# Understanding Mel's Law

Mel's Law requires colleges and universities that receive federal student aid funding to create a policy for awarding degrees to students who pass away before graduating. If a student was enrolled in a degree program, died before finishing it, but was in good academic standing at the time of their death (meaning they were on track to graduate), the school would award them their degree posthumously—after they've passed away.

The bill applies to any college or university that participates in federal financial aid programs, which includes most accredited institutions across the country. This means families who lose a student close to graduation could receive their loved one's diploma as a final recognition of their academic achievement. The degree would be awarded based on the student's academic standing at the time of death, not on whether they completed every final exam or assignment.

The law also prevents accrediting agencies—the organizations that evaluate whether colleges meet quality standards—from penalizing schools for awarding posthumous degrees. In other words, schools won't be dinged for their accreditation status just because they're honoring deceased students with degrees. The bill takes effect one year after it becomes law, giving colleges time to develop their policies before they're required to implement them.

For most people, this is a symbolic but meaningful change. It allows families to have tangible recognition of their loved one's educational progress and commitment to their studies, even when tragedy cuts their college journey short.

Mel’s Law

Velázquez, Nydia M.

Mel's LawThis bill requires institutions of higher education (IHEs) that participate in federal student aid programs to establish policies for awarding posthumous degrees.Specifically, the IHE must certify that it has a policy to award a posthumous degree to a deceased student who (1) was enrolled in a degree program at the IHE; (2) died prior to completing such program; and (3) at the time of death, was in academic standing consistent with the requirements for graduation from such program (as determined by the IHE).The bill prohibits accrediting agencies from taking into consideration the number of posthumous degrees awarded to deceased students by the&nbsp;IHE. (Under current law, an IHE must be accredited by an accrediting agency to participate in federal student aid programs.)