Updated February 2025
Gap Year Explained 101
You’ve done it all: You’ve been planning and saving diligently. You ferried them to and from expensive, boring SAT prep classes. You helped them put their admissions essay through more drafts than you could ever count, and so much more to get to this point.
After all of that, now, as admissions letters come rolling in, your child says something totally off-the-wall: They want to take a gap year.
What?
What is a Gap Year?
The idea of a gap year – or a one-year break after high school and before college – has a long history in Europe and is popular in the UK.
Now, partially spurred by the pandemic and even Malia Obama’s well-publicized gap year, the idea of taking a year off before starting college is becoming more popular in the U.S.
Some universities offer their own gap year programs for admitted students. While most students don’t take a gap year, the idea isn’t as out there as it might seem at first.
Why take a Gap Year?
In a sense, there are as many reasons to take a gap year as there are students. A student who has launched a business, designed a product, or competed in a sport might decide to dedicate a year to that endeavor before being saddled with the distractions of being a full-time student.
Other students might be burned out from the pressures of high school life and the rigors of the college admissions process. A year-long break can reduce some of that stress before students return to a demanding academic setting. The pursuit of self-care is a very common reason for taking a gap year.
Some students want to experiment with a career before committing to a major. This can help them to gain greater clarity on their goals.
Finally, some students simply want to spend a year broadening their horizons. For example, many gap year students go abroad to challenge themselves and get a new perspective by living in a foreign country.
The research on gap years is still developing but anecdotally, some professors and university administrators report that students enrolling in school after a gap year appear more motivated, energetic, and mature.
What Can You Do During a Gap Year?
All of that might sound nice, but what can a student actually do during their gap year? Here are some ideas:
- Volunteer Programs: Many students opt for structured volunteer programs like through AmeriCorps. These programs offer a variety of volunteer opportunities—everything from teaching English in a foreign country to performing wilderness trail restoration—along with living stipends and educational benefits.
- Study or Take Classes: Some students choose to take classes during their gap year. While many universities allow non-matriculated students to take courses, be sure to confirm whether the credits will transfer. Additionally, it’s important to check if studying elsewhere could affect their admission status, housing, or financial aid options. Generally schools don’t permit their admitted students to enroll full-time at another university. In some cases, a school might rescind your acceptance if they feel like you are attending more than one school at a time or “shopping around.”
- Internships and Work: Internships or jobs related to your child’s intended field of study can offer hands-on experience and clarity about their future career goals. This could range from unpaid internships to paid work experience, all of which build valuable skills and make their resume stand out.
- Travel: Whether domestically or abroad, travel offers unique opportunities for growth and self-discovery. Exploring new cultures, learning languages, and experiencing different environments can all contribute to a more well-rounded perspective when they start college.
Here is a quick description of some notable gap year programs:
AmeriCorps is a nationwide service program that allows gap year students to work on community-based projects. This could include tutoring children, rebuilding homes, or assisting in environmental conservation efforts.
- Benefits: Participants receive a living stipend and an education award (which can be used for future college expenses).
- Website: AmeriCorps
City Year is an education-focused nonprofit where participants work as mentors and tutors in underserved schools across the U.S.
- Benefits: Volunteers receive a stipend, healthcare, and an education award for future studies.
- Website: City Year
WWOOF (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms) provides opportunities to live and work on organic farms around the world, helping with farming tasks in exchange for food and lodging.
- Benefits: It’s a great program for those interested in sustainable agriculture or eco-tourism.
- Website: WWOOF
Global Citizen Year sends students abroad for immersive experiences that focus on global leadership. Students live with host families and work on community development projects in countries like Brazil, Ecuador, and India.
- Benefits: It’s designed to give students hands-on leadership skills, cultural immersion, and the ability to work in diverse communities.
- Website: Global Citizen Year
The Gap Year Association (GYA) provides a directory of accredited gap year programs that span the globe. It’s a great resource for students looking for various options in one place, from volunteer programs to internships and academic courses.
- Benefits: The GYA ensures that all listed programs meet a certain standard, so students can trust the quality of the offerings.
- Website: Gap Year Association
Projects Abroad organizes volunteer programs, internships, and teaching opportunities in more than 30 countries. Students can teach English, help with conservation projects, or even intern in fields like medicine or law.
- Benefits: Provides structured, high-quality experiences abroad, and includes support with visas and housing.
- Website: Projects Abroad
Remote Year is for students or professionals who want to travel and work remotely. The program allows participants to live in different cities around the world while maintaining remote work or projects.
- Benefits: This is ideal for those looking to combine travel with career development or creative projects.
- Website: Remote Year
Semester at Sea offers a study abroad program aboard a ship that travels to multiple countries over several months. Students can earn college credits while experiencing various cultures.
- Benefits: It’s a great option for those who want to travel and learn academically in a unique setting.
- Website: Semester at Sea
Rustic Pathways offers immersive travel programs for high school graduates that focus on community service, adventure, and leadership. Destinations include Southeast Asia, Latin America, and Africa.
- Benefits: Students gain hands-on experience and leadership skills while traveling abroad.
- Website: Rustic Pathways
Five Tips for Taking a Gap Year
A gap year is only as useful or productive as you make it to be. Here are a few tips for getting the most out of the year off:
- Get accepted first: This isn’t strictly necessary, but it will make a big difference for a student’s state of mind if they have clear next steps for the end of the year.
- Have a plan: Be sure that your child has a clear idea of how they will spend their time off. The likelihood of them spending the year on the couch goes down dramatically if they know ahead of time what they’ll be doing.
- Have some skin in the game: Having your child pay at least part of the costs for their year off might help them to take the opportunity seriously. They will also gain valuable work experience.
- Connect with the admissions office: Most schools allow a student to defer admission, but not all schools do. Be sure to talk with your university about your plans and get clear on the procedure for requesting a deferment. Most schools will require a deferral request by April or June.
- Consider financial aid: In general, you will need to complete the FAFSA again after your gap year. However, if your financial situation hasn’t dramatically changed during the year off, then your federal aid likely won’t change much either.
Bonus Tip: Be Sure to Stay Connected
Taking a gap year may lead to temporary disconnection from peers, but staying engaged with friends or on campus events during the break can help mitigate this. Also, some students might feel anxiety or pressure after a year off, so encouraging your child to stay mentally and emotionally supported can help them transition smoothly back into academic life.
Summary
A gap year isn’t the right fit for everyone, but it’s a legitimate option for any student to consider.
Most students who take a gap year end up going back to school, and most schools look favorably upon the time off. Many students report their gap year as having been a life-changing experience.
Ultimately, a gap year might not only preserve the hard work you’ve done in preparing your student for success—it might even be the next step in helping to maximize it.
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