Deferred Enrollment and Gap Year Policies

  1. A non-refundable tuition deposit of $500 to secure your spot at Westminster University is required from all students who intend to enroll at Westminster. The deadline for the deposit is June 3 unless otherwise indicated in the offer of admission.
  2. Requests for deferred admission must be submitted by August 1 and approved by the Office of Admissions. Deferred admission may be requested for up to 4 semesters. Exceptions may be granted by the Office of Admissions. Contact the Office of Admissions for more information.
  3. A second non-refundable tuition deposit of $500 is required by January 15 to confirm a student's intention to enroll at Westminster University for the fall of the same calendar year.
  4. Deferred admission is not intended to allow students to begin or continue their university career elsewhere. A student may not attend another institution on a full-time basis during the deferred admission period. Full-time status is enrollment in 12 or more credits per term.
    • Exceptions may be made for specific field-based accredited programs. Please contact the Office of Admissions for more information.
    • No more than 11 credits per semester and no more than a total of 22 semester credits will be accepted as transfer credit. The university's standard rules for transfer credit will apply. See the university catalog online for more information.
    • Westminster assumes that any academic work pursued during the deferred admission period will be at a level consistent with or above the student's record with which they gained acceptance to Westminster University. The university reserves the right to reverse a prior admissions decision based on poor results of academic work completed during the deferred admission period.
  1. Requests to defer admission to Westminster's Honors College should be sent directly to the Honors College.
  2. Prior to enrollment at Westminster, each student who chooses the deferred admission option will be
    required to:
    • Reaffirm their intention to enroll at Westminster University in the semester specified on the reply form. (If a student has applied for need-based financial aid, they will need to submit a new FAFSA by January 1.)
    • Update their contact information, including mailing and email addresses, with the Office of Admissions.
    • Provide a statement of activities since being admitted to the university. If a student will complete university coursework during their late-entry period, their statement must include official transcript(s), showing courses completed and grades received, or anticipated coursework and expected credit(s), as applicable.
    • Submit the second non-refundable tuition deposit.
  1. A student deferring their admission remains eligible for the following merit-based scholarships and awards: President's Scholarship, Provost's Scholarship, Dean's Scholarship, Faculty Scholarship, and Westminster Award. Recipients of talent-based scholarships (athletics, dance, music, and theatre) must reapply and compete with candidates for the new academic year. Recipients of external scholarships are responsible to check with the scholarship provider about their deferral options.
  1. Transfer students who choose the deferred admission option for one semester will not be required to pay the second deposit and should contact the Office of Admissions regarding the steps needed to confirm enrollment.

Deferred Enrollment and Gap Year Deadlines

  • June 3 – Initial tuition deposit deadline
  • August 1 – Deferred enrollment form submission deadline
  • January 1 – New FAFSA submission deadline* (if applicable)
  • January 15 – Second tuition deposit deadline*

*Due in the same calendar year for which a student intends to return. For example, if a student intends to return Fall Semester 2021, the 2021–2022 FAFSA and the second tuition deposit are due January 1 and January 15, 2021.

Apply for Deferred Enrollment

If you would like to apply for deferred enrollment, please let us know by emailing the program director listed below. Once we receive your request, our deferred enrollment counselor will reach out and help you complete the official deferred enrollment form.

If you are a current student interested in filing for a leave of absence, there is a separate process for that.

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