I passed a selection process for a full scholarship at a federal university and my military service enrollment is coming up in September. Can I defer military service because of college or do I have to do it after I finish?
You can request a deferment, yeah. You just need to go to the military board with proof of your scholarship and enrollment at the federal university. Each board works differently, but generally they'll accept deferring while you're studying - most of them allow it until you graduate. Bring the original documents and copies, and if possible go in person, because lost paperwork in government offices is serious business.
Deferment during college is pretty doable, but timing matters a lot. People usually manage to extend it until they graduate, but you have to keep renewing your proof every semester or year, depending on how your local military board operates. It's worth calling them before September to find out exactly what documentation they need (usually active enrollment + academic transcript), because each board requires different stuff and you don't want to leave it to the last minute.
A full scholarship is strong documentation to get a deferment, but the trick is not to leave it for the last minute. Go to the military board with the scholarship grant letter and proof of enrollment already in hand - the sooner you do this before September, the better, because some boards have pretty slow procedures.
During college you can renew the deferment, but there's a detail that sometimes gets overlooked: not all boards accept automatic renewal just with proof of enrollment. Some require you to show up in person to confirm you're still enrolled, others want updated documentation. Best thing is to ask your board directly what their protocol is for renewals and keep a mental calendar of it - like, go a week before each deadline expires so they don't catch you off guard and you have to stop everything.
After you graduate, then yes you have to do the service, unless you have other situations that allow exemption, which is less common. But as long as you're in university and keep your paperwork in order, it's not stressful.
Basically you need to request the deferment at the military office with your scholarship and enrollment documentation, but what people don't mention is that it's a good idea to also bring a letter from your university stating that you need to be present for classes (not all military offices ask for it, but some officials like to see it). The annual renewal they mentioned is true, but heads up: keep copies of everything, because losing a document and having to ask the university again is a hassle. If you manage to get the deferment until you finish your degree, great, but there are cases where they ask you to do the service in your final year or after graduation depending on your local military office.
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