creative writing courses in edinburgh

Schools & departments

Creative Writing MSc

Awards: MSc

Study modes: Full-time

Funding opportunities

Programme website: Creative Writing

The community has been one of my favourite parts. The department has very warm and encouraging staff. Some of my classmates are now close friends, and we still workshop stories across time zones, and complain to each other about writing - and not writing! Bhavika Govil, prize-winning fiction writer MSc in Creative Writing, 2020

Postgraduate Discovery Day

Join our online sessions on 19 February to learn more about postgraduate study and student life at Edinburgh, including application, fees and funding guidance.

Programme description

Based in the first UNESCO World City of Literature, this one-year, full-time taught Masters programme is tailored towards your practice in either fiction or poetry.

There is a strong practical element to the programme, helping you develop your creative skills through:

presenting your work for peer discussion
hearing from guest writers and other professionals on the practicalities of life as a writer

You will also sharpen your critical skills through:

seminars exploring the particulars of your chosen form
option courses in literature, helping you move from theoretical considerations to practical applications

The programme culminates with the publication of ‘From Arthur’s Seat,’ an anthology of student work.

Why Edinburgh?

Literature has been taught here for over 250 years, and today Edinburgh thrives on its designation as the first UNESCO World City of Literature. The city is home to the National Library of Scotland and the Scottish Poetry Library, and a number of celebrated publishing outlets, from Canongate and Polygon, to Luath Press, Birlinn and Mariscat. The University hosts the prestigious James Tait Black Awards, established in 1919, and is one of the oldest literary prizes in Britain.

There are lots of opportunities to write and share your work, from ‘The Student,’ the UK’s oldest student newspaper (founded in 1887 by Robert Louis Stevenson), to The Selkie, which was founded by Creative Writing students in 2018 to showcase work by people who self-identify as underrepresented.

Around the city, you will find:

library readings and bookshop launches
spoken word gigs
cabaret nights
poetry slams

Edinburgh isn’t just historic – it’s a modern hub for literature. That’s part of what makes the city great for writing.

Austin Crowley, MSc in Creative Writing, 2023

We teach our programme in a team so that you benefit from the input of a range of tutors, as well as your fellow students and our Writer in Residence, the poet and author Michael Pedersen, who also co-ordinates a range of student writing prizes and our annual industry and networking event.

The academic staff you will be working with are all active researchers or authors, including well-published and prize-winning writers of poetry, prose fiction and drama. They include:

Dr Jane Alexander - Fiction
Dr Lynda Clark
Dr Patrick Errington - Poetry/Fiction
Dr Miriam Gamble - Poetry
Professor Alan Gillis - Poetry
Dr Jane McKie - Poetry
Dr Allyson Stack - Fiction
Kim Sherwood - Fiction
Alice Thompson - Fiction

Programme structure

Over the duration of the programme, you will take:

two core courses, both worth 40 credits
two optional courses chosen from a wide range of subjects, both worth 20 credits

The core activities in Creative Writing are:

tutor-led workshops, in which you will present your work-in-progress and critique the work of your fellow students
regular seminars exploring techniques and issues specific to your practice (either fiction or poetry) and the statements and theories of practitioners

Optional courses

We have a large number of option courses to choose from, including preferred courses for fiction and poetry (which will be offered to Creative Writing students in the first instance), and courses from across the Department of English Literature and the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures.

Visiting speakers

Throughout the programme, you will be expected to attend readings and talks by visiting speakers. Early on, these will be from published writers and, later, advisors from the writing business: literary agents, magazine editors and publishers.

Dissertation

The final element of the programme is your dissertation, a piece of creative writing (worth 60 credits) written with the advice and support of a designated supervisor.

Fiction dissertations are between 15,000 words and 20,000 words, and poetry dissertations between 25 and 30 pages.

Find out more about compulsory and optional courses

We link to the latest information available. Please note that this may be for a previous academic year and should be considered indicative.

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of this course, you should be able to:

identify, conceptualise and define formal elements of craft in your chosen field (poetry or fiction) within published works and within works by your peers
remain open to criticism and respond effectively and creatively to feedback on your own creative work
work from initial conception through multiple drafts to the final version of a creative piece within your chosen field (fiction or poetry)
transfer editorial skills and creative abilities from one context to another
analyse creative works within your chosen field (fiction or poetry), work with a focus on craft effectiveness, and articulate strengths and weaknesses in a piece of writing in a constructive manner

Career opportunities

Over the course of this programme, you will complete a body of creative work that has been rigorously peer reviewed.

Our students go on to careers in a wide variety of fields, including:

arts administration
web and audio book editing
script and ghost writing
gaming narrative design

Some decide to extend their studies and take a PhD with us.

Many of our alumni go on to achieve literary success, publishing novels and short story and poetry collections, and winning awards. Our graduates’ recent successes include:

debut novels from:

Amanda Block (The Lost Storyteller, published by Hodder Studio)
Karin Nordin (Where Ravens Roost, published by Harper Collins)
Marielle Thompson (Where Ivy Dares to Grow, published by Kensington Books)
August Thomas (Liar’s Candle, published by Simon and Schuster)
Rosie Walker (Secrets of a Serial Killer, published by One More Chapter)
Mark Wightman (Waking the Tiger, published by Hobeck Books and shortlisted for Scottish Crime Debut of the Year 2021)

debut poetry collections from:

Tim Tim Cheng (The Tattoo Collector, published by Nine Arches Press)
Rebecca Tamás (WITCH, published by Penned in the Margins)
Naomi Morris (Hyperlove, published by Makina Books)
Aileen Ballantyne (Taking Flight, published by Luath Press)

debut short story collections from:

Dayle Furlong (Lake Effect, published by Cormorant Books)
Dima Alzayat (Alligator and Other Stories, shortlisted for the James Tait Black Award for Fiction)

the 2024 Edwin Morgan Poetry Award, won by Wendelin Law

the Scottish Book Trust New Writers Award 2024 (Poetry), won by Medha Singh
the Scottish Book Trust New Writers Award 2024 (Children's/YA Writing), won by Amos O'Connor
the Society of Authors' ALCS Tom-Gallon Trust Award 2024, won by Alexandra Ye
the 2023 Nebula Award for best novella, won by Ai Jiang
the 2022 Edwin Morgan Poetry Award, won by Alyson Kissner
the 2021 Brotherton Poetry Prize, won by Lauren Pope
the 2021 Pontas & JJ Bola Emerging Writers Prize, won by Bhavika Govil

Meet our graduates

I think what is most important for a writer is meeting new people, walking across the world, and learning to understand cultures and perspectives outside their own. Edinburgh held a wealth of experiences from across the world in one location, which I found extremely enriching and refreshing.

Ai Jiang, MSc in Creative Writing, 2022

A conversation with From Arthur's Seat
Tim Tim Cheng
Bhavika Govil

What's the best type of masters programme for you?

Entry requirements.

These entry requirements are for the 2025/26 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2026/27 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2025.

A UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, in any discipline. This will often be in a directly related subject like English Literature/Creative Writing, but we welcome applicants from all academic backgrounds.

Applicants who are entered into selection will be asked to provide a sample of written work to enable their suitability for the programme to be assessed.

Students from China

This degree is Band C.

Postgraduate entry requirements for students from China

International qualifications

Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:

Entry requirements by country
English language requirements

Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency which will enable you to succeed in your studies.

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

IELTS Academic: total 7.0 with at least 6.5 in each component. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 100 with at least 23 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
C1 Advanced ( CAE ) / C2 Proficiency ( CPE ): total 185 with at least 176 in each component.
Trinity ISE : ISE III with passes in all four components.
PTE Academic: total 73 with at least 65 in each component. We do not accept PTE Academic Online.
Oxford ELLT : 8 overall with at least 7 in each component.

Your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the programme you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS , TOEFL, Trinity ISE or PTE , in which case it must be no more than two years old.

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration:

UKVI list of majority English speaking countries

We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries (non-MESC).

Approved universities in non-MESC

If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old at the beginning of your programme of study.

Find out more about our language requirements:

Fees and costs

Scholarships and funding.

Funding for postgraduate study is different to undergraduate study, and many students need to combine funding sources to pay for their studies.

Most students use a combination of the following funding to pay their tuition fees and living costs:

borrowing money

taking out a loan

family support

personal savings

income from work

employer sponsorship

scholarships

Explore sources of funding for postgraduate study

Featured funding

If you are intending to study full-time on this Creative Writing programme, you are eligible for a William Hunter Sharpe Memorial Award which will contribute towards your tuition fees.

You do not need to apply for this award – all eligible candidates who apply for the programme by Monday 5 May 2025 will be considered and contacted if successful.

Find out more about the William Hunter Sharpe Memorial Award and other funding opportunities in literatures, languages and cultures

Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:

Search for funding

Further information

Phone: +44 (0)131 650 4086
Contact: College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences Admissions Office
School of Literatures, Languages & Cultures
50 George Square
Central Campus
Programme: Creative Writing
School: Literatures, Languages & Cultures
College: Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

Select your programme and preferred start date to begin your application.

MSc Creative Writing - 1 Year (Full-time)

Application deadlines.

Due to high demand, this programme operates a gathered field approach to admissions, with two application deadlines as noted below.

Each application round has a decision deadline, also listed below, but note that we may make offers to the strongest candidates on an ongoing basis, in advance of the published decision deadline.

We strongly recommend that you apply as early as possible, especially if you intend to apply for funding. Applications may close earlier than published deadlines if there is exceptionally high demand. If you are considering applying for our pre-sessional English Language programme, please make sure you apply in Round 1.

Please note that for an application to be reviewed, it must be a complete application by the application deadline with all supporting documentation uploaded, including references and transcripts. If you already have evidence that you meet the English language entry requirements e.g. via an approved English language test, please upload this evidence at the time of your application. If you have not already met your English language requirements, please upload that evidence as soon as you have it.

Selection deadlines

Deadlines for uk/scotland fee status.

After Round 2, if there are still places available, applications will remain open only to applicants who are eligible for the UK/Scotland fee rate, including the EU/EEA Pre-settled Scotland fee status. Applications will remain open no later than 30 June 2025 and may close earlier than this if the programme becomes full, so we strongly recommend you apply as soon as possible.

If you apply with another fee status after 29 May 2025, your application will be rejected.

(Revised 17 October 2024 to add application deadlines and selection process information)

How to apply

You must submit one reference with your application.

The online application process involves the completion of a web form and the submission of supporting documents.

You should supply a portfolio of writing.

For poetry, this should be six (6) pages of poetry, starting a new page for each new poem of 14 lines or over.
For fiction, this should be a complete story or stories, or an equivalent amount from a longer work (between 2,500 and 3,500 words).

These are firm limits.

If you are undecided about whether to apply for fiction or poetry, you should send a sample of both, i.e. six (6) pages of poetry and 2,500-3,500 words of fiction (if offered a place it will be for one or the other).

Work in other forms (for example journalism, life writing or advertising) will not be considered.

Personal statement

When writing your personal statement, consider the following questions:

What do you most hope to learn/gain from a Creative Writing degree, and why is ours the programme for you?
Tell us about your writing: what are you interested in and why? Are there aspects of your current practice you're particularly proud of? Things you know you need to work on?

What (if any) prior experience do you have of studying Creative Writing?

Guidance on the application process and supporting documents

All supporting documents, including references, must be uploaded to the online application system by the deadline date.

Find out more about the general application process for postgraduate programmes:

Creative Writing

7th July – 2nd August 2025

This 4-week course offers developing writers a supportive environment in which to further their writing skills in fiction, poetry, and drama. Students have a unique opportunity to develop their own critical analysis by attending Modernism and Contemporary Literature lectures, as well as author-led Masterclasses. SUISS tutors, who are published writers and experienced teachers, lead the students in 3-hour group seminars and individualised mentoring sessions.

In addition, our Creative Writing students have the opportunity to attend private readings by well-known British authors, many of who will be reading at the Edinburgh International Book Festival in August.

The Creative Writing course offers:

Workshop Seminars: SUISS tutors lead small group writing seminars catered to students’ writing interests.
Author-led Masterclasses: Prominent contemporary British writers offer students an opportunity to engage in unique discussions and activities.
Lectures: Students attend select Modernism and Contemporary Literature lectures to gain additional perspectives of critical analysis.
Individual Mentoring Sessions: Students receive 30min of individualised mentoring sessions with a SUISS tutor per week.
Publishing Lecture: A Literary Agent identifies key aspects of the publishing industry in an exclusive lecture for the students.
Editorial groups: According to shared interests, students discuss their work with their peers in an informal, interactive environment.
Northern Light : An opportunity to be published in our biennial publication.

Reading List

Creative Writing students attend selected lectures from our Modernism and Contemporary Literature courses. Students are strongly advised to read as many of the texts as possible before arriving in Edinburgh, as time will be limited once the programme is underway. The lectures are pitched high, and lecturers are advised that all students will be familiar with the texts at the time of lecture.

Core texts and lectures for the Creative Writing summer programme, on which the tuition will be based, are listed below.

Essential reading  (in alphabetical order) :

Rachelle Atalla, Thirsty Animals T.S. Eliot,  The Waste Land Harry Josephine Giles,  Drone James Joyce,  Dubliners Bhanu Kapil, How to Wash a Heart Selected imagist poetry* Ali Smith: selection of short stories* Virginia Woolf,   Mrs Dalloway  

Edinburgh Napier University

Full of creative writing talent and ideas? Let us add the expertise.

Unique is a great way to describe the postgraduate creative writing programme at Edinburgh Napier University in Scotland. For a start, we put genre fiction front and centre in our course. If you love science fiction, fantasy, crime or horror, most MFAs and MAs don't want to know - but we embrace great genre writing and people who want to write it. Another unique focus at Edinburgh Napier is comics and graphic novels , which most other programmes ignore. In fact, we love this medium so much we devote an entire module about it, Writing Graphic Fiction. [Good news: no talent for drawing required!] We also specialise in Young Adult fiction , with acclaimed YA author Laura Lam leading a new module on this.

Edinburgh Napier's creative writing MA does not offer a poetry option. We repeat, poetry is not a requirement . There are plenty of other great courses with brilliant poets on the faculty - if you want to study poetry, seek them out. We have had prize-winning poets as students on our programme, but we don't teach or critique poetry.

No peer review workshops?

There are also no peer review workshops in Creative Writing MA classes at Edinburgh Napier. We repeat, no peer review workshops. This boggles the mind of some people, as such workshops are the dominant teaching method for creative writing pretty much everywhere else. But we don't have them in our classes. Not one! Instead, we set frequent writing assignments and expect you to bring the results to class. You're encouraged to critically self-reflect on your work [with prompts from us], and to share that thinking. You get professional editorial feedback on your writing and your self-reflection skills, delivered masterclass-style in class. And you get six hours of one-to-one mentoring .

Load more from the gallery

Introducing our Creative Writing tutors - David Bishop, Elizabeth Dearnley, Nicholas Binge and Noelle Harrison. Learn more about their backgrounds and their impressive careers in writing so far.

Through her work, Jenny Bloomfield has always strived to make a difference. Now she's looking to do it through an alternative medium - creative writing.

Write Together: Edinburgh Napier & Seton Hill

As a graduate of the MA in Creative Writing at Edinburgh Napier University, you can now earn your MFA – and finish the book you started at Edinburgh Napier – through the Writing Popular Fiction programme at Seton Hill.

Beginning in January 2017, alumni from Edinburgh Napier University can enroll in the Writing Popular Fiction programme at Seton Hill and earn an MFA by taking 34 credits (instead of the usual 54) and attending four residencies (instead of six).

2015 graduate Ashley Stern is now working towards her MFA in popular fiction at Seton Hill University in Pennsylvania. We catch-up with her as she looks back on her time in Edinburgh.

About Edinburgh

About scotland.

Want an insight into the course and its going-ons? Visit the MA Creative Writing blog today.

MA Creative Writing Full-Time

Ma creative writing part-time.

Schools & departments