Welcome to MECA&D!

From all of us here at Maine College of Art & Design, we are thrilled to welcome you to our community of artists! Our goal is to make the transition to MECA&D as easy and seamless as possible, so to that end we've created a checklist here for you to refer to throughout the registration process.

If you have any questions, concerns, or simply want to talk to someone, please feel free to reach out! We've included contact names and numbers with each step of the process below.

We look forward to welcoming you to campus in July!

Dates & Deadlines — Enrolling for Summer 2021

Important Dates for MFA Students

Thursday, April 15, 2021

  • Priority deadline to enroll for MFA 2021

Saturday, May 1, 2021

  • Priority deadline for Housing Deposit & Fees and Applications
  • Bills mailed to enrolled students

Friday, May 14, 2021

  • Bills due for Summer 2021 trimester
  • Housing assignments begin for on-campus students

 

Thursday, June 10, 2021

  • Residence Halls open for move-in

Friday, June 11, 2021

  • MFA Orientation

Monday, June 14

  • MFA Summer Intensive classes begin!

Friday, August 6, 2021

  • MFA Summer Intensive ends

Monday, August 30, 2021

  • MFA Fall trimester begins

Enrollment & Registration Checklist for Summer 2021

☐ MFA Enrollment Agreement

The MFA Enrollment Agreement contains the 2021–2022 tuition information, fee schedule, and refund policies. All new students must sign the form and return to MECA&D via AdobeSign by June 1, 2021. 

Questions? Contact Admissions at 207.699.5021or admissions@meca.edu

☐ Immunization Form (or waiver)

According to Maine State Law, every post-secondary student born after 1956 must be immunized against the diseases of diphtheriameasles, mumps, rubella, and tetanus. You must submit proof of immunization before you can complete your registration and attend classes, preferably by June 1, 2021.

You may have your doctor fill out the form or they may simply fax the records to the Admissions Office at 207.699.5080. Please make sure it is filled out completely or it will not be accepted.

Download the immunization form here
Questions? Contact Admissions at admissions@meca.edu

☐ Official College Transcripts

Applicants who completed coursework in the Spring 2021 semester must submit final college transcripts before entering the MFA Summer 2021 trimester. Please submit an official copy to the Admissions Office as soon as they are available — these can be either a physical copy with a seal or delivered through an official transcript service like Common App, Parchment, Scior, or National Student Clearing House.

☐ Accepted Financial Aid Award Letter

You will receive an outline of your federal aid awards from the Financial Aid Office. Please carefully review your award letter — you may accept all, part, or none of the federally-awarded grant and loan money. When you have decided, please sign and return the form to the Financial Aid Office.

Please note: if you have been selected for verification, don't worry! It's completely normal and part of a random selection process that every school has. If you need help navigating this, please contact the Financial Aid Office.

Questions? Contact Carri Frechette or Will O'Shea at 207.699.5074 or finaid@meca.edu

☐ Housing Deposit and Housing Application

If you would like to live on-campus, and you have not yet submitted the $200 housing fee and deposit, please submit your fees to the Admissions Office as soon as possible(The $200 housing deposit includes a $100 one-time non-refundable housing placement fee and a $100 refundable housing security deposit.) After you submit your housing fee, please fill out the housing application online and submit.

Please note that both payment and the application are necessary to hold your place in on-campus housing. Housing applications received after May 1, 2021 will be considered on a first-come, first-served basis. All housing assignments will be emailed to students beginning in early June.

To submit your housing fee and deposit online, click here
To submit your housing application, click here
Questions? Contact studentlife@meca.edu

☐ Health Insurance (or waiver)

All enrolled students are required to have health insurance. If you do not already have health insurance, you will be billed for MECA&D's insurance; the cost of the insurance for the 20212022 year is $2,725. The current insurance information can be viewed at crossagency.com/meca or on this downloadable health insurance PDF.

If you are already covered by outside health insurance, you can opt out of the health insurance charge — it will be waived on your student account. Information about opting out will come with the billing statement; you will be able to visit crossagency.com/meca beginning in June to opt out.

Questions? Contact Tammy Jackson, Student Accounts, at tjackson@meca.edu

☐ Setting up your MECA&D email account

Beginning in mid-April, we'll send you an email to set up your official MECA&D email address. The registrar will send an email to the address we have on file that outlines how to set up your MyMECA&D account. This creates your meca.edu email address and a personalized web portal where you can view your class schedule, see your grades, get information about billing, and access your financial aid information.

Log in to your MyMECA&D account here
Questions? Contact Anne Dennison, Registrar, at207.699.5054 or adennison@meca.edu, or Julie Smith, Assistant Registrar, at 207.699.5057 or jsmith@meca.edu

☐ Summer 2021 Trimester Tuition

Beginning in May, the Student Accounts Office will mail a bill for Summer 2021 tuition, fees, and any related room and board costs less any financial aid, scholarships, grants, or other aid you may qualify for or have obtained. Payment is due in full in mid-May. Students enrolling after May 1 will receive an updated payment due date and may be subject to an earnest deposit on tuition.

If you'd like to discuss payment plans, contact the Student Accounts Office to see which options may work best for you.

Questions? Contact Tammy Jackson, Student Accounts, at tjackson@meca.edu

☐ Applying for Outside Scholarships

The Financial Aid Office compiles an extensive list of outside and independent scholarships for which MECA&D students are often competitive. We highly recommend you take some time to apply for these scholarships that can reduce the cost of attendance.

In addition, students often say they have the most success with sources that offer local scholarships. These include, for example, family members' (immediate and extended) employers, civic organizations such as local chapters of Rotary clubs, and religious organizations such as Knights of Columbus. Be sure to check at your local high school, town hall, library, and Chamber of Commerce for more possible scholarship opportunities.

You can access the most recent scholarship list here (last updated 3/1/2021)
Questions? Contact Carri Frechette or Will O'Shea at 207.699.5074 or finaid@meca.edu

☐ Visa Requirements for International Students

Once you have submitted your enrollment fee and submitted your DOF, MECA&D will issue you an I-20 form, which you will use to apply for your student visa at a US consulate or embassy.

You will need to submit the following documents to the Office of Admissions in order to receive your I-20:

  • Declaration of Finances (DOF) form
  • For your DOF to be processed we will need a scanned copy of your passport in color. You can send this with your completed DOF mail or send a digital copy.
  • The United States Citizen and Immigration Service requires that international applicants submit to MECA&D a declaration of finances (DOF) indicating that the applicant has financial resources adequate to provide for his or her expenses without resorting to unauthorized employment. The amount declared must reflect the total sum of tuition, fees and living expenses for one academic year of study and must be dated within one year of initial enrollment at MECA&D.
  • Verification of Finances (VOF)

All funds declared on the DOF must be substantiated by a verification of finances (VOF) from the student’s bank or sponsor’s bank. All documents must be in English and in U.S. dollars, or the bank must supply the current exchange rate. Official and original documentation must be provided. All supporting documentation must be dated within one year of initial enrollment at Maine College of Art & Design.

Please note that it can take up to six weeks for an I-20 form to be processed and delivered. We encourage you to submit this documentation as soon as possible.

Questions? Contact Emily Brighi, International Student Counselor, at 207.699.5028 or ebrighi@meca.edu

Recommended Social Media for Summer 2021

We also recommend you connect with us on Facebook and Instagram. To join the MECA&D Facebook group, email mfa@meca.edu and request to join. This is a great way to meet your classmates, find a roommate if you choose to live off-campus, and share information before the start of the program. You can also follow us at @meca_mfa and @mecaart on Instagram.

Header image: Joel Tsui, 「貼地」, neon, dimensions variable, 2018