The Office for Military Services provides services to meet the special needs of veterans, service members, dependents, and survivors in order to ease their transition to college life and fulfill their educational goals.

The office is located in the Academic Services Center, Ill Student Services Drive, Suite 1345 on the main campus. Students who wish to use veterans' education benefits must contact the office of Military Services, (251) 460-6230.

Tuition Rates for Veterans and Certain Military-Affiliated Students Utilizing Federal GI Bill® Benefits

The following individuals shall be charged a rate of tuition not to exceed the in-state rate for tuition and fees purposes:

• A student using educational assistance under either chapter 30 (Montgomery GI Bill®-Active-Duty Program), chapter 33 (Post-9/11 GI Bill®), or chapter 35 (Dependents Educational Assistance), of title 38, United States Code, who lives in Alabama while attending a school located in Alabama (regardless of his/her formal State of residence).
• Anyone using transferred Post-9/11 GI Bill® benefits (38 U.S.C. § 3319) who lives in Alabama while attending a school located in Alabama (regardless of his/her formal State of residence) and enrolls in the school using transferred benefits from the transferor's honorable discharge or release from a period of active-duty service of 90 days or more.
• Anyone described above while he or she remains continuously enrolled (other than during regularly scheduled breaks between courses, semesters, or terms) at the same school. The person so described must have enrolled in the school following the service members honorable discharge or release as described above and must be using educational benefits under either chapter 30 or chapter 33, of title 38, United States Code.
• Anyone using benefits under the Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship (38 U.S.C. § 331 l(b)(9)) who lives in Alabama while attending a school located in Alabama (regardless of his/her formal State of residence).
• Anyone using transferred Post-9/11 GI Bill® benefits (38 U.S.C. § 3319) who lives in Alabama while attending a school located in Alabama (regardless of his/her formal state of residence) and the transferor is a member of the uniformed service who is serving on active duty.
• Anyone using educational assistance under chapter 31, Vocational Rehabilitation/Employment (VR&E), also be charged the resident rate. Effective for courses and terms beginning after March 1, 2019, a public institution of higher learning must charge the resident rate to chapter 31 participants, as well as the other categories of individuals described above. When an institution charges these individuals more than the rate for resident students, VA is required to disapprove programs of education sponsored by VA. Refer to 38 U.S. Code 3679.

If you are considered a "covered individual" and supply a Certificate of Eligibility to the Office of Military Services, we will determine your status for the in-state tuition rate.

*** A “covered individual” is a person pursuing a course of education at an educational institution under chapter 30,31,32,33, 35, or 1606 of the GI Bill®. For specific language within Federal Law, please refer to 38 U.S.C. § 3679 - Disapproval of Courses. 

Military affiliated students who are not considered to be a "covered individual" should refer to the Residency Requirements outlined at Residency | Registration.

Military Transfer Credits

All veterans and current service members within the enlisted ranks are required to submit military transcripts for evaluation by the USA Registrars' Office.

Veterans and current service members should refer to the following link to request their Joint Services Transcript (JST - Army, Navy, Marines, & Coast Guard) or Community College of the Air Force Transcript (CCAF - Air Force) 

Military Service Transfer Credits | Veterans Affairs 

All students receiving VA Education Benefits should submit all prior transcripts, including military, for evaluation of prior credit. 

Veterans Benefits Transition

Students utilizing VA education benefits shall not be charged a penalty, including assessment of late fees, denial of access to classes, libraries, or other institutional facilities, or be required to borrow additional funds because of the individual’s inability to meet their financial obligations due to the delayed disbursement of a payment to be provided by the Department of Veterans. Refer to PL 115-407 Sec. 103. Students utilizing Post 9/11 (Chapter 33) or VR&E (Chapter 31) GI Bill® benefits to pay tuition and fee charges may be required to use additional aid or make payment arrangements outside of the tuition and fees covered by GI Bill® funding. If students do not make arrangements for these charges, they may incur late fees.  

Alabama G.I. Dependent Scholarship (ALGI)

Dependents of disabled veterans and service members may be eligible for the "Alabama GI Dependents Scholarship" most commonly known as the Alabama GI Bill®. Students may apply at any time as long as they meet the eligibility requirements. Please refer to ALABAMA G.I. DEPENDENT SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM – Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs for specific eligibility and application guidance. 

Alabama National Guard Education Assistance Program (ANGEAP)

The Alabama National Guard Educational Assistance Program is a state student assistance program established by the Legislature of the State of Alabama and is designed to provide financial assistance to Alabama National Guard members who are residents of the State of Alabama and are enrolled in a certificate program at an accredited community or technical college or a degree program at an accredited post-secondary institution of higher learning located within the State of Alabama. Please refer to ANGEAP | Veterans Affairs for specific eligibility and application guidance

Complaint Policy for Students Receiving VA Education Benefits

Individuals experiencing issues with their VA Education Benefits or who have a concern regarding certification of benefits should contact the Office of Military Services and speak with the Benefits Manager about your situation. The Office of Military Services staff will assist you in understanding your benefits and will provide liaison services between you and the Veterans Administration Regional Office. 

Individuals who wish to submit a complaint can do so on their own behalf, on behalf of someone else, or anonymously, by visiting the GI Bill Feedback System at https://www.benefits.va.gov/GIBILL/Feedback.asp

Military Leave Policy

Military Leave

A student who has been admitted to or enrolled at the University of South 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. The student will provide the military orders for the period of duty and notify this same office of his/her intent to return to the University.

If a student has not been enrolled for three consecutive terms, they must apply for readmission through USA’s Office of Admissions at https://www.southalabama.edu/departments/admissions/under_readmissions.html. 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.

National Guard/Reserve Training Policy

Students who are required to participate in weekly or monthly meetings, weekend drills, annual trainings, military schooling, other military training, or an official military event as a member of the National Guard, Reserves, or as a member of the Inactive Ready Reserve, will be excused from class.

Students actively participating in the United States Military Reserve or National Guard must provide each faculty member a copy of their Reserve and/or National Guard schedule during the first week of class each semester. If the student must perform duties outside of this schedule, the student must provide to each faculty member, a copy of his/her military orders or a signed memorandum from his/her Unit Commander/Administrative NCO (Non-commissioned Officer) containing the required dates of service. Orders or signed memorandums should be provided to the faculty member as soon as the military member is notified of the service requirement.

The student must contact each faculty member about making up missed work. The faculty member is responsible for giving the student a reasonable extension for making up missed work. Due to the complexities of the required drill/training schedule, it may be necessary for students travel outside the military orders or drill schedule dates to report to the training site. In these cases, faculty should be flexible and work with the student to come to an agreement that is fair to both the student and the faculty member. It is recommended that no less than 3 business days be the standard extension for missed work.

For questions, concerns, or verification pertaining to drill schedules, military orders, or any unit correspondence, please contact the Office of Military Services to handle all communications between USA and the point of contact for the military member.

Withdrawal When Called to Active Military Duty

For the 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, under a call or order to active duty of more than 30 consecutive days. This policy also applies to the spouse, son, daughter, or parent of the student being called to active military duty in the Armed Forces, National Guard, or Reserves in support of a contingency operation. A student who has been admitted to or who has been enrolled at the University of South Alabama may request a withdrawal to fulfill a U.S. military obligation. The student should notify the Office of the University Registrar, provide documentation of his/her call to service, and submit notification whether or not he/she intends to return to the University. 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/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 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 request 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. This option requires students to meet with an academic advisor prior to finalizing the arrangement with the faculty member. This option may not be available for courses in certain clinical programs due to accreditation requirements. Election of this option is irrevocable.
3. If the faculty member assigns an incomplete (“I”) grade, the student will have until the specified deadline of the next semester or term, as published in the Academic Calendar, to complete the course requirement in compliance with the Grades | University of South Alabama and Alabama Code S3 31-12-3. This requires individuals be restored to the educational status he/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.