Universities / Oxbridge Colleges rules on Gap Years

Thinking of taking a gap year and applying for university throughout. Are there any universities or Oxbridge colleges that don't accept this?

Reply 1

lanky_giraffe

Zero universities and zero Oxbridge colleges don't accept this. The exception being maths, but even still, they wouldn't not allow it, you would just need to be able to prove that you are still very competent in your gap year (so you often can't defer).

Reply 2

McGinger

If you apply up-front for a deferred place - ie. applying this September to start in 2027 and taking a deliberate gap-year in-between school and Uni - the majority of Unis have no problem with this. The notable exception is Maths as some Unis think that Maths students taking gap-years 'lose skills'.

Some Unis for specific courses will not allow 'post application deferrals' - asking later in the year for a deferral - notably Medicine. However, the majority will allow you to ask for a subsequent deferral up to a specific deadline in June/July, and some will even still allow this immediately after Results Day. To find out any individual Uni's attitude / policy to deferrals and gap-years, either look on their website or phone them - or ask at an Open Day.