Most of us are so focused on education we don’t stop to explore all our options. We jump from high school straight to college without really knowing ourselves or what we want out of life. However, there is one surefire way to learn about yourself and about life—a gap year in Spain. Gap year programs in Spain range from interning in exciting career fields, volunteering with causes changing the world, traveling through Europe, and so much more!
Taking a gap year in Spain will provide you with clarity and confidence for the future!
Dancing the night away and spending days lounging on the incredible beaches are just a few of the reasons Spain is the perfect country for a gap year. The country is also full of historic sites and cities to explore. Not to mention the rest of Europe is easily accessed from Spain, giving you plenty of opportunities to fulfill your wanderlust. Learn about yourself and explore your passions with one of these gap year programs in Spain.
- Spain & Morocco Semester | Carpe Diem Education Gap Year
- Summer & Gap Year Programs with API High School and Gap Year
- International Volunteer HQ Custom Gap Years
- Seamester Study Abroad and Gap Year Voyages
- Teach English in Spain
- International Internships in Madrid
- Gap Year Spanish Language Immersion with Euroace
- Shadow doctors in Spain. 20+ AAMC-compliant hrs/week.
- Customized Internships and Spanish Immersion
The best gap year programs in Spain this year
Editor’s note: This information on gap year programs in Spain was accurate at the time of publishing. Please refer to each individual program for current data.
1. Spain & Morocco Semester with Carpe Diem Education—8.5 rating
Carpe Diem Education Gap Year takes you not only through Spain but around the world. You’ll start your adventure in Southern Spain with like-minded students. In Spain, you’ll travel through Cunina de Santiago on your way to Morocco in Northern Africa. You’ll travel by camel and stay at several homestays along the way. Through your incredible travels, you’ll experience the local culture and learn about the ongoing struggles of immigrants.
- Where: Southern Spain and Morocco
- When: Fall or Spring Semester
- Focus: Community service & volunteering, language immersion, student exchange
- Read program reviews
2. Summer & Gap Year Programs with API—9 rating
API High School and Gap Year is one of the perfect gap year programs in Spain for students looking to get a head start in their college career. This gap year program offers everything from studying to adventure, volunteering, and immersion activities. API High School and Gap Year offers in-depth experience of different cultures and a different way of life. This gap year program in Spain also offers high school students the unique opportunity to get college credit. With a variety of options this Spain gap year program is perfect for any student.
- Where: Barcelona, Madrid, Salamanca, Seville
- When: Year-round
- Focus: Adventure travel, volunteering, study abroad
- Read program reviews
3. Custom Gap Year with International Volunteer HQ—9.54 rating
IVHQ is one of the world’s most popular and trusted volunteer programs. With over 12 years’ experience and 18,000 volunteers traveling abroad annually, IVHQ knows what it takes to make a gap year in Spain an incredible experience. This award-winning program is also extremely affordable compared to other programs and offers placements in a variety of fields. While in Spain, you could be teaching, working with children, protecting wildlife, and so much more. Volunteering abroad isn’t just one of the coolest ways to spend a gap year in Spain, it's also one of the most rewarding!
- Where: Barcelona, Madrid
- When: Year-round
- Focus: Volunteering
- Read program reviews
4. Study Abroad and Gap Year Voyages with Seamester—9.82 rating
Set sail during your Spain gap year with Seamester Study Abroad at Sea. This journey abroad is all about providing students with a unique learning experience and teaching some of life’s most important lessons. Working as part of a close team, you’ll sail around the world exploring faraway lands and experiencing new cultures. Along the way, you’ll have the chance to earn up to 12 college credits along with scuba and sailing certifications. Seamester is unlike any other classroom or educational experience!
- Where: Canary Islands, Denia
- When: Fall, Spring, Summer
- Focus: Study abroad
- Read program reviews
5. Teach English in Spain with InterExchange—9.6 rating
English teachers and native speakers are in high demand in Spain. InterExchange has you doing more than just teaching English; you’ll also be experiencing the local culture. While in Spain you’ll teach children for up to 15 hours a week and live with a host family. You can spend the rest of your free time exploring everything Spain has to offer. Programs take place across the country but are primarily focused in Madrid.
- Where: Madrid
- When: Year-round
- Focus: Teach English
- Read program reviews
6. International Internships in Madrid with The Intern Group—9.39 rating
There are few ways better to spend a Spain gap year than with an international internship. An internship abroad gives you the perfect balance of professional experience and cultural immersion. The Intern Group is one of the premier internship abroad providers. Working with a wide range of companies, the Intern Group has placements in nearly all career fields. With less than one percent of college students having international work experience, an international internship is the perfect way to make your resume stand out.
- Where: Madrid
- When: Year-round
- Focus: Intern abroad
- Read program reviews
7. Gap Year Spanish Language Immersion with Euroace—9.67 rating
Euroace immerses you in Spanish culture like few other gap year programs in Spain can. Spending a gap year in Spain learning Spanish gives you the opportunity to experience the culture in-depth. While spending your time learning Spanish, you’ll also participate in cultural activities and live with a host family. Euroace offers an extensive range of options allowing you to learn Spanish at your own speed and comfort level. Dance the night away in Valencia, explore historic cities, and experience everything Spain has to offer with Euroace!
- Where: Valencia
- When: Year-round
- Focus: Language immersion
- Read program reviews
8. Shadow Doctors in Spain with Atlantis—9.69 rating
For anyone with a calling for medicine, Atlantis is one of the most unique gap year jobs in Spain. Atlantis Fellowship gives you the opportunity to shadow doctors for over 20 hours a week. Fellowships are carefully tailored to match your goals. Through hands-on experience, you’ll learn about health care on an international level. Atlantis is dedicated to helping young professionals become doctors through a Spain gap year.
- Where: Canary Islands, Cuenca, Ourense, Pontevedra, Toledo, Zaragoza,
- When: Summer, Winter
- Focus: Medical
- Read program reviews
9. Customized Internships and Spanish Immersion with Linguistic Horizons—9.67
For interns who already have a level of conversational Spanish, Linguistic Horizons is perfect for you. This program doesn’t place you in the packed cities of Barcelona or Madrid like most intern programs. Instead you’re placed in the lesser-traveled Coruna. The city can be found in Northern Spain and has some of the country’s most stunning beaches. The cost of living in Coruna is significantly lower than other Spanish cities, making it the perfect city for a wallet-friendly gap year. A gap year in Coruna is all about experiencing life and Spanish culture.
- Where: Coruna
- When: Summer
- Focus: Intern Abroad
- Read program reviews
You’re ready for a gap year in Spain!
Your Spain gap year will change the course of your life and provide you with an immense amount of personal growth.
What are you waiting for? Now is the time to explore the world with a gap year in Spain! With so many incredible programs and causes, Spain is full of opportunities for any and all world travelers. It doesn’t matter if it’s on the beaches of Barcelona or the heart of Madrid, your Spain gap year is guaranteed to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Travel is about more than just crossing borders; it’s about learning what it truly means to live life. Take a year to learn about yourself and the world around you. The lessons you’ll learn on your gap year in Spain can’t be taught in any classroom. These aren’t just lessons about professional experience or traveling, these on lessons that teach you how to live. Fulfill your wanderlust and feel your heart race with a gap year in Spain!
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