Brandeis University Deferral Policy

Students admitted to the Class of 2016

The Brandeis University Office of Admissions recognizes that some admitted students may wish to take a deferral year to pursue personal goals before entering the university. Students who are admitted to Brandeis as first-years may defer enrollment for one full year in keeping with the procedures outlined below. 

In order to defer enrollment to Brandeis, students must submit a Deferral Request Form, which will be reviewed by the admissions staff. Recent examples of reasons for admissions deferral requests included military service obligations, as well as religious and research opportunities.

The Admissions Office processes deferral requests on a case-by-case basis. Students will be notified in writing regarding the approval or denial of their request. If you decide to apply for a deferral of admission, there are several critical factors to note as you enter this process. We suggest that you print this page for future reference.

Request Deadline

We strongly encourage students to request a deferral by May 1, but the final deadline for requesting a deferral is May 20, 2012.

Log in to your admissions account to submit the Deferral Request Form (look for the “Thinking of a Gap Year?” text on the right-hand side). Students must submit the Enrollment Form and University Deposit before they can view the Deferral Request Form. Your request will then be reviewed by the Admissions staff.

Deferral Deposit

To ensure that the decision to defer admission and enroll at Brandeis is serious and well founded, we require deferring students to submit a nonrefundable deposit of $800, in addition to the $500 University Fee. This additional $800 may be paid online or with a check, and it will be credited toward the first semester of tuition. Once your deferral request is reviewed and approved by the Admissions staff, you will receive a notice with a link to pay the deferral deposit online.

Notification

After the Deferral Request Form and $800 deposit have been received, the student will be notified via their online account that the deferral has been granted. Students will be notified by June 1, 2012.

Duration

Students may defer admission for one year only. Those admitted to the Midyear class may defer only to the following Midyear class, which begins in January 2014. No single-semester deferrals will be allowed.

Exclusions

Students admitted as transfers, Gateway Scholars, special or visiting students, or into the Transitional Year Program may not defer enrollment.

Financial Aid

A student who has received a need-based financial aid award must reapply for financial aid for the following year. The CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE, the FAFSA, and copies of student and parent Federal Income Tax Returns will be required. Because eligibility for financial aid is determined each year based on current tax and asset information, a deferring student is not guaranteed the same financial aid award was that offered with his admission. If the family financial situation remains the same, however, Brandeis will make every effort to renew the initial award offer.

Expectations

We regard a deferral of admission as a mutual commitment. We agree to hold a place for you in the class, and you agree to enter Brandeis one year later than your original offer of admission. We expect that you will not apply to other colleges during the year and that you will not enroll at another college as a degree-seeking candidate. We also require that you not hold a deferral at another institution.