Gap Year Programs
Experience a year of growth! Spend your days exploring new places, pushing yourself out of your comfort zone, and meeting lifelong friends.
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with Seamester Study Abroad at Sea
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This Month’s Recommended Gap Year Programs
Seamester Study Abroad at Sea
Seamester is the educational adventure of a lifetime! For more than 40 years, we have offered unparalleled educational voyages where students spend a semester at sea sailing between islands, countries, and even continents. We design our programs to pro...
International Volunteer HQ [IVHQ]
![International Volunteer HQ [IVHQ] logo](https://image-transform.prod1.gaplabs.ph/image/https://images.goabroad.com/image/upload/c_pad,f_auto,w_80,h_80/v1/images2/clients/logos/MAIN/92JaroEFh251XZht1GnAIDx50MqoFfOPvWSlSbAc.jpg?width=96){kind=small}
At International Volunteer HQ (IVHQ), we unite people from over 96 countries who want to make a meaningful difference while exploring the world. With 300+ projects in 40+ destinations, IVHQ offers the widest selection of volunteer programs globally—fro...
The Intern Group
The Intern Group is the leading provider of internship programs in the emerging market of Colombia! We provide international students with internships in top private companies, NGOs, and state ministries. Our programs are regularly featured on CNN Inte...
Gapforce
Visit two of South America’s most iconic countries—Peru and Ecuador—and discover the lost lands of the Incas! Start your adventure in South America with intensive Spanish lessons, then step up the adventure with an epic trek across the Andes to Machu P...
Go Abroad China Ltd.
Are you looking for meaningful activities to fill the all-too-important gap year? Join our program at Go Abroad China, we have solid experience in helping students make informed decisions and research about the next step in their career, as well as pro...
EF Education First
Spend 12 incredible weeks exploring Tamarindo, Rome, and Tokyo, three unforgettable destinations that showcase the world’s diversity. This immersive semester blends cultural discovery, new adventures, and light language learning with a supportive trave...
How to Take a Gap Year
How to take a gap year
Not sure what a gap year even is? We don’t blame you—”gap year” has come to be somewhat of a blanket term for any extended period of time taken off away from home or “normal” life. The unstructured pursuit of personal growth abroad tends to be what defines a gap year. If you want to know how to do a gap year, here’s a general overview:
- Figure out why you want to take a gap year. Don’t set off on your life-changing journey without knowing what you want out of the experience. Do you want to learn a new language? Gain career skills? Just plain old immerse in a brand new place and culture? There’s no wrong way to take a gap year, but mapping out your gap year goals is a helpful first step.
- Decide when to go. There isn't a wrong time to take a gap year; it’s all about finding the right time for you. If you’re a recent high school graduate who has no clue what they want to study in college, your time will be better spent on a gap year abroad, getting a firsthand look at how the world works, and learning more about yourself and your wants. Or, if you’re about to graduate college and aren’t sure you actually chose the right field of study anymore, going on a gap year is a great way to take some time to figure it out, while still building skills and having one-of-a-kind experiences.
- Choose a gap year program. Booking a gap year program can be immensely helpful, especially if you plan to go to more than one destination. Gap year programs will help you sort out visas, find safe places to stay, and maybe even find you some paid work opportunities.
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Frequently Asked Questions
A gap year is an intentional break from school or work for travel. They traditionally last for a year or longer, but can be as short as one semester. Gap years are characterized by immense personal growth and education through travel.
It's a great idea to take a gap year, as they're highly beneficial to travelers of all ages. The best reasons why you should take a gap year include educational opportunities, work experience, global perspectives, and personal growth.
To take a gap year, you should set goals for what you want to accomplish during your time off and what parts of the world you want to see. Decide if you want to go after high school, during college, or after college, all of which are possibilities.
You can do so much on a gap year! Some ideas are to study a new language, backpack through a country, work in a hostel, or volunteer on an organic farm. Be intentional and set goals, and think about how your plans factor into life after your gap year.
You can take a gap year after high school, during college, after college, or mid-career. The best time to take your gap year will depend on your personal and professional goals, as well as your budget and responsibilities.
The best places to take a gap year include New Zealand, Australia, and Ireland, as they offer working holiday opportunities for gappers. Other popular places are Southeast Asia and Western Europe.
It depends. If you make the most of your gap year and can add what you learned or experienced to a resume/CV, colleges will be more appreciative of your gap year. However, this varies from institution to institution.
You can take a year off during college for a gap year, or even a semester. The process for this will depend on your home university, and whether or not your gap year can earn you college credit.
To plan a gap year, you'll need to know when you want to go, what you want to do, and which countries you want to see. These are all important steps in planning a gap year. MyGoAbroad can help get you started.
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Latest Interviews
Alisa Regassa
Tidelines Institute
I knew that Alaska was a place I'd wanted to visit—and visit meaningfully. I saw this opportunity, and it seemed like it was the perfect time and plac...
Vivianne Kaiwei Zhang Wei
Wanderlust Exchange
I was looking to take a gap year between my undergraduate and Master’s studies, and going to China just made sense to me.
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Recent Gap Year Articles
September 5, 2025
September 5, 2025