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The Diploma You Left Behind — Awarded by the District You Walked Out Of

A veteran who attended a Michigan high school and left before graduating to serve in WWII, Korea or Vietnam can be awarded the diploma by that school district. The windows are 16 December 1940 – 31 December 1946, 27 June 1950 – 31 January 1955, and 28 February 1961 – 7 May 1975. An honorable discharge is required. The district makes the award; the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency supplies the form and helps with the DD214. There is no deadline and no cost, and a family can pursue it on behalf of a veteran who has died.

Verified August 27, 2026

What this benefit is

A veteran who attended a Michigan high school and left before graduating to serve in WWII, Korea or Vietnam can be awarded the diploma by that school district. The windows are 16 December 1940 – 31 December 1946, 27 June 1950 – 31 January 1955, and 28 February 1961 – 7 May 1975. An honorable discharge is required. The district makes the award; the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency supplies the form and helps with the DD214. There is no deadline and no cost, and a family can pursue it on behalf of a veteran who has died.

What it's worth: The high school diploma, awarded by your former district

  • WWII: 16 December 1940 – 31 December 1946.
  • Korean conflict: 27 June 1950 – 31 January 1955.
  • Vietnam: 28 February 1961 – 7 May 1975.
  • The veteran must have attended a MICHIGAN high school and left before graduating in order to serve.
  • An honorable discharge is required.
  • The DISTRICT awards the diploma. The Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency supplies the form and helps recover the DD214.
  • No deadline and no fee are published. A family may pursue it for a veteran who has died.

Who is entitled to it

  • You are in one of the groups who can pursue this.
  • The discharge was honorable.
  • School was interrupted by service.
  • The district is a Michigan one.

Not sure whether that describes you?

Answer a few questions about this benefit specifically — we only ask what this one actually depends on, and we stop as soon as we know.

How to claim it

  1. 1Identify the district. If the school has closed or merged, the successor district makes the award.
  2. 2Get the application form from the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency.
  3. 3Send the DD214 or discharge certificate with it. MVAA can help recover one that is lost.
  4. 4Ask the district when it holds its ceremonies — many present these at graduation, which matters to families.
  5. 5If the veteran has died, ask the district anyway. Posthumous awards are made.
Form
High school diploma application, Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency
File with
Your former Michigan school district, with MVAA
Documents you will need
dd214
No renewal
Once granted it does not need renewing.
Worth knowingThe Vietnam window opens in February 1961, earlier than the dates used by many other Michigan programmes. Do not rule someone out on a later start date.

Sources

This finder provides an informational match, not a government eligibility determination. The responsible agency decides your application.