Skip to content

Apply for or Manage Classes with the ExplorEC Portal

Logo for ExplorEC Portal. Link to ExplorEC Portal (External Site)

To apply for Early College courses at Maine’s Public Universities you will need to create an account on the ExplorEC Portal (External Site). The ExplorEC Portal is designed to make it easier for students to sign up for Early College classes at all seven of Maine’s Public Universities.

System Highlights

  • No paper forms
  • Students will start the process online with parent approval
  • High school counselors will review and approve student applications
  • Electronic signatures will be accepted
  • Transcripts not required (though may be requested in some circumstances)
  • Once students have an account in the system their information will be saved for future applications

Semester Registration Information

  • Applications open annually on
    • the first Friday in November for spring
    • the second Friday in February for summer*
    • the first Friday in April for fall
  • EC Administrators at each University may process applications at different times depending on the enrollment schedule.
  • All matriculated college students have priority so spots in courses may not be available to EC students (regardless of the seat availability listed in ExplorEC).
  • Every completed application in ExplorEC is processed by an EC Administrator in the order it was received. 
  • Registration is not confirmed until the status in ExplorEC is changed to “Registered”. 

*For some campuses the summer schedule is not available until March. Students will need to check back regularly for updated course offerings.

Online/On-Campus Application Deadlines

  • The deadline for completed applications is 1 week before the class start date regardless of whether there are spots available in the class.
  • Completed applications are processed in the order in which they are received on a space available basis.
  • A completed application includes the following:
    • Student signature
    • Parent consent
    • School counselor or homeschool parent approval
    • Prerequisite documentation (if necessary) which could include:
      • Placement test results
      • Transcripts
        • if the course is completed outside of the UMS
        • if you are a first time home educated student applying for a UMaine course
        • if requested
      • AP exam results
      • SAT/ACT scores
      • Any other course specific requirements
  • We cannot make exceptions for incomplete or late applications. Applications that are not completed by the deadline will be marked “Late Application” in the ExplorEC Portal and will NOT be processed for enrollment. 

Concurrent Enrollment (CE) /Bridge Year (BRY) Application Deadlines:

  • Deadlines for CE and BRY courses are set by each individual campus office.  Please contact the campus you are working with for more details.

Training Materials:

Additional Resources:

Early College Enrollment Checklist for Students

Frequently Asked Questions About ExplorEC:

Back to Early College Resources