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Chemistry Research, Durham University
Durham University
Durham
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Need to defer due to illness - help!

Hello

My daughter is due to go to Durham on Saturday (Grey College) but 3 weeks ago got Glandular fever, Covid and shingles. She is still not well enough to do anything and wants to defer her place for a year.

She requested this a week ago via the online form as instructed (with a medical letter) and has only received the standard 'no guarantee, depends on number of deferral places" and "very busy so can't say when we will respond".

Does anyone by any chance have any experience of this or advice?

Will she just lose her place and have to apply again if she doesn't show up on Saturday?
Just contact her department and request a leave of absence, because she’s enrolled and due to start, a gap year won’t be possible anymore, but students can take a leave of absence for a years period if they wish to persue a gap year, so just a different name really, with this, she will receive a grant from student finance for another year of funding, just reiterate with the department if she has to pay her fees, if she hasn’t started yet, she shouldn’t pay anything, I was in the same situation a month ago, and decided to come anyway but hope this helps as it’s quite daunting :smile:
Chemistry Research, Durham University
Durham University
Durham
Visit website
Hi, I got a place for Durham Law ( I am an international student) but due to significant personal circumstances I need to defer my place - I have already talked to them about it and they also said they can’t guarantee it. However, they asked me to provide evidence - now here I was, thinking that they would want evidence for why I can’t come to study this year but they have written to me that they want to know why I can’t just reapply - and the reason for that is that I for one do not have time to reapply and taking tests again ( due to the things that I am currently dealing with ) and that my teachers are not going to send new recommendations , as I will be out of school for two years by then. I really am starting to panic , because I don’t want to loose the place they have offered me but I also cannot reapply. Is there anyone with some experience in this matter or just some advice?
Original post by Anonymous
Hi, I got a place for Durham Law ( I am an international student) but due to significant personal circumstances I need to defer my place - I have already talked to them about it and they also said they can’t guarantee it. However, they asked me to provide evidence - now here I was, thinking that they would want evidence for why I can’t come to study this year but they have written to me that they want to know why I can’t just reapply - and the reason for that is that I for one do not have time to reapply and taking tests again ( due to the things that I am currently dealing with ) and that my teachers are not going to send new recommendations , as I will be out of school for two years by then. I really am starting to panic , because I don’t want to loose the place they have offered me but I also cannot reapply. Is there anyone with some experience in this matter or just some advice?

Hi there

I'm sorry you're stuck in this position :frown:

I think it's all about how you frame your answer. You've said that you won't have time to reapply but that's because of your personal circumstances so I would suggest focusing on this aspect and explaining why/how these circumstances affect you and your potential to secure an opportunity like this again. You'll obviously know more about it than I do so this is just for guidance but just really focus on creating that link and potentially mention any medical conditions (if there are any) to make your case stronger. I'm sure they'll understand the point about references too as these are weighed in when making decisions and an absence of them can go against you if you reapply.

Good luck :smile:

-Himieka
(edited 3 weeks ago)

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