Veterans & Military-Connected Students
Military Activation & National Guard Deployment
A student called to active duty mid-semester does not have to choose between finishing the term and reporting on time — federal and state law both require options.
The two options
A student activated mid-term chooses between a full withdrawal with a complete tuition and fee refund and no academic penalty, or, if enough of the term is complete and instructors agree, incomplete grades with a set window after returning to finish coursework. Neither option requires financial aid to be repaid the way a normal withdrawal might trigger.
Wesconsin and federal protections
This is not a discretionary courtesy — both the federal Higher Education Opportunity Act and Wesconsin state law require public universities to offer these options to activated service members and National Guard members, including for state-declared emergencies (flood or wildfire deployment), not only federal combat orders.
How to start the process
Bring activation orders to the Veteran Resource Center as soon as they are received; the office coordinates with the registrar, financial aid, housing, and individual instructors so a student does not have to explain the situation separately to every office.
Returning after deployment
A returning student gets priority registration for the next term they enroll in and is not required to reapply for admission if the gap is under five years, under the same federal readmission protections that cover reemployment after military service.