Virtual Admissions Center - Maine Coast Semester

The Greatest Four Months of Your Academic Journey Awaits!

At Maine Coast Semester we take your education outside the traditional classroom with four months of intensive, hands-on learning for academically ambitious high school Juniors and Seniors. Our place-based curriculum features small class sizes, hands-on learning, courses taught at the Honors and AP level, and is the perfect fit for students eager to maximize their high school education and consider the opportunities in college and beyond.

With backcountry adventures, science field labs, and daily discoveries in sustainable living, the juniors and seniors who graduate our program often call it “the place I learned how to make a difference in the world”.

The students who join us here-–high school juniors and seniors from a diverse array of communities across the country-–are self-directed, motivated, enthusiastic, and joyful.

Fast Facts:

3:1

Student to Faculty Ratio

Required Course Credits

Academic Classes offered

Percent of Maine Coast Students go on to a four-year college

Full-time Faculty, plus 35 additional Chewonki support staff

100

Percent of faculty have an advanced degree

400

Acres of woods, waters, shoreline, fields, and forest

Teaching Fellows

Average years of teaching experience per faculty member

Average # of Students Per Class

Unique biomes to explore!

Join Us At An Event

Jan. 9 – Maine Coast Semester Virtual Info Session

Jan. 30 – Maine Coast Semester Virtual Info Session

Feb. 13 – Maine Coast Semester Virtual Info Session

Experience a Day in the Life at Maine Coast Semester

What is it like to leave home and experience the rugged woods and waters of Maine for a semester?

Meet Our Admissions Team

Justin Fahey

Director of Admissions

Carter Ramquist

Associate Director of Admissions

Learn About Tuition & Financial Aid

Tuition, room, and board for the 2025-2026 academic year is $37,800 per semester. Generally, the cost of attending Maine Coast Semester is equal to one-half of the full-year boarding tuition of our member schools.

Approximately 40 percent of students receive a financial aid award. In most cases, member schools continue their financial aid awards to students attending Maine Coast Semester.

We encourage every interested student to apply! Our admissions process is need-blind, and we work closely with each accepted student to create an equitable financial aid package.

Explore the Curriculum Guide

From Natural History and Ecology of the Maine Coast to Literature and the Land, our nature-based curriculum will inspire and engage you with hands-on learning.

Start Your Application

We are currently accepting applications for Fall 2025 and Spring 2026.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Chewonki strives to be a diverse, equitable, and inclusive organization. Our legacy of thoughtful self-reflection and purposeful change guides our efforts to create a place where all participants and staff can flourish.

Health and Wellness

Our Health and Wellness Center is staffed by a Director of Health Services, a full-time team of registered nurses, and a full-time mental health coordinator. Our first focus in risk management is to establish practices and policies that support a safe and healthy environment for our community.

Outdoor Program

There are three major outdoor experiences (“peaks”) throughout the semester: Backcountry Expeditions, Outdoor Leadership Weekend, and Solos. During backcountry expeditions in the fall semester, students spend five days canoeing, backpacking, or sea kayaking, often setting up camp in a new location each night. In the spring semester, students spend four days cross-country skiing or snowshoeing and sleep in heated cabins.