Both of my kids were fortunate enough to take a Gap Year before they started their next life steps after high school. I can’t emphasize enough how much this time benefitted each of them in different ways. I have seen firsthand in my own kids and many others how a gap semester or year builds confidence, resilience, self-reliance, life skills and independence. It gives them a new sense of ownership over their young adult selves and helps set them up to succeed in college or whatever they are planning to do next!
A couple of notes… Some people take their gap year after they have already started college, so it doesn’t have to be right after high school ends. Also, some gap programs offer college credits through accredited partner universities.
I did a lot of research along the way, and hope this list helps others identify their perfect fit gap programs as well. Now I am ready for MY adult gap year – does anyone have THAT list?
SEARCH SITES
CONSULTANTS : (these are not vetted by me!)
- Center for Interim Programs
- Free to Roam Adventures
- Gap Year Association – list of accredited gap year consultants
- The Gap Year Hub
OUTDOOR ADVENTURE
- Pure Life Adventure – self discovery, life skills, therapy, personal growth in Costa Rica
- Gap Force – adventure meets purpose
- High Mountain Institute – gap semesters in Colorado
- NOLS – National Outdoor Leadership School – offers global wilderness eduction programs
- Outward Bound – Personal development through outdoor adventure
- Outward Bound Costa Rica – Outdoor experiential learning specific to Costa Rica
- Patagonia Exchange Gap Program – cultural exchange and outdoor adventure in the wilds of Patagonia
INTERNATIONAL AND CULTURAL
- ARCC – International programs focused on outdoors and the environment
- Canvee – program near Valencia, Spain with focus on life skills and personal development
- Carpe Diem – programs in Guatemala and Costa Rica
- Centro Mundo Lengua – in Valencia, Spain, Spanish language skills, outdoor history lessons, vibrant Spanish culture, volunteering opportunities, and travel
- CESA – immersive Spanish classes in Sevilla
- CIEE – cultural and language immersion gap programs in several countries
- EF Gap Programs – dynamic gap programs varying lengths from a month to a year
- Euroace – language, volunteering and/or internships
- Pacific Discovery – multiple international gap programs, some with work/travel components
- Seguinland Institute – semester in Maine includes mindfulness and 3 college courses with credit
- Si! Gap – through 9 dimensions of Healthy Living, you will develop individualized goals and action plans to help recalibrate and boost your overall wellbeing.
- Siena Italian Studies – Siena, Italy – full-immersion semesters, academic years and shorter summer programs with a service-learning focus
- Spanish Gap Year – Spain By Train semester teaches language, culture, travel skills and self-reliance. My son did this one and it was fantastic!
- University Autonomo Barcelona: more like a semester abroad program with classes and language immersion opportunities
- Where There Be Dragons – variety of gap programs throughout Asia, Latin America, Africa, and the United States.
MARINE AND ANIMAL PROGRAMS
- Gap Force: Marine Conservation in Thailand, Fiji and Costa Rica with dive instructor training –
- GoPro Costa Rica – Divemaster or dive internship program in Costa Rica
- Loop Abroad’s Veterinary Semester – gap programs for students interested in veterinary medicine is the Veterinary Semester Abroad, where students can get college-level, hands-on experience in a variety of veterinary settings and earn college credit. From caring for elephants at sanctuaries across Thailand to SCUBA diving with sea turtles to study marine biology to externships in a veterinary clinic, this program covers a huge variety of veterinary medicine and travel experiences.
- Sea Education Association – SEA is based in the world-renowned oceanographic research village of Woods Hole, Massachusetts, on Cape Cod. Students will develop lifelong leadership and teamwork skills while completing an epic ocean passage from the temperate shores of New England to the tropical islands of the Caribbean.
- SEAmester – Semester long ocean sailing with 12 credits for courses in marine bio, oceanography, leadership, and more. Both of my kids did this program and it was life-changing if you are up for a serious immersive adventure.
- The Leap – lots of courses but marine conservation in Costa Rica and South Africa among others
- Flying Fish Sailing – sailing gap semester in Australia
- International Field Studies – 6 weeks in the Bahamas
VOLUNTEERING AND INTERNSHIPS
- Adventure EXP – Destination work programs
- Discover Corps – volunteer gap year programs
- Global Work and Travel
- Institute for Global Studies – includes internships in a variety of fields (including marine and animal care)
- International Volunteer HQ
- Kaya
- Oceans2Earth
- Raleigh International – student-led, volunteer program with opportunities around the globe focusing on sustainable development in remote areas such as Nepal and Costa Rica.
- VA Corps – internships in Cape Town in many fields, including human rights, journalism, law, marketing, etc
- Volunteering Journeys
- Volunteer HQ
- Volunteer World
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