Cornell will typically defer a student's offer of admission to permit them to complete required military service. If you are an admitted student wishing to defer enrollment for one or two years, you can submit an official request to Cornell undergraduate admissions by visiting your Applicant Portal and completing the Deferral Request Form. You can indicate your interest in connecting with an admissions officer about deferral plans before submitting an official request.
Deferral requests are evaluated on a case-by-case basis; admitted first-year Cornell students may request a one or two-year deferred entry. In general, Cornell supports the concept of a gap year experience for students between high school and college with a well-developed plan and personal goals. Admitted international students who seek a deferral due to mandatory military service in their home countries are typically granted a deferral.
