NDSEG site : FAQ -> Other FAQ
If I am awarded, can I defer?
The NDSEG Fellowship can be deferred only under exceptional circumstances and with approval of the DoD; if you are accepted, you must start in the fall of that year. You will not be able to defer the NDSEG Fellowship if you were awarded another fellowship you wish to use instead.
Situations in which the tenure may be extended with prior approval of the DoD are: The fellow is invited to do research at a DoD laboratory or test center for one or more summer periods. The fellow's graduate institution does not offer an appropriate program during the summer months. The fellow is granted a deferral due to another extenuating circumstance.