Low-residency MFA programs in fine arts, now affiliated with CalArts.
VCFA offers Master of Fine Arts degrees in six disciplines: Writing (established 1981), Visual Art (1991), Writing for Children & Young Adults (1997), Music Composition (2011), Graphic Design (2011), and Film (2013). The college also offers a Graduate Studies in Art & Design Education program and an International MFA in Creative Writing & Literary Translation. All faculty hold terminal degrees in their fields. The curriculum emphasizes a low-residency model combining independent, self-directed study with intensive on-campus residencies featuring workshops, lectures, critiques, and one-on-one mentorship.
VCFA historically operated from Montpelier, Vermont, but relocated its residencies in 2022. From 2023–2024, residencies were held at Colorado College and Susquehanna University. As of January 2025, VCFA hosts residencies on the California Institute of the Arts campus in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The college operates Hunger Mountain, a literary magazine produced by writing faculty and students. Student services include financial aid support, academic advising, and access to library resources including WorldCat, full-text journals, and OverDrive eBooks.
VCFA accepts applications for its MFA programs on a rolling basis. Applicants are considered for need- and merit-based scholarships as part of the application review process; no separate scholarship application is required beyond the FAFSA. The college is committed to progressive, affordable graduate arts education. Specific admission deadlines and requirements vary by program.
VCFA traces its roots to Newbury Seminary, founded in 1834 in Newbury, Vermont. The institution moved to Montpelier in 1868 and operated under various names (Montpelier Seminary, Vermont Junior College, Vermont College) before becoming part of Norwich University in 1972. In 2001, it joined Union Institute & University; in 2008, the MFA programs separated and incorporated independently as Vermont College of Fine Arts. In April 2024, VCFA became an affiliate college of the California Institute of the Arts.