Tuition
Our comprehensive fee (inclusive of tuition, room, board, and books/academic materials) is $38,800 per semester for the 2026-2027 academic year.
Financial aid at Maine Coast Semester is exclusively need-based and we meet 100% of demonstrated need. We do not offer merit or athletic scholarships.
Our priority deadline for financial aid applicants is February 15th.
Financial Aid
Maine Coast Semester is dedicated to enrolling a diverse and talented student body. We carefully review all financial aid requests, giving priority to those who apply by the February 15th deadline.
We ask that all families contribute towards their student’s tuition, as we believe shared investment enhances the experience. Financial aid awards range from $500 to $30,000+, with over 40% of our students receiving some form of aid. We work with families to find the best possible solution to meet their needs.
All students can apply for financial aid, and while we strive to support each student, not everyone will receive assistance. Financial aid does not need to be repaid and is used to cover tuition, room, and board. We expect families to meet their financial obligations by the start of the student’s semester.
Financial Aid Forms
Maine Coast Semester is proud to use the Clarity Application to determine a family’s level of financial need based on the information that families share in the application: assets, income, expenses, and debts.
The application typically takes less than 30 minutes to complete and is mobile-friendly so you can complete it from anywhere. You are also able to save your progress and return at any time.
To proceed with the Clarity application:
Step 1
Step 2
- Begin your application and add Maine Coast Semester at Chewonki to your student applicant entry. You can save your application and log out at any time and return later to complete it.
Step 3
- Complete your application and pay the $65 Clarity application fee.
- This fee is automatically waived for some families based on their annual family income. However, if the $65 fee poses a financial hardship, please reach out to admissions@chewonki.org to request a waiver.
Step 4
- Complete the Clarity Enhanced Tax Verification (ETV) process to release your W2 and personal tax return transcripts from the IRS. This is a one-time security measure required by the IRS to protect against identity theft and the compromise of personal information.
- Please review the Clarity Tax Verification Guide for assistance.
Step 5
- Submit your Clarity application and follow the link to return to your dashboard to upload any additional supporting documents.
- For students applying for the Fall 2025 and Spring 2026 semesters, we require the parent or guardian submit the following via Clarity.
- 2023 federal tax returns, including all schedules
- 2024 W-2 and 1099
For students wishing to be considered for financial aid, February 15 is the priority deadline for completing the Clarity application.
Notes & Support
- Marital Status
- We look to a student’s biological or adoptive parent(s)/guardian(s) and partners to play a role in financing a student’s experience at Maine Coast Semester. Therefore, we require submission of the Clarity financial aid application from all households – regardless of their marital status.
- Current/Home School Financial Aid
- Any student receiving financial aid at their current/home school is asked to send a copy of their financial aid award letter from their current/home school to admissions@chewonki.org.
- Clarity Support
- If you need support during the process of completing your application, there is in-app support available through the “Help” button in the bottom left of the screen.
- Email and phone support at support@clarityapp.com or 206-210-3752, in both English and Spanish.
- The application itself is also fully translated into Spanish.
- Clarity Support Guides
Additional Expenses
In addition to tuition, students have a $500 student account to cover the cost of miscellaneous expenses.
Depending on the assessed need, Maine Coast Semester is able to provide assistance and guidance to cover travel and required clothing costs. Maine Coast Semester provides outdoor skills gear – as distinct from required clothing – for all students. Please see our FAQs for more details on clothing and gear.
Payment Plan
We have partnered with FACTS Tuition Management Company to offer a payment plan that begins the month before the student arrives on campus and ends the month before the student leaves campus.
- The tuition amount financed will be equal to the full tuition minus the enrollment deposit and financial aid (if applicable) plus the $500 student account fee.
- This interest-free plan involves monthly automatic withdrawals from a checking or savings account.
- FACTS will charge a non-refundable enrollment fee of $50 per student and a returned payment fee of $30 – as specified on their Automatic Tuition Payment Agreement.
If you would like more information about the company, feel free to visit their website at www.factsmgt.com or call 866-441-4637. If you wish to create a FACTS payment play account or log into an existing account, please visit this webpage.
529 Savings Plan
Federal tax law allows parents who have 529 plans to use their accounts to pay private school K-12 tuition – like Maine Coast Semester – up to $10,000 per child, per year.
Because there are a number of federal and state tax issues that may need to be worked out, you should contact your financial advisor or tax planner if you are interested in this option to pay tuition.
Questions?
Contact Justin Fahey, Director of Admissions
Phone: (207) 656-5883
Email: admissions@chewonki.org
