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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This Month’s Recommended Gap Year Programs
The Intern Group
9.36
618 reviews
Experience Medellin, Colombia’s most innovative city, through an international internship designed to advance your career. This program combines hands-on professional experience, global networking, and cultural immersion, giving students, recent gradua...
Gapforce
9.26
149 reviews
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.
9.68
482 reviews
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
8.74
61 reviews
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...
Seamester Study Abroad at Sea
9.62
111 reviews
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...
Pacific Discovery
9.19
281 reviews
Experience an unforgettable 10-week Gap Year Semester through New Zealand and Australia, two of the world’s most amazing travel destinations. This Pacific Discovery program is designed for students taking a gap year, seeking an alternative study abroad...
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.
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 to take a gap year include educational opportunities, work experience, global perspectives, and personal growth.
To take a gap year, set goals for what you want to accomplish during your time off and which 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 include studying a new language, backpacking through a country, working in a hostel, or volunteering 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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