Life-Changing Learning to Prepare You for College and Beyond
The Most Transformative Four Months of Your High School Experience Await!
Step outside the typical classroom walls and dive into a semester like no other at Maine Coast Semester at Chewonki. Designed for academically driven juniors and seniors, our immersive program combines rigorous Honors and AP-level coursework with hands-on learning in a stunning natural setting.
By exploring backcountry wilderness, conducting hands-on science labs, and embracing daily discoveries in sustainable living, our students gain more than knowledge: they gain the power to make a difference in the world. Spend four life-changing months in an inspiring community of ambitious peers from across the nation, all eager to maximize their high school experience and set the stage for success in college and beyond.
Join us at Maine Coast Semester and see why our alumni call it “the place I learned how to change the world.” Embrace the adventure that shapes you academically, personally, and globally. Apply now and let your journey begin!
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
Invest in Your Future: Tuition & Financial Aid
At Maine Coast Semester, we’re committed to making our life-changing semester program accessible to all motivated high school students. Tuition, room, and board for the 2025–2026 academic year total $37,800 per semester.
We believe in supporting you every step of the way. About 40% of our students receive financial aid, and our need-blind admissions process ensures that everyone who wants to join us has the chance to do so.
Ready to take the next step? We encourage every interested student to apply! We’ll work closely with you and your family to create an equitable financial aid package — so you can fully immerse yourself in everything Maine Coast Semester has to offer.
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
While we have passed our priority application and financial aid deadline, the application for Fall 2025 and Spring 2026 semesters is open. Applications submitted after February 15, 2025 (including financial aid materials) will be reviewed on a space-available basis.
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 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
A New Meaning of Home
I’m in a cabin called Pete Gillies, but we don’t ever call it that. Sometimes it’s Gillies we call it, ...
Knitting, Novels, and a Black Lab – Reflections from Solo
Outdoor Leadership Encampment (OLE) prepares us for the forty-eight hours we spend by ourselves on Chewonki Neck. Awesome instructors like ...
The Songs of Semester 74
Throughout the semester, there’s been a lot of general music-ing going on. As one of MCS 74’s many resident music ...
Tips for Thriving at a Semester School
It feels like yesterday when I was dropped off. I remember applying for Chewonki, thinking to myself the whole time, ...
