Deferring your studies
If you are admitted to a study programme but cannot start your studies this semester, you can apply for a deferment. If you are granted a deferment, it means that you can postpone the start of your studies to a later time.
If your application is granted, it is usually only until the study programme is taught the next time. You can postpone your studies for at most 18 months unless there are special reasons for requesting a longer period of time.
Acceptable reasons for deferment
You must have an acceptable reason for deferring your studies. These are:
- Medical reasons
- Social reasons
- Other special circumstances such as:
- Care of children.
- Military service or civilian service.
- Student union posts.
- Postponed leave from your job under the Employee’s Right to Educational Leave Act (SFS 1974:981).
Examples of reasons that are not acceptable are difficulties finding accommodation, financial reasons or not being able to obtain a residence permit (or a pending application).
How do I apply to defer my studies?
If you wish to apply to defer the start of your studies, you must first of all accept your place in the study programme. You do this on universityadmissions.se. However, you should not register for the study programme. If you are required to pay a fee for your studies, you must also pay the fee before you apply for deferment. Then follow these steps:
- Complete and sign the form.
- Describe in a letter why you cannot start your study programme.
- Attach documents that support the reasons you state in your letter.
- Send the form, your letter, and certificates to:
University of Gothenburg
Box 100
SE-405 30 Göteborg
Sweden
Or in scanned form via e-mail to: registrator@gu.se.
Your application and the attachments you include are registered. This means that your application becomes a public document that is stored at the University of Gothenburg.
The principle of public access to official records on the Swedish Government’s website
If you are granted deferment, the paid tuition fee shall remain at the University of Gothenburg and be used in the following academic year when studies are resumed. For further questions regarding the tuition fee, please contact: tuitionfees@gu.se.
You can appeal against your decision
If you have received a decision that denies you deferment of your studies, you can appeal against the decision. Your appeal must be in writing and sent by ordinary mail to the University of Gothenburg (the same address as above). Start the text in your appeal with “To the Board of Appeal”. You can appeal against the decision up to three weeks after you have received it.
Beginning your studies after a deferment
If you have been granted a deferment, your decision will also state when you are to start your studies again. You must then apply again for the study programme via universityadmissions.se before the final date for applications. You upload your deferment decision on universityadmissions.se when you submit your application. It is important that you do not upload your deferment decision directly after you receive it, because this document must be registered for the correct admissions round (after the end of your deferment period).
