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Deferred entry and gap year
We are happy to consider applications from students who wish to take a year out of study before starting university.
Please note, however, it may not be possible to consider all requests for deferred entry.
How to apply
There are two ways to apply if you plan to take a gap year:
- apply for deferred entry in your final year at school or college
- make an application for immediate entry during your year out.
Deferred entry applications
Applications for deferred entry are considered for almost all of our degree programmes.
However, competition for places is extremely high and applicants applying during their gap year, with qualifications achieved, will often be in a stronger position than those applying for deferred entry with predicted grades.
Applicants to Fine Art or Veterinary Medicine, and applicants for full-fee overseas Medicine places, who wish to take a gap year, will not be considered for deferred entry, and should apply during their year out.
SQA applicants to Medicine who wish to take a gap year are strongly encouraged to do so after completing S6.
UCAS personal statement
When applying for deferred entry or during your gap year, you should include in your UCAS personal statement details of how you intend to spend or have spent your gap year.
This is particularly important for subjects such as Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, where a year out provides an opportunity to extend further your education and prepare you for your degree studies.
In order to provide the best preparation for your studies, applicants holding offers for mathematics or languages degrees, who are taking a gap year, are strongly recommended to undertake work that maintains their mathematics or language skills during their year out.
Further advice
In many subject areas, deferred entry applications can be highly competitive.
For this reason, you are strongly advised to contact the College Admissions Office prior to submitting an application for deferred entry.
Further information about deferred entry and other study routes is available from the College Admissions Offices.
This article was published on Jun 27, 2012