Gap Year Programs in England

I joined the 2-week program during my gap year and honestly, it was one of the best decisions I made. I wanted something fun, practical, and a bit different, and this was exactly that. From the very beginning, everyone made me feel welcome, and the whole experience was relaxed, friendly, and really enjoyable. I loved that it was hands-on and I got to actually do things for myself rather than just watch. I learned loads in a short amount of time, but it never felt overwhelming because everything was explained clearly and the support was always there when I needed it. The atmosphere was great too — it felt social, fun, and easy to be part of, which made the two weeks go by so quickly. By the end, I felt much more confident and proud of what I’d achieved. It was such a valuable experience for my gap year, and I’d definitely recommend it to anyone looking for something memorable, enjoyable, and worthwhile.

As a student from Hong Kong who had just completed my IB exams, joining the 10-week Medicine Gap Year course at Lite Regal was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I wanted a programme that would help me bridge the gap between school and medical school, push me academically, and give me real exposure to the medical world — and Lite Regal delivered all of that and so much more. Coming from an international school environment, I was nervous about studying abroad alone for the first time. But from the moment I arrived in London, the team and the other students made me feel at home. The small class sizes and supportive teachers meant I could ask questions freely, and I never once felt lost or overwhelmed. The academic side was incredibly enriching — we covered anatomy, physiology, cardiology, neurology, immunology, and so many other fascinating topics. What really stood out were the practical workshops: suturing, clinical skills sessions, medical simulations, and even dissection practice. These experiences made me feel, for the first time, like I was truly stepping into the world of medicine. The 4-week clinical shadowing was unforgettable. Being able to observe doctors in real hospital and clinic settings in London opened my eyes to how medical teams work together and how meaningful patient care can be. It also made me more confident that medicine is truly the right path for me. The course also really helped with my university applications. The UCAT prep, personal-statement guidance, and mock interviews were incredibly useful — especially since the application process can feel overwhelming for Hong Kong students applying abroad. I left the programme feeling much more prepared. Beyond academics, I loved the friendships I made. Meeting students from around the world, exploring London together, and supporting each other through the course created memories I’ll never forget. If you’re a student from Hong Kong (or anywhere else!) thinking of studying medicine, I can’t recommend this programme enough. It gave me clarity, confidence, and an unforgettable start to my journey into medicine.

Loved traveling with this group! We saw so many attractions and had lots of freedom in planning our days! Would definitely recommend, especially as a first time travel experience. The month went by super fast and we were all sad to say goodbye.

I’ve seen everything I need to see in Europe. The trip was long enough for me to meet my new best friends, and Mike was a very good group leader. When I got my phone stolen in Rome Mike helped me file the police report and get all of that sorted out. All of the accommodations were very nice and the travel was easy thanks to Mike. Overall this was a great experience that I will remember for the rest of my life.

I had an amazing experience in A Coruña through Linguistic Horizons. The city is vibrant and truly has it all—delicious food, pristine beaches, fantastic nightlife, and plenty of cultural activities to participate in. Everyone speaks Spanish to you, which can be intimidating but is ultimately beneficial and everyone is very kind and helpful in communicating with you. The University of A Coruña and Linguistic Horizons worked together to create an atmosphere conducive to learning as well as fun social interactions. I made friends with people from all around the world! Nicole is a tireless, wonderful and helpful leader. She is not only fun and funny, but an expert in both Spanish and Coruña’s culture. She is full of advice and helpful tips. The day trips she plans are both affordable and incredible (especially the trip to the Cies Islands—you HAVE to go!) I cannot say enough good things about her! Overall Linguistic Horizons is a stellar program that is successful in incorporating language use, cultural activities and fun! I left the program near fluent in Spanish, and truly became felt I was apart of the community in Coruña. I would recommend it to everyone, and am thinking about going back myself!

I participated I The Europe Tour put on by Gapforce in July 2019 and I have to say I’m glad I took the chance to participate in the tour! From London all the way to Amsterdam I made many friends and memories I’ll never forget! This was my first time travelling abroad and Gapforce took all worries that I had about traveling away! Hostels: The living conditions Gapforce provided were better than I expected! They found safe/clean hostels for us to stay where we’d bunk in rooms together and with other travellers. I met so many interesting people and made some friends at the hostels we stayed at! Tour Guides: Will and Andy our tour guides provided by Gapforce did a FANTASTIC job on this tour! We were very lucky to have such ambitious, patient and charismatic leaders! Whether it was assisting us after our nightly adventures or making sure everyone was being included in group activities both Will and Andy went ABOVE their job description to make sure everyone enjoyed their trip! Cheers boys!! Travelling: We always travelled by train in between countries! The trains are very spacious and I had no bad experiences on any of them! Make sure to use the metro in the cities, they’re your best friend and will save you a ton of walking! If you do partake in this trip be prepared to do a lot of walking during the day while your out and while you’re going to the next destination so be prepared to be moving around a lot! The tour: Everyday we’d usually start out in the morning with a tour by either Will or Andy in which we’d go see different tourist attractions and sights around the city. After that we’d take a break for lunch and have a choice after to continue on a guided tour by them or to be able to take the afternoon to ourselves. I found taking the afternoon to walk around and explore was a good way to take in the culture and meet some locals! Escape days and the nightlife: We got two escape in our four week period in Europe in which we were able to do whatever we wanted! My best advice would be to plan your day out in advance the day before so you can get tickets to any tours or sights you’d like to see! The nightlife in most of the places was interesting! It’s a very fun way to take in the culture and meet people! My only advice would be to always travel in groups( especially when out at night) and make sure to look after yourself if you are partaking in any of the nighttime adventures. Safety: Our tour guides did a great job of making sure everyone stayed safe on our trip! They always would check in on us if we were on our own adventures and always made sure we were staying hydrated if we were with them! Overall the trip was life changing and I met so many great people that came along on the tour and on our travels! A truly unforgettable experience!!

I have never done something like this before. I’ve never been away from family for more than a week so this was a huge step. The leaders were there for me to lean on when i needed comfort from my homesickness and they talked me through different ways to help cope. They genuinely cared about my well being as well as my mental health which helped me tremendously throughout the duration of this trip. I learned a lot from my leaders and matured from this experience and saw many, MANY beautiful places unlike any other. Each place holds a unique memory for me and i would recommend this to anyone/everyone looking to gain some independence, friends, as well as the experience of a lifetime.

This trip was so fun! It was perfect for someone like me who really wanted to travel to Europe but wasn’t comfortable traveling by myself. I got to experience so many different cultures, beautiful places amazing history and meet so many amazing people that I will continue to keep In touch with. Our leaders Andy and Will were amazing and did a great job keeping everything running smoothly and making sure that everyone was always having a good time. They knew so much about each place we went to and made sure we got to do anything we wanted to do. I would 100% recommend this trip to anyone looking to travel around Europe!

I had such an amazing time on the Europe tour with Gapforce. I was looking forward to the trip for ages, and once it started it didn’t disappoint. I met such great people on the trip. Our group leaders were awesome. Will and Andy couldn’t have done a better job. They knew a lot about each city we traveled to, and lead great tours throughout the trip. I really enjoyed the itinerary- the leaders did a really nice job of letting us explore each city in small groups after a big group tour. Escape days throughout the trip were so fun, and it was nice to be able to make your own itinerary for the day! If you’re looking into a travel agency, I would 100% recommend Gapforce. The Gapforce team was so helpful when questions needed answers. The Europe tour with Will and Andy was by far the highlight of my summer!!

Thinking about traveling through Europe? Gapforce is the perfect company to approach. I chose Gapforce because they had a well structured itinerary. Our leaders Andy and Will were both excellent in managing the logistics of our tour. They always made sure that we were on time for our trains and that we were safe and comfortable. Everyday was filled with sightseeing, fun and laughter, our leaders even arranged a boat cruise for us in Barcelona. There was never a dull moment ! I also made so many incredible new friends on this trip. I would recommend booking your Europe tour with Gapforce. You won’t regret it !

The Gapforce Europe Tour was a greatly enjoyable experience and a true highlight of my gap year. Through this trip you can see so many cities with a variety of cultures and attractions. I got to see Buckingham Palace, the Eiffel Tower, the Colosseum, the Berlin Wall and so so much more, all in a single month! All the planning was handled by our incredible tour guides Will and Andy, so it was all the fun with none of the logistics! The food was great, the people friendly, and the sights spectacular. You’re given a good tour of all the sights, and then the freedom to explore where you want to go. I highly highly recommend it to anyone on a gap year who wants to travel, and I myself and so glad I went!

I started off doing the 2 weeks and then decided too do the 4 weeks and It was the most amazing 4 weeks ever! Visited some amazing places and made some amazing friends! The leaders were great, approachable and professional and both leaders (Will and Andy) are very informative! I would love to do it all over again. It was hard work carrying luggage around (I used a large backpack) but would definitely recommend taking a backpack! Overall, it was a great experience and would definitely recommend for anyone looking to travel Europe and have a little adventure. Alicia :)