Deferral of Admission

If you have been admitted to the University of Guelph directly from high school and are unable to begin studies in the fall, you can request to defer your offer of admission for one year. Deferrals are usually considered for the fall entry point only.

Things to consider before deferring your admission

If you choose to defer your offer of admission to fall 2026, you will not have the option to enrol in any courses at the University of Guelph or any other post-secondary institution for the entire year (during the deferral period).

If you are interested in taking at least one course, you might be interested in studying part-time.

Part-time studies in lieu of a deferral

Students have the option of taking a reduced course load, with the exception of Co-op students. If you enrol in fewer than 2.00 credits, you will automatically be considered a part-time student. (Note: most courses are 0.50 credits each.)

Before deciding to study part-time, we recommend you do the following:

• Speak with your Program Counsellor to learn how part-time studies could potentially impact your future course selections and future plans such as graduate or professional school.
• If you are receiving scholarships, bursaries, government aid (i.e., OSAP), or other funding, check with Student Financial Services about changes to eligibility.
• If you are an international student, visit the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada website and contact an International Student Advisor.

If you do not intend to register in courses for the 2025-2026 academic year, please see below for information on how to request a deferral.

Deferral Eligibility

To be considered for a deferral you must:

• Accept your offer of admission on OUAC by the June 2 deadline (or as otherwise instructed in your offer);
• Meet all conditions outlined in your offer of admission by the date specified in your offer letter;
• Submit the deferral application form and pay the non-refundable $90 fee by July 31, 2025;
• Not attend any other post-secondary institution during the deferral period. You may complete additional high school courses.

Notes:

• You may only submit a deferral application for the program offer which you have accepted.
• If you intend to defer your offer of admission, do not register in courses.
• Transfer students cannot defer an offer of admission.

Residence and Scholarships

• If you are granted a deferral, you will need to submit a new residence application and deposit by the deadline specified for the following year. Additional questions can be directed to Student Housing Services at housing@uoguelph.ca or 519-824-4120 ext. 58701.
• Entrance scholarships and bursaries cannot be deferred.
• You will be considered for entrance scholarships available to all high school students entering fall 2025. You are encouraged to follow the “Step-by-Step Entrance Award Instructions" located on Student Financial Services website.
• For questions about scholarships and bursaries, please contact Student Financial Services at awards@uoguelph.ca.

Application Instructions

Please direct deferral inquiries to admission@uoguelph.ca.

1. The deferral application is accessible through WebAdvisor under the 'Applicant' menu on June 2, 2025.
2. Submit the application.
3. Pay the non-refundable $90 fee using one of these payment methods by July 31, 2025.

Next steps:

1. Deferral requests will be reviewed on an ongoing basis, once the conditions of the offer have been satisfied. The deadline to fulfill all conditions of your offer is August 8, 2025.
2. All decisions will be communicated no later than August 31, 2025.
3. Applicants who are granted a deferral will receive a new offer of admission in December 2025, provided all conditions have been fulfilled.

Note: If you submit a deferral application and later choose to withdraw that application, please notify Admission Services at admission@uoguelph.ca.

Please direct deferral inquiries to admission@uoguelph.ca.