Defer your offer

Received an offer, but not ready to dive into study? Deferment might be the option for you.

Overview

What happens when you defer

Depending on your course, you may have the option to defer your offer for up to one year. This means we’ll hold a place for you to enrol in your course the following semester or year.

Research funding

If you are a postgraduate research student, you should be aware that funds to support your project may only be available for a limited amount of time, and deferment may impact your access to funding. Before requesting to defer we suggest that you confirm with the address on your scholarship offer letter that you will be eligible to receive the scholarship in the next research period.

Eligibility

Deferment is open to most students: Coursework or research, domestic or international students are able to request to defer, though not all courses can be deferred. International students on a student visa can only defer subject to conditions outlined in the National Code.

All applications for deferral are assessed on a case-by-case basis.

How to apply to defer

You can request a deferral through Sydney Student if you haven't accepted your offer.

If your deferral request is approved, a new offer will be issued.
If your deferral request is not approved, you can still accept your current offer.
If you wish to delay the start of your course for longer than a year, you will need to submit a new application to the University.

Go to Sydney Student Portal

Domestic students

If you're a domestic student, and you have accepted your offer but have not yet enrolled, you will need to contact our admissions team with your request at:

admissions.mail@sydney.edu.au

International students

If you're an international student, and you have already accepted your offer and paid your tuition fees, you can still apply to defer. Contact our admissions team with your request at:

admissions.mail@sydney.edu.au

A new electronic Confirmation of Enrolment (eCOE) will be issued when you accept the offer to the future intake.

You still have options.

While it’s too late to defer your offer once you’ve commenced your course, you can apply to suspend your studies. See our information on suspending your studies.

International students on a student visa can only defer their enrolment on the grounds of compassionate or compelling circumstances. For further details, please refer to the National Code 2018, Standard 9.

If you are a USFP/CET packaged student, who has received USFP/CET results that met the entry requirements and now wish to defer the principal course to the next available intake, you will need to submit a Break of Package Request Form to the Compliance Team (esos.compliance@sydney.edu.au).

Break of Package Request Form

Filename: break-of-package-request-form.pdf
Title: Break of Package Request Form
Size: 228 KB
Format: application/pdf
Extension: pdf

Reasons to consider deferring

Take a gap year

A gap year gives you the chance to recharge after the HSC, while travelling or working abroad can help you gain new skills, meet diverse people, and grow personally. It’s a valuable way to reflect on your next steps and enhance your future career prospects.

Volunteering programs

Boost your grades

A study by the Sydney School of Education and Social Work in 2013 showed that students who took a gap year achieved higher marks at university than students who entered straight after school.

Earn some cash

Taking a year to work full time and build up your savings account is a great way to ensure financial stress won’t impact your studies once you get here.

International student visa holders should note that there are specific conditions relating to deferment and all of the above reasons may not be applicable.

Defer your offer

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