Deferring an offer of admission

The deadline to request a deferral was 4 p.m. ET on August 30, 2024.

How do I request a deferral?

  1. First, you must accept your Offer of Admission from Waterloo on the Ontario Universities' Application Centre (OUAC) website by the deadline stated on the offer.
  2. Next, you must meet all conditions outlined on your Offer of Admission by the deadline specified on that offer.
  3. Starting July 1, 2024, you can request a deferral.
    1. The maximum deferral period is one calendar year (three academic terms).
      • For students with military service requirements, you could be eligible for a two-year deferral, pending documented proof of service. Please email myapplication@uwaterloo.ca for more information.
    2. On the form, you'll be asked to explain your reasons for requesting the deferral and to summarize your plans for the deferral period.

You may not pursue college or university studies during the deferral period. You may take high school courses for personal interest.

When will I find out about my deferral?

Each request will be considered on an individual basis. Decisions on deferral requests will normally be made in July and August after all conditions outlined on an offer of admission have been met.

What happens when I want to start studying?

You will not be required to reapply through the Ontario Universities' Application Centre (OUAC) next year. We’ll send you a new offer of admission in early 2025. You’ll need to follow the instructions stated in the deferral approval email we'll send you and accept this offer in Quest by the date indicated on the offer of admission.

Please ensure the email address listed in your Waterloo Quest account is one you will check in January or February 2025. That is the address we'll send the instructions to.

Scholarships and entrance bursaries

  • If you received a President’s Scholarship, the scholarship will be held for you and will be applied to the term you begin your first-year studies.
  • If you're an Ontario student and you received an entrance bursary for September 2024, you'll need to reapply when the application opens in February 2025.
  • Consideration for other entrance scholarships will be on a case-by-case basis.

Residence

  • Students who defer their offer of admission prior to August 1 are eligible to receive a refund of the residence deposit.
  • Eligible students must submit a withdrawal/cancellation form prior to this deadline and select ‘deferral’ as the reason to receive the deposit refund back to the original payment method.