Can I change my start date/defer my entry?
If you wish to change the start date of your course, you may be able to request a deferral.
Deferral is only available if there is a later start date available within the same academic year. It is not possible to defer entry to the next academic year.
You may only apply to defer your offer if you have applied for a research degree, and you wish to change your start term within the same academic year. Possible start dates for research degrees are October, January and April. Please note, however, that not every department accepts applicants for January or April entry.
The majority of MPhil courses begin with taught elements, and only start in October. As such, deferral is not possible for these courses.
If you wish to change your admission to a later academic year, you will have to make a new application.
How to change your start date if you have received an offer
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.
You may also wish to contact your department, as they may have further advice on deferral.
How to change your start date if your admission has been confirmed
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.
For your deferral request to be processed, we will need to unconfirm your place. If your deferral is approved, you will be re-confirmed once any required updates have been made to your supporting documents.
How to change your start date if you have not yet received an offer
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.
Approval of your deferral request
Your deferral will only be approved after agreement from each of the following: the department/faculty, degree committee, College and the Postgraduate Admissions Office.
If your deferral is approved, you will not normally have to resubmit any academic documents which you have already sent. Any scholarships which you have already been awarded will usually remain valid for the later start date, as long as you start you course before the end of April. However, you will need to consult your sponsor if you wish to defer your offer. You will not automatically be considered for any further scholarships. If your request to defer your admission is agreed, you will be required to submit a new financial undertaking form to show your new start date.
If your deferral is approved, you may also be asked to provide an updated passport, ATAS certificate or language test if any you have submitted previously will expire before your new start date. You will be notified via your self-service account if any of these are required.
If your deferral request is rejected by the department/faculty, or degree committee, your place to study will be withdrawn. If your deferral request is rejected by the College, your application will automatically be sent to another College for consideration.
Deferral request deadline
Please note that there are deadlines in place for each term. If you wish to be considered for a deferral, your request must be submitted before the following dates:
Deferring from Lent 2023 to Easter 2023: 14 January 2023
Deferring from Michaelmas 2023 to Lent 2024 and Easter 2024: 7 October 2023
Deferring from Lent 2024 to Easter 2024: 14 January 2024
Applications for deferrals past these dates cannot be considered.
How to re-submit your application in the following academic year
If you have an offer and you are unable to arrive in Cambridge to start your programme you can re-submit your original application materials for consideration in the following academic year. You will be asked to explain your reason for re-submitting. Guidance on the re-submission process is available, please read all sections of this carefully. Note that re-submission does not guarantee a new offer and it may also require the resubmission of documents to meet offer conditions.