Title 20 — EducationRelease 119-73

§1098cc Tuition refunds or credits for members of armed forces

Title 20 › Chapter CHAPTER 28— - HIGHER EDUCATION RESOURCES AND STUDENT ASSISTANCE › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER IV— - STUDENT ASSISTANCE › Part Part G–1— - Higher Education Relief Opportunities for Students › § 1098cc

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Congress says colleges and other post‑high‑school schools should give students called to active duty a full refund or an equal credit for the part of a term they could not finish or did not receive credit for. If students withdraw because of military service, schools should try not to make them reapply or delay their enrollment and should be flexible with deadlines. A full refund means returning required tuition and fees or giving an equal credit toward future tuition and fees.

Full Legal Text

Title 20, §1098cc

Education — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)It is the sense of Congress that—

(1)all institutions offering postsecondary education should provide a full refund to students who are affected individuals for that portion of a period of instruction such student was unable to complete, or for which such individual did not receive academic credit, because he or she was called up for active duty or active service; and

(2)if affected individuals withdraw from a course of study as a result of such active duty or active service, such institutions should make every effort to minimize deferral of enrollment or reapplication requirements and should provide the greatest flexibility possible with administrative deadlines related to those applications.

(b)For purposes of this section, a full refund includes a refund of required tuition and fees, or a credit in a comparable amount against future tuition and fees.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Codification Section was formerly set out in a note under section 1070 of this title. Section was enacted as part of the Higher Education Relief Opportunities for Students Act of 2003, and not as part of title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 which comprises this subchapter.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

20 U.S.C. § 1098cc

Title 20 — Education

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73