Graduate Admission Deferral Information
Newly admitted graduate students may defer their admission if an unforeseen personal hardship prevents them from attending any higher education institution during their initial term. Deferral approvals are strictly limited to one request per student for the originally admitted program.
- Approved deferrals shift your start date to the next available term for your program (e.g., if a program only begins in the fall, the deferral defaults to the subsequent fall term).
- Deferrals may not be used to transfer into a different program.
- The Deferral Request Form will be accessible at the bottom of this page during the open submission period.
Important: An approved deferral permanently cancels your current admission and shifts it to a future term. Since you will no longer be eligible to enroll in courses for the current term, this decision is final and cannot be reversed. Please weigh your options carefully before proceeding.
If my deferral request is approved, do I need to submit another Cal State Apply application?
No. There is NO NEED to use Cal State Apply if you are granted an admission deferral. Please wait for special notifications within your MySJSU account for admission deferral confirmation.Am I eligible to defer my admission?
To be eligible for an admission deferral, you must be officially admitted, not currently enrolled in any courses, and meet all posted deadlines. Applicants without formal admission or students already registered in classes are ineligible unless all courses are dropped. Dropping courses may result inprorated fees or refunds.What admission term can students defer into?
Approved requests will be deferred to the next available term. For example, if a department offers their program only in the fall, the subsequent fall term will be the default term for deferral. Otherwise, a fall deferral request will result in a deferral into the subsequent spring term.
How far into the future may I continue to request a deferral of admission?
Extending deferral past one year is NOT allowed due to the need to allow departments to properly plan for their incoming classes.
Deferral requests can only be allowed for one full year from a student's initial admission term. Beyond this year, a new Cal State Apply application must be used to be reconsidered for graduate education at SJSU.
Will I be able to enroll into my initial admit term if I am approved for admission deferral for a future term?
No. An approved deferral will permanently deactivate your initial admission status and defer admission toward a subsequent term. Deferred students would no longer be eligible to enroll into courses for their initial admitted term.What are the deadlines to request a deferral?
See the submission dates at the bottom of this page.What happens after I submit a formal request for admission deferral?
Upon receipt of your formal deferral request and careful consideration, you will be able to view the outcome of your request in the message center of your MySJSU account 3-4 weeks from the date of submission. The entire deferral process may take 4-6 weeks beyond your initial request. Please note that an approved deferral request will permanently deactivate your initial admission status and defer your admission toward a subsequent term. We urge you to consider your options carefully and opt for a deferral request only if absolutely necessary, as this decision will be final and deferred students will no longer be able to enroll into courses after their request has been processed. Approved deferrals cannot be reversed.Will I get a new I-20 if my deferral request is approved?
Yes, we will work with you to defer your I-20 start and end dates. The deferral of I-20 dates would not typically require you to pay a new SEVIS fee. Those approved for an admission deferral, will be followed up with an amended I-20 planned to be sent electronically for secure delivery.Submitting Your Deferral Request
GAPE will only accept deferral requests during specific periods for each semester. The submission links will be active at the appropriate time.
You must use your SJSU account login to use the form.
| Spring Semester | Fall Semester |
| December 20 - January 15 | July 15 - August 15 |
| Submissions Closed | Submissions Closed |
After you submit your request, please allow 3-4 weeks for the decision status to appear in your MySJSU account and 4-6 weeks for the entire deferral process to be completed.
