Deferral Policy

Applicants who have been admitted to a graduate program and are unable to begin their studies in that specific term, can request a deferral. 

Applicants may only defer one time. 

All applicants who defer will be required to create a new application and we will waive the application fee for the new term. 

Applicants can defer for up to one year.

Applicants may change their route (example: thesis to course or course to thesis) but if they would like to be considered for a different program (i.e. original application was to MSc Electrical & Computer Engineering and they wish to apply for MSc Computer Science), they will be required to pay the application fee again. 

The deferred application will be included with all new applications received for that same start semester and the department will make a decision on the new application. 

When the application is available for the new start term, you will receive an email with instructions on how to complete the new application and avoid paying the application fee.

We ask that you do not create the new application until you receive the instruction email. 

If you were made Eligible to Register and you’ve registered for any courses, we cannot process your deferral request until you withdraw from all courses. 

You may not defer if you have started your program. 

If you attended any classes or started Graduate Assistantship work, you must complete a withdrawal form.

A deferral is only intended for students who are unable to begin the program. 

If you received an offer of funding, you must email the Graduate Funding Officers at funding.grad@lakeheadu.ca to inform them that you will be deferring. Funding cannot be deferred, but you will be considered for funding if admitted to the new term.

Please download the PDF form here. 

Please send the completed form to gstudent@lakeheadu.ca.