Deferral

A deferral is permission for an already admitted MBA student to start one cycle later than the class they were admitted to. The seat moves from August 2026 to August 2027. It is a courtesy with rules, not a right.

Schools grant it for visas, medical events, military orders, unexpected employer needs, or a once-in-a-decade job the student should take first. They do not grant it because you want to re-shop scholarships.

How it works

You request in writing after the admit. The letter that comes back will say whether the scholarship travels, whether you must submit a deposit, and whether a second delay is possible (usually no). Yield math is why this is painful for the school: they built a class, you said yes, then you asked to leave a hole.

A deferral is not a waitlist. You already have the yes. It is also not a deferred MBA path, which is a product that delays start on purpose for undergraduates.

Example: you are admitted in R1 with $30,000 a year. In May your employer offers a 14-month project in another country. The school grants a one-year deferral and keeps $15,000 of the aid. The other $15,000 goes back into next year’s budget. You rejoin the following class with a smaller award and no claim on the old section.

How it differs

Withdrawing and reapplying is a new file. A leave of absence happens after matriculation. Deferred-MBA programs are a separate admissions track.

Common errors

Asking to defer so you can hold a second school’s waitlist. Assuming aid is portable. Treating a verbal “that should be fine” from a receptionist as the letter.