Gap Year Programs After College in Italy

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—from Teaching and Childcare to Wildlife Conservation, Medical Outreach, and Environmental Sustainability. Since 2007, IVHQ has supported over 147,000 volunteers on life-changing journeys. We specialize in fully-hosted volunteer trips that are safe, affordable, and accessible—starting from just $20 per day. Your experience includes airport pick-up, accommodation, meals, and round-the-clock support from our local teams. With flexible booking options and no change fees, planning your volunteer adventure has never been easier. Our programs run year-round and are available for 1 to 24 weeks across Africa, Asia, Europe, the Pacific, South and Central America, North America, the Caribbean, and the Middle East. Volunteering with IVHQ is about more than giving back—it’s about growing, learning, and building genuine global connections.

Get the chance to work with injured animals from the Amazon rainforest or at a shelter for sea turtles in one of our internships abroad. At the Institute for Global Studies, we help students gain invaluable work experience in their field from an international context. Wildlife shelter work can bring out the best of human nature. Connecting with abandoned animals instills a sense of accomplishment that few tasks provide. Apart from bonding with animals, gain insight into local communities and their interactions with wildlife in their area. Meet with students, residents, and the general public to learn about their customs. Common duties include food preparation, checking in animals, interpretation to the public, medical assistance, and community outreach.

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 medical initiatives. GoEco operates in over 50 countries, providing unique cultural immersive experiences that aim to make a positive impact on the environment and society. The organization also offers internships and academic programs for students. GoEco provides safe and meaningful experiences while promoting sustainable travel and reducing carbon emissions.

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 travel community. In Tamarindo, Costa Rica (Weeks 1–4), surf warm Pacific waves, join a sea turtle conservation project, hike rainforest trails to Rio Celeste, and explore the Arenal volcano region. In Rome, Italy (Weeks 5–8), step into history at the Colosseum and Vatican, roll pasta and make gelato with local chefs, and take a day trip to Pompeii. In Tokyo, Japan (Weeks 9–12), experience the city’s neon energy, stroll through serene shrines and gardens, try karaoke with friends, and ride the bullet train to Kyoto to explore temples and traditional tea houses. Throughout your journey, you’ll live in EF student residences, travel with your cohort, and join weekly cultural activities plus weekend or overnight excursions. With flights, housing, EF’s global support, and optional U.S. college credit all included, The Globetrotter is more than study abroad; it’s your chance to grow, connect, and experience the world like never before.

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 provide engaging learning experiences with real outcomes in ways that are impossible to replicate in the traditional classroom. Living as part of a close-knit team on an ocean-going vessel, our students learn fundamental lessons beyond academics: teamwork, leadership, and personal responsibility. They receive academic credit from the University of South Florida, along with PADI scuba certifications and IYT sailing certifications. Our programs are designed to inspire students to realize that it’s the journey, not the destination, that matters the most.

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 refinement of Viennese coffee houses to the color of Barcelona and the Romantic drama of the French Alps. Join a group of like-minded travelers for this fully escorted four-week adventure of a lifetime. This trip will take you sightseeing across Europe's finest cities.

Become Italian for a While—the IFA Gap Year is for students, young adults, graduates, digital nomads, professionals, and more. Immerse yourself in the Italian language, life, and culture while gaining new friends. Take courses at an accredited local university to learn, become confident in Italian, and grow among international peers. IFA Gap Year - 8 to 12 Months Combine language study, cultural exploration, and personal growth. Discover Italy in its most authentic form, build new friendships, develop vital skills, and create memories that will last for a lifetime. Embrace the Italian lifestyle and ignite your transformative journey! Cannot commit to 8-12 months away? No problem. IFA offers shorter-term experiences lasting from 1 week to 7 months! Submit an inquiry to learn more about the Italian for a While program.

Unlike other "cookie-cutter" internship programs, we secure customized internship placements for our students. This program is ideal for a mature, autonomous student who is comfortable traveling abroad alone with remote support as opposed to local support. We do all the work that goes into securing you your dream internship. Participants will benefit from getting an internship that fits their interests and requirements. Valuable international experience in your field is priceless! Internships are available in Germany, France, Portugal, Italy, the UK, Greece, and Spain.

Are you a student or young professional looking to enhance your career prospects through international work experience and hands-on learning? At Intern Abroad HQ, we help students and young professionals turn career aspirations into reality. We organize affordable internships in 20 destinations across 24 career fields that are tailored to meet each individual’s academic, professional, or personal requirements. With over 200 internship programs across Europe, Asia, Africa, Central America and South America to choose from, and options to intern from 2 weeks to 6 months either full-time or part-time, in-country or virtually, we facilitate career-enhancing experiences that work for you, not just the host organization. Intern Abroad HQ is proudly brought to you by the team behind International Volunteer HQ. We have collectively supported over 120,000 program participants since 2007 and are the only B Corp certified provider in our field.

Looking to apply your talent and expertise to a good cause? Find a program that matches your interests and skills through Volunteer World! We are the largest volunteer abroad comparison platform around the globe, enabling you to seek and compare offers from major travel agencies as well as smaller grassroots NGOs and local specialists in more than 80 countries. All these with just one click! Find projects in wildlife, teaching, community development, and several other areas. Simply choose your desired destination and desired travel date, and our search engine will compare the best volunteer abroad programs on your behalf. Whether you wish to gain experience at a wildlife sanctuary in South Africa or teach English at a monastery in Nepal, we've got you covered. Volunteer World guarantees a quick and easy application. We will guide you through this process, as well as help plan your next meaningful trip. We provide free access to quality-checked projects and flexible options. And if anything goes wrong, we've got your back with our qualified support team and our refund guarantee.

Life in Italy has been romanticized for centuries, which means all that romance must be infused into the fabric of this fabulous nation. Italians are serious about loving life. This shows up in their passion for fine dining, their elegant art—both modern and centuries old— and their family-focused lifestyle. As an au pair in Italy, you can call it home and become an integral part of your Italian host family. You live with them, eat with them, and have fun with them. This means anything you earn goes into your back pocket to fund your travels, eat delicious meals on your days off, or buy a new wardrobe on the cobbled streets of Milan. Explore the ruins of Rome, the rolling hills and wine region of Tuscany, or the global fashion capital of Milan. The staggering beauty of the Amalfi Coast can’t be described. You have to see it for yourself—while getting a chance to rub shoulders with the rich and famous.

This 6-week Gap Year Course travels through Italy three times a year—Spring (January to early March), Early Summer (April to June), and Autumn (October to December). You will visit Venice, Castelfranco Bologna, Florence, Siena, and Roma, with day trips to San Gimignano, Verona, Naples, and Pompei. We use art and architecture to cover all subjects, be it history, art history, philosophy, politics, music and literature. For AHA, teaching students how to form a "habit" of creativity is something we take very seriously. This is why we have numerous creative sessions incorporated, allowing students to experiment with watercolors, sketching, creative writing, paper marbling, rowing in the Venice Canal, cooking classes, etc. We hope to help students form new ideas and have the confidence to articulate them. Our Gap Year is a wonderfully ambitious program with interests that spread from the ancient world in Rome and Naples to the Renaissance in Florence and contemporary art in Venice. You will learn about Leonardo, appreciate Titian, and understand why we should know about Michelangelo.

Become part of the Joinki Language Tutor Program in Italy. This opportunity offers you a whole new way of experiencing cultural exchange since you will be given the chance to be an active member of a true Italian community. You will serve as an English or German language tutor to an Italian family in the Trentino Region. In return for providing exposure to the language for around 15 hours per week, focused on conversation and some language tutoring, you will receive a range of program perks. These include lodging and full board with an Italian family (with three meals per day), an Italian language course, one excursion every two weeks, and more. Positions are available throughout the year, with a duration of one to three months. Eligibility includes: - Capability to teach and tutor, motivation, and openness to foreign cultures - More than 18 years old - English or German mother tongue or equivalent C2 level of English or German - High school students, teaching school students, and teachers who have a love for foreign languages

The 21C Venetian Workshop celebrates the future—and your role in it—by unlocking insight, connection, and vision through immersive experiences. Set in the vibrant and historic city of Venice, the 21C Venetian Workshop offers a six-week program designed to cultivate the deeply human capabilities essential for today’s world. Surrounded by breathtaking beauty, rich cultural heritage, and the rhythm of life shaped by water and tides, participants explore new ways of thinking, imagining, and feeling—through the transformative power of the arts. Venice is undergoing a bold regeneration, emerging as a global hub of innovation and sustainability. Just steps from Italy’s leading incubator, it attracts forward-thinking organizations shaping the future. This setting, infused with thousands of years of culture and a way of life where food, family, and ritual matter, inspires deep reflection and imagination and helps galvanise personal priorities.