Welcome to the Virtual Admissions Center
Are you ready for an exciting, challenging academic experience on the coast of Maine?
At Maine Coast Semester we take your education outside the traditional classroom with four months of intensive, hands-on learning. 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.
Why wait? apply today!
Fast Facts:
3:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
6
Required Course Credits
19
Academic Classes offered
99
Percent of Maine Coast Students go on to a four-year college
15
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
4
Teaching Fellows
17
Average years of teaching experience per faculty member
8
Average # of Students Per Class
7
Unique biomes to explore!
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
Learn About Tuition & Financial Aid
Tuition, room, and board for the 2024-2025 academic year is $36,000 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 Spring 2025, 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.
Latest News
The Coast is Clear – at Sewall Beach!
Last week we were delighted when several members of Maine Coast Semester 73, including students and staff, volunteered to help ...
Take the Plunge!
When I was looking at a sample Maine Coast Semester schedule, I immediately spotted a block dedicated to the polar ...
Chewonki Foundation Names Nancy Kennedy as New President
(Featured above: Trustee and President Search Committee Co-Chair, Marion Howard, President Nancy Kennedy, Board Chair André Heard) We are excited ...
Wood Cove
The residents of the van squished behind a row of skis, sleds, poles, and bags, ready to take on the ...
