ONS: Deferring entry boosts chances of first-class degree

Better employment and degree outcomes for students who push back entry to university

Students who defer entry to university are more likely to achieve a first-class degree than those who go straight from school, the Office for National Statistics has said ahead of an expected spike in deferral numbers.

Deferral rates among students heading to university in the autumn are expected to be higher than usual due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to a May report by the London Economics consultancy for the University and College Union. It said deferral rates could be around 13.3 per cent next year, up from around 5 or 6 per cent in previous years.