Tuition & Financial Aid

Tuition

Tuition, room, and board for the 2024-2025 academic year is $36,000 per semester. Generally, the cost of attending Maine Coast Semester is roughly one-half of the full-year boarding tuition of our member schools.

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.

Financial Aid

Maine Coast Semester is committed to enrolling a talented and diverse student body. Every financial aid request is carefully considered with priority given to families who apply before the February 15th application deadline.

Need-based financial aid provides students with demonstrated need an opportunity for a high-quality academic experience that might otherwise be unavailable to them. We are eager to share in the cost of this education to the best of our ability. The ability to pay full tuition is not a deciding factor in determining whether or not a promising student is admitted to Chewonki. Any student may apply for financial aid.

Maine Coast Semester has established a program based on aid that does not have to be repaid. Financial aid applies to the cost of tuition, room, and board. We expect to have the family obligation paid by the beginning of the student’s semester.

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.

Financial Aid Forms


PFS

A family applying for financial aid from Chewonki should fill out a Parents’ Financial Statement (PFS) online at the School and Student Services site of the National Association of Independent Schools, https://sssandtadsfa.force.com/familyportal

Select “Maine Coast Semester at Chewonki” to proceed. Our School and Student Services (SSS) code is 4788. A $60 application fee is charged by School and Student Services once the PFS is submitted. In cases of extreme financial hardship, the fee will be waived.

For students wishing to be considered for financial aid, February 15 is the priority deadline for completing the PFS and submitting it to School and Student Services. Chewonki requires your most recent year W-2 or 1099 and the most recent federal tax return (see note about Tax Documents below). We prefer that you upload these documents on the PFS online form. If the student is currently receiving financial aid at their sending school, please submit a copy of the most recent award letter directly to Chewonki.

Tax Documents

We require parents’ or guardians’ 2022 federal tax returns, including all schedules and 2023 W-2 or 1099. We may also request the 2023 federal tax return, including all schedules.

Additional Expenses

In addition to tuition, students have a $500 student account to cover the cost of miscellaneous expenses. 

Travel to and from campus at the beginning and end of the semester, as well as during breaks, is the responsibility of the family and is not included in the cost of tuition.

Payment Plan

We have partnered with FACTS Tuition Management Company to offer a payment plan. Families may choose to pay the tuition over several months, selecting the number of monthly installments. All installments must be made by the end of the student’s semester.

  • The tuition amount financed will be equal to the full tuition less 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 $45 per student and a returned payment fee of $30 as specified on their Automatic Tuition Payment Agreement.

Set up your FACTS account online.

If you would like more information about the company, feel free to visit their website at www.factsmgt.com or call 1-800-624-7092.

529 Education Savings Plans

While not tax-deductible, investment earnings in a 529 Education Savings Plan grow federal tax-free and will not be taxed when the money is taken out when used to pay for school. Federal tax law allows parents who have 529 plans to use their accounts to pay private school K-12 tuition 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 adviser or tax planner if you are interested in this option to pay tuition. Click here to read the details about the 529 tax plan requirements.

Financial Aid Info Sheet

Download the 2023-2024 Financial Aid Info Sheet  

Questions?

Contact Sheryl Stearns, Director of Enrollment Management and Financial Aid
Phone: (207) 656-5883
Email: admissions@chewonki.org

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