How Does Deferring Typically Work?

[joysii]

I know people talk about it sometimes, but when I was doing apps this cycle I never came across anything mentioning options/potential to defer on university websites. Is deferring something the university typically offers to you as an option if they want to admit you but can't immediately, or is it something admitted students will personally request due to personal circumstances? Also, how receptive are universities to deferring?

Edited March 16, 2020 by joysii

[cropop]

Deferment is usually requested by the student. If they want to admit you but can't, they'll likely admit you but say they don't have funding because the can't is usually funding related.

Each school will have their own policy. You generally would have to have a good reason for it (temporary medical issue, etc. stressing the temporary). Some schools will allow it and some won't and it will likely only be for a year if they do.

[iamblinguist]

cropop is right that it is university specific. Sometimes it's at the department's discretion, sometimes it has to go through the university for approval.

When I got my acceptances I wanted to defer for a Fulbright ETA, and some departments told me yes but the fellowship couldn't be deferred, another was willing to be very flexible. Having a student who gets grants from an organization like Fulbright looks good for a department, so that also might have helped. The best you can do is just ask the department. Every field might be different, but all of my schools were extremely helpful and looked into the options for me.