Who can request to defer?

You can request to defer your offer if you:

  • Receive an offer to study at UNSW; AND
  • Haven’t been given a deferment for the same (or a similar) degree before.

What is deferment?

Deferment allows you to delay the start of your degree for up to 1 year from the intake that you were offered.

Please note that offer deferral is not guaranteed and requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis dependent on the program capacity and availability.

Have you already started your studies?

If you’ve completed at least one teaching period (i.e. term or semester), you can apply for program leave instead. Program leave is available for up to one year for continuing students and can be extended under exceptional circumstances.

Exceptions for deferment

  • Co-op programs
  • One-year Honours programs, including Education (Secondary), Music and Psychological Science
  • Undergraduate Certificate programs
  • Master of Psychology
  • Graduate Diploma of Mine Geotechnical Engineering
  • Graduate Diploma in Aviation (Flying)
  • Non-Award and Cross Institutional Study
  • UNSW Canberra Defence sponsored students (ADFA Trainee Officers, current serving ADF members and DCUS students).

Please note that offer deferral is not guaranteed and requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis dependent on the program capacity and availability.

How do I defer?

I've received my program offer but haven't accepted it yet.

To defer your program:

  1. Follow the instructions on Accept Online and select Deferment before your offer expiry
  2. Save or print the screen for your records.
  3. You will receive a response to your deferral request via email within up to 4 weeks of submission. If your deferment request is approved, this email will include information on how to take up your deferred place in a future term.

If you haven’t received an outcome to your deferral request in over 4 weeks of your deferral request, call the UNSW Admissions Office on +61 (2) 9385 3656 or submit an enquiry.

Conditional offer holders must submit an enquiry to the UNSW Admissions Offers to request deferment.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

Program contacts

Coursework degrees

Kensington campus

P: +61 (2) 9385 3656
E: enquiry.unsw.edu.au

Canberra campus

P: +61 (2) 5114 5000
E: sas.cbr@unsw.edu.au

Higher Degree Research (HDR)

Kensington campus

P: +61 (2) 9385 6731
E: international.grs@unsw.edu.au or
domestic.grs@unsw.edu.au

Canberra campus

P: +61 (2) 6268 8112
E: rsu@adfa.edu.au

(Scholarship recipients must cc Kensington campus)