Our admissions policies and procedures are in place to ensure your concerns are addressed equitably and expeditiously.
Appeal your admission decision
Undergraduate applicants denied admission may appeal the decision by following these steps:
- Contact the Director of Admissions, Rachel Morales — choose the contact method that works best for you:
- Send an email and enter “Appeal” as the subject line
- Mail a letter (include your return mailing address) to:
Rachel Morales
Office of Admissions
University of Southern Maine
PO Box 9300
Portland, ME 04104
- Describe your reasons for appeal
- Include any documentation that may be relevant, such as:
- additional grades
- your résumé
The Director of Admissions and at least one other senior Office of Admissions staff member will review your appeal.
We will respond as soon as we reach a decision.
Graduate applicants denied admission may appeal the decision by submitting a written appeal to the chair or director of the program to which you applied. You must submit your appeal within 10 business days after receiving your admission decision letter.
Your appeal will be reviewed by the program chair or director, or the appropriate graduate program admissions committee.
The program chair or director will respond within 10 business days after receiving your appeal.
If your appeal is denied and you want to pursue the process further, you may then submit a written appeal to the provost. Your appeal letter must include all the information you believe should be taken into consideration by the provost when reviewing your admission and appeal decisions.
You will be notified of the Provost’s decision within 10 business days after receiving your appeal.
If you have questions about the appeal process, contact the Director of Admissions.
Defer your admission
Undergraduate students admitted to the University of Southern Maine can defer their admission for up to one (1) year. If you’re planning to attend another college or university, you may not defer your University of Southern Maine admission.
If you choose to defer your offer of admission, you must do the following before your first semester begins:
- Pay your enrollment deposit
- Reminder: Your deposit is non-refundable
- Submit a written request to the Office of Admissions — choose the contact method that works best for you:
- Send an email and enter “Defer admission” as the subject line
- Mail a letter (include your return mailing address) to:
Office of Admissions
University of Southern Maine
PO Box 9300
Portland, ME 04104
| Expected start term | Deferment deadline |
|---|---|
| Fall | August 20 |
| Spring | January 15 |
| Summer | May 1 |
Graduate students admitted to the University of Southern Maine can defer their admission for up to one (1) year, if your deferment is approved by program faculty. During your time of deferment, you can work on any conditions of admission or pre-requisite coursework.
If you choose to defer your offer of admission, you must do the following before your first semester begins:
- Confirm your enrollment
- Some programs require an enrollment deposit, which is non-refundable
- Submit a written request to the Office of Admissions — choose the contact method that works best for you:
- Send an email and enter “Defer admission” as the subject line
- Mail a letter (include your return mailing address) to:
Office of Admissions
University of Southern Maine
PO Box 9300
Portland, ME 04104
The Office of Admissions will discuss your deferment request with your program’s faculty and let you know their decision.
| Expected start term | Deferment deadline |
|---|---|
| Fall | August 20 |
| Spring | January 15 |
| Summer | May 1 |
Do you need more information? Our friendly Admissions team is happy to help!