Creative Writing - Poetry MFA

Course overview

Develop yourself as a poetic artist and learn how to position your work in the poetry world.

Writing, developing and refining a full-length manuscript is a significant phase in a poet’s journey, whether for their debut collection or as part of a new direction in their poetic practice.

This course will empower you to write a manuscript of a full-length poetry collection with expert, one-to-one guidance from an established poet within the unique poetry environment here at Leeds.

Your project supervisor will offer detailed feedback, advice on directions for development and revision, reading suggestions, and guidance on presenting your work in public. They will also support you in identifying potential platforms for your work within contemporary poetic practice, with the aim of targeting appropriate agents, publishers, and other opportunities for circulation after graduation.

You’ll engage with University of Leeds poets, who are actively engaged in writing that reflects the diversity of poetry today, especially in the range of formal approaches – from lyric to performance, to sound, visual, archival and digital poetics.

With personalised and in-depth guidance that fosters your creativity and development as a poet, this course also allows you to navigate the poetry industry as you create and shape your work and make it viable for publication.

Why study at Leeds?

• Get personalised guidance: Receive expert teaching and supervision that accelerates your development as a poet and helps you refine a full‑length manuscript to publication standard.
• Immerse yourself in a rich poetry environment: Be part of a community in one of the UK’s most dynamic poetry hubs, plus access to networks, events and resources that enrich your creative practice.
• ​​​​​​​Unlock your creativity, no matter your form: Benefit from exposure to a wide range of contemporary forms, enabling you to experiment, innovate and situate your work confidently within current poetic debates.
• ​​​​​​​Understand the industry: Gain a deeper understanding of the literary landscape, helping you position your work strategically and professionally.
• ​​​​​​​Develop your performance: Gain professional experience in presenting, performing and articulating your creative aims – skills essential for festivals, readings and industry engagement.
• ​​​​​​​Benefit from local partnerships: You’ll have direct access to festivals, organisations and international poetry networks that support career development and creative opportunities.
• ​​​​​​​Real-world industry experience: Network with clients and gain consultancy experience as part of our 2-week online Global Industry Programme.

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Course details and modules

This course aims to enable you to develop a poetry project over a focused period of time under the expert supervision of active professional poets in a University environment steeped in poetry.

You will:

• Expand your literary, historical, and other contextual knowledge as relevant to the aims of an advanced poetic project.
• Select and apply advanced poetry writing techniques according to your project’s context and aims.
• Develop your strategic awareness of poetry publication and/or other dissemination contexts to evaluate and select appropriate pathways for your writing.

The MFA Creative Writing – Poetry comprises the development and completion of an advanced MFA Poetry Project. This is a book-length poetry manuscript aimed at literary publication accompanied by a publication or dissemination plan and targeted 'pitch'.

You will learn via monthly one-to-one supervisions with your supervisor across one year for full-time students and two years for part-time students. You will submit writing in advance of each supervision and receive feedback and tailored guidance on developing it, as well as suggested readings. Your supervisor will guide you toward investigating relevant dissemination opportunities. You’ll also be encouraged to engage with Poetry@Leeds and external poetry community activities throughout the year as part of your contextual learning.

At the midpoint of your course, you’ll undergo assessment by submitting a sample from your manuscript, which will be followed by a viva voce with your supervisor and another Leeds poet. The viva voce will take the form of a performance/reading and a presentation of the creative and professional aims of the project, as well as your plans for completion.

There is the option to hold this viva voce as a public event hosted by Poetry@Leeds. Informal feedback can be sought from the audience, and there will be a closed feedback conversation with your supervisor and the second staff poet.

Compulsory modules

Poetry Project  (180 credits)
Develop a publication-standard poetry manuscript through one-to-one supervision and structured engagement with contextual learning opportunities of the unique poetry environment at the University. 

Learning and teaching

You will learn via one-to-one supervision and by engaging with learning opportunities from the University’s unique poetry environment. You’ll benefit from supervisions by leading poets with expertise from across the diversity of poetic practice and modes of publication and dissemination. They will cover the following:

• feedback on written work-in-progress
• suggestions of potential directions for development and revision
• reading recommendations
• resources and advice to support you in locating your work in the context of contemporary poetic practice
• support targeting agents, publishers, and other dissemination opportunities
• guidance on the public presentation and performance of your poetry, including preparing your viva voce
• referral to relevant contextual learning opportunities

There will also be opportunities to receive informal feedback on your writing from members of Poetry@Leeds and the School’s Creative Writing community.

On this course, you’ll be taught by our expert academics, from lecturers through to professors. You may also be taught by industry professionals with years of experience, as well as trained postgraduate researchers, connecting you to some of the brightest minds on campus.

Assessment

In preparation for the final assessment, your writing will receive regular feedback and guidance from your supervisor. Halfway through your course, you will be formatively assessed by: 1) submission of a sample of your manuscript and 2) a viva voce with feedback from your supervisor and another Leeds poet. The viva voce will take the form of a performance/reading of your poetry and a presentation of the creative and professional aims of the project, as well as your plans for its completion.

There is the option to hold this viva voce as a public event hosted by Poetry@Leeds. Informal feedback can be sought from the audience, and there will be a closed feedback conversation with your supervisor and the second staff poet. The final assessment is a manuscript of a book-length poetry collection aimed at literary publication accompanied by a publication/dissemination plan and targeted 'pitch'.

These assessments are designed to prepare you to advance your poetic practice, including the dissemination of your poetry in its industry context, after graduation.

Additional highlights

The University of Leeds is the place for poetry in the UK. Its unique atmosphere will nurture your creative development on your MFA degree.  

As an MFA student, you will join a large and mutually supportive community of poets and writers in the School of English, which offers undergraduate and MA Creative Writing degree programmes and a practice-led PhD. 

MFA candidates, along with PhD researchers, become members of Poetry@Leeds, the University’s hub for poetry teaching, impact and research.  

Poetry@Leeds staff include the UK Poet Laureate Simon Armitage and poets working across the diverse spectrum of poetic practice, including Kimberly Campanello, JR Carpenter, Zaffar Kunial, Sarah Perry, Jess Richards, Kate Simpson and John Whale. Poetry@Leeds poets are published by leading publishers and have connections with magazines, festivals and literary organisations across the UK and internationally.  

Poetry@Leeds membership also includes poetry Fellows. The Caster Fellowships were held previously by Helen Mort, Malika Booker, Anthony Capildeo, Matt Howard and Zaffar Kunial. The current Fellow is Kris Johnson. Poetry@Leeds also hosts Cheney Fellows, often in collaboration with the Leeds Centre for New Chinese Writing. Current Cheney fellows have included Jennifer Wong, Shara McCallum, Tammy Ho Lai-ming, and Bai Hua. 

Poetry@Leeds hosts a wide range of events, including readings, symposia, conferences, and workshops. Previous Poetry@Leeds symposia include Poetry By Design: A Reappraisal of Concrete and Visual Poetry (in collaboration with Cultural Collections) and Summit (in collaboration with Yorkshire Sculpture Park, the Laurel Prize, the Poetry School and the National Poetry Centre). 

Most recently, Poetry@Leeds organised its first biennial international conference, Poetry's Environments. We also worked with the Centre for New Chinese Writing to organise a major convention of poets from China and the UK.  

Each year, Poetry@Leeds partners with Ilkley Literature Festival/Word Up North and Leeds Literature Festival. Poetry@Leeds works closely with The National Poetry Centre, a key University partner. Its headquarters are situated on the University's campus. This newly refurbished home for poetry will open in 2029. 

The University’s Cultural Collections hold internationally significant poetry books, manuscripts, and archives from the 17th century to the present day – everything from the Peepal Tree Press archive to Tony Harrison’s manuscripts and papers, to significant holdings in visual and concrete poetry. 

Applying

Entry requirements

You will need a Bachelor degree with a 2:1 (hons) in English literature, Creative Writing or a related subject.

You also need an MA in Creative Writing or equivalent poetry practice evidenced by your application.

Specific subject requirements

• Writing sample evidencing potential to undertake an advanced poetry project.
• Degree-specific personal statement outlining relevant preparation to undertake the degree and reasons for pursuing it at Leeds.
• MFA Poetry Project proposal.
• You can apply while taking an MA at Leeds or elsewhere.

English language requirements

IELTS 6.5 overall, with no less than 6.0. For other English qualifications, read English language equivalent qualifications.

Improve your English

International students who do not meet the English language requirements for this programme may be able to study our postgraduate pre-sessional English course, to help improve your English language level.

This pre-sessional course is designed with a progression route to your degree programme and you’ll learn academic English in the context of your subject area. To find out more, read Language for Arts and Humanities (6 weeks) and Language for Social Science and Arts: Arts and Humanities (10 weeks).

We also offer online pre-sessionals alongside our on-campus pre-sessionals. Find out more about our six week online pre-sessional and our 10 week online pre-sessional. 

You can also study pre-sessionals for longer periods – read about our postgraduate pre-sessional English courses.

How to apply

Please see our How to Apply page for information about application deadlines

The ‘Apply’ link at the top of this page will take you to information on applying for taught programmes and to the University's online application system.

If you intend to apply for funding, we advise you to submit an application for your chosen course as early as possible and at least one month before any scholarship deadline.

If you're unsure about the application process, contact the admissions team for help.

Documents and information you'll need

• A copy of your degree certificate and transcripts, or a partial transcript if you’re still studying (please submit an official English translation where the original is not in English)
• Your approved English Language test* (if applicable)
• A personal statement in response to the questions asked in the supporting statement section of the application form
• A full up-to-date CV
• Any previous UK CAS, visa and BRP documents if you’re an international applicant who has previously studied in the UK on a Tier 4/ Student Visa.

* Applicants who have not yet completed an approved English language test may apply for a Masters course prior to taking a test.

Read about visas, immigration and other information in International students. We recommend that international students apply as early as possible to ensure that they have time to apply for their visa.

Admissions policy

University of Leeds Admissions Policy 2027

This course is taught by

School of English

Contact us

Postgraduate Administrator

Email: pgtenglish@leeds.ac.uk

Fees

UK: £5,238 (Total)

International: £26,000 (Total)

Read more about paying fees and charges.

Part-time fees
Fees for part-time courses are normally calculated based on the number of credits you study in a year compared to the equivalent full-time course. For example, if you study half the course credits in a year, you will pay half the full-time course fees for that year.

Additional cost information

There may be additional costs related to your course or programme of study, or related to being a student at the University of Leeds. Read more on our living costs and budgeting page.

Scholarships and financial support

If you have the talent and drive, we want you to be able to study with us, whatever your financial circumstances. There may be help for students in the form of loans and non-repayable grants from the University and from the government. Learn more about Masters funding. 

Scholarships are also available to help fund your Masters. Find out more and check your eligibility below:

Career opportunities

Through engaging with your course, our diverse community of poets, and local partnerships, you’ll gain the professional expertise and networks to thrive in a sustainable creative career.

By gaining personalised professional development, expert editorial guidance, valued research skills, and insight into industry expectations for publication‑ready work, you’ll be well-placed for working in publishing, literary organisations and venues, literary journalism, academia and professional poetry writing.

You’ll also have a professionally viable poetry collection, along with a clear strategy for approaching agents, publishers, magazines and other dissemination opportunities.

You’ll also gain the confidence for working across contemporary poetic forms, enhancing your employability in creative, wide-ranging and digital‑first environments. Plus, you will have the communication and presentation skills essential for readings, festivals, teaching, workshops and public‑facing creative roles.

Careers support

At Leeds, we help you to prepare for your future from day one.

Our Careers Service has the global expertise and sector-spanning industry partnerships that, combined, go way beyond simply helping you get a job. They provide you with the resources you need to upskill and achieve the future you aspire towards – even in the face of lightning-paced change.

• Dedicated Employability Team: Meet with our qualified careers consultants and specialist employability and placements officers, on hand to help you choose the right path and develop the skills to get there. They can support with CV and cover letter writing, LinkedIn profile building, mock interviews and navigating AI: get confident with tailored advice and techniques.
• Employability and networking events: Get involved in a full range of events, including careers fairs and specialist industry talks with employers who are actively recruiting. You’ll also benefit from mentoring and a supportive careers community, helping you make connections, build your network, and shape your journey as a future professional.
• Skills training: We embed transferable skills training in all our programmes to support your transition to the workplace. Gain expertise employers value, such as communication, problem-solving and research and data analysis.
• MyCareer system: Access a dedicated portal where you can book careers appointments, view helpful resources and browse vacancies and events. Access digital tools, including LinkedIn support, video‑interview preparation, plus global job market and visa guidance. We also offer pre‑arrival support to help you prepare for career planning in the UK and make the most of your time with us.
• Exclusive opportunities: Bring your enterprise to market with our award-winning business advice service, Spark. Apply for vacancies only available to our students. Plus, hone your skills further with Leeds University Union, home to volunteering opportunities and over 300 clubs and societies.