accreditation database, not only on the program's marketing page.
- Review whether online courses are taught by qualified faculty with publishing, editorial, teaching, or industry experience.
- Compare curriculum depth, including workshops, literature courses, revision practice, and capstone or thesis requirements.
- Ask whether online students receive advising, library access, career support, writing center services, and faculty mentoring.
- Check whether credits are likely to transfer if you later change schools or pursue another graduate program.
Employers in writing, publishing, communications, and media rarely ask whether a graduate submitted GRE scores. They are more likely to evaluate portfolio quality, writing samples, clips, technical skills, references, and relevant experience.
No-GRE and no-GMAT creative writing programs are especially useful for students whose strongest evidence is their writing, not a standardized-test score. They can also reduce friction for adults returning to school after years in the workforce.
These programs are often a strong fit for several types of applicants:
- Working adults who cannot spend months preparing for a test before applying
- Career changers from teaching, journalism, marketing, nonprofit work, publishing, media, or communications
- Writers with strong portfolios but uneven undergraduate transcripts
- Parents, caregivers, military-affiliated students, and rural students who need online flexibility
- Applicants who want an MFA or master's degree for craft development rather than licensure
They may be a poor fit for students who need a highly regulated professional credential. Creative writing is different from fields where program approval directly affects licensure or clinical eligibility, such as accredited online speech pathology programs. For writing careers, accreditation and portfolio development matter, but there is usually no state license attached to the degree.
The best candidates are honest about their goals. If you want intensive literary mentorship, look for faculty fit and workshop quality. If you want a career pivot into content strategy, technical writing, publishing, or communications, compare electives, internship access, and career services.
No-GRE policies can reduce application costs, but they do not automatically make a program affordable. Tuition varies by institution, degree level, residency format, credit count, and whether the school charges online students per credit or by term.
The clearest immediate savings come from avoiding test fees and preparation costs. Current U.S. testing fees commonly include:
- GRE General Test: $220
- GMAT exam: commonly higher than the GRE, with pricing that varies by delivery format and location
- Optional test preparation: variable, ranging from free self-study to paid courses or tutoring
For tuition, compare total program cost rather than the advertised per-credit rate. A lower per-credit price can still cost more if the degree requires more credits, mandatory residencies, technology fees, or repeated workshop enrollments.
The table below shows the main cost categories that affect online creative writing students. It can help you ask better questions before committing to a program.
| Cost factor | Why it affects total cost | What to ask the school |
| Credits required | MFA programs often require more credits than shorter master's programs | What is the exact credit count needed to graduate? |
| Per-credit tuition | Online rates may differ from campus, in-state, or out-of-state rates | Is online tuition flat-rate, residency-based, or tied to state residency? |
| Residency requirements | Low-residency programs may require travel, lodging, and time away from work | Are residencies mandatory, optional, virtual, or hybrid? |
| Fees | Technology, graduation, portfolio, library, or registration fees can add up | Which fees are charged every term? |
| Transfer credits | Accepted credits can reduce time and tuition | How many graduate or undergraduate credits may transfer? |
| Scholarships and assistantships | Online students may not receive the same funding as campus students | Are online MFA or MA students eligible for institutional scholarships? |
Students comparing affordability across helping professions may notice similar trade-offs: the lowest tuition is not always the best value if the program lacks advising, field support, or career alignment. For creative writing, value depends on mentorship, portfolio development, flexibility, and realistic career use.
A no-GRE creative writing degree is viewed through the same career lens as other creative writing degrees: employers and clients care about your writing ability, portfolio, experience, and adaptability. The absence of GRE or GMAT scores is not typically part of hiring decisions.
Federal May 2024 wage data gives useful context but should not be treated as a promise. The median annual wage for writers and authors was $73,690, while technical writers had a higher median of $91,670. This gap matters because creative writing graduates who build technical, editorial, UX, grant writing, or content strategy skills may have access to broader labor markets than graduates who focus only on literary publication.
Common career paths include:
- Author, novelist, poet, essayist, or screenwriter, often supported by freelance or teaching work
- Editor, proofreader, literary agent assistant, or publishing professional
- Content writer, copywriter, brand storyteller, or communications specialist
- Technical writer, documentation specialist, or UX writer with added subject-matter training
- College writing instructor, usually requiring at least a master's degree and sometimes additional teaching experience
- Grant writer, nonprofit communications writer, or proposal writer
Online creative writing students should also pay attention to speed and opportunity cost. In other graduate fields, students sometimes compare flexible or accelerated formats such as fast-track MSW programs online; creative writing students can apply the same logic by asking whether a shorter program gives enough time for revision, mentorship, and portfolio growth.
The strongest outcomes usually come from pairing craft study with marketable skills. Courses in editing, digital publishing, pedagogy, professional writing, grant writing, screenwriting, game writing, or technical communication can make the degree more versatile.
No-GRE admissions can make applicants underestimate the importance of the remaining materials. In creative writing, a rushed portfolio or vague statement can hurt more than the absence of a test score ever would.
Avoid these common mistakes when applying:
- Choosing a program only because it does not require the GRE or GMAT, without checking faculty fit, genre offerings, cost, or accreditation
- Submitting a writing sample that ignores the program's genre, page limit, formatting rules, or file requirements
- Using a generic personal statement that could be sent to any school
- Failing to explain a low GPA when the application provides space for context
- Asking recommenders who barely know your writing or cannot speak to your discipline
- Assuming "online" means self-paced when many workshops require weekly participation and peer critique
- Overlooking residency, thesis, or capstone requirements until after enrollment
- Ignoring total cost while focusing only on admissions convenience
The best applications feel intentional. They show that you understand the program's structure, know why its faculty and curriculum fit your goals, and are prepared to participate seriously in a writing community.
How Should Students Compare Accredited Online Creative Writing Degree Programs Without GRE or GMAT Requirements?
The best no-GRE online creative writing program is not simply the easiest one to enter. It is the program that fits your genre, schedule, budget, academic level, and career plan while holding credible accreditation.
Use this step-by-step process before applying:
- Define your goal first: literary publication, teaching, publishing, content writing, technical writing, screenwriting, personal enrichment, or preparation for doctoral study.
- Choose the right degree level: bachelor's for foundational study, MA for literary and professional development, or MFA for advanced craft and manuscript work.
- Verify accreditation through an official database and confirm that the institution is eligible for federal financial aid if you plan to use it.
- Compare the curriculum by genre, workshop frequency, literature requirements, thesis expectations, and professional writing electives.
- Review faculty fit by reading faculty publications, industry experience, teaching areas, and mentorship availability.
- Calculate total cost, including tuition, fees, books, software, residencies, travel, and lost work time.
- Ask admissions whether the program is test-free or test-optional and whether submitting scores could help applicants with weaker GPAs.
- Request information about online student outcomes, career services, alumni networks, internship support, and opportunities to publish or present work.
Students comparing graduate degrees across fields should remember that each discipline measures value differently. For example, the cheapest online master's in social work may be judged partly by licensure preparation and field placement support, while a creative writing degree should be judged by portfolio growth, mentorship, flexibility, and how well it supports your writing goals.
As a final rule, apply to a balanced shortlist. Include at least one program with strong affordability, one with excellent faculty fit, and one with the format that best matches your weekly schedule. If a program is no-GRE but weak in the areas that matter to your goal, keep looking.
Other Things You Should Know About Creative Writing
No. Publication can help, especially for competitive MFA programs, but most schools care more about the quality and promise of your writing sample. A polished unpublished story, essay, poem sequence, or script can be stronger than a thin publication record.
Common options include fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, screenwriting, playwriting, young adult writing, genre fiction, and professional writing. Not every program supports every genre, so check faculty expertise and workshop offerings before applying.
They can be, but the format matters. Some programs use live video workshops, while others rely on asynchronous discussion boards and written critiques. Ask how often students receive faculty feedback and whether peer critique is required.
Many students do, especially in part-time or asynchronous programs. The main challenge is protecting enough time for reading, drafting, revision, and critique. Before enrolling, ask how many hours per week students typically spend on each course.
- 2025 Best Online Writing Degrees https://www.onlineu.com/degrees/writing
- Most Affordable Online Creative Writing Degrees | AffordableCollegesOnline.org https://www.affordablecollegesonline.org/degrees/best-online-bachelors-in-creative-writing/
- Online Master’s in English Programs No GRE Required (Master of Arts) https://www.mastersincommunications.com/faqs/online-masters-in-english-gre-requirements
- The Most Popular Non-Graduate Writing Programs, Reviewed | The Freelancer, by Contently https://contently.net/2014/12/18/resources/tools/training/reviewing-popular-non-graduate-writing-programs/
- Creative Writing Programs: Finding the Right Fit for Your Learning | Writers.com https://writers.com/creative-writing-programs
- Create Your Best 2025 with These Top MFA Creative Writing Programs https://www.onlinemastersdegrees.org/best-programs/fine-arts-mfa/creative-writing/
- 12 Best Colleges for Creative Writing [2023] | Outlier https://articles.outlier.org/best-colleges-for-creative-writing
- Low-Residency Creative Writing MFAs https://www.mountfordwriting.com/writing-advice/faqs-about-low-residency-mfa-programs-in-creative-writing
