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This is a follow up to this question I asked yesterday. Briefly, this is the situation:

I have two (US) PhD offers, I deferred admission offer from Uni A without guaranteed funding, but Uni B guaranteed that they'll defer my financial offer, but I should already accept the offer if I want that. Following the exchange in the comments of this question, I'm not accepting B's offer, but I already deferred A and I plan to go there if they offer me funding next year too (they probably will, but with this COVID-19 crisis, nothing is predictable).

Now I want to tell Uni B that I decided to go with Uni A, and deferred to next year. Should I tell them that they didn't guarantee my financial package for next year, and I may be open to an offer from Uni B as well next year? If I should, how should I pass that message to them? I know this may sound really bad to tell B that if A doesn't give me funding next year, I'll take your offer, but that's the truth, and I AM worried about not getting funding from A next year. So, should I somehow tell them that?

der
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    Given that "nothing is predictable" why do you think they will agree to this other than just "We'll look at you again, then"? – Buffy Apr 15 '20 at 16:50
  • So do you want B to also defer your in-accepted offer, or be open to you reapplying next year? While you might well want to keep all options open, that isn’t how the world generally works. – Jon Custer Apr 15 '20 at 16:52
  • @Buffy I thought perhaps because of what Pete L. Clark says in his answer here: https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/44885/deferring-admission-to-reapply-for-some-phd-programs-next-year?noredirect=1&lq=1

    "By telling the student that [accepting them for next year] now, we make their eventual enrollment in our program the path of least resistance."

     – der Apr 15 '20 at 17:37
  • Don't count chickens that haven't hatched, I think. Maybe it would work out, but I'd want some clear statement from them myself. – Buffy Apr 15 '20 at 17:40
  • @JonCuster Actually either would work. The problem is that I don't want (and in fact can't!!! because my letters will be old, etc.) go through a full-blown application cycle again this year, so either having an offer, or being able to transfer application to next year from a place that already accepted me is somewhat reassuring. – der Apr 15 '20 at 17:41
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    I would strongly suspect that you would need to reapply to B since you have not accepted-and-deferred their offer. – Jon Custer Apr 15 '20 at 17:44
  • @Buffy So, should I actually tell them that now? Uni B already confirmed in writing that they will defer my offer with the financial package, but they asked me to accept it now. What I'm wondering is whether I should ask them, and how should I ask them, if they can consider me for next year again, without me already accepting their offer (and should I tell them I told A I'll be going there if they give me financial package next year?!).

    I don't want to make enemies in the community for myself.

     – der Apr 15 '20 at 17:48
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    @JonCuster I'd be open to that, but I already told A that I'll go there if they again offer me a financial package next year (and that's the truth). Should I tell B that, and that I'd want to be considered for their program for next year? Isn't the fact that they once guaranteed the deferral with the full package for me, but I didn't accept it, a red flag on my next year application? Clearly I'm basically telling them "I hope I go somewhere else next year, but if I couldn't, I'll come there.". Is that acceptable? – der Apr 15 '20 at 17:50

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