What is a gap year?

A gap year is the term used to describe taking some time out from education or employment. It doesn’t have to be for a year – it could be any length of time from a few months to a few years. A gap year can be spent in many different ways, in your home country or overseas, and is often spent doing something you wouldn’t normally have time to do. The best gap years involve some planning and research to make the most of the time available. You don’t have to spend a fortune to have a great gap year, but you need to work out a reasonable budget and make some important decisions about how you will spend it.

The options available to you for your gap year fall into these main categories:

Backpacking and travel

Packing up your backpack and travelling round countries is a brilliant way to experience other cultures, broaden your mind, build up confidence in yourself and meet interesting people. Many gappers buy a round the world ticket and choose a number of destinations to visit around the globe. These tickets offer fantastic value, and you can change dates of travel and even destinations while you are away, if your plans change. Budget flights can be picked up so cheaply these days that you may want to dip in and out of individual countries depending on what offers are available at the time. Keep your eye out for airline sales & price cuts for a great bargain. If you are travelling round Europe, you can buy an InterRail pass and take in a multitude of European countries and cultures by train. Don’t forget ferries and buses can offer cheap forms of transport for budget backpackers looking to keep travel costs down.

Volunteering gap years

There is a massive industry of volunteer project companies set up to cater for gappers. You can take part in structured, organised volunteer projects run by these companies in a wide range of countries round the world. They cover conservation, community, teaching, healthcare, sports, wildlife and diving and many more areas. Whatever your interests, you are bound to find a volunteer project that suits you. Volunteering suits many people as you get the chance to visit the real heart of a country and feel like you are contributing something, whilst meeting like minded fellow volunteers. There is often a great sense of camaraderie on projects, and you are likely to have loads of fun as well as learning new skills and broadening your mind. Joining a volunteer project can be a great solution for individuals not wanting to travel alone, or for first timers who are unsure about exploring strange countries independently. A good volunteering company will make you feel looked after and safe, whilst still pushing your lifestyle boundaries so that you experience a new and interesting way of life (such as using drop toilets!).

Work in your gap year

You may be looking to pick up some CV improving work experience during your year out, which will improve your chances of landing you your dream job after you graduate. Many companies offer work experience to undergraduates in the form of industrial placements, internships, summer & vacation work placements, which are paid fixed term contracts. Undertaking this type of work experience could even help you get your foot in the door of a company and increase your chances of employment with them as a graduate.

More and more gappers are choosing to spend their year out earning money to see them through their University degree. Make sure you take some time for some play, though! You don’t have to spend a fortune to see a small slice of the world.

Learning during your gap year

You could spend some of your gap year training to pick up more skills or qualifications. Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) qualifications can help you to get an interesting TEFL job abroad. This is a great way to see other countries and to meet local people. Or you could pick up a sports qualification that led you to training a football team in Africa. Getting a PADI qualification will open up a whole new world of experience for you, and is a very useful skill if you are interested in marine life & conservation.

The most important thing you can do is plan your gap year well to make sure you make the most of it. You don’t have to follow a strict timetable, but if you have booked a flight and know where you’re going there will be no more excuses!