This Joining the Dots Research Briefing examines changes in university deferral rates over the period from 2008 to 2012. The focus of the analysis is on Victorian school leavers, whose transitions after school completion are followed through the On Track survey, funded by the Victorian Government. The analysis aims to explore the extent to which deferral rates for young people from rural areas have changed over this time, and the influence policy changes to financial support may have had on the decision to defer a university offer.