North Dakota Honorary High School Diploma for Veterans

An honorary high school diploma for a veteran who left school to serve in the Second World War, Korea or Vietnam. It may be awarded posthumously.

Also called: honorary diploma, high school diploma, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Department of Public Instruction, posthumous.

For: Veteran or service member, survivor.

Where it applies

Written for the jurisdictions listed here.

North DakotaState

North Dakota awards an honorary high school diploma to a veteran who left high school before graduating in order to serve in the armed forces during the Second World War, the Korean War or the Vietnam War. The Department of Public Instruction administers it, and the application is a form plus a copy of the DD-214 mailed to the Assessment Office in Bismarck. It may be awarded posthumously. For a family that is often the point: the diploma arrives for a grandparent who went from a farm to a troopship at seventeen and never went back to finish, and the ceremony is the thing the family wanted. The conflict list is the limit and it is worth checking before raising a family's hopes. A veteran who left school to serve in the Gulf War or after is not on it. Neither is a veteran who left school for a reason other than service and then served. There is no cost, no rating, no residency-at-entry test published for it, and no deadline. This is a recognition rather than a benefit with money attached, and it is administered by the education department rather than by the veterans department, which is why it is missing from several summaries of North Dakota benefits.

Thresholds

Thresholds for North Dakota Honorary High School Diploma for Veterans
Gate	Rule
Left high school to serve in one of three named wars	The veteran must have left high school before graduating to serve in the armed forces during World War II, the Korean War or the Vietnam War. Later conflicts are not on the list.
May be awarded posthumously	The diploma may be awarded after the veteran’s death. Applications go to the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction with a copy of the DD-214.

Documents the source lists

What the official source lists for an application, and where to get each document. It is a reference read from the source, not a full list of what the office may ask for; check with the office or an accredited representative before you apply. Needed means the source asks for it; Helps means the source calls it optional or says it speeds things up.

Needed Copy of the DD214, mailed with the application
Where to get it Download it from milConnect if your branch has it there, or request it from the National Archives. A VA application can ask VA to request it for you.
Listed by North Dakota Military and Veterans Benefits, Official Army Benefits Website read 2026-10-10

Sources

Updated

Last updated 2026-09-29.

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Disclaimer

VetTOC is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs or the Department of Defense. Information is for reference only and is not an eligibility determination. Verify with VA, the relevant state or territory, or an accredited VSO.