If you have applied for a research degree, you may be able to change your start date to another term of the same academic year.
You can only request an alternative start date if your department accepts entries in other terms. Check the Course Directory for the start dates available for your course.
Most of our taught courses only start in October, so you cannot change your start date.
It is not possible to defer entry to a different academic year, except in exceptional circumstances. See Deferring your application for guidance.
How to request a different start date
- If you have not yet received an offer – Contact your department or faculty directly.
- If you have received an offer – Request a deferral via your Self-Service account. The option will only appear if your course accepts deferrals. You should also contact your department for advice.
- If your admission has already been confirmed – Submit a request form and select ‘deferral’ as the topic. We will need to unconfirm your place before we can process the request. If approved, your place will be re-confirmed once updates have been made.
Deadlines to request a change
Your request must be submitted by:
- 10 October 2025 to defer from Michaelmas term (October 2025) to Lent or Easter term (January or April 2026)
- 16 January 2026 to defer from Lent term (January 2026) to Easter term (April 2026)
Approval process
Your request will only be approved if agreed by:
- Your department or faculty
- The degree committee
- Your College (If they cannot accommodate your request, your application will be sent to another College for consideration)
- The Postgraduate Admissions Office
If your request is rejected by the University, your place to study will be withdrawn.
If your request is approved
- You will not usually need to resubmit academic documents.
- You may need to provide an updated passport, ATAS certificate, or English language test if any of these expire before your new start date.
- Any scholarships you have already been awarded will usually remain valid but you must check with your sponsor. You will not be reconsidered for new scholarships.
Visa applications
- You cannot use the same visa if your course start date changes.
- If a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) has already been issued, visa sponsorship will be withdrawn. A new CAS will be issued once your deferral is approved and conditions met.
- If your visa has already been granted, it will be curtailed. Visa fees and the Immigration Health Surcharge are not refundable.
- If you have applied for a visa and the decision is still pending, you will likely need to withdraw your application.
For further advice, email international.students@admin.cam.ac.uk.