Why and How to Defer College Acceptance to Take a Gap Year

You’ve taken and sent your SAT or ACT scores to your college choices, completed the applications, written the essays, and gotten confirmation that your letters of recommendation were received. A few weeks or months pass, and the email arrives in your inbox.

Congratulations! We are pleased to inform you that you’ve been admitted to X University.

You share the good news with family and friends. A few days pass, and second thoughts begin crowding your brain. “Maybe,” you think, “I’m not quite ready for this next step.” Now what?

While most students head to college in the fall after graduating from high school, not everyone immediately takes the next step on their educational journey. Some opt to defer their admission. 

Deferring university admission means asking the school or program to hold your acceptance for a semester or year. Doing so allows you to postpone your enrollment without having to reapply. 

Each institution has specific deferral requirements, so check the guidelines before contacting the admissions department. Some colleges may require a deposit or detailed plan for your time off. Others may have specific conditions you must meet before they approve your request. Here’s how it works.

Why defer college admission?

Students defer college admission for many reasons. Even with scholarship aid, grants, or loans, college is expensive. Some students need more time to earn money for tuition, room, and board and need an extra year to work and save. 

Others may have family responsibilities or caregiving obligations or be dealing with their own health issues. Some students spend a year volunteering for organizations like the Peace Corps or AmeriCorps—or they have military requirements to fulfill.

One of the biggest reasons students defer admission? To take a gap year. Whether it’s a few weeks or months, a semester or a year, gap year programs empower students to explore new things, prepare for their studies, and experience the world. Some colleges like Tufts, Princeton, College of William and Mary, and Florida State University even offer their own gap year programs. 

Will a deferment affect my college admission?

The short answer is no. More colleges and universities recognize the benefits of this practice, which has become more common and accepted. Some colleges, like Harvard, encourage students to take a gap year. In fact between 90 and 130 students accepted to the university opt to defer. 

More and more institutions have acknowledged the value of gap years for:

• Developing students’ practical and interpersonal skills
• Enabling students to address personal or family needs
• Allowing students to participate in a community service or other volunteer project

If your specific college doesn’t explicitly state its position on gap years, ask the admissions department for clarification. In general, colleges don’t view a deferral negatively, as long as you don’t pursue another degree or enroll at a different university during your gap year.

Steps for deferring your college admission 

Not sure where to start? Follow these steps to officially request deferment.

1. Ask about deferral policies and potential financial aid changes at your college or university. Check the Gap Year Association website for additional information on specific institutions’ policies.
2. Write a letter explaining why you’d like to defer, and follow the college’s guidelines, as some require a detailed plan while others may only need a general framework. Your letter should include your justification for the request. Share your personal goals and how the gap year will help achieve them. If you’re working with a consultant or have a specific program in mind, include those details, too. 
3. Institutions have deadlines for submitting your request—usually between May and July—so the sooner you send it in, the higher your chances of getting approval.
4. Wait for the response, which can take a few weeks.

Once you receive confirmation that the college has granted your deferral request, let the adventure begin!