Military Deployment and Withdrawal Information

For short term (two weeks or less) deployment:

https://undergrad.psu.edu/aappm/E-11-class-attendance.html

Due to the potential for academic or financial hardship for military members, for those students providing verified orders, a denial of accommodation may be appealed to the Director of Academic Affairs of the campus or the appropriate associate dean of the college (or DUS) in which the student is enrolled. When the student is unable to make arrangements with instructors for unexpected orders requiring a short term absence, or upon denial of an appeal, the Director of Academic Affairs or Associate Dean will notify the University Registrar’s Office of the administrative cancellation of the course(s) and 100% of the tuition for the course(s) will be refunded to the student. For orders requiring absences lasting longer than two weeks, students may pursue a military withdrawal directly through the University Registrar’s Office.

If the problem is still unresolved, the sponsoring agency or university department should forward the documentation to the Vice President and Dean for Undergraduate Education for resolution.

For deployment longer than two weeks:

http://www.registrar.psu.edu/enrollment/leaving/withdrawal.cfm

Military Withdrawal

Note: Military withdrawal is available only to students who:

1. Are actively serving members (Active Duty and Reserve Duty Components) of the U.S. armed services (not a contractor or civilian working for the military), and
2. Are ordered to relocate and, as a result, are unable to meet class attendance and other participation requirements, including web-based activities.

Students should contact the campus Registrar and present a copy of the military orders with formal correspondence on unit letterhead signed by the commander requesting military withdrawal from Penn State due to orders. The formal correspondence must include the following:

1. Unit commander contact information, and
2. Verification of duration and location of pending assignment.

Students called to active duty during a semester or session should initiate a military withdrawal (policy J1). Students who process a military withdrawal:

• Will not be charged tuition for the semester of withdrawal.
• Will be charged a housing assessment to cover expenses already incurred in university housing.
• Will have unused meal plan points refunded.
• Are eligible for "military re-enrollment" to the University, assuring the student access to the same major and location as was assigned at the time of withdrawal.
• If an undergraduate student, will have the re-enrollment fee waived. There is no re-enrollment fee for graduate students.
• Will have a notation placed in the Special Actions and Notes section of the student's transcript indicating a "military" withdrawal.

Note: The Office of Student Aid and the Bursar's office will automatically be notified when the withdrawal form is processed.

Process to Complete Military Withdrawal

1. The student must provide a copy of the documentation noted above (orders and formal correspondence) to the Registrar's office at their current campus.

If timing or the situation does not permit a student to present their military orders prior to leaving campus, the student may withdraw by sending a signed written request for a military withdrawal along with a copy of their military orders to the University Registrar's Office.