Virtual Admissions Center - Maine Coast Semester

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

5.5

Required Course Credits

Academic Classes offered

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

Full-time Faculty

Chewonki support staff

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!

1. Join Us At An Event

There are no events scheduled at this time. Check back soon!

2. Take a Virtual Tour of Chewonki Neck

3. 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?

4. Meet Our Admissions Team

Sheryl Stearns

Director of Enrollment Management and Financial Aid

Emily Norris

Assistant Director of Admissions

5. Learn About Tuition & Financial Aid

Tuition, room, and board for the 2022-2023 academic year is $34,500 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.

6. 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.

7. Start Your Application

We are currently accepting applications on a rolling basis for Spring 2023. Applications for Fall 2023 and Spring 2023 will open soon.

8. Schedule Your Interview

We ask each prospective student to sign up for a half-hour video chat. It’s the best way for you to ask questions, and for us to get to know you!

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.