This deferral policy applies to incoming summer/fall 2021 students and later.
What is a deferral?
A deferral is a formal request by a confirmed student to change their anticipated entry term at CU Boulder. If granted, deferrals are only valid for up to one year.
What you will retain by deferring:
- Admission into the program to which you have been admitted.
- If you paid your $200 confirmation deposit, it will be retained and apply towards your new entry term. It will not be refunded.
- Scholarships awarded by the Office of Admissions (Chancellor’s Achievement, Presidential, CU Boulder Esteemed scholarships, and Arts and Humanities). All other awards do not carry forward.
- Admission to the Arts & Sciences Honors Program and Leeds Honors Program.
What you lose by deferring:
- First year live in will not apply if you are deferring for a year. If you are deferring only to spring, first-year students are still required to live in. Housing eligibility for non-first year students is determined from year to year.
- Your confirmation deposit will be forfeited should you fail to enroll by the expiration of your deferral term.
- Any scholarships not awarded by the Office of Admissions.
- If you have been admitted as a first year student: should you take college courses elsewhere during your deferral period, your status will be changed to a transfer student. Your offer of admission may be subject to being rescinded if the grades you earn in your college coursework elsewhere reflect poor academic performance.
- Invitation to honors programs not listed above may be in jeopardy. We recommend reaching out to the director of any honors programs you have been invited to (aside from Leeds Honors and the College of Arts and Sciences Honors Program, as those offers are retained during the deferral period) and discussing your options, if any, to retain your spot in the respective honors program.
- The ability to appeal for an automatic consideration scholarship. Your credentials for these awards are locked based on the information on hand with the Office of Admissions at the time of your deferral.
For more information on how to defer your admission, visit our next steps page.