University Rule
13.99.99.J1 Military Leave and Service for Students
Approved: January 7, 2026
Next Scheduled Review: January 7, 2031
Rule Summary
Texas A&M University-Victoria (A&M-Victoria) is honored to work with students who are members of the United States military and seeks to accommodate the needs of students whose call to military service prevents them from starting or continuing to attend school. This rule provides additional guidance for compliance with federal and state law regarding students’ educational rights when called for military service.
Definitions
Active military service - state active-duty service, federally funded state active-duty service, or federal active-duty service. The term does not include service performed exclusively for training, such as basic combat training, advanced individual training, annual training, inactive duty training, and special training periodically made available to service members.
Required military service – required (i) military service, including for the Texas National Guard and the Texas State Guard; (ii) Guard or Reserve duties (state or federal), such as participation in weekly or monthly meetings, weekend drills, annual trainings, combat training, advanced individual training, inactive duty training, or other training or official military events; or (iii) active duty, Guard, or Reserve military members on extended training and/or deployments, or a Permanent Change of Station (PCS) move.
Uniformed services - the U.S. Armed Forces (Army/Army Reserve, Navy/Navy Reserve, Marine Corps/Marine Corps Reserve, Air Force/Air Force Reserve, Coast Guard/Coast Guard Reserve), the U.S. Space Force, the Army National Guard and the Air National Guard when engaged in active duty for training, inactive duty training, or full-time National Guard duty, the commissioned corps of the Public Health Service or any other category of persons designated by the President in time of war or emergency.
Service in the uniformed services – service, whether voluntary or involuntary, in the Armed Forces, including service as a member of the National Guard or Reserve, on active duty, active duty for training, or full-time National Guard duty under Federal authority (not State authority), for a period of more than 30 consecutive days under a call or order to active duty of more than 30 consecutive days.
Rule
A&M-Victoria provides military leave from and, in the case of withdrawals, readmission to eligible students in accordance with state and federal law.
1. ADMINISTRATIVE
1.1 Federal law protects the readmission rights of students who withdraw from or were admitted to but did not begin attendance at A&M-Victoria because of service in the uniformed services.
1.2 Texas state law extends readmission protections to those called to active military service and requires excused absences for students who are called to required military service for a reasonably brief duration.
1.3 A&M-Victoria grants readmission to eligible students who withdraw due to service in the uniformed services or active military service and allows excused absences for students who are absent solely because of required military service.
1.3.1 A student must give advance notice of an absence, except as otherwise provided by This notice is to be submitted to the Vice President of Student Affairs, or their designee, who will coordinate notification and record-keeping efforts with the Office of the Registrar and Student Records (e.g., to academic advisors, faculty, financial aid, billing, etc.) on behalf of the student. Initial notice may be oral or written. A student who initiates this process with oral notice must follow up in writing as directed by the Vice President of Student Affairs.
2. EXCUSED ABSENCE RIGHTS FOR REQUIRED MILITARY SERVICE
2.1 Students who must be absent for a reasonably brief duration (as defined in section 2.3) because of required military service and do not withdraw will be excused for those
2.2 A&M-Victoria requires that students provide documentation of the fact and duration of the required military service, such as orders or a letter from the unit This documentation is to be submitted to the Vice President of Student Affairs or their designee.
2.3 The maximum period a student may receive excused absences is no more than 25% of the total number of class meetings or the contact hour equivalent (not including the final examination period) for the specific course or courses in which the student is currently enrolled at the beginning of the period of required military
2.4 Excused absences for required military service are not available when a student withdraws from A&M-Victoria to perform required military
3. READMISSION RIGHTS FOR MILITARY SERVICE
3.1 A student who withdraws from or is unable to attend A&M-Victoria because of service in the uniformed services or required military service has a right to prompt readmission without payment of a reapplication fee at the member institution.
3.2 In most cases, a student is, as applicable, readmitted to the member institution with the same academic standing as at the time of withdrawal.
3.3 To qualify for readmission after military duty, a student must be withdrawn for a cumulative total of no more than five years and provide evidence of discharge or release under honorable conditions.
3.4 The student must submit a notice of intent to return by the application deadline designated each semester by A&M-Victoria and within the timeline required by federal law. This notice must be submitted to the Vice President of Student Affairs or their designee to ensure eligibility for prompt readmission.
3.5 A student may be denied readmission if A&M-Victoria, after reasonable efforts to assist the student, determines the student is not prepared or unable to resume the program at the point where the student left.
3.6 Readmission Rights Following Release from Military Service
3.6.1 For any academic term that begins after the date a student is released from military service, A&M-Victoria will readmit the student, provided the student is otherwise eligible to register for classes.
3.6.2 Upon readmission, A&M-Victoria will:
(1) Reinstate any financial assistance previously provided to the student before withdrawal, assuming the student meets the current eligibility requirements for the assistance, excluding requirements that were directly affected by the student’s service, such as continuous enrollment or similar timing conditions.
(2) Grant the student the same academic status they held prior to withdrawal, including the restoration of any course credits or academic progress awarded prior to their departure for military
3.7 Students who had been admitted for graduate or professional programs, as specified in System Regulation 99.99, Military Leave and Service for Students, will be provided with the rights to readmission as specified in the regulation.
4. ACADEMIC CONTINUITY AND COMPLETION FOR STUDENTS CALLED TO MILITARY SERVICE
A&M-Victoria will ensure that students called to required military service are able to complete their courses without prejudice and under the same requirements that were in effect when they enrolled.
4.1 Retention of Course Work: All coursework completed by the student prior to being called to military service must be retained and counted toward the final grade upon the student’s return.
4.2 Course Syllabus and Instructional Plan: The course syllabus or instructional plan in place at the time of enrollment will remain applicable, allowing the student to complete the course without changes to course requirements or objectives.
4.3 Reasonable Completion Time: Students who return from military service will have a reasonable time to complete course requirements for those courses in progress at the time of their departure for service. The time allowed for this completion will align with the current policy for incomplete grades as posted in the academic catalog in effect the year the student returns to class. For example, if the catalog policy indicates that students have one year to complete an incomplete grade, the student returning from military service in fall 2026 would have until the end of the fall 2027 semester to complete outstanding coursework.
4.4 Procedures for Non-Completion: Students who do not complete the in-progress coursework within the timeframe outlined in above will be issued a W for the course(s) not completed.
4.5 Dispute Resolution Process: Students who wish to dispute actions taken under this policy are directed to the student grievance and/or grade appeal process as outlined in the A&M-Victoria Student Handbook.
Related Statues, Policies, or Requirements
20 U.S. Code section 1091c, Readmission Requirements for Servicemembers
34 C.F.R. Pt. 668.18, Regulations under Readmission Requirements for Servicemembers
Tex. Educ. Code §51.844, Readmission of Certain Military Personnel to Graduate and Professional Programs
Tex. Educ. Code §51.9111, Excused Absence for Required Military Service
Tex. Educ. Code §51.9242, Readmission of Student Who Withdraws to Perform Active Military Service
Tex. Educ. Code §54.006, Refund or Adjustment of Tuition and Mandatory Fees for Dropped Courses and Student Withdrawals
Tex. Gov’t Code, §437.001(1), State Military Forces and Veterans, Definitions
System Regulation 13.99.99, Military Leave and Service for Students
Contact Office
Office of the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
(361) 570-4321