What Does It Mean To Defer A College Start Date?

by Jul 24, 20200 comments

​You have worked extremely hard throughout your high school career. You have achieved good grades, excelled in your sport and you have received a fantastic scholarship to a university in the USA. But all of a sudden a global pandemic hits and there is so much stress and anxiety around going to the States, there are questions around Visas, flights and can you make it to campus on time. While the current situation with Covid 19 looks uncertain, there is some good news that you are able to defer your college start date. 

To defer to another academic year or semester entails having to postpone your initial enrollment to a later date that would best suit you. There are various reasons as to why a student may opt to defer their college enrollment date. With the current COVID-19 situation, this may be the best option going forward for students looking to commence their studies this fall.

Deferring your college admission has never been easier or more acceptable. During these times, colleges and universities aren’t left with many options. To accommodate international students starting this fall, many universities and colleges have suggested that students either defer or start online classes for the fall semester, until such a time that in-person classes can take place.

Requesting your deferral is fairly simple. In most cases, you do not have to pay an extra fee, and your application is valid for one year. However, some schools require you to pay again. You will have to check with the university you are planning to attend as it will differ from one to the other. Ideally, you will email three people;

  1. Your Admissions Officer
  2. Your Sports Coach
  3. The International Student’s Office

​Keep in mind that each college and university is different. It is important to contact your specific college or university for the most up-to-date policies and procedures in terms of the deferment process. It is also important to note that many schools will grant a year deferral but not a quarter or semester, so be sure to factor this into your plans and budget. However, exceptions are being made this year due to the unique situation we are currently faced with.

In terms of deferring financial aid or scholarships, be sure to confirm with your coach and admissions officer. Just because you’ve been offered financial assistance with your initial acceptance does not mean you are guaranteed that same package when you return a year later. You may need to re-apply for financial aid and scholarships prior to commencing school. However, the chances are if you were granted scholarship awards or financial aid the first time around, you’ll be granted it again. It is highly unlikely that scholarship awards are revoked completely in these circumstances.

It is not often that we are faced with the need to go through the deferral process. Due to the delay in obtaining Visas, coupled with travel restrictions, deferring will enable students to buy some time in the hope that the situation will ease. It is important to note that the admissions officers together with coaches will find a way to make the process as easy and as simple as possible for you. Please contact us if you are unsure how to defer your college start date. 



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