Admissions Policies | Office of Undergraduate Admissions | UCI

Admissions Policies

Under certain circumstances, a request for deferring admission may be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Deferment Policy

In general, UC Irvine does not defer undergraduate offers of admission. An offer of admission applies only to the specific term for which the applicant has applied. An offer of admission is not transferable to another academic term. Consequently, a student who was admitted to one term may not necessarily be offered admission in another term. Students who are not able to attend the university for the specific term to which they have applied, and have been admitted, will need to reapply for admission.

Under certain circumstances, a request for deferring admission may be considered on a case-by-case basis. These circumstances must fall into one of the following:

  • Medical condition(s) and/or treatment(s) that make it impossible or unsafe for the student to enroll in the term to which they have been admitted.
  • United States Armed Forces active military orders changing an applicant’s ability to enroll in the term to which they have been admitted. Applicant must be an active U.S. military member.
  • Visa issuance delays due to extended administrative processing.
    • Applicant must provide evidence of scheduled visa appointment with appropriate consulate/embassy, including the appointment date.
    • In general, only deferments to Winter session will be considered.
  • Extraordinary circumstance not otherwise indicated.

Please note requests for deferments are considered by a committee of senior staff within the Office of Admissions, and relevant documentation may be required. Applicants may postpone their initial enrollment at UC Irvine for a maximum of one year. Applicants who cannot enroll after one year, will need to reapply for admission.

Submitting a Request for Deferment

Applicants seeking a deferment that meets one or more of the circumstances stated above, and who submitted a positive Statement of Intent to Register (SIR), must submit a letter formally requesting consideration to defer admission to another term accompanied with supporting documents. Be sure to include your name and Student ID number on all documents.

Guidance for Supporting Documents

Medical deferment requests must include a letter from your medical provider indicating the academic term or month/year in which the provider expects you will be cleared to enroll. 

  • Please do NOT include patient charts, lab/test results, photographs, or other protected health information. 

Deferment requests due to United States Armed Forces active military orders should include documentation indicating your active-duty service or training start date. Non-United States military orders are not considered for deferral. 

Deferment requests due to Visa issuance delays must include an official notification from the consulate/embassy indicating your scheduled visa appointment date.

Deferment requests can be submitted between July 1 and September 15, 2025. Submit your deferment request online.

Deferment Conditions

  • Applicant must submit any and all official documents (i.e. transcripts, test scores, etc.) by all deadlines. For first-year applicants, the final official high school transcript must include a graduation date.
  • Applicant must satisfy the terms and conditions as stated in their admission contract.
  • Applicant may not enroll in any coursework at another college or university during this time.
  • For deferments granted due to Visa procurement delays, If Visa procurement is the cause for deferment, applicant must provide their Visa prior to start of deferred (new) term.

Deferral Review

Deferral requests will not be reviewed until all official required documents have been received. Deferral requests for Fall 2025 will not be granted after October 17, 2025 (term’s last day to enroll in units to avoid a loss of student status).

Important Notes

  • First-year applicants must maintain their application status of first-year by not attending another college or university. The University of California defines a first-year applicant as, an applicant who is currently in high school or has graduated from high school but has not enrolled in a regular (non-summer) session at a college or university. If you have completed college courses during high school (through summer after graduation), you are still considered a first-year applicant.
  • Admission into a specific major after deferment cannot be guaranteed due to changes in selectivity from one term to another, or possible changes to the transfer requirements.
  • If the deferment is granted and the applicant accepts the deferment, the $250 non-refundable SIR fee will be transferred and applied towards the approved term.
  • If an applicant's request for deferment is not granted, the applicant may submit a new undergraduate admission application for a future term.
  • When the deferment request is reviewed and a decision is made, the applicant will be notified through the email address listed on the application.