To provide consistent guidance for students within the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities who are called to active duty for military service or are veterans, as defined in Minn. Stat. § 197.447. 

This procedure is applicable to students who are called to active duty for military service or veterans with a service-connected disability certified by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, and their service-connected medical condition or medical treatment requirements prevent their attendance at or progress in their higher education training or studies.  

Students who are members of any branch of the U.S. military and who are unable to complete a semester due to being called to active duty or are veterans with a service-connected disability must to the extent possible be provided one of the following options.

Option 1. Withdraw and refund  

• The student may withdraw from one or more courses for which tuition and fees have been paid and be given a full refund of tuition and fees. In such a case, the student may either receive a retroactive drop from the courses or “W” grades with an approved tuition waiver and Military Withdrawal annotation on the student’s record, whichever is deemed in the student’s best interest. The Military Withdrawal annotation on the student’s record must not result in negative consequences for the student. The student’s grade point average must not be altered or affected in any manner because of action under this item. Any refunds are subject to the requirements of the state or federal financial aid programs of origination. Students receiving financial aid who choose this option must be informed that they may be liable for any required refunds of state or federal financial aid funds.

Option 2. Delay completion 

• The student may be given a grade of incomplete in a course and complete it upon release from active duty or upon completion of medical treatment, or upon sufficient medical recovery. Course completion may be accomplished by independent study or by retaking the course without payment of tuition. Under federal financial aid policies, a course that is retaken under these conditions cannot be counted toward a student’s enrollment load.

Option 3. Complete the course  

• The student may continue and complete the course for full credit. Class sessions missed by the student due to performance of active military service or the veterans’ medical treatment or condition, must be counted as excused absences and cannot be used to adversely impact the student’s grade or standing in the class. However, any student who selects this option is not automatically excused from completing assignments due during the time period when the student is performing active military service or receiving medical treatment or recovering from a medical condition. Pursuant to Minn. Stat. § 192.502, a passing grade must be awarded if, in the opinion of the faculty member teaching the course, the student has completed sufficient work and has demonstrated sufficient progress toward meeting course requirements to justify the grade.

Military Service members or veterans with a service-connected disability are eligible to receive a refund for paid room, board, and fees attributable to the time period during which the student was serving in active military service or receiving medical treatment or dealing with the student’s medical condition and did not use the facilities or services for which the amounts were paid. Any refund of room, board, and fees is subject to the requirements of the state or federal financial aid programs of origination.

Students who choose to withdraw must be readmitted and reenrolled as students at the college and university, without penalty or redetermination of admission eligibility, within two years following release from the state or federal active military service or following completion of medical treatment or sufficient recovery from the student’s medical condition.