DePaul University > Admission & Aid > Types of Admission > Freshman Student > Deferral Options

Deferral Options

​To our newly admitted students—we cannot wait to have you join our community!

While we certainly want to have you join our community this fall, if the best decision for you/your family is to postpone your start term, you can defer your admission to our Winter, Spring or next Fall quarters and still maintain your freshman academic scholarship, as long as you do not choose to take courses elsewhere in the meantime. Your scholarship will be pro-rated based on the term you join us. You can defer up to a year, but after a year, you will have to reapply.

To update your entry term, follow these steps:

  • Update your application through your Blue Demon Domain
  • Navigate to “Want to update your Entry Term?” and select “YES”
  • Indicate your updated entry term.
    • Winter Quarter (January–March)
    • Spring Quarter (March–June)
    • Fall Quarter (September–November)
  • Select whether you will be enrolled at another educational institution in the meantime.
    • If you do enroll elsewhere, we will need you to submit transcripts for our review prior to enrollment at DePaul.
    • If you are not enrolling elsewhere, select what your plans are from the list:
      • Gap Year Program
      • Health Reasons
      • Military Service
      • Obtaining Visa
      • Spend Time With Friends and Family
      • Travel
      • Working to Save Money
      • Other
  • We will follow up with you if we have any questions and with your next steps, including course selection information if you indicate you will enroll elsewhere.
  • You will receive a new admit packet prior to your new entry term.

Frequently Asked Questions

Your tuition deposit will secure your spot for that new entry term. It won’t need to be paid again and goes directly towards tuition for your first quarter.

No, you will attend orientation prior to your entry term and should not attend Premiere over the summer if you have already deferred or know you will defer your start to winter quarter (or later). Our partners in New Student and Family Engagement and First Year Programs have orientation programs throughout the year.

You will need to be sure to drop all of your courses through Campus Connect, as course registration happens at orientation. If you do not drop your courses, you will still be charged for fall tuition even if you don’t attend fall quarter courses.

Students that defer their freshman admission will take the Chicago Quarter course in their first term at DePaul—some sections of Explore Chicago are offered in winter and spring. Transfer students don’t have a Chicago Quarter requirement.

You have plenty of time—we suggest updating your term by September 1st so we can start working with you on your next steps, but if you need more time than that, you can update your term any time prior to the start of when you want to enroll with us.

No, these awards, awarded to some admitted freshmen, are only available for the term you were admitted for. If you update your term you can appeal for additional need-based financial aid.

Visit the Transferring Your Courses page to view online resources to help you with course selection if you choose to earn some credits while you wait to join us. Our DePaul Transfer Resources video will walk you through all of the transfer resources on our site. You can also talk with one of our admission counselors about selecting courses that will transfer to DePaul.

If you are planning on taking courses elsewhere and transferring to DePaul for the upcoming Winter or Spring quarter, you can take up to 30 semester hours of credit elsewhere and maintain your scholarship. If you are planning on taking courses elsewhere and transferring to DePaul for the next Fall quarter or later, you will forfeit your first-year freshman scholarship and will have to reapply as a transfer student.

Students admitted to the Theatre School are not able to defer their admission. Connect with Theatre admissions at theatreadmissions@depaul.edu for more information. Students admitted to the School of Music may be able to defer. Connect with Music admissions at musicadmissions@depaul.edu to learn more.

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