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Deferring a place at university - the REAL guide
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What does deferring a place at university actually mean?
Basically, deferring a place at university means postponing uni and beginning your course the following September or October, instead of in the same year as you finish your A levels. By applying for deferred entry, you gain an extra 12 months to do something. What that something is is up to you!
How do I go about deferring a place at university?
There are two ways of deferring a place at university. You can tick the deferred entry box on your UCAS form when you first apply. If your application is accepted, you'll start a year later. If you didn't think about deferring a place beforehand, it might not be too late!
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Contact your university, explain why you're interested in deferring a place at university and what you plan to do - there's every chance they'll say yes!
What are the advantages of deferring a place at university?
You don't need to be studying maths to work out that postponing uni gives you 15 or so months to do something. By deferring and taking a gap year, you're giving yourself a chance to do something unusual and rewarding - like taking time out to go travelling, trying out new things, discovering different cultures or getting paid work abroad to help you at uni.
Plus! Taking gap year often helps people mature and become more confident and able to deal with the demands of university.
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What do universities think about deferring a place at university?
Most universities agree with us, and believe that applying for deferred entry and taking a gap year allows students to have a worthwhile, constructive experience. You should obviously check what your university-to-be says, but here are a couple of examples:
Queen's College at Cambridge University: “We are happy to encourage applicants in all subjects (even Maths!) to either apply for deferred entry or to apply post-A2. We think that time away from study between school and university offers students the chance to develop, mature and see something of the world.”
The Centre for Joint Honours (Science) at the University of Leeds: “We think a GAP year is a very valuable experience for most students, as long as you have thought carefully about what you will do and how it will contribute to your further studies and career development. We find that most students who come to university after a GAP year are much better prepared to concentrate on their studies and also have useful life experiences to bring to bear on the subjects they are taking.”
So there you go! Deferring a place at university could be one of the best things you've ever done. For tips on taking a gap year and making it work for you, take a look at our Putting your gap year on your CV page.
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