Harvard has maintained a flexible deferral policy. Ordinarily, we expect that students who wish to defer admission will inform us as soon as possible and in any event before the end of June. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are allowing for more flexibility this year and ask that students let us know if they wish to defer (via the form on the Admitted Students Website) on or before July 24, 2020. International first-year students should let us know by July 31.



This additional flexibility will enable our students to act on the best and most updated information possible to choose a path that is right for them. We want our students to enroll in the fall voluntarily and eager to work with us as partners.



It is always possible that we will have too many students seeking to matriculate at the same time, and we may not be able to house everyone on campus in the traditional First-Year housing. In the event there is excess demand for housing in academic year 21–22 or thereafter, Harvard will establish and share a process by which students may apply for undergraduate residential housing. Deferred-enrollment First-Year students who do not obtain space in a Harvard residence may be granted an exception to our requirement that First-Year students must live on campus, and such students will receive financial aid for room and board if they would ordinarily be eligible for such aid.