Can you defer admission to graduate school

First, an applicant must contact the department to discuss the reasons why he or she wishes to defer. If the department approves the deferral request, the applicant should select the "I accept but am requesting a deferral" button within the admission offer and upload a brief statement explaining the specific reasons for the deferral request in the field provided.

Then, the Graduate School will review the request and a decision will be emailed within three to five business days. Student Contacts department to request a deferral, submits an admission response, and attaches the supporting statement to the admission response. PhD applicants who have accepted offers of admission and later wish to request a deferral may write to gsas-admissions [at] columbia.

Deferred Enrollment In the months prior to your new enrollment term, an updated offer of admission will be sent to you via email. This new offer must be accepted via the online response form instructions will be provided in the updated admission letter. This deposit must be paid on or before the response deadline noted in the admission letter.

After the tuition deposit is received, the Deferral Request Form will appear on the Applicant Status page. Submit the Deferral Request Form, indicating the intended term of enrollment and providing a brief explanation for the request. Possible start dates for research degrees are October, January and April. However, please note that not every department accepts applicants for January or April entry.

Please note: If you wish to be considered for the next academic year, you will be required to make a fresh application. It is not possible to resubmit your existing application for a start date in a subsequent academic year. If you no longer wish to start your course in the term for which you have received an offer, you may be able to defer your offer to another start date within the same academic year.

If deferral for your course is possible, it will appear as an option to choose on your Self-Service page. If your admission has already been confirmed but you wish to request a deferral to another start date within the same academic year, you will need to email the Postgraduate Admissions Office to make the request, as 'deferral' will not appear as an option in your Self-Service page.

If you have not yet received an offer but you wish to change the course start date, you will need to contact the department or faculty to make the request, as the deferral option is only available for applicants who have received an offer. If your deferral is approved, you will not normally have to resubmit any academic documents which you have already sent. For current students exploring a leave of absence, refer to the Graduate Policies and Procedures Handbook.

Not all academic units offer deferrals, so please consult your academic unit prior to submitting a request. If you have registered for classes, drop your classes before submitting the Request Change form. By registering for classes, you agree to pay all applicable tuition and registration fees. Sign in to My ASU to withdraw from your classes. Make sure you are prepared to start classes the semester to which you deferred your admission. Submit official transcripts. Official, original or authenticated transcripts from every college or university from which you earned a comparable credential to a U.

Register for your classes once registration opens to ensure you have time to review course materials and familiarize yourself with classroom locations, access and policies.