Gap year deferral letter template
If you've been admitted and want to take a year first, most colleges ask for a written request, and many want to approve the plan before granting it. Here's a letter you can adapt.
Before you write it
- Find your college's deferral policy. Search the admissions site for “defer” or “gap year”. It will say the deadline, whether they want your enrollment deposit first, and what the plan must include.
- Have a real plan, with names and dates. “Travel and work” is easy to decline. “A 10-month conservation corps crew from September to June” is not.
- Follow their conditions exactly. Deferral policies often rule out enrolling at another college for credit during the year. If yours says so, say you understand it.
The letter
Replace everything in [brackets]. Delete the stipend line if your year doesn't pay.
Subject: Request to defer enrollment to [Fall 20XX] — [Your full name], [Applicant/Student ID] Dear [Name of admissions officer, or "Office of Admissions"], Thank you again for admitting me to [College] for [Fall 20XX]. I am writing to request a one-year deferral of my enrollment so I can take a gap year before starting in [Fall 20XX]. What I plan to do From [month] to [month], I will [what you will do] with [program or organization]. [One or two sentences on what the work involves.] [If it pays: The position pays a stipend of about [amount], which I will put toward my education.] Why this year matters [Two or three sentences, specific to you: what you want to learn, test, or earn, and how it connects to what you plan to study.] What I will not do I understand the conditions of a deferral. I will not enroll as a degree-seeking student at another college or university during the year, and I will [confirm any other condition listed in your college's deferral policy]. I have [submitted my enrollment deposit / will submit it by [date]]. I am happy to send more detail about the program or a month-by-month plan if that would help. Thank you for considering my request. Sincerely, [Full name] [Applicant/Student ID] [Email] · [Phone]
Still deciding what the year is?
Hundreds of gap years pay a stipend or wage instead of charging you, and a specific plan is the strongest thing a deferral request can have.