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Deferring Cambridge offer to a different term within the same academic year

I have requested to defer my PhD offer due to maternity leave within the same academic year. I have received approval from my supervisor and funding body but have recently learned that my application would be withdrawn if my department rejects my request or that I would be automatically considered by another college if my college rejects my request.

I am now getting a bit worried as I thought it should be no problem to retain both my offer and college place after a maternity leave within the same year.

Could someone tell me whether any of these two outcomes are likely? I was told by student registry that they are currently unconfirming my offer for my deferral request to be considered.

Reply 1

threeportdrift

Careers Forum Helper

Original post by Anonymous

I have requested to defer my PhD offer due to maternity leave within the same academic year. I have received approval from my supervisor and funding body but have recently learned that my application would be withdrawn if my department rejects my request or that I would be automatically considered by another college if my college rejects my request.
I am now getting a bit worried as I thought it should be no problem to retain both my offer and college place after a maternity leave within the same year.
Could someone tell me whether any of these two outcomes are likely? I was told by student registry that they are currently unconfirming my offer for my deferral request to be considered.

Cambridge isn't really set up for mid-year entry. A few departments can cope with it, and it is, in theory at least, slightly easier with PhDs that Masters. So it really depends if your Department already has ways of coping, or doesn't.

TBH, it would be far better to defer for a whole year. The University has a very fixed annual pattern, and if you don't start at Michaelmas, you are out of sync and working to your own timeline for the rest of your time there.