Last Updated 6/26/2025
Background & Introduction
The Wisconsin National Guard Tuition Grant is a state-funded benefit administered by the Department of Military Affairs (DMA) available to actively drilling National Guard members who attend qualifying schools and meet eligibility criteria. This grant must be applied for each academic term.
Students can apply for the grant benefit for a term starting 90 days before the beginning of an academic term through 90 days after that term ends. If a student’s application is submitted to DMA before the end of the academic term for that term and they were approved for the benefit, their eligibility must be checked again at the end of the term. If the student is no longer meeting certain eligibility criteria as of the end of the term, the benefit they received for that academic term must be recouped from them. Schools are required to pursue these recoupments from students. These recoupments are known as “single-term recoupments”. A definition of this type of recoupment is provided in Part 1. These are distinct from “separation recoupments”.
“Separation recoupments” occur when a student is separated from the National Guard at any time for misconduct as defined in the rules and regulations of the National Guard and requires students to repay the entirety of the benefit they received. These separation recoupments and the process for recouping in these situations are not addressed in this manual. Separation recoupments are discussed in the Wisconsin National Guard Tuition Grant Benefit Reference Manual.
The purpose of this manual is to provide answers about how DMA will handle single-term recoupments from students. The manual is broken down into the following parts:
Part 2: Statutory Requirements for Single-Term Recoupments
Part 3: Single-Term Recoupment Process
Part 5: Frequently Asked Questions About Single-Term Recoupments
Part 1: Definitions
Academic Term: A portion of the calendar year during which a school designates for instruction and examinations on a certain schedule. For the purposes of the Wisconsin National Guard Tuition Grant Benefit, it is defined as beginning on the first day of any class within the term and ends on the last day that there are any exams for classes in that term.
School Certifying Official: An official that works at a school whose responsibility is to complete the “School Portion” of the DMA 6189 application for students and certify their attendance and performance at that school.
Separation Recoupment: A recoupment that is the result of a service member’s separation from the Wisconsin National Guard. The amount being recouped is the equivalent to the amount received from this benefit by the service member over the entirety of their career.
Single-Term Recoupment: A recoupment that is the result of a service member not meeting the end of the term eligibility criteria. A service member’s eligibility at the end of the term is determined via the recertification process.
Part 2: Statutory Requirements for Single-Term Recoupments
The Wisconsin National Guard Tuition Grant is established and governed by section 321.40 of Wisconsin Statutes. An explanation of DMA’s interpretation of this statute as it applies broadly to this benefit can be found in the Wisconsin National Guard Tuition Grant Benefit Reference Manual.
Regarding single-term recoupments, this statute outlines the criteria students must meet to remain eligible for this benefit as of the end of a term. It also discusses DMA’s ability to require schools to recoup on its behalf when a student is not meeting the end of term eligibility requirements, and the actions schools may take to seek payment from students for their debts.
The statute requires students to repay the benefit they received for an academic term if they are not meeting any of the following criteria:
- They have failed to meet satisfactory academic progress as of the end of the term
- They are not a member in good standing with the Wisconsin National Guard as of the end of the term
- They have failed to be an actively drilling member of the Wisconsin National Guard as of the end of the term (Wis. Stat 321.40(4)(a))
Section (4)(b)2 of the statute allows DMA to require schools to recoup the benefit from students and permits schools to take any reasonable action to secure repayment, including by:
- placing a hold on course registration or on the awarding of a degree or certificate
- undertaking collection efforts
- initiating legal action
Part 3: Single-Term Recoupment Process
Recertification Process
To determine if a student is meeting the statutorily required eligibility criteria at the end of the academic term for which they received the benefit, the recertification process is completed by DMA and the school certifying officials. The process is initiated when school certifying officials receive notification from DMA about which applications they need to recertify. After the school certifying official recertifies a student’s application, it goes to the National Guard certifying officials to recertify. Once both levels are completed, the grant administrator reviews the application and determines if a single-term recoupment is needed.
Students must meet the academic eligibility criteria and the National Guard eligibility criteria. If the student is not meeting all the statutorily required eligibility criteria at the time of recertification, then the benefit they received for that academic term will be recouped.
Recoupment Process
The recoupment process for schools is initiated when DMA notifies the school certifying official that a student owes a single-term debt for a benefit they received for a term. Once these notifications have been received from DMA, schools are required to make reasonable action to secure repayment. Reasonable actions are set forth in the statute 321.40(4)(b)(2), which are listed in Part 2: Statutory Requirements for Single-Term Recoupments. Schools will be the point of contact for the student regarding this debt unless DMA determines the debt should be reverted to DMA.
Recoupments are expected to be pursued until the student has paid off their debt. Students’ debt payments will be paid to the school. Then the school will pay DMA the amount they recouped from all students. Any payments received in a month by the school shall be paid to DMA within 30 days after that month ends. The payments from the school will identify student full name, school name, and birth date. After a student has paid off their debt, DMA will send a notice to the student and the school confirming full repayment.
Payments for these debts from schools to DMA must be made via paper check. Checks must be mailed.
Checks should be made out to:
Department of Military Affairs
Checks should be mailed to:
Department of Military Affairs
ATTN: SBF – Tuition Grant
PO Box 14587
Madison, WI 53708
Checks from schools must include the following information for any applicable student debts:
- The student’s full name
- The last four digits of the student’s social security number,
- The school’s name
- The amount to be applied for each student’s debt
This will ensure that the checks and the amounts are applied to the correct debts.
DMA may, in its discretion, take over recoupment efforts which may include referring the debt to the Wisconsin Department of Revenue (DOR).
School Reporting on Recoupments
Schools will report quarterly on April 15, July 15, October 15, and January 15 to DMA on efforts the school has completed to pursue the single-term recoupments from students in the prior quarter. If a due date falls on a weekend day, the reports are due the Monday immediately following. Reports are due to DMA by the end of the day on the date in question. Reports should be submitted by email to: wingtuitiongrant@widma.gov. Schools only need to report on the debts they are currently responsible for recouping. Reports should be completed using the Wisconsin National Guard Tuition Grant Benefit Single-Term Recoupments School Reporting Template.
Part 4: Debts Managed by DMA
A student’s debt, at DMA’s discretion, can revert from the school to DMA who will then manage the collection effort.
If DMA elects to pursue the recoupment itself, the Tuition Grant Administrator will send one notice to the student that DMA will be referring the debt to the Wisconsin Department of Revenue (DOR) in 30 days for collection. Collection costs will be assessed once it has been referred to DOR.
Part 5: Frequently Asked Questions About Single-Term Recoupments
Is there an appeal process for single-term recoupment decisions?
No
Is there a way for the debt to be written off or forgiven?
No
What happens if a student is no longer enrolled at a school that is managing their debt?
A school assigned to manage a student’s debt is expected to continue to manage that debt until it is paid off unless DMA takes over recoupment efforts.
If a student owes a debt to DMA for a term, will the debt be deducted from future benefit payments until the debt is satisfied?
The statute does not allow DMA to withhold future payments for this benefit to satisfy a debt.
When is the “end of the term” measured for a class that a student took?
The “end of the term” is considered as the end of the academic term in which the class took place. According to the definition offered above, it is the last day there are any exams for the classes in that term. It is possible that the end date of the class and the end date of the term are two different dates. For example, a student took a class in a Spring 2024 academic term. The exam date for that class was February 15th, 2024. The last day of the academic term was May 3rd, 2024. The end of the term is considered May 3rd, 2024.