How to Apply for Courses through ExplorEC:

If after thoughtful discussion with your school counselor, family, and/or other trusted support systems, you feel ready to take an Early College course, then please follow the steps below to officially get started on ExplorEC. ExplorEC is the portal you’ll use for all Early College enrollment activity.

For step-by-step directions, please read below or watch this ExplorEC Application Video Tutorial.

Step 1: Visit explorec.maine.edu and select “High School Student”

  • New students should set up their ExplorEC account using a personal e-mail address.
    • Double-check all information is correct, including legal name for transcript purposes (there’s a separate option to share your preferred name, if applicable)
  • Important: Returning students should NOT create a second account. Reach out to explorecaccounts@maine.edu if you’re having trouble logging in.

Step 2: Read and sign the student agreement pop-up.

  • This is a required component of the Early College application process and must be completed every term.

Step 3: Click “Apply for Courses” on your ExplorEC homepage.

  • For On-campus/Online courses at USM, use the various filters to search for courses of interest or type in specific course info if you already know what you want to take.
    • Be aware of course location/modality, any prerequisites, and seat availability.
  • For Concurrent Enrollment courses, switch to the “Class(es) in your High School” tab to find the corresponding section that matches your HS course and teacher.

Step 4: Request parent/guardian consent. There are two ways to complete this:

  • Option 1: Request Parent Consent – Select “Request Parent Consent”, enter parent/guardian name & email address. An email will be sent to your parent or guardian with a link to the Consent Form.
  • Option 2: Sign Parent Consent Now – Select “Sign Parent Consent” & have your parent/guardian sign now.

Step 5: Review FERPA and Sign Consent Form (optional)

  • This form is optional but is strongly encouraged for Early College students to complete if you wish to grant family members or guardians the ability to freely communicate with USM staff about billing, course enrollment, and other items protected under FERPA law.

Step 6: School Counselor Approval

  • All course applications will be reviewed by your school counselor and either approved or not approved based on their discretion. 
  • For homeschooled students, please follow the instructions listed on the following website for info on submitting course approval: Homeschool Application Guide

Once applications are fully complete, the USM Early College team will process all course requests in order of which date applied. We cannot register students with incomplete applications. In order for an application to be complete, it must contain:

  1. Signed Student Agreement (SA)
  2. Signed Parent/Guardian Consent Form (PC)
  3. Approved by School Counselor
  4. Proof of completing any prerequisites (if applicable)

Apply Now!

Important Reminders & USM Enrollment Policies:

  • Course availability is on a first-come, first-serve basis, with priority given to current USM matriculated students. When open-enrollment begins, registrations will be processed in order of when ExplorEC applications are submitted and complete.
  • Popular courses can fill up quickly (especially online sections). Take note of the number of open seats before submitting an application and consider alternate options.
  • It is USM policy that we do not allow 9th grade students to enroll in Early College courses. Exceptions can be made on a rare case-by-case basis only with certain courses, such as department-approved music lessons.
  • Double-check if you’ve met course prerequisites, and be prepared to show proof of completion, if needed. If applying for certain math course or science courses, you may need to take the ALEKS Math Placement Exam.
  • Students are limited to the number of Early College courses they can take each term across all UMS and Community College campuses.
    • Fall/Spring: Up to 3 courses per semester.
    • Summer: Up to 2 courses; courses cannot meet during the same session.
  • The USM Early College office reserves the right to deny enrollment based upon their prior academic history and/or fit.
  • A full list of polices can be found on the UMS Early College website.

Updated Sept. 2025

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