Applying to Additional Universities Whilst Holding a Deferred Acceptance

[b c]

I confirmed an acceptance to a US university at the beginning of this year, but decided to defer my entrance by a year in order to hopefully find some funding. No such funding has yet come about, and I thought it may be a good idea to try and apply to more universities again this year in the hopes of getting some funding that way. However, what are the rules and regulations regarding such a procedure if I have already been accepted to a university? Am I somehow legally bound to such an acceptance and therefore unable to apply to any other universities? Similarly, if the university I was accepted to finds out that I am applying to other universities again this year, will they be obliged to cancel my acceptance and make the deferment null and void?

Edited October 28, 2015 by b c

[b c]

Sorry to bump this, but I'm still hoping someone may have some advice.

[rising_star]

You're definitely not legally bound by that acceptance. And, any reasonable department will understand why you ultimately chose to go somewhere with funding rather than attend their institution. Good luck with your applications!

[pterosaur]

What about the issue of holding onto that acceptance while applying elsewhere? If they're holding a spot expecting you to start, I thought it was looked down on to apply elsewhere while still holding a spot at that institution.

[TakeruK]

I think this is a tricky situation that doesn't have a single clear answer because it depends on a lot of factors. But if you want some generalizations about research-based PhD programs (as opposed to professional or Masters programs), I would say:

If you are holding onto a funded offer for Fall 2015 but both parties have agreed that you will start in Fall 2016, then I would say that this is effectively you committing to said offer and it would be poor form for you to still be applying to other schools for Fall 2016. However, you have to do what you have to do---if you have changed your mind about going to this school in Fall 2016, then you should let them know that you are no longer interested, withdraw your spot and apply elsewhere. 

If you are holding onto an unfunded offer for Fall 2015, and the school is allowing you to start in Fall 2016 instead, then I would say what rising_star says would apply. I would say that you don't have any commitment (legal or otherwise) to this school and you should be applying to funded programs if that's what you're seeking. In addition, even if the school says you would be considered for funding in Fall 2016, this does not change anything. 

In short, I think you are only ethically bound to the school if they have promised you funding for the deferred start date. If you are in this situation but still want to apply to other programs, my opinion is that you should let the school know otherwise you could be burning a lot of bridges. But again, each case is different and the general advice might not apply to each specific case.