UK Unis Deferral Question

Hello. I graduated from school in 2023 and am currently serving two years of mandatory national service until 2025. I have my application ready to go this year (final grades), so am I better off:

1. Applying to start in 2024 and requesting a one-year deferred entry once I get an offer

2. Applying to start in 2025 through UCAS

I'm guessing since my grades are final, I would receive unconditional offers. I hope to receive my offers this admission cycle so I don't have to worry about anything from that point on. For context, my 5 schools are: LSE, Imperial, Kings, Warwick, and Bath.

Reply 1

Admit-One

Universities Forum Helper

If you can't take up a place in 2024 then apply in the current cycle but for 2025 entry.

No point getting 2024 offers and then finding out the unis can't defer you.

Reply 2

Tickles77

Original post by Admit-One

If you can't take up a place in 2024 then apply in the current cycle but for 2025 entry.

No point getting 2024 offers and then finding out the unis can't defer you.

Ok, thanks. Do you know where on UCAS I can inform the universities my reason for deferred entry?

Reply 3

Admit-One

Universities Forum Helper

Original post by Tickles77

Ok, thanks. Do you know where on UCAS I can inform the universities my reason for deferred entry?

You don't need to and unis don't particaularly care why. It's not really a deferral when applying for direct entry for a subsequent year.

(And unis are well used to applicants completing national service.)