The Pros and Cons for Deferring your Entry to University

Thinking of taking a year out before you start your higher education studies?

Pros

• Travelling – COVID-19 permitting, it could raise your awareness and appreciation of other cultures and expand your global network of friends. Deferring rather than applying next year means that you can get your place set up and waiting for you so that you don’t have to apply from abroad.
• Confidence and independence – you can use your initiative, arrange travel, find accommodation, learn to budget and survive on your own money.
• Learn – transferable skills, a new craft and broaden your horizons.
• Work experience - the more relevant it is to your course and future career, the better it will look on your CV and applications and the more it will enhance your studies. It can make you stand out from the crowd on paper and at interview. Having experienced entry level jobs, you may be more committed to learning to boost your prospects and you could use it to try out different industries.
• Money - save for university, fund your life as a student, pay off a debt, get a taste of being self-sufficient or earn money to put towards travelling.
• Language - improve your skills, endear you to local people, it may also help you find a job, you could teach English abroad.
• Time - to decide if university is right for you, consider your options, open up new avenues, take a mental or physical health break, fulfil any other commitments before you go and take a chance that may not come again before retirement.

Cons

• University says no - they may prefer students not to have a gap in studying before they start their degree, they may not be offering the course the following year or they could be changing it.
• Harm your CV - if your year is not productive or not relevant, it might look like you were being lazy or disorganised and create an unexplained gap on your CV.
• Make university harder - you might have got out of the way of studying, feel older or more mature than the others or have found a life partner who you can’t leave.
• Cost you money - you delay the chance to earn a higher wage in a graduate job and travelling can be expensive. You might get used to your wage and lifestyle and end up not going to university, which could lead to lower lifetime wages.
• Scary – even before COVID-19, travelling and working can seem too challenging and overwhelming and some people do encounter real danger. You might prefer to travel after your degree or take a career break later on.

How

Research and create a plan detailing what you want to achieve and how you will achieve it.  You can select the deferred entry start date when adding a choice on your UCAS application and state the reasons and your plans in your personal statement. To defer after submitting your application or after you get your exam results, you will need to ask the course provider. You may change your mind not to defer, in which case they will consider if they still have spaces and can agree to the change. If you want to apply through Clearing, then you will need to decline your deferred place first. For more information and help contact: careers@loucoll.ac.uk.