diff --git a/src/app/api/applications/[id]/route.test.ts b/src/app/api/applications/[id]/route.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..530fc086
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/app/api/applications/[id]/route.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+import { describe, it, expect, vi, beforeEach } from "vitest";
+import { NextRequest } from "next/server";
+import { DELETE } from "./route";
+import { PUT } from "./status/route";
+
+vi.mock("./status/route", () => ({
+  PUT: vi.fn(),
+}));
+
+const mockPut = vi.mocked(PUT);
+
+beforeEach(() => {
+  vi.clearAllMocks();
+});
+
+describe("DELETE /api/applications/[id]", () => {
+  const routeParams = { params: Promise.resolve({ id: "test-app-id" }) };
+
+  it("delegates to PUT status with withdrawn and returns the response", async () => {
+    mockPut.mockResolvedValue(
+      new Response(JSON.stringify({ application: { status: "withdrawn" } }), {
+        status: 200,
+        headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" },
+      })
+    );
+
+    const request = new NextRequest(
+      "http://localhost/api/applications/test-app-id",
+      { method: "DELETE", headers: { Authorization: "Bearer test" } }
+    );
+
+    const response = await DELETE(request, routeParams);
+    const json = await response.json();
+
+    expect(response.status).toBe(200);
+    expect(json.application.status).toBe("withdrawn");
+
+    expect(mockPut).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    const [putRequest, putContext] = mockPut.mock.calls[0];
+    expect(putRequest.method).toBe("PUT");
+    expect(putRequest.url).toBe(
+      "http://localhost/api/applications/test-app-id/status"
+    );
+    expect(putRequest.headers.get("Content-Type")).toBe("application/json");
+    expect(await putRequest.json()).toEqual({ status: "withdrawn" });
+    expect(putContext).toEqual(routeParams);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/app/api/applications/[id]/route.ts b/src/app/api/applications/[id]/route.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..dfc835ef
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/app/api/applications/[id]/route.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+import { NextRequest } from "next/server";
+import { PUT } from "./status/route";
+
+/**
+ * DELETE /api/applications/[id] — Withdraw application (applicant only).
+ * Documented in public/skill.md; delegates to PUT .../status with withdrawn.
+ */
+export async function DELETE(
+  request: NextRequest,
+  context: { params: Promise<{ id: string }> }
+) {
+  const statusUrl = new URL(
+    `${request.nextUrl.pathname}/status`,
+    request.nextUrl.origin
+  );
+
+  const headers = new Headers(request.headers);
+  headers.set("Content-Type", "application/json");
+
+  const withdrawRequest = new NextRequest(statusUrl, {
+    method: "PUT",
+    headers,
+    body: JSON.stringify({ status: "withdrawn" }),
+  });
+
+  return PUT(withdrawRequest, context);
+}