Gap Years

Should I take a gap year?
We have 10 great reasons why you should take some time out after further education.

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​​​​​​​What can I do in my gap year?
Take a look at our gap year ideas for inspiration for what your time out could involve.

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​​​​​​​Gap year programs
Want an adventure with added security? Placements with a gap year agency are ideal.

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​​​​​​​Travelling
Many students who opt to take a Gap year decide they want to see more of the world.

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​​​​​​​Retakes
Didn't do as well in your exams as you hoped? Consider retaking exams during a Gap year to boost your grades.

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​​​​​​​Volunteering
Giving up time to help out under-developed communities is a popular choice with gappers who want to make a difference.

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​​​​​​​Learning
Some students choose to spend their gap year gaining new knowledge and skills.

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​​​​​​​Working
If you're taking a gap year, then how you fund your trip is an important part of the planning.

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​​​​​​​Gap Year Blogs
Discover what others have been up to on their Gap years - great for ideas and inspiration.

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Top 5 Gap Year Ideas
We pick our top 5 ideas for an amazing year out that you'll remember forever.

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Should I take a gap year?

There are many reasons why taking a gap year either before or after university is a great idea. These include:

  • Boosting your performance at university (taking a break from studying can work wonders for the brain!)
  • Get useful work experience under your belt
  • Learn new skills to enhance your CV
  • Earn money
  • Make lifelong friends
  • Experience a new culture
  • Give yourself time to think about your future.

For more information and advice, please see our Should I Take A Gap Year guide?

What can I do in my gap year?

There are loads of things you can do in your gap year to make it a memorable experience. Depending on your tastes, these might include:

  • Be an Au Pair
  • Scuba diving
  • Learning a language
  • Camp job
  • Part-time work
  • Internship
  • Medical project
  • Ski/snowboarding instructor
  • Sports coaching
  • Teaching
  • Volunteering
  • Conservation
  • Community development
  • Summer school
  • Interailing

plus many more!

How do I go travelling during my gap year?

  1. Consider the places to go on a gap year. The first thing you need to do is work out what your goals are and think about places where you might be able to achieve these, e.g. getting some teaching experience, climbing a mountain, helping developing communities
  2. Decide who to travel with
  3. Raise the money you need
  4. Book your travel itinerary
  5. Sort out your gap year travel essentials
  6. Buy all your supplies
  7. Plan for your return.

Should I retake my A levels during my gap year?

There are plenty of reasons to take a gap year, but one of the most overlooked one is that the opportunity to retake any A levels where you feel you could (or need) to perform better in.
 
A gap year presents a great opportunity to get revising and resit your A levels, especially if you just missed out on your firm choice university that you had your heart set on going to.

Can I volunteer during my gap year?

Volunteering abroad on your gap year is an ideal way to make the most of your time away, to travel and see the world while also giving something back.
 
Gap year volunteering is an opportunity to settle into a local community and help those in need, provide medical support, conserve animals or teach children.
 
Some of the best gap year programs are offered by International Volunteer HQ, Go Overseas, Gapforce, Raleigh International and Oyster.

How long do volunteer gap year projects last?

Volunteering projects can last anywhere from two weeks to 3 months or more.
 
It depends on how long you want to spend pursuing a particular project, and whether you want to allocate some of your gap year to other activities.
 
What can I learn during my gap year?
 
Some students take a year out to knuckle down and learn a language, such as Spanish, French or Italian.
 
Others decide to spend time learning a sport, such as rugby, tennis, karate, basketball or American football.
 
However, if learning a language or a sport isn't your bag, remember you will still learn plenty of other skills during your time out, including budgeting, communication, teamwork or IT skills.

What jobs can I do in my gap year?

There are many opportunities out there for gap year students who want to work and earn some money. These include:

  • Au pair
  • Steward on a yacht
  • Teaching English
  • Tour leader
  • Ski or snowboarding instructor
  • Travel writer
  • Bar tender
  • Fruit picking.

For more information and advice, take a look at our gap year working guide, as well as gap year job boards at Indeed, e4s and Gap360.