Military Service and Deferred Admission. In cases involving military deployment, mobilization, or change in duty assignment, accepted applicants may request to extend the enrollment deferment for longer than two consecutive semesters. Any such requests will be considered on an individual basis. A copy of the person’s military orders must be provided to the Office of Admissions to support such a request. Any accepted applicant who is eventually unable to matriculate to the University of Mary Washington because of military service will have any deposits fully refunded. Those who are granted deferred enrollment are subject to rules, regulations, and financial charges in effect when they actually matriculate. Students who enroll at another institution before enrolling at the University of Mary Washington may not defer and must reapply for admission.
Military Service – Refund Policy. Students who are in military service (active duty, reserves, or National Guard) and withdraw from all courses in a given term as a result of a military deployment, mobilization, or change in duty assignment will receive a full refund of all tuition and fees and pro-rated refunds for dining or housing contracts. Military change orders must be provided to the Office of Student Accounts. Any deposits paid by students who discontinue enrollment as a result of a military service obligation will be fully refunded. Textbooks purchased from the UMW Bookstore may be returned to the University Store for credit in accordance with the UMW textbook return policy. For withdrawals occurring beyond return policy end date, students should bring books to the Bookstore for the best available buyback prices.
Military Deployment and Financial Aid. Students receiving financial aid who withdraw from UMW due to military deployment should contact the Office of Financial Aid and the Office of Student Accounts prior to their withdrawal.
Short term Military Deployment. The policy outlined below provides guidance for students, University faculty and staff in dealing with short term military absence either as a result of regularly scheduled drill/training, unexpected training/drill or short term activation/deployment (e.g., National Guard activation in response to a natural disaster or civil unrest). (Note: military obligation requiring withdrawal from the University for the remainder of a term is covered below.)
For any training/drill, activation/deployment, or annual training:
- Where possible service members will provide instructors with advance notice of absences, providing the Registrar copies of military orders from the appropriate authorities. When it is not possible to provide advanced notice (ex. National Guard activation), students will contact the instructor and provide documentation as soon as time and their military duties permit.
- For 16 and 10 week terms, instructors will propose alternative arrangements for the completion of work missed for absences of up to two weeks in duration; for 8 and 5 week terms, instructors will propose alternative arrangements for absences up to one week.
- In circumstances where instructors are required to propose alternatives, students will work with their instructors to maintain and/or make up classwork as needed. If the student is unable to make up the required work due to their military obligation in the final three weeks of the semester, an incomplete grade may be assigned. Registration for those courses in which instructors and students are able to accommodate the absence will remain intact and tuition and mandatory fees will be assessed in full for those courses.
- If a student is unable to satisfy the arrangements proposed by the instructor (to include incomplete grades as necessary), the student may elect to withdraw from such courses regardless of whether or not the deadline for withdrawal has passed.
- For circumstances due to unexpected orders requiring longer than a two-week absence, the student may elect to have his or her entire registration cancelled and 100% of the tuition and mandatory fees will be refunded.
The option the student chooses obviously depends on the point in the term when the student is called to active duty. Financial aid is refunded in accordance with existing University and Federal policies for each of the above situations.
Military Service and Incomplete Grades. Students who are in military service (active duty, reserves, or National Guard) may request an incomplete grade for military deployment, mobilizations, or duty changes. A copy of the military orders must be provided to the faculty member as documentation. The deadline for removing an incomplete given on the basis of military service is the last day of the semester following the one in which the incomplete was given. Every effort will be made to work with the student and the faculty member to facilitate completion of the incomplete. Should military service commitments prevent the student from fulfilling the requirements for removal of the incomplete, a grade of W will replace the incomplete.
Military Activation and Withdrawal from a Term. Students who are in military service (active duty, reserves, or National Guard) and will be unable to complete the courses in which they are enrolled because of a military deployment, mobilization, or change in duty assignment may withdraw from all courses as of the effective date on their military orders. Students should contact the Office of the Registrar in order to process the course withdrawals, and a copy of the military orders must be provided as documentation. Students withdrawing in this manner will receive a full refund of all tuition and fees and pro-rated refunds for dining or housing contracts. Textbooks purchased from the UMW Bookstore may be returned for credit in accordance with the UMW textbook return policy. For withdrawals occurring beyond return policy end date, students should bring books to the Bookstore for the best available buyback prices.
Priority Registration for Military Students. Priority registration status is granted to students who are active duty military, reservists, veterans (as defined by Virginia Code § 23-7.4), and members of the Virginia National Guard. Eligible students will need to provide the necessary documentation to the Office of the Registrar. The following policy guidelines apply:
- Priority registration will be granted after the first semester of enrollment
- Student must self-identify to the Office of Academic and Career Services
- Veterans must provide a copy of DD 214, retired military identification card or the DMV issued veteran card
- Reservists and Active Duty members must be present a copy of their current Military ID card
- In order to ensure priority registration, students who are required to self-identify must do so before the following dates:
- Fall – March 1
- Spring – October 1
Additional information is available from the Office of the Registrar.
Reinstatement of Students Returning from Military Service. Students who withdrew from the University as a result of military deployment, mobilizations, or duty changes are entitled to return without having to re-qualify for admission so long as the student (a) returns after a cumulative absence of no more than five years, and (b) notifies the Office of Admissions of the intent to return to the University not later than three (3) years after the completion of the military service obligation. The student must provide the Office of Admissions with a copy of the military orders to substantiate the end of duty date.
Questions regarding any of these procedures should be directed to the Veteran Liaison/Certifying Official.