Active military duty

University policy (Article II, Section 2) lists required military service as excused absences. That means a student cannot be penalized and shall receive an accommodation for completing the missed work. University excused absences apply to all course requirements, including any final examinations, quizzes, in class work, and tests other than final examinations. In cases where part of a class grade is based on attendance, a student shall not be penalized for missing class due to a university excused absence.

• Before or right at the beginning of the semester, you should inform your instructors in writing (email) of any potential absences due to required short-term or annual training and provide updates in a timely manner.
• MASC staff are here to help. Make an appointment with one of your "Military-Affiliated Support" team members via Jayhawk GPS/Navigate App, or contact us if:
  • You'd like help talking with your instructors.
  • If you're unsure whether you should consider partially or fully withdrawing from courses based on the length of your activation.
  • If you have any questions or concerns

• Servicemembers who must miss more than 30 consecutive days of classes and fully withdraw from KU, or who must miss fewer than 30 days when the absence still requires them to withdraw from KU; and
• Are called to voluntary or involuntary service in the Armed Forces, including service by a member of the National Guard or Reserve on active duty, active duty for training, or full-time National Guard duty under federal authority.
• This includes:
  • Current KU students 
  • Current KU students leaving in between semesters & will miss a fall/spring semester
  • Students admitted to KU but must delay their start semester
• This does not include:
  • Full-time National Guard duty or
  • National Guard service under state authority
• KU must receive notice of your absence for service and you must give notice of your intent to return by the applicable time limit.
• If you do not meet these criteria, see the “Withdrawal & Readmission – other active military service” section. 

• Tell us you’re leaving for military duty as early as you reasonably can (written or orally). If you are unable to, an appropriate officer of the Armed Forces or DoD official can on your behalf.
• Provide orders or written notice by a commanding officer as far in advance as possible. If, due to the urgency/nature of your military duty, you are unable to submit orders/notice before reporting, you may submit them while on duty or upon returning to KU.
• Here are ways to notify us:
  • Fill out the military withdrawal webform, which allows you to securely upload necessary documents and provide us with all the information we need to best support you
  • Contact the Military-Affiliated Student Center via our contact form, phone, email, or stopping by the center
    • For MASC staff only: intake form for non-webform withdrawal notifications

• When you’re ready to return: Complete this readmission webform or contact the Military-Affiliated Student Center. KU will readmit you to the next term, unless you request a later term.
• You must also provide documentation (like a DD-214, military school completion certificate, etc.) that you're still eligible for readmission under these guidelines (see “when a student may not be readmitted” below). 
• KU will readmit you with the same academic status, which means:
  • To the same program to which you were last admitted or, if the exact program is no longer offered, the program that is most like that program, unless you choose a different program.
  • At the same enrollment status, number of completed credit hours, and academic standing as the last academic year of attendance.
• Tuition and fees: When you return to KU, your tuition and fees for your first academic year back will be based on the rates you were paying (or would have paid) during the academic year when you left KU. However, if your VA education/TA benefits or other military education benefits will cover the higher, current tuition and fees charged to other KU students, KU may charge you the current rates instead. After your first year back, you will pay the current KU tuition and fee rates like other students. 

• KU will do everything we can to help you get readmitted. However, there are provisions where we are not required by federal guidelines to do so, including those outlined below. If you don’t meet the federal readmission guidelines, you’ll just follow KU’s regular readmissions/leave of absence process. 
  • Undergraduates: Complete a Returning Student Application
  • Learn about Graduate Studies Leave of Absence and the permit to re-enroll policy
• The student received a bad conduct discharge, general court-martial, federal or state prison sentence, or other reasons as described in 34 CFR 668.18(h).
• The student did not provide notice of intent to return to KU within 3 years after completing their period of service (or 2 years after the end of the period necessary for recovery from illness/injury).
• The cumulative length of absence and of all previous absences from the school for military service may not exceed 5 years (may be extended in certain cases, as provided by statute). Only the time a student spends actually performing service is counted. 

• National Guard service under state authority not covered by 34 C.F.R. §668.18 and the Department of Defense (DoD) Voluntary Education Partnership Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).
• Active-duty members with unique circumstances, e.g. an unanticipated PCS or significant change of duties during a term.
• Servicemembers withdrawing from one of more classes in a semester (but will not completely withdraw) due to military service. 

1. If withdrawing during the semester, also notify your instructors in writing. Provide reasonable notice; don't wait until the last minute. Depending on the length of activation/time in the semester, some instructors may be willing to offer you an incomplete, allowing you to finish the course(s). Graduate students: Speak with your graduate program coordinator first.  
2. Submit a completed active military duty request to withdraw webform (KU login required). 

Partial withdrawals (all academic levels):

• You do not need to do anything special to continue taking classes. Enroll as usual. 

Undergraduate students: 

• If you completed a military withdrawal and were gone from KU 2 semesters or less, complete this readmission webform or contact the Military-Affiliated Student Center when you're ready to return. We can help you with the readmission process. 
• If you didn't complete the military withdrawal form before leaving, or if you have been gone more than 2 full semesters, complete a returning student application.  

Graduate students:  

• Students returning from an approved leave of absence: your department will handle the return process. Speak with your graduate program coordinator. 
• Students who did not take a leave of absence, see the permit to re-enroll policy. 

A 100% tuition and mandatory fees refund will be made for withdrawn classes, as required by 38 U.S.C. §3691A(b).

Partial refunds will be given when it is appropriate to award credit for some classes and not others. The MASC will contact relevant offices (if requested) to arrange refunds for optional fees where possible.

Note: Refunds will not be immediately available. Be sure to set up or update your KU direct deposit information if you have not done so.

Enrollment deposits: If you're delaying your admissions and have paid an enrollment deposit, we will shift those funds to the semester you're returning. If you decide to not attend KU, let us know and we can issue a refund. 

The cancellation deadlines for your school will be used to determine whether the courses are canceled or a "W" is recorded on your transcript. These dates can be found in the Academic Calendar.

There will be no record of the reason for your cancellation or withdrawal, however, you will be able to document the date of your service via military records.

Grading/Incompletes: If you wish to take an incomplete for any courses, do not withdraw from the course. Work with your instructor directly to determine timelines.

Upon request, we'll inform Financial Aid and Scholarships of your military withdrawal and they will make adjustments according to their guidelines.

The U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Defense offer a variety of student loan benefits and repayment options available for members of the Armed Forces. Visit the Federal Student Aid page for more information.

When your military withdrawal is approved, we will return TA funds to the military for all classes you withdrew from.

You should be able to use TA again to re-take those classes, however, always speak with your Education Services Officer first about your situation.

If you used benefits in the semester you withdrew, the VA considers the following to be mitigating circumstances:

• Active military service that you didn’t know about ahead of time
• A change in your conditions of employment that you couldn’t avoid
• A job transfer to a new location while you were enrolled that you couldn’t avoid

Depending on when you withdrew, we may be able to report the mitigating circumstances for you. If we can't, VA will send you a letter asking you to explain in writing why you dropped credit hours. The letter will tell you how to submit these mitigating circumstances.

VA will notify you by mail about whether they accept your mitigating circumstances. If they accept your reason for dropping credit hours, you may still owe a portion of your debt. If VA doesn't accept your reason, they’ll explain why and tell you the amount you’ll need to pay back. And VA will contact KU directly about repayment of any tuition they paid to us. 

Upon request, we'll notify Student Housing of your intent to exit the university. 

You must move your belongings out of the residence hall unless special arrangements have been made with KU Housing staff.

Refund amounts depend on how long you lived in KU housing/how much of the dining plan you have used. Refunds will be issued after proper and complete checkout.

The MASC will make other contacts as requested on the military withdraw form to assist in a quick exit from KU.