Deferring an offer of admission

If you'd like to take time before you start your studies at Waterloo, you can request to defer your admission for a year.

During the deferral period, you can not pursue college or university studies. However, you may take high school courses for personal interest.

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.
    • Most offers have a deadline of June 2, 2025.
  2. Next, you must meet all conditions outlined on your Offer of Admission by the deadline specified on that offer.
  3. From July 1 through August 31, 2025, you can request a deferral.
    1. A link to the deferral form will be provided on this page.
    2. 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.
    3. On the form, you'll be asked to explain your reasons for requesting the deferral and to summarize your plans for the deferral period.

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?

  1. 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 2026. 
  2. Follow the instructions in the deferral approval email we'll send you and accept your new Offer of Admission in Quest by the date indicated on the offer.

Please ensure the email address listed in your Waterloo Quest account is one you'll check in January or February 2026. That is the address we'll send the instructions to. You can log into Quest during your deferral to update your email address if needed.

Scholarships and entrance bursaries

  • If you received a President’s Scholarship, the scholarship will be held for you until you begin your first-year studies.
  • Consideration for other entrance scholarships you were awarded will be on a case-by-case basis.
  • If you're an Ontario student and you received an entrance bursary for September 2025, you'll need to reapply when the application opens in February 2026.

Residence deposit

If your Offer of Admission deferral is approved by August 1, you're eligible to receive a refund of the residence deposit. 

To have your deposit refunded, you must submit a Confirmed Contract Cancellation Form before August 1 and select ‘deferral’ as the reason. Your deposit will be refunded back to the original payment source/method.