Military Leave
“A student who has been admitted to or enrolled at The University of Alabama as an undergraduate student may ask for a military leave to fulfill a U.S. military obligation. The student should notify the Office of the University Registrar of a call to military service, provide documentation and notify this same office of his/her intent to return to the University. If there is no dishonorable or bad conduct discharge from the military, and the cumulative length of this absence and all previous absences from undergraduate study due to military service does not exceed five years, the student will be readmitted. This is in accordance with the readmission provisions in the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 (Section 484C of the HEA) and implementing regulations in 34 CFR Section 668.18.”
Withdrawal When Called to Active Military Duty
“For purposes of this section, active military duty means service, whether voluntary or involuntary, 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, for a period of more than 30 consecutive days under a call or order to active duty of more than 30 consecutive days. A student who has been admitted to or who has been enrolled at The University of Alabama may request a withdrawal to fulfill a U.S. military obligation. The student should notify the Office of the University Registrar and provide documentation of his or her call to service, and submit notification whether or not he/she intends to return to the University. Graduate students should also provide documentation to the Graduate Dean. Withdrawal is not contingent on the student’s notification of intent to return to the University. The intent to return is used as information for future communication with the student.
A student returning from active military duty may be readmitted per the readmission provisions in the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 (Section 484C of the HEA) and implementing regulations in 34 CFR Section 668.18. A student can be promptly readmitted, providing he or she withdrew to fulfill a U.S. military obligation, was not dishonorably discharged from the uniformed services, and the cumulative length of his/her absence and of all previous absences from undergraduate studies due to military service did not exceed five years.
When a student is called to active military duty during an academic term, he or she may choose one of the following three options:
1. The student may request retroactive withdrawal to the beginning of the semester, with a full refund of tuition and fees.
2. If at least 75 percent of the term has been completed, the student may request that the faculty member assign a grade for the course based on the work completed. The final decision about grading is left to the faculty member.
3. If the faculty member assigns a grade of I, the student will have a minimum of two weeks after returning to campus to complete the course requirement. Additional time may be granted if alternative arrangements are made with the faculty member, and provided the alternative arrangement is in compliance with Alabama Code S3 31-12-3. This requires individuals be restored to the educational status he or she had prior to military duty, without the loss of academic credits earned, scholarships or grants awarded, or tuition and other fees paid prior to the commencement of military duty.”
Under federal regulations, see 34 C.F.R. § 668.18, a student who has been admitted to or who has been enrolled at the University of Alabama School of Law may ask for a military leave to fulfill a U.S. military obligation. If the student’s absence was necessitated by this obligation and there is no dishonorable or bad conduct discharge from the uniformed services, then the student will be promptly readmitted if the cumulative length of his/her absence and of all previous absences from the School of Law due to military service does not exceed five years. The student continues law school from the point where he or she left, and the academic requirements at the point when he or she left apply. Students leaving law school should notify the Records Office of their departure. Students leaving school because of military service do not lose Law School scholarships, though all conditions of scholarships remain in place. All Law School scholarships additionally are limited to six semesters. Students leaving because of military service may initiate readmission by contacting the Records Office. Students readmitted to the Law School under this policy are not subject to the six-year time limit for completing the J.D. degree.
