Defer your admission

Have you been accepted into SFU but wish to defer your Undergraduate Admission offer? Requests will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis, and deferrals are not a guarantee.

Deferrals may be approved for students who:

Have an exceptional, unforeseen situation that is typically of a short-term nature and have a clear and definitive end date
Mandatory Military Service
Participating in a Rotary Program
Visa or Study Permit Delay

Deferrals will not be granted for students who:

Plan on attending another post-secondary institution during the deferral period
Do not meet the conditions of their admission offer
Are not financially prepared to attend post-secondary. We encourage you to connect with our Financial Aid & Awards Department for guidance and support with next-steps for financial planning for university

If your deferral application is not eligible, we encourage you to consider reapplying for an upcoming term. Simon Fraser University accepts applications for our Fall (September), Spring (January) and Summer (May) terms. More details on application dates and deadlines can be found here.

Deferral dates and deadlines

Admission Term	Application period
Spring (January)	October 15 to December 15
Summer (May)	February 15 to April 15
Fall (September)	July 1 to August 15*

For your deferral request to be considered, you must pay the admission deposit, which will be applied to your approved deferral term. Please note: The admission deposit is non-refundable.

*Students experiencing visa issues or other extenuating circumstances may submit a deferral request through our Future Students Community after the deadlines indicated above. Deferral requests submitted after the first day of classes will not be processed, and students are encouraged to reapply. Requests will be reviewed on a case by case basis.

Contact us

Contact the go-to person who emailed you following your application, get help, or submit an inquiry by visiting our Future Students community.

How to Request an Admission Deferral

Step 1: Accept your offer of admission and pay the non-refundable admission deposit fee: https://www.sfu.ca/students/enrolment-services/fees/how-to-pay.html

Step 2: Begin preparing supporting documentation in support of your deferral request. Supporting documentation requested will depend on the reason noted in your application. Requests may include medical, military service, proof of visa application submission or rejection document, to name a few.

Step 3: Complete the online Deferral Application Form by the posted deadline.

Step 4: If you have a conditional offer of admission, be sure to satisfy the conditions of your offer.

Important Information

Deferring SFU Entrance Scholarships, Awards and Bursaries

Only certain Entrance Scholarships, Awards and Bursaries can be deferred and requests will be reviewed on a case by case basis. Please contact fiassist@sfu.ca to see how your admission deferral may impact any scholarships, awards and bursaries you may have received. Be sure to include your SFU Student ID in your communications.

Course Registration

As deferrals are not a guarantee, we encourage you to register for courses on your enrollment date while your deferral application is reviewed. If your deferral application is approved, it is your responsibility to withdraw from your courses prior to the academic term. We encourage you to familiarize yourself with the deadlines to add, drop and swap courses without financial penalty: https://www.sfu.ca/students/deadlines/fall.html

If your deferral is not approved, you may choose to remain enrolled or drop your courses. If you drop all your courses for the upcoming term, your SFU student status will automatically be discontinued.

SFU Residence

If your deferral is approved and you have applied for residence, notify Residence and Housing to have your housing deferred by emailing housing@sfu.ca. Be sure to include your SFU Student ID in your communications.

International Students

If you are an international student, you are responsible for maintaining valid status while in Canada and continuing to meet all conditions of your study permit.

If you have any questions or concerns about your study permit renewal or status, you should speak with an International Student Advisor/Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant through the International Services for Students (ISS) office as soon as possible.

Graduate Student Deferrals

You should make the request directly to your academic program. If the deferral is approved, the offer of admission may be modified.

You may request to defer your admission term up to a maximum of one year.