Marine Service Technology is a Certificate program offered by Marine Trades Institute in Cedarville, MI. The program takes 12 months to complete, with a total tuition of $27,000.
Program Overview
The Marine Service Technology Program prepares individuals to become well-rounded, entry-level marine technicians. Marine technicians work at marinas, marine dealerships, boat repair yards, marine manufacturing facilities and yacht clubs, performing installation and maintenance on recreational and light commercial boats.
The program requires 42 semester credits (1,200 clock hours): classroom and shop instruction, supervised lab time and team and individual shop projects, completed in three 15-week semesters over 12 months — Introduction to Marine Service Technology, Marine Propulsion, and Marine Systems. Graduates receive a certificate and are eligible to test for ABYC certifications.
Graduates are able to apply industry standards across the full range of installation and maintenance tasks for marine propulsion and non-engine systems; use critical thinking to analyze problems and develop solutions; perform as effective employees in service settings; and demonstrate professionalism, communication and time management skills.
What sets this Program apart
- Train in a real-world shop and on the water. The school says about 80% of the program is hands-on, in small classes.
- Manufacturer training. Through Mercury University students can earn Mercury Marine’s Level One Mercury Certification and Marine Systems Technician Certification; Ilmor Engineering certifies students on its inboard engine and transmission products; Volvo Penta provides training through its learning management system.
- Whole-boat systems. Engines, drives and exhaust, steering, electrical and electronics, plumbing, climate control, seasonal maintenance and boatyard operations.
- ABYC certification eligibility in Standards, Marine Electrical, Marine Systems, and Marine Engines and Fuel Systems.
Admission Requirements and Process
The Admissions process at Marine Trades Institute supports the School's mission of preparing students for careers in the marine industry. Applications are accepted year-round and are reviewed on an ongoing basis leading up to the start of the program year the day after Labor Day, and prospective students are encouraged to apply as early as possible, as there are limited spaces available in each enrollment class.
General Requirements
- Application for AdmissionCompleted Application for Admission submitted to Marine Trades Institute via email, postal mail, or online.
- Admissions InterviewInterview with Admissions Advisor. This is a 30-45 minute interview with the Admissions Manager.
- High School Transcript or GEDFinal high school transcript (including graduation date) or official GED.
- $100 Application FeeA $100 application fee is required. The application fee is waived for veterans.
- VA Certificate of EligibilityVA Certificate of Eligibility is required if using Military VA Education Benefits to attend.
- English Language ProficiencyInternational applicants whose first language is not English must verify proficiency: TOEFL score of 60 or higher (internet-based), IELTS 6.0 band or higher, or completion of at…
Application Process
- 1Visit CampusMarine Trades Institute strongly encourages prospective students to visit the campus prior to applying, to talk with instructors and faculty and tour the facilities, including the shop areas.
- 2Submit Your ApplicationContact admissions to submit your Application for Admission for the Comprehensive Career Boat Building or Marine Service Technology program and pay the $100 application fee (waived for veterans).
- 3Schedule an Admissions InterviewComplete a 30-45 minute interview with the Admissions Manager.
- 4Send Your High School TranscriptsSubmit your final high school transcript (including graduation date) or official GED. Your high school can usually send those to us.
- 5Apply for Financial Aid (FAFSA)Financial aid is available. Complete the FAFSA to be considered for federal student aid.FAFSA Code for Cedarville: 042800Fill Out the FAFSA
- 6Sign Your Enrollment AgreementUpon acceptance, the School sends a Letter of Acceptance, Enrollment Agreement, and the current Catalog. Return the signed Enrollment Agreement and a $250 tuition deposit, applied to first-semester tuition, in a timely manner.
- 7Attend OrientationAttend the virtual orientation in August on relocating to Cedarville, and the in-person orientation held prior to the first class meeting in the fall.
- 8Start Your ProgramThe program year starts the day after Labor Day; programs are completed in three 15-week semesters over a 12-month period.
Program Schedule
Each program is 12 months: three 15-week semesters, fall, spring and summer. Marine Trades Institute accepts one cohort per program, and programs begin in the fall semester only; new students cannot join in spring or summer.
The projected 2026–2027 calendar: orientation and the first day of classes on Tuesday, September 8, 2026; the fall semester ends December 18; spring runs January 4 to April 23, 2027; summer runs May 3 to August 12, with graduation on Friday, August 13, 2027.
A typical day begins with about an hour in the classroom discussing the assigned reading and the day’s tasks, then moves to the shop, where instruction continues while students work. A day may include up to four hours in the shop with an instructor or shop assistant, an hour’s lunch, and individual time in the shop or library on assigned projects. The maximum in a typical classroom or shop setting is 24 students.
Campus Location
Why Accreditation Is Important
When you attend an accredited institution, you attend a school that has been independently evaluated for educational quality.
This program: Marine Trades Institute is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC) and approved by the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity as a Post-Secondary Proprietary School. It also holds provisional accreditation in the American Boat & Yacht Council’s Marine Trades Accreditation Program.
- A reliable indicator of quality
- Approved program of study
- Qualified instructors
- Recognition by employers nationwide
Accreditations
Cost of Attendance and Financial Aid Information
Tuition and fees. Total program tuition and fees for 2026–2027 are $28,200, due 30 days before each semester at $9,400 a semester: $9,000 tuition and a $400 shop fee.
| Charge | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition ($9,000 × 3 semesters) | $27,000 |
| Shop fee ($400 × 3 semesters) | $1,200 |
| Total program tuition and fees | $28,200 |
Additional fees: a $100 application fee (required, non-refundable, and not part of the $28,200), and optional additional ABYC certification exams at $150 an exam. A late payment fee of 1.5% of the past-due balance applies, capped at $141 a semester.
Estimated cost of attendance. The school bills only tuition and fees; the other lines are the federal estimate of what attending costs.
| 2026–2027 | Student | Student living with family |
|---|---|---|
| Annual tuition | $27,000 | $27,000 |
| Shop & material fee | $1,200 | $1,200 |
| Required computer (estimated) | $699 | $699 |
| Tool allowance (estimated) | $1,569 | $1,569 |
| Books & supplies (estimated) | $336 | $336 |
| Housing (estimated) | $10,500 | $6,300 |
| Food, one person (estimated) | $4,137 | $2,481 |
| Transportation, personal & misc. (estimated) | $2,358 | $2,358 |
| Total estimated cost of attendance | $47,799 | $41,943 |
Federal financial aid is available for those who qualify: the Federal Pell Grant, subsidized and unsubsidized Federal Direct Loans, the Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, Federal Work Study and Federal Parent PLUS Loans. Start with the FAFSA at fafsa.gov, and keep satisfactory academic progress to stay eligible.
Scholarships and other funding. Marine Trades Institute offers scholarships and tuition assistance based on financial need and merit. Michigan residents who finished high school in Michigan in 2023 or later may qualify for the Michigan Achievement Skills Scholarship of up to $2,000 a year for up to two years. Michigan Works provides training assistance to eligible residents of Chippewa, Luce and Mackinac Counties, and GI Bill® benefits may be used by eligible veterans.
Refunds. A student who withdraws in writing within the first three business days of a semester receives 100% of that semester’s tuition and fees less a $250 fee; on the fourth or fifth day, 75%; on the sixth to tenth, 50%; from the eleventh day, no refund.
Curriculum
Twelve units across three semesters: 42 semester credits and 1,200 clock hours. Units are graded separately but taught as an integrated sequence modelled on a working boatyard.
The required courses below are from Marine Trades Institute's published catalog.
Required Courses
| Name | Total | Credits |
|---|---|---|
Required Courses
| Name | Credits |
|---|---|
Career Outcomes
Marine technicians work in marinas, marine dealerships, boat repair yards, marine manufacturing facilities and yacht clubs. The school lists career pathways as marine technician, dealerships, marine manufacturing, marine mechanics, marine electrical, marinas and entrepreneurship.
Graduates are eligible to test for ABYC certifications, and students can earn Mercury Marine and Ilmor certifications during the program. The school networks with employers across the United States and abroad, tracks graduates’ employment, and publishes its student achievement rates on its consumer information page. It does not guarantee employment.
What to expect as a Marine Trades Institute student
Marine Trades Institute, formerly the Great Lakes Boat Building School, began in 2005, when Les Cheneaux Islands enthusiasts found there was no wooden boat building school in the Great Lakes region. A 12,000 square foot facility followed, and the first student enrolled in the fall of 2006. It is a Michigan 501(c)(3) non-profit, governed by a Board of Directors with an independent Program Advisory Board from the marine industry.
The facility has traditional classrooms, workshops for wooden boat building and for engines and marine systems, and a Learning Resource System with printers, scanners and laptops open 24 hours a day. The library holds more than 2,000 texts, books and periodicals on boat building and maritime subjects, and students also get a card for the Les Cheneaux Community Library. The Galley, a student kitchen, is always open.
Housing. The school has no on-campus housing and does not guarantee it. Most students live in Cedarville or Hessel, three miles west, in local resorts, cottages, motels and hotels.
Graduating takes three things each semester: at least a C (73%) in every unit, at least 90% attendance, and a Pass on the Professionalism and Shop Etiquette Rubric. Instructors meet each student individually after the midterm and the final exam, and students work with staff and faculty on job searches, résumés and applications. The school does not guarantee employment.