Gap Year Programs in Austria

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5 Gap Year Programs in Austria
GoEco - Top Volunteer Organization
4.76
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GoEco is one of the world’s top volunteer organizations, with award-winning and ethical programs selected by sustainable travel experts. Since 2006, tens of thousands of volunteers have taken part in projects and internships worldwide, focusing on wildlife and marine conservation, education, and med
Gapforce
4.33
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Experience the ultimate European adventure every summer, traveling safely and comfortably between cities via train so you have the maximum time exploring. Get ready to marvel at the history and culture of the Old World, from the art and violence of Renaissance Italian city-states via the high refi
Greenheart Travel
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Spend 2 months, a trimester, a semester, or a year abroad as a high school exchange student in Austria with Greenheart Travel! For those interested in music and the arts, being in the birthplace of famous classical composers is an amazing experience. Located in Central Europe, Austria is world-fam
Cold Candy Academy
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Turn your passion for skiing into an internationally recognized qualification and an unforgettable winter in the Austrian Alps. Join Cold Candy Academy in Kaprun and train with Austrian Level 4 (Staatlich Geprüft) instructors on the snow-sure Kitzsteinhorn Glacier. Whether you’re taking a gap year,
Oyster Worldwide
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Love to ski and want to work in a world-class resort? Head to Austria this year with Oyster Worldwide. We are looking for passionate skiers to join our 5 or 6-week ski instructor courses. Located in Kaprun Zell am See, the training course will fully prepare you for life as a ski instructor. At t
A Guide to Gap Year Abroad in Austria
Best Cities
Austria is a fairly small country with a population of just over 8 million citizens. Most of the country lies at a high altitude in the northern and eastern regions of the Alps, which makes for world-class hiking, skiing, and other outdoor adventure activities. Quaint green alpine towns huddle together in mountain valleys between the big cities creating unparalleled views that create lasting, vivid memories to be acquired during Austria gap years.
Vienna. You’re so ambitious for a juvenile…when will you realize, Vienna waits for you? Known as the “City of Music” for its rich legacy in opera and classical genres, today Vienna is also regarded as one of the world’s most livable cities, because of its affluence, architectural beauty, and easily navigable infrastructure. Vienna is also Austria’s capital and largest city by far, home to nearly one-third of the country’s population. Most gappers choose to settle in for their program in Vienna the country’s capital and largest city.
Other cities that are common locations for gap year programs in Austria include Salzburg, Graz, and Linz. While no other city comes close to Vienna in size and global influence, these alternative destinations can offer a more quaint and authentic experience of the Austrian lifestyle. Many gap year programs in Austria will further take you to several cities and towns across the country, so you do not have to choose just one!
Popular Activities
You’ll find a wide range of activities to fill up your gap year in in Austria. Here are a couple of the most popular activities for gappers looking to do a gap year in Austria:
Language Immersion. While many Austrians speak English fluently as a second language, German is still the native tongue spoken across the country, offering a great opportunity for gappers to enhance their language skills in everyday conversation. Language courses are typically offered at all levels, from beginning to intermediate to advanced. If you already have a little German under your belt, then taking a gap year in Austria and making the effort to communicate with locals as much as possible will advance your fluency by leaps and bounds. If you are new to the German language, even learning the basics can be a big help navigating everyday life while taking a gap year in Austria!
Ski Instructor. Austria is home to world-class ski resorts and runs and places a mountainous emphasis on the après ski culture. So why not spend a gap year in Austria working as a ski instructor? Wannabe ski instructors can spend their summer training and qualifying and have a guaranteed job working as a ski instructor in Austria in the winter. Plus, you get a free lift ticket to shred all the powder you want between lessons and on your days off. Der Berg ruft – the mountain calls!
What Else You Need to Know
Costs. Austria is one of the wealthiest countries in the world, so suffice to say it will not be the cheapest place for a gap year abroad. Still many costs of living are covered in general program fees, so gappers will not have to worry too much about on-the-ground expenses. To help cover the costs of a gap year program in Austria, students should make an effort to take advantage of all the scholarships and funding opportunities, like FundMyTravel, before heading to Austria.
Accommodations. During a gap year program in Austria you will likely be put up in either a homestay or enjoy dormitory style living. Each option has its perks; homestays are a great way to immerse yourself fully into Austrian family life and practice the language on a regular basis, while dorms can also be a fun environment living with other gappers from all over the world.
Visas. Students coming from within the European Union will not have to obtain a visa to travel to Austria, while those coming from outside of Europe face a different situation. Some citizens are afforded the opportunity to stay in Austria for up to three months visa-free, while others will have to apply for a visa before entering the country, all depending on what nation you are coming from. Be sure to check out the GoAbroad embassy directory for more information.
Safety. Austria is one of the safest countries in the world, with one of the lowest levels of serious crimes and street crimes in the world. However, since Austria attracts more than 25 millions tourists each year, the level of pickpocketing and bag snatching are high on main touristic areas. ATM frauds are likely your biggest threat so exercise caution while withdrawing money from the ATM, keep your credit card in sight, and monitor your transaction statements regularly.
GoAbroad’s Inside Scoop
Austria is the best of both worlds. No country waltzes so effortlessly between the urban and the outdoors as Austria. One day you can enjoy the perks of city life and the next you can meander through deeply carved valleys, past glaciers, and through flower-freckled meadows. Austria’s lyrical landscapes will sparkle like gemstones in your gapper eyes.
Gap years are an immense learning experience. And you can’t learning without overcoming a challenge or two. The language barrier, cultural adaptation, and cost of living can be challenging obstacles, but facing them you will help you grow immensely as a person and as an international traveler.
You are sure to fall in love with the Austrian culture and its own sound of music when you do a gap year in Austria. A land of beauty and global importance, Austria is a gap year destination enticing many to flock to its doorstep. By leaving your comfort zone and venturing on a gap year program in Austria, you will come to many realizations about the larger world around you—especially when viewing it from the top of the Alps!
Keep reading! How to Decide When to Take a Gap Year.
Latest Program Reviews
Super fun travel experience!
October 15, 2023by: Anika Stenberg - United StatesProgram: Europe Tour with Gapforce
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.
Amazing trip
July 14, 2023by: Scott Winchester - United StatesProgram: Europe Tour with Gapforce
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.

An unforgettable experience
August 15, 2019by: John Belay - CanadaProgram: Europe Tour with Gapforce
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!!

An unforgettable trip
August 02, 2019by: Heaven Miller - United StatesProgram: Europe Tour with Gapforce
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.
Would definitely recommend!!
July 28, 2019by: Emma Mcfeely - United StatesProgram: Europe Tour with Gapforce
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!
Highlight of my summer!!!
July 28, 2019by: Sophia Rippner - United StatesProgram: Europe Tour with Gapforce
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!!
Best gap year program!
July 28, 2019by: Chizelle Spies - South AfricaProgram: Europe Tour with Gapforce
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 !

Europe tour 2019: an incredible experience!
July 28, 2019by: Kateryna Laing - CanadaProgram: Europe Tour with Gapforce
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!
Europe tour 2019
July 28, 2019by: Alicia Spicer - EnglandProgram: Europe Tour with Gapforce
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 :)

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