I want to defer Oxford, can I?

[avaniamalya]

I've been offered a place at Oxford to study world literatures in English but I think I might want to defer. I currently have no funding and I'd really like to spend an additional year looking for some - it's going to be difficult for my parents to afford it without external support. I've also been offered a position as a research and teaching assistant for a year and I'd like to accept. This will probably also help me fund my masters next year. Are any of these reasons likely to be valid grounds for deferring? Am I more likely to be granted a deferral of I write to the head of my department directly? I'm freaking out. Please help?

[Feanor]

Unfortunately,  lack of funds is not a valid reason for deferral. I'm taking this from Oxford's website:

Offer Contract

"The University does not normally accept requests for deferral of entry to a later term/year. You will normally be expected to start your course on the date and term indicated in your departmental offer letter. However, you may apply for a deferral of entry, under exceptional circumstances, if the following two criteria are both met:

1. Unforeseen and unforeseeable circumstances that are outside your control will prevent you from taking up your offer on the start date indicated in your offer letter. This might include, for example, ill health or bereavement. In some instances, deferrals can also be requested because of visa application issues (see below).
2. You have met all the departmental and college conditions of your offer, including your Financial Declaration."

In the case of Cambridge, it seems you can only ask in case you want to change to another start date for your course within the same academic year (which

may not exist, particularly for taught courses).

 

I'm sorry to say, I'm also struggling with funding for Oxbridge.