Contents:
Whatever your destination, some examples of gap year activities include conservation work, adventure travel programmes, summer schools and internships. Discover some more gap year ideas. To explore available programmes, see gap year opportunities. Employers will typically look at hundreds of applications, so a gap year is a great way to make yours stand out.
At the interview stage, you can draw on the experience and provide a number of interesting examples of what you did with your time. By using a gap year as an opportunity to develop key skills, gain experience in a particular area, or try out different industries, you'll show that you're taking your career seriously and what you can take from it should certainly be viewed as a positive.
However, if you don't plan or actively take part in anything during your gap year, it's much harder to justify your trip to organisations you'd like to work for and so could be viewed as an unexpected gap on your CV. To ensure this doesn't happen, create a plan detailing what you want to achieve by the end of it. The best time to take a gap year is different for each individual. While many school and college students decide to have a break from study to see more of the world before going to university, this is not for everyone.
Some may feel they lose the momentum for studying when they return, and others can find the prospect extremely challenging and overwhelming at this stage in their lives. If you do determine that now's the perfect opportunity to embark on a gap year adventure and you've already applied to university, you'll need to inform your chosen institution of your plans. When contacting the admissions office, be sure to state why you want to defer and what you intend to do with your time.
It's then up to the university to assess each case and make a decision as to whether you can defer. To justify deferring your place, you'll need to prove that your gap year is constructive and that you'll gain something from it. Choosing to do something related to your course may also strengthen your case. For some subjects, such as maths and physics, it's important to keep your subject knowledge and skills up to date, so you'll need to explain to your tutors how you intend to do this. If you're unsure of whether this time out will affect you, speak to lecturers and friends and ask your university careers service if they offer any support for students planning time away from their studies.
Taking a gap year in the middle of your university years isn't recommended, as the planning can distract you from your routine, with students often finding it hard to return to their studies once it's over. This is further complicated by the fact that your peer group will have moved on. Being surrounded by new people can make settling back in much tougher and you may even lose enthusiasm for the course altogether.
Unless you have a good reason for taking time out from your course to do a gap year, employers may perceive this time away as a lack of commitment. You need to think how you will explain this, detailing how what you learned helped you successfully complete the course when you returned. Rather than having a full year off, you could possibly take a 'mini gap year' and use the summer holidays to travel, volunteer or work abroad. You then won't miss any of your course, but have the same opportunity to acquire skills that complement your degree. It may also show employers that you have developed good time management skills, organising your trip alongside a full-time degree.
To find out what's on offer, search work experience and volunteering opportunities abroad. After so many years devoted to study, a gap year could be seen as a well-earned break. As a wiser and more mature graduate, you could use this time to reflect on what you've achieved and decide on your next move. Entering the working world fresh from a break could be more beneficial than getting burned out from years of studying. With such strong competition for jobs, you might wonder whether delaying entry into the jobs market is the best idea. However, a gap year can build the skills that employers are looking for and you'll be equipped with experiences to give your CV a boost.
On the other hand, due to your student loan and general living costs, you'll likely leave university in some debt, so taking a year out may not always be the best option. Instead, getting a job straight after graduation, giving you a regular income and the chance to start paying off some of what you owe, might be a more practical idea. You could still take a short break, but choose to stay closer to home. If you plan to enter an employer graduate scheme , you'll need to consider the timing of your applications, the recruitment process and potential start date.
For those that return to the UK having had a great time on your gap year, the reality of coming home without university or a job to look forward to might leave you feeling deflated. It's therefore worth having a plan of action for what comes afterwards.
Jobs and work experience Postgraduate study Careers advice Applying for university. Search graduate jobs Job profiles Work experience and internships Employer profiles What job would suit me? Job sectors Apprenticeships Working abroad Gap year Self-employment. Search postgraduate courses Funding postgraduate study Universities and departments Study abroad Conversion courses Law qualifications.
Article sponsored by Projects-Abroad. Excited about college but not quite ready to start? Each year, students across America are choosing to postpone their traditional academic plans and participate in a gap year experience.
A gap year is a year spent taking time off between life stages. An increasingly popular option, it provides time for traveling, volunteering, learning a new language, or experiencing any number of other activities for personal growth. Typically, students take a gap year after graduating from high school and before attending college. While there are many compelling reasons to take a gap year, one of the most common is the opportunity for students to explore their interests and develop a purpose for their future.
Students can take a break from intense coursework and focus on enriching life experiences. Whether they spend the year traveling, volunteering, working, or all three, students who have completed a gap year are often revitalized for their return to the academic world the following year.
According to David Hawkins, director of public policy and research at the National Association for College Admission Counseling, taking a gap year …could actually help students succeed in college, since participants may be more focused, mature, and motivated for their undergraduate experience. Many students also find that their gap year allows them to help others. For students choosing to spend the year volunteering abroad, some of the benefits include:.
There are no rules when it comes to taking a gap year, so the possibilities are truly endless. Luckily, there are organizations that specialize in helping students organize their adventures.
For example, some companies assist with everything from finding a host family, to setting up the volunteer project, to taking care of meals and travel insurance. As exciting as a year off before college may sound, there are several important issues to consider before embarking on a gap year.
www.farmersmarketmusic.com is a community for backpackers and gap year travellers. Search for trip advice, travel inspiration, jobs, tours and volunteering ideas. Thousands of people are taking gap years all over the world, travelling to destinations such as Australia, New Zealand and Thailand for months on end.
Projects Abroad is one of the largest volunteer abroad organizations in the world. Founded in , Projects Abroad sends over 50, people abroad each year on a variety of service projects and internships overseas. All participants receive unparalleled in-country support from their full-time, professional staff to ensure that the experience is safe, worthwhile and fun. Their Global Gap program takes gap year students to 5 countries around the world over the course of an academic year.
Learn more or request a brochure online. We know that great scores take work. That's why we design our courses to be efficient, targeted and strategic so you make the most of every minute you spend prepping.