The Iowa Young Writers' Studio (IYWS) is a two-week residential summer creative writing program for high school students, housed in the University of Iowa's Office of Writing and Communication.
Core courses:
Students choose one core course for concentrated study:
- Poetry
- Fiction
- Creative Writing (a survey spanning poetry, fiction, and personal essay)
- TV Writing (Writers' Room)
- Playwriting
Each student works within a single course track. The program emphasizes revision, workshop critique, and craft.
Program structure:
Each session runs two weeks. Students live on the University of Iowa campus, attend daily workshops with a small cohort, participate in one-on-one conferences with instructors, and attend readings and craft talks by visiting writers. The residential environment is designed to replicate the experience of a graduate writing program — immersive, peer-driven, and craft-focused.
2026 sessions (reference):
| Session | Dates |
|---|---|
| Session 1 | June 14–27, 2026 |
| Session 2 | July 12–25, 2026 |
Verified 2027 alternatives: Session 1 June 13–26; Session 2 July 11–24. Applicants may state a preference or willingness to attend either; these are separate two-week options, not a continuous June–July stay.
Faculty:
Teachers and counselors are chosen, with rare exceptions, from among students and graduates of the Iowa Writers' Workshop at the University of Iowa. Classes are capped at 10 or fewer students, divided between a seminar and a workshop component taught by the same instructor.
Fees and financial aid:
The published 2027 session fee is $2,500, covering room and board, instruction and materials, and access to extracurricular camp events. There is also a $10 reading fee to apply, which can be waived without penalty for applicants who are unable to pay. Each year IYWS grants several full-tuition and several partial-tuition need-based grants; accepted students fill out a financial aid application after admission, with awards made in the spring.
International students:
IYWS welcomes applications from students outside the United States. The residential campus setting at the University of Iowa provides housing and meals for the program duration.
2027 application and payment process: Applicant materials are accepted January 25 at 12 a.m. through February 7 at 11:59 p.m. U.S. Central Standard Time. A separate recommendation upload window runs January 11–February 12, 2027, closing at 11:59 p.m. U.S. CST. Applicants must arrange the recommendation upload themselves; Iowa does not automatically invite the recommender. The residential application requires a writing sample, purpose statement and one recommendation, and does not require or accept transcripts. Decisions are scheduled April 9, 2027.
The cost page says accepted students must pay, register and enroll by May 15, 2027, while How to Apply says May 16. Neither date is presented here as a resolved replacement for the other. Both pages say withdrawal before June 1, 2027 incurs a $100 cancellation charge, with no refunds thereafter. These are payment/refund conditions, separate from the February application deadlines.
Checked November 4, 2026 against 2027 application instructions, 2027 fees and aid and the residential overview, which still displays the historical 2026 sessions. The prior catalog’s January 19–February 1, 2026 application dates are not reverified by the current instructions and are not reused for 2027.
Writing and AI policy: Students must generate their own work, including brainstorming, revisions, and peer critiques. Do not upload classmates' writing to AI tools. Specific AI projects require instructor permission and disclosure.
Official AI policy, checked November 4, 2026.