Vermont College of Fine Arts

Vermont College of Fine Arts (VCFA) is a leading center for low-residency graduate education in the fine arts. It was the first college devoted entirely to the low-residency model, and today offers five Master of Fine Arts degrees: Writing, Writing for Children  & Young Adults, Visual Art, Graphic Design and Music Composition 

VCFA has been a pioneer in low-residency education for more than 25 years. And all that experience has paid off. In 2011, VCFA’s low residency MFA in writing program was ranked #1 in the nation by Poets & Writers magazine.

Educators and experts agree -- Low-residency programs may well represent the future of the MFA.

The first low residency MFA writing programs began in the 1970s. At the time, the concept of an MFA that didn’t involve full semesters of classroom learning stood at the fringe of education. And for a while, low residency programs tended to attract mostly students who couldn’t attend class full time. Those who experienced the power of the low residency model sang its praises. Yet despite these enthusiastic testimonials, the programs carried a stigma—some believed that low residency meant low quality.

Today, low residency programs have gone mainstream, and the stigma is gone. Alums from low residency programs have won honors ranging from Pulitzer prizes to Guggenheim and NEA fellowships, and have seen their careers advance as quickly as those of their peers in traditional programs. The low-residency model has evolved, expanding beyond its initial focus on writing to include other disciplines, from visual art to graphic design, music, and electronic media.

Here are just a few of the reasons why students weighing the choice between traditional and low-residency program are choosing VCFA: 

1. BRIEF ON-CAMPUS RESIDENCIES: Students are required to be on campus only seven to ten days twice each year for workshops, readings or exhibits, lectures, and individual consultations and planning with faculty.

2. VIBRANT ARTISTIC COMMUNITY: During residencies, students live and work within a dynamic community of other students and faculty who are passionate and engaged in their craft.

3. PERSONAL ATTENTION: Our faculty, all nationally recognized teachers and artists, work individually with each student.

4. SELF-DESIGNED STUDY: Rather than study a set curriculum, students work one-on-one with their faculty advisor to develop study plans that respond to their particular interests.

5. FLEXIBLE SCHEDULE: Following the residency, students work from home, working on their craft and reading throughout the semester according to their own schedule.