What is a gap year?
What is a gap year?
A gap year is a 12 month break from study taken by some students before they start their degree, to help them gain work experience and valuable life skills.
Some people choose to take their gap year before starting sixth form, before they start a postgraduate course or even after they have completed all formal education, before entering the worforce.
Whenever you decide to take your gap year, there are many different things you can choose to do: volunteer, get a paid job, learn new skills, or travel round the world.
There is something to suit every taste, so if a gap year sounds like an attractive option to you, read on to find out more!
Why take a gap year?
More and more students are choosing to take a gap year, either before
or after starting their university education. Whether you choose to get a
job to pay for your degree, volunteer in an orphanage in Africa or
travel round the world, a gap year has many advantages.
Challenges – is there something you’ve always wanted to do but
never feel you could actually do it? Want to climb a mountain but are
afraid of heights? Want to trek through a jungle but scared of being
bitten by insects? Everyone has their fears, but there are loads of
people out there to help you face your challenges and reap the rewards.
Experience life – a gap year is the chance to be completely
independent and gain a meaningful experience, an opportunity you may not
have again later on in your life. It will help improve your
self-confidence, along with personal skills such as communication,
leadership and organisation.
Discovery - if you choose to go travelling, you will see and
explore parts of the world you’ve always wanted to visit. By having the
freedom to travel around and choose how long you spend in each place,
you will have plenty of time to fit in everything you want to do.
Building friendships on your journey is a certainty, and you will have
some fantastic stories to tell everyone when you get back home!
Learning – by the time you have completed your gap year, you
will have gained new skills and experiences. These will enhance a CV and
a UCAS application, meaning you will be looked more favourably upon by
potential employers and university admissions tutors, as you will stand
out from other candidates by having done something interesting.
Personal achievement - undertaking a gap year volunteer project
or going abroad to learn a language can give you a real sense of
personal achievement. Although you may find it challenging, it will also
be very rewarding, as well as the chance to experience local life in
another country first-hand and give something to their communities.
Money – many students these days take a year out to do paid
work to finance their higher education. With university tuition fees in
the UK now at a maximum of £3,145, students are opting to work in order
to pay off some of the costs before they even start their degree.
If you plan to travel during your gap year, a paid job for some of those 12 months is likely to be essential. There are hundreds of temporary jobs to apply for so you can raise the cash you need for your travels.
If you
already have a particular career in mind, then getting a paid job in
your field is a bonus. This will boost your CV and look good to
employers when you’ve finished your degree, or start looking for jobs
after your gap year if you decided university isn’t right for you.
Time-out – you’ve been in school for most of your life, so it’s
natural to feel you simply just want some time away from studying.
Taking a break will make you feel refreshed so you will be more focussed
at university.
It also gives you time to reflect on what you plan to do next with your life. This includes whether applying to university was the right decision, or considering your career options if you’re going straight into employment.
Some students change their degree course
and/or future profession as a result of their gap year, so the
experiences from taking a year out can prove invaluable.
Although you may have decided a gap year appeals to you and you want
to take one, cast an eye over the following factors that may be
considered disadvantages, in case they cast any doubt on your decision.
- Friends will be a year ahead of you
- When you come back you might not want to go to university anymore having had such a long break from studying
- Your study skills may have diminished
- Risk of getting injured or sick
- Experience could turn out to be a disappointment
What can I do in my gap year?
If you still think a gap year is the right option for you, it is
important that your year out is well-structured in order to make the
most out of it in terms of enjoyment , personal development and
learning. It will likely involve one or more of the following
components:
Travel – there are many gap year organisations that exist to
help students plan their travelling itinerary. With their knowledge and
experience, you can come up with a tailored route that covers everything
you’d like to see and do.
Check out the gap year section in the
Studential directory to see links to these organisations, and read our
travelling section to give yourself some ideas of where to travel to.
Work - your 12 months are valuable, so it’s worth planning it
carefully to gain skills and experience that will appeal to employers
later on. You can either stay in the UK to work, or take up one of the
many placements available abroad.
These include childcare, hospitality,
teaching, nursing and conservation. Go to our section on paid work to
discover more.
Retakes – if you don’t achieve the A level results you are
expecting, it’s not the end of the world. If you choose not to go
through clearing and find another course at a different university, then
a gap year is a good way of buying time to consider your next move.
Read our retakes section to find out more about your options.
Learn – things you can choose to learn about during your gap
year include languages, music, art, drama, culture, sports and
conservation.
If you decide to go abroad to do this, you will also get
to experience life in another country, as well as acquiring a new skill.
See our learning section for further information.
Volunteer – this is a popular option for many gap year students,
who feel they want to give something back by helping communities in
developing countries to build homes, care for orphaned children or
protect endangered species.
Read our volunteering section for more information on how voluntary work can make a difference.
Choosing a gap year agency
If you are planning on going abroad to volunteer, travel, work or learn, it’s often a good idea to choose a placement with a gap year agency.
These offer a structured placement with the reassurance of full 24 hour local support, orientation on arrival, and provision of meals and accommodation. It also means you’ll be with other like-minded people, so you’re bound to make some friends and enjoy your trip even more!
Here we’ve listed some tips on things to consider when choosing which gap year agency to book your placement with. They vary greatly between organisations, so research each factor thoroughly before making your final decision.
Costs
Be aware that gap year agency placements are costly, and you should
look at each agency carefully so you can see whether you are getting the
best value for money. Costs for a conservation project, for example,
can vary greatly between agencies, so it’s important to research
thoroughly.
You should also check what the cost of the project includes. With most gap year agencies, the cost does not include:
- Flights
- Visas
- Travel insurance
- Food
- Any extra activities or excursions during the programme
- Souvenir expenses
So work out how much more money this will be on top of the project fee before booking a placement, because if it turns out to be more than you’ve budgeted, then you could lose your deposit if you have to pull out.
A couple of other things to check are what happens if something
comes up and you have to cancel your trip, and when the payment deadline
is.
Participants and selection criteria
Some placements have a maximum of only 2 participants at one time, so
if there is a particular project you wish to do, it’s best to apply as
early as possible to avoid disappointment.
Also consider whether you’d
prefer to go with a smaller or larger group, although more people means
you will encounter a wider range of cultures and backgrounds, making it a
more interesting experience and the opportunity to make more friends
too!
Some placements require you to attend an interview to make sure you
meet particular criteria. This is not to try and catch you out, but the
agency ascertaining whether they think the placement is suitable for you
– for example, you have the right personality, the project will meet
your expectations and you are happy with the values promoted by the
agency.
Try not to be too disappointed if they suggest you try a
different placement elsewhere – they are probably saving you from
wasting money on a less than enjoyable experience you won’t benefit much
from, and just want you to find a placement that allows you to get the
most out of your gap year.
Some agencies will be looking for traits such as resourcefulness,
imagination, resilience and hard-working to pass their selection
process.
Others say it helps if you have certain language skills, experience with animals, or looking after the elderly (obviously depending on what your placement involves). The application procedure varies between agencies, but don’t be put off by interviews and application forms.
Generally, if you are enthusiastic about the
placement, and can show you are capable of undertaking the tasks
involved, you are likely to get the placement you are after.
What will I do?
Make sure the placement covers the activities you’d like to do and
places you wish to go, so you can get the most out of your gap year by
doing the project best suited to you as an individual.
Research is the
key, and if you are in any doubt over the project you are considering or
have any questions about it, it is important to contact the agency and
ask.
You may also want to know who else benefits from it, e.g. local
communities, wildlife, charities, and whether the programme will
continue in the future after your placement finishes.
It’s always nice
to know your hard work will be carried on by someone else, contributing
to a better future for the people and/or environment involved.
The agency
It is also good to check the agency’s reputation by searching for
reviews of their projects by previous gap year students who booked with
them, or ask the agency directly to put you in touch with previous
volunteers.
In today’s economic climate, it may also be wise to find out how long they’ve been running, if they are financially sound and whether they are a full member of the Year Out Group.
This is an organisation that UK registered gap year agencies who provide structured gap year programmes can become a member of if they meet strict, specific criteria.
These
include having systems in place to protect any money paid by customers
for a placement. So if an agency is Year Out Group registered, you are
guaranteed some peace of mind if the company hits financial trouble.
On 13th March 2009, one of the UK’s leading providers of gap years and
career breaks, Global Xperience, filed for administration as it was no
longer able to fulfil its obligations to customers who have paid for
projects but haven’t yet travelled.
Fortunately, they were a member of
Year Out Group and held an ABTA bond, allowing people who had booked
with them to claim their money back. So be sure the agency has the
correct financial safeguards in place before booking a placement.
Programme support
Booking a placement with an agency should mean there is 24 hour
support if you run into any difficulties whilst abroad. Usually this
will be a hotline number so you can speak to someone at the agency at
any time, 24 hours a day, about whatever the problem is.
There may also
be a separate number for emergencies. Depending on the individual
project, there will be at least one English-speaking guide for
assistance and/or direct co-ordination during the project.
Finally, check out our Before you go section too, for information and
advice on insurance, visas, what to take with you and how to stay
healthy on your trip.
If you are considering a gap year agency placement, here are the links to the leading providers:
Real Gap
Frontier
Global Vision International
i-to-i
Quest
Projects Abroad
Greenforce
The Leap
Madventurer
Lattitude
Raleigh International
Oyster
However, it is also worth considering the benefits of going direct.
There are organisations that will offer an identical placement for a
fraction of the cost set by an agency such as I-to-I or Real Gap.
Some
agencies charge up to 600% mark-up on their programmes, so it’s worth
checking out these organisations below that offer similar projects at a
lower cost, and save yourself some pennies:
Volunteer Latin America
Volunteer South America
GSE abroad
Oasis Overland
CoralCay
Mondo Challenge
Aviva South Africa
Blue Ventures
Experience MexECO
Volunteer Africa
Ecoteer
Gap Guru
Development In Action
Gap Year Ghana
Voluntary Projects Overseas
Agriventure
Volunteer.org
However you decide to spend your gap year – whether you plan your own
trip abroad or book a placement with an agency – it may seem a daunting
prospect to raise the thousands of pounds needed to do this.
If you already have enough money set aside, then great, as this will be one less thing to factor into your planning.
If you have to raise the funds from scratch, or need that little extra more to completely cover the costs, check out our fundraising guide for tips and ideas on raising cash.
