This information is pertinent to all vets and service members in regards to the formalities of military procedures here at IU Indianapolis. Any questions about these policies should be handled at The MCSS's office.
Keeping you informed
In accordance with Indiana Statute (SB 331), IU Indianapolis uses the American Council on Education's Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experiences in the Armed Services to assess transferable military credit upon receipt of the admission package. No transfer credit is awarded for vocational certificate category ACE recommendations.
To stay in compliance with IU Indianapolis Policy, Indiana Statute (SB331) and VA guidelines IUPUI requests all transcripts are submitted as part of the admissions package. This includes your Joint Services Transcript JST) and/or Community College of the Air Force transcript. Once received your military transcript will be evaluated by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions and up to twelve credit hours will be awarded. The amount of credit awarded is not intended to disregard your service, but instead in awareness that you may want to become more marketable in the civilian world by taking additional college courses as well as making sure that your financial aid is not affected by undistributed credits.
We encourage every military member to request a re-evaluation of your military transcript or prior learning assessment once you are matriculated into your desired degree plan. This process can be started by having a conversation with your school academic advisor.
If you have questions about transferring military credits to IU Indianapolis that are not answered on this site, contact the MCSS at [email protected].
For more information about prior learning assessments, visit the Degree Completion Office.
Military students who receive an honorable discharge or who are currently serving in the US Military may receive additional credit once they matriculate into their desired degree program. This process is called Prior Learning Assessment which provides IU Indianapolis adult students with a path to attain college credit for knowledge they have mastered outside the traditional classroom.
To learn more about the Prior Learning Assessment process, visit the Degree Completion Office.
IU Indianapolis values the sacrifice put forth by our vast population of student veterans and we continue to do all that we can to aid them in pursuing a higher education. As part of these
As part of these
*If you are SERVING ON ACTIVE DUTY STATIONED IN INDIANA on permanent change of station (PCS) orders, you and your spouse may be considered nonresidents of the state of Indiana for university tuition purposes. However, your military status entitles you to a remission of the nonresident portion of your credit hour fees.
If you wish to be considered for this exception, you must provide a copy of the military orders and a photo I.D. to the Office for Veteran and Military Personnel. Spouses of military personnel must produce a military-issued identification card in addition to military orders. Once your eligibility has been determined, the Office of the Registrar will enter the residency exception in the appropriate student record.
The residency status of children of full-time military personnel is addressed by Trustees Residence Guidelines, Rule 2(c).
*If you are a CURRENT MEMBER OF THE INDIANA NATIONAL GUARD you may qualify for a residency exception under the Senate Enrolled Act 177 or 434. This law states that Indiana National Guard members who show intent to establish residency within your first 12 months at a public institution in Indiana will be eligible for in-state tuition costs.
If you wish to be considered for this exception, you must present proof of current National Guard membership to the Office for Veteran and Military Personnel. Again, you must show
*If you are a MILITARY VETERAN who has moved to the State of Indiana to establish residency within 12 months of your separation and/or discharge date then you may qualify for a residency exception under Senate Enrolled Act 177 or 434.
To qualify you must have enrolled at IU Indianapolis within 12 months of separation and provide the Office for Veteran and Military Personnel a copy of your DD Form 214.
*UPDATEDto accommodate for the implementation of the H.R.7105 - Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020. As of August 1, 2021 - If you are a VETERAN, SPOUSE OF A VETERAN OR DEPENDENT CHILD OF A VETERAN USING POST 9/11 GI BILL® OR MONTGOMERY GI BILL® education benefits AND the veteran served at least 90 days of active duty AND is domiciled in the state of Indiana, you may qualify for this exception under Public Law 113-146, Section 702 and/or Section 301 of Public Law 115-251 Amendment to Title 38 U.S.C. § 3679 (The Choice Act).
*UPDATED As of August 1, 2022, a spouse or child of a Veteran using the Chapter 35 Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) benefit AND domiciled in the state of Indiana qualifies for the exception.
If you are a VETERAN using VBA Veteran Readiness & Employment (VR&E) education benefits who are domiciled in the state of Indiana you qualify for this exception.
If you are a dependent of a veteran using the MARINE GUNNERY SERGEANT JOHN DAVID FRY SCHOLARSHIP you qualify for this exception under Public Law 113-146, Section 701 (the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014).
To receive this exception you must provide the Office for Veteran and Military Personnel a copy of your (or your parent/spouse) DD Form 214 and a copy of your Certificate of Eligibility from US Department of Veterans Affairs showing eligibility for the Post-9/11 or Montgomery GI Bill®.
*If you are a SERVICE MEMBER who has maintained INDIANA RESIDENT STATUS while SERVING ON ACTIVE DUTY STATIONED outside of the state of Indiana on permanent change of station (PCS) orders, you and your dependents may be considered residents of the state of Indiana for university fee paying purposes.
If you wish to be considered for this exception, you must provide a copy of your original enlistment paperwork, a copy of your most recent LES and a photo I.D. of the person attending our University to the Office for Veteran and Military Personnel. Dependents of military personnel must produce a military-issued identification card. Should your records indicate that you have in fact maintained your Indiana residency, we will work with the Office of the Registrar to update your residency classification accordingly.
Additional information on Residency Status can be found at the following websites
Indiana University realizes students who are members of the U.S. armed forces may be called to active duty, specialized training, or as part of disaster relief efforts with little notice. While the following policy does NOT pertain to initial active duty training (i.e. basic training) or annual training, this policy is provided in order to minimize disruptions or inconveniences for students fulfilling their unanticipated U.S. military responsibilities in the midst of an academic term/session.
The official Indiana University Military Withdrawal
Any student called to active duty, specialized training or as part of disaster relief efforts may withdraw from all courses and receive a 100% refund of tuition and fees. Alternatively, with the permission of the instructor(s), a student may receive an incomplete or a final grade in some or all of the courses taken. Either alternative may occur anytime during the semester through the end of final examinations. If the withdrawal is processed after the first week of classes, the grade of W will be assigned. Students receiving financial aid will be subject to the refund policies as provided for by the agencies sponsoring the aid. The request to withdraw needs to be made within one week of official notification by the military service and may be made by either the student or
Students who wish to withdraw from courses as a result of being called to active duty, specialized training, or disaster relief efforts must provide a copy of their orders to the campus Veterans support services office (if applicable) or campus Registrar’s office along with a signed note asking to be withdrawn. Either office provides a one-point-of-contact process for withdrawals so students won’t need to visit various offices. Students or other responsible parties may wish to contact the appropriate campus office first to begin the withdrawal process based on some official military documentation, with the understanding that a copy of the orders would need to be forthcoming. Students who must withdraw for the reasons specified above will receive a notation on the transcript for that term that reads “Withdrew due to military obligation.”
Students who cannot enroll for a future term or who need to withdraw from a current term due to military commitments can also be placed on a military leave of absence that will extend access to their IU computer and email accounts while they are gone. A copy of orders provided to the campus Veterans support services office (if applicable) or campus Registrar’s office will initiate this action.
Approved, Registrar Council, 12/11/2008
Approved, IUB Provost & IUPUI Chancellor, 12/20/2008
In the spirit of this policy, faculty should also make every effort to allow students who are members of the U.S. armed forces to make up exams and exercises that may be missed during the semester if it can be documented that the student was called up for specialized, short-term training.
Upon notification of an upcoming deployment or extended military duty, students need to contact the Military-Connected Student Services immediately, and provide a copy of your orders.
You will be encouraged to contact your instructors so that you may either continue your course while on military orders or receive an Incomplete so that you might complete your coursework when you return from military orders (See Section below titled Taking Courses While Deployed). The MCSS will provide you with a packet that will need to be completed WITH your instructor(s) before it is resubmitted to the MCSS for processing.
If you are unable to make arrangements and need to withdraw from classes, the following with need to be completed prior to IU Indianapolis and the MCSS processing a Military Withdrawal:
- Provide a copy of your military orders to the MCSS.
- Complete the Military Withdrawal form as instructed by the MCSS.
- Return the Military Withdrawal form to the MCSS.
If you notify the MCSS that you are withdrawing due to military orders, or if we process a military withdrawal on your behalf, we will notify the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs that there are mitigating circumstances surrounding the reduction or termination of your benefits. Their policy is to stop payment effective the date of your drop or withdrawal, but they do not typically require repayment of benefits already disbursed for that semester. The VA usually restores any entitlement charged for the semester you are unable to complete due to military duty.
Veterans Benefits and Transition Act of 2018
Pursuant to the Veterans Benefits and Transition Act of 2018, section 3679 of title 38, United States Code, effective August 1, 2019 IU Indianapolis, IU Columbus, IU McKinney School of Law, IU School of Medicine, IU School of Dentistry and Indiana University Fort Wayne will not impose any penalty, including the assessment of late fees, the denial of access to classes, libraries, or other institutional facilities, or the requirement that a covered individual borrow additional funds, on any covered individual because of the individual’s inability to meet his or her financial obligations to the institution, when the delay is due to the delayed disbursement funding from Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) under Post 9/11 G.I. Bill® (Ch. 33) or Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (Ch. 31).
The University will not:
- Prevent their enrollment;
- Assess a late penalty fee to;
- Require they secure alternative or additional funding;
- Deny their access to any resources (access to classes, libraries, or other institutional facilities) available to other students who have satisfied their tuition and fee bills to the institution.
Covered Individuals* MUST submit the following information to the MCSS in a timely manner:
- Their Certificate of Eligibility OR Statement of Benefits,
- The MCSS's Enrollment Certification Request Form, and
- Any other information necessary to their education benefit certification.
For more information regarding tuition and fees, visit the Office of the Bursar webpage and/or your one.iu.edu student account.
*NOTE: A Covered Individual is any individual who is entitled to educational assistance under Chapter 31 - Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E), or Chapter 33 - Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits.
Some students elect to take courses while deployed. Please check with your academic advisor in advance to determine whether your degree program will accept independent study or online courses.
Your options for completing any remaining coursework vary greatly depending on your individual situation, timing, and remaining requirements. Your first step should always be to discuss your situation with your faculty instructor; then visit MCSS for further assistance. Some students are able to negotiate the completion of all course requirements with their instructors, despite their absence. Others may be offered incompletes that must be finished within one calendar year of the end of the term of enrollment. In other cases, it may be in your best interest to withdraw from the course.
The procedures for reinstating your student status will vary depending on the length of your absence.
If you return within the same academic year and your account has not been disrupted then no action is required.
If you return outside of the academic year that you left, then you will need to complete the following steps:
- The student will be required to contact their advisor to confirm continuous academic pursuit within the same program/ plan
as when they left - Advisor will notify MCSS ([email protected]) that student has fulfilled the requirement
- The MCSS will notify Admissions: the student will not be required to complete Admissions returning student application
Once this process is completed the Registrar’s Office will reactivate your ability to register for classes via one.iu.edu. Once you are registered for classes, contact OVMP to request your enrollment be reported to Veterans Affairs for benefits.
You will need to forward a copy of any new DD 214 discharge documents to the VA for evaluation. This may change which program you are eligible for, or your tier of benefits. We can assist you with this process.