Admission Deferral Request Form

Do not request a deferral unless you're sure you will not be attending Waterloo for the fall 2025 term. Between July 1 and August 29, 2025, you can request a deferral. The deadline for international (visa) students is September 12 at 4:00 p.m.

You can request a deferral from the fall 2025 term to the fall 2026 (September) term for all programs. 

Winter deferrals (beginning in January) are possible for a limited number of programs. If you do not see your program offered in the winter deferral drop-down list, we are unable to accommodate this request. Spring deferrals are not an option.

If the program you have been admitted to allows for a winter deferral and you are interested in a January start, we highly suggest you contact your academic advisor to discuss the possible sequencing of courses and what this will mean for you before submitting the form.

Do not submit a deferral form unless you are absolutely sure you will not be joining us for the fall 2025 term. By submitting this form, if approved, you will be removed from your classes and housing, etc.

Deferrals will be approved as quickly as possible as long as all grades have been received and conditions have been met.

Instructions

  • Use this form to request to defer your Offer of Admission to the University of Waterloo:
    • You must be a student pursuing undergraduate studies.
    • You must have accepted your Offer of Admission through the Ontario Universities' Application Centre (OUAC) website by the stated deadline before submitting a deferral request.
    • All Waterloo undergraduate programs are eligible for a maximum of one-year deferral to fall 2026; we allow a limited number of deferrals for the winter term based on the program. Spring deferrals are not offered. For students in pharmacy, we will defer to the appropriate term start. For students with military service requirements, you could be eligible for a two-year deferral, pending documented proof of service. Email myapplication@uwaterloo.ca for more information.
  • Complete all required fields on the form. Please refer to your Offer letter when necessary.
  • You may take high school courses for personal interest during the deferral period.
  • You may not pursue college or university studies during the deferral period. If you take post-secondary courses during your deferral period, your deferral is void. If you take post-secondary courses without disclosing this, your application is considered academic fraud and you will not be able to pursue studies at the University of Waterloo.

Notes

  • You are only able to submit one deferral request. You will need to choose a fall or winter start, depending on the program.
  • You will not be required to reapply through OUAC if your deferral is approved. Your decision will be communicated via email with instructions on how to accept your new offer on Quest for winter or fall 2026 depending on the option you choose.

Student awards

  • If you received a President’s Scholarship or Merit Scholarship for fall 2025, the scholarship will be held during the deferral period and will be available for when you commence studies.
  • If you deferred your studies to winter 2026, your entrance bursary for fall 2025 will be held for you until you begin in winter 2026; if you deferred to fall 2026, you will need to reapply in February 2026. Consideration for other entrance scholarships and financial aid will be on an individual basis, as some awards are not eligible for deferral. For more information, contact Student Awards and Financial Aid.

Finances

  • Canadian students who have a credit balance on Quest could be refunded in the third month of term provided there is a Canadian bank account on Quest. If there is no banking information on Quest, you will not be refunded, and the credit balance will be applied to future term fees. Please contact Student Financial Services at sfshelp.uwaterloo.ca with any questions or concerns.
  • International students who have a credit balance on Quest can leave the credit balance on Quest and it will be applied to future term fees. You may, however, request a refund by contacting Student Financial Services to arrange an international refund. Note that if you paid:
    • the $2,500 tuition deposit only, there will be no refund,
    • all your term fees, your international refund will be reduced for the non-refundable tuition deposit of $2,500. 

Please contact Student Financial Services at sfshelp.uwaterloo.ca with any questions or concerns

  • If your OSAP or government financial aid from your home province has been issued to the University of Waterloo, some or all of the credit balance on your student account may need to be repaid to the National Student Loan Service Centre (NSLSC).  

Exceptions

  • Doctor of Optometry (OD): The School of Optometry and Vision Science does not allow you to defer an Offer of Admission. For further information, contact opt-admissions@uwaterloo.ca.
  • Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD): The School of Pharmacy may, under very exceptional circumstances, consider deferring an Offer of Admission for the PharmD program to a future entry point. When submitting the form, please include the following information in the Explanation section: the reason(s) for requesting a deferral of admission to the PharmD program, and a breakdown of your plans, both academic and non-academic, during the deferral period (January 2025 to January 2026). For further information, or to request a deferral after the form closes, contact pharmacy@uwaterloo.ca.
  • Conditional Admission to Pharmacy (CAP): The School of Pharmacy does not defer an Offer of Admission for CAP status. For further information, contact pharmacy@uwaterloo.ca.

  • Bachelor of Social Work (BSW): The School of Social Work may, under very exceptional circumstances, consider deferring an Offer of Admission for the BSW program to a future entry point. For further information, contact renison.socialwork@uwaterloo.ca.

Questions

Email myapplication@uwaterloo.ca if you have questions about completing this form.

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