Northwestern Writing for the Screen and Stage MFA 2026

[recklessrunt]

I didn't see a thread for 2026? Anyone else out there apply?

 

[Chris W]

For the writing or documentary MFA? Here's a link to our stats for the writing program:

Northwestern University - The Department of Radio/Television/Film Acceptance Rate (All Programs/All Years)

22.7%

Admitted

15 out of 66

4.5%

Waitlisted

3 out of 66

72.7%

Not Admitted

48 out of 66

Awaiting Results Admitted Waitlisted Denied

Click here for our full Admission Statistics for this program including interview and acceptance notification dates, accepted GPAs, waitlist acceptance rate, demographics of accepted applicants, $ amount of scholarship awarded, and more...

Be sure to log your application if you haven't yet.

Application Database

A database of thousands of film school applications to calculate acceptance rates to film programs and the minimum GPAs, minimum SAT and GRE scores, experience of accepted applicants, and much more....

www.filmschool.org

I'll fix that statistics page tomorrow so it has the stats for the documentary and other programs too.

 

[recklessrunt]

Writing! I saw the thread for documentary

 

[Chris W]

Writing! I saw the thread for documentary

Cool I'll add that to the title of the thread.

 

[Zeezaweez]

Hi I am also applying this year.

 

[rhinoman]

I applied this year as well

 

[recklessrunt]

Nice. Who did you all have write your rec letters? Being out of undergrad for bit, that was the hardest part for me to choose.

 

[Zeezaweez]

Does anyone know when they send out interview invites?

 

[recklessrunt]

Does anyone know when they send out interview invites?

From prior years it looks like mid-february or so?

 

[Zeezaweez]

From prior years it looks like mid-february or so?

Ah okay thanks.

 

[recklessrunt]

Ah okay thanks.

have you applied before?

 

[Zeezaweez]

have you applied before?

No this would be my first time. I’m actually transitioning from drama school to MFA programs for screenwriting. You?

 

[recklessrunt]

No this would be my first time. I’m actually transitioning from drama school to MFA programs for screenwriting. You?

I have not either, I'm applying after being many years out from undergrad. I'm also more focused on this for playwriting.

 

[Zeezaweez]

I have not either, I'm applying after being many years out from undergrad. I'm also more focused on this for playwriting.

Oh wow that’s dope.

 

[Chris W]

Does anyone know when they send out interview invites?

See stats from applications logged in the database here:

Northwestern University - The Department of Radio/Television/Film Acceptance Rate (Northwestern - Writing for Screen and Stage MFA/All Years)

14.8%

Admitted

8 out of 54

3.7%

Waitlisted

2 out of 54

81.5%

Not Admitted

44 out of 54

Awaiting Results Admitted Waitlisted Denied

Click here for our full Admission Statistics for this program including interview and acceptance notification dates, accepted GPAs, waitlist acceptance rate, demographics of accepted applicants, $ amount of scholarship awarded, and more...

Also, check out old threads. They're a wealth of knowledge.

 

[Mophilos16]

Saw on the MFA Draft spreadsheet that someone got an interview invitation on the 26th. Anyone else here?

 

[Zeezaweez]

Saw on the MFA Draft spreadsheet that someone got an interview invitation on the 26th.

Saw on the MFA Draft spreadsheet that someone got an interview invitation on the 26th. Anyone else here?

Where can you find this spreadsheet?

 

[Mophilos16]

Where can you find this spreadsheet?

It's from a Facebook community, MFA Draft '26. But the screenwriters/playwrights are only a handful compared to the creative writers there.

 

[Chris W]

It's from a Facebook community, MFA Draft '26. But the screenwriters/playwrights are only a handful compared to the creative writers there.

Only 2 applications logged this application cycle for Northwestern. If you haven't logged yet please do.

2026 Fall Entry

Film School Applications for the Fall 2026 entry application period.

www.filmschool.org

Logging your application on FilmSchool.org helps everyone by crowdsourcing real applicant data to build more accurate, reliable admissions stats... like acceptance rates, decision timelines, lowest admitted GPAs, interview dates, waitlist outcomes, accepted applicant demographics, etc... It gives the whole community better transparency, stronger predictions, and answers to common questions that schools rarely share publicly. Every logged entry improves the data for everyone tremendously.

 

[avocados]

Hi everyone

I received an invite to interview on Jan 26th. It was a very welcomed surprise! The timeframe seems bumped up compared to previous years I think due to the application deadline moving from mid-January to early December. Interviews were scheduled for 15 minutes with core faculty members.