Declining an offer after accepting?

I accepted an offer from a school to do a masters at the end of April but I've now received an offer after having been on the reserve list for another and I'm inclined to take this other one.

Am I able to decline now that I've accepted and paid the deposit (I know I probably won't get that back)? How would I go about writing that email?

Reply 1

QHF

Original post by TheGreatPanda

Yes, you can decline, if you’re willing to forego the deposit.

As for the email, just be honest and businesslike. Dear blah, I email to let you know that I am withdrawing from blah... was very grateful to be offered the place on the course... I hope that my doing this now and not in the year might let you offer the same place to another deserving candidate. That sort of thing.