Dear University of Otago,

I respectfully request information held by the University of Otago regarding the deferral of entry into medical programmes for students who have received an offer to commence in 2026.

Specifically, I request:

1. All policies, internal guidance documents, or procedural instructions that outline or govern the process by which a student may request a deferral of entry into:

• The Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) programme, including entry into ELM 2; and
• The Alternative Entry Pathway, including cases of conditional admission to Health Sciences First Year (HSFY).

2. Any eligibility criteria, approval processes, or discretionary powers that apply when considering such deferrals, including:
• Which office or committee holds decision-making authority (e.g., Otago Medical School, Division of Health Sciences, or University Admissions Office);
• The permitted duration of deferral; and
• Any conditions that must be met for reinstatement or enrolment following a deferral.

3. For clarity, I also specifically request information confirming whether a student admitted via the Alternative Entry Pathway (conditional or confirmed) may defer their offer of entry for one academic year (e.g., from 2026 to 2027) without jeopardising or forfeiting their offer, provided they meet any conditions set out by the University.

4. Any precedent information or anonymised statistical summaries showing the number of medical or HSFY deferral requests that were:
• Approved,
• Declined, or
• Withdrawn by the applicant,
within the last five academic years (2021–2025 inclusive).

I am making this request anonymously on behalf of students who have received conditional or confirmed entry to these programmes and who are seeking to understand the applicable rules before approaching the University directly. They wish to avoid any possible disadvantage or perceived prejudice to their enrolment by enquiring individually.

Yours faithfully,

I G Munro