Grounds for deferring a uni place?

[wigglybeezer]

DS1 wants to apply to St Andrew's to study history, he has 5 A's at Higher so has already exceeded the usual offer standard, in fact he could have gone this year but is only 16 so is staying on for sixth year. However this means he will only be 17 and not turn 18 until the second semester. Does anyone know if being young is enough to defer a place for a year on it's own, he does have an Aspergers DX too which makes him a little behind emotionally and socially.

I gather it's not very common to agree to a deferred place these days...

Or ...

He could apply anyway and then if offered a place, accept it, then defer it.

Or, apply for the year when he'll be old enough.

Maybe it's different in Scotland but in England at my place, we have no problem with either applying for the following year (so stating the gap year upfront) or the student accepting this year's offer, then applying to defer.

As long as they get the required grades.

I think i'll phone them, the prospectus says the number of deferrals varies from school to school. thankfully he already has the grades he needs before he applies, one of the benefits of the Scottish system (even if one of the disadvantages is being a bit young when you leave school).

The StA website for history applicants says

"Unfortunately, due to the volume of applications we now receive annually, we can no longer consider applications for deferred entry."

Although worth asking as this might just to deter the gap-year trip around the world kids. I remember last year someone from Scotland got a deferred place at Oxford for History and I think that was for age reasons too. They also applied to StA so might be worth checking old threads.