Many service members are forced to step away from school due to active duty obligations. Without the right information, students fall behind — or leave altogether. That doesn't have to be you.
As a Minnesota student called to active duty, the law is on your side — at the federal, state, and university level.
Enrolled at any postsecondary institution in the state of Minnesota — public, private, community college, or university system.
Called to a period of active service — deployment, extended training, or other orders — that conflicts with your academic semester.
Federal and Minnesota state law guarantee specific rights and options for student servicemembers. See your protections below.
Schools must allow you to withdraw without financial or academic penalty if you're called to active duty during a semester. Your service cannot be held against you.
You cannot be penalized for absences due to military service — including training and deployment. This covers any absence, not just full deployments.
Students at any MN postsecondary institution unable to complete a semester due to active duty orders have three protected options: withdraw & refund, delay completion, or complete the course.
Military service is an authorized and excused absence. Instructors must work with you on makeup work, substitutions, or grade adjustments. Missing components that can't be substituted cannot factor into your grade.
Minnesota law guarantees you three choices when called to active duty. Understanding them lets you make the best decision for your degree and your finances.
Online courses offer flexibility, but they're not always available for every requirement. Dual enrollment lets you pair your home institution with a flexible, military-friendly online school so you keep earning credits — from anywhere in the world.
Enroll in classes at two schools simultaneously — your main college plus an online or flexible institution.
Before you leave, work with an advisor to select courses that align with your deployment schedule and degree requirements.
While away, complete online or asynchronous courses from the second institution and keep accumulating credits.
Upon return, those credits transfer back to your home program and count toward your degree — keeping you on track.
Transferology is a free tool that shows exactly how courses from another institution will transfer to your home university. Always verify before enrolling in dual enrollment courses. Visit transferology.com
Federal programs, VA benefits, and nonprofit support — all in one place.
Free counseling, toolkits, referrals, and one-on-one education consultations — school choice, tutoring, planning, and more.
Visit Site →Post-9/11 GI Bill, Montgomery GI Bill, Top-Up, Yellow Ribbon — everything about your education entitlements.
Visit Site →Free academic and career counseling for eligible veterans and dependents — guidance on schools, programs, and life planning.
Visit Site →Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance — education and training support for spouses and children of veterans.
Visit Site →A broad federal portal linking veterans to education, employment, health, and benefits resources at the federal, state, and local level.
Visit Site →Explains VA education benefits in plain language and offers direct guidance to veterans navigating the system.
Visit Site →Answers to what student servicemembers ask most.
Deviate Education was built because too many service members don't know they have options. Every year, students who serve our country face an impossible choice between their education and their duty. That shouldn't happen — especially when the law is on their side.
We exist to close that gap. No complicated legal language. No runaround. Just the information you need to keep moving forward — whether you're facing deployment, extended training, or planning ahead.
Have a question, a situation you're navigating, or want to share your story? Reach out — we'll do our best to point you in the right direction.
This site provides general educational information and is not legal advice. For legal guidance, consult a qualified attorney or contact a VA-affiliated counselor.
Structured training modules walking you through your rights, options, and strategies — for both service members and the advisors who support them.
Separate tracks for students and advisors