What should I do in my gap year?
Travelling abroad is a fantastic opportunity for constructive time out and a great laugh. You’ll meet more people than you will ever be able to stay in contact with and, if you go abroad, will see new and interesting countries and cultures. A gap year can be a fantastic experience that you will remember for the rest of your life, and here’s the ‘but’ – you need to prepare thoroughly to ensure you pick the right activity, and don't disrupt projects by backing out or leaving early.
Choosing the right gap year activity for you is the first step.
This section is designed to help you find a volunteer project or a specifically designed gap year course.
These almost always involve a fee or contribution. A gap year can also
entail paid summer work, jobs in ski resorts,
teaching English,
outdoor education work, or spending part of
your gap year working in industry
(or an undergraduate/work experience placement ).
Use the tabs at the top of this page to view the full possibilities of working travel. If you wish to find a
voluntary / contribution based placement please read on!
If you follow the traditional route and decide to participate in some volunteering, you need to make a big
decision about what type of project would suit you. Read our
"choosing the right volunteering project" for some help.
You will
then need to find a good gap year organisation with the right project that matches your requirements.
You could go and work teaching or brushing up on a sport for your gap year. GSA allows you to do just that in football and boxing. Because of its strong ties with Ghana 's football academies, GAP Sports Abroad has given its volunteers exposure to some of Africa 's finest talent. And while volunteers are experiencing the coaching opportunity of their lifetime, they will also be addressing the importance of sports development in third-world communities.
Many organisations conducting research in remote and exotic locations recruit people on a gap year or year out to help and contribute. You might choose from saving endangered wildlife, protecting threatened environments or aiding in the provision of vital ecological data. Many providers allow you to gain qualifications along the way (such as PADI diving tickets).
From hospitals to orphanages, during a caring or medical gap year you will usually be helping out with the extra things that full time staff do not have time to add, and that make a real difference to peoples lives. You may be working with people rehabilitating from drug addiction or helping out in homes for abused children so going into it with a mature and open mind is essential. Use the search options to the right to find caring and medical volunteer placements abroad.
Many areas in the world have a serious need for volunteer and native speaking English teachers in their schools. There is lots of scope for voluntary teachers, though many schools have all the modern conveniences, often state schools receive very little funding and are short on materials and the teachers to use them – so volunteers are normally very welcome. There are also paid jobs available all over the world for English teachers.
Here are some popular gap year options
English Teachers
TEFL is the acronym for Teaching English as a Foreign Language – and code word to access some of the world’s most rural and fascinating areas. You’ll have to qualify before you get any cash though. You can do this before you leave, or you can train on-site: how does the Phuket TEFL school sound? Read about TEFL courses here and TEFL jobs here.
Childrens’ Camp Counsellors
They’re called Counsellors in the US but there’s no psychology involved.
Childrens’ summer camp workers
supervise outdoor activities at summer camps in America and Europe. You could also teach basketball in Ghana or cricket in South Africa – browse sport opportunities here.
Conservation Workers
Opportunities bound for conservation enthusiasts. You can care for injured animals in Argentina, work with baby orangutans in Borneo, observe the humpback in Brazil, or help protect giant turtles in Asia. Conservation opportunities here.
Don't let money worries get in the way of your gap year plans. Thousands of others like you
manage to raise the money they need every year and have amazing gap years.
Read our
saving money and fundraising section for loads of
advice on how to work out
how much money you will need for your gap year,
budgeting,
saving money,
grants, sponsorship and fundraising. We
have lots of brilliant fundraising
ideas for you, from running in wellies full of jelly, or doing a sky dive, or organising an
event. We’ll have you bringing in the money to fund your gap year in no time.