Gap Year Information

List of 48 items.

• The Aegean Center for the Arts

  Study art in Greece and Italy. Courses are offered in two semester-long sessions per year and include painting, drawing, photography, printmaking, creative writing, art history, literature and singing. http://aegeancenter.org/

   

  Read More

• Africa & Asia Venture (AV)

  Africa & Asia Venture (AV) specializes in gap year and short-break volunteering programs in the developing world for those aged 18 to 25. AV's first group of volunteers set off in September 1994 and in the 18 years since more than 5,500 young people from 30+ countries have followed in their footsteps, together contributing over 1,200 man-years of service to the communities in which AV works.

  Read More

• African Leadership Academy: Gap Year

  Students spend a year on ALA’s campus in South Africa, studying alongside other African students. The purpose of this gap year is to learn how to make positive impacts on communities in need. During their stay, students will design and implement their own service projects. www.africanleadershipacademy.org

  Read More

• Americorps NCCC

  Team-based residential program aimed at participants ages 18–24. Participants live in a campus environment and participate in service projects in communities across the country. Members receive a living allowance and an education award upon successful completion of the program. http://www.americorps.gov/about/programs/nccc.asp

  Read More

• American Field Service

  One of the world’s oldest, most well-established international student exchange organizations, AFS also offers community service programs for high school graduates in several different countries. http://www.afs.org/afs_or/focus_on/community_service

  Read More

• American University's Gap Program

  AMERICAN UNIVERSITY’S GAP PROGRAM offers a life adventure in our nation’s capital to provide focus and build skills to prepare you for college and career success. AU Gap is designed for students who have finished high school and are taking a year off before college. Students are admitted on a rolling basis and can enroll in program for either the fall or spring semesters, or both. Earn seven credits per semester from American University for an internship experience (3 days/week) and a classroom seminar (2 days/week).  For more information on the AU Gap Program, please visit www.american.edu/spexs/augap.

• The BAEF Scholar’s Program

  The British American Educational Foundation. Students study in England for a full year after high school graduation, while living in an English boarding house. http://www.baef.org/scholarsprogram.php

  Read More

• Brethren Volunteer Service

  Faith-based volunteer service with placements for recent high school grads around the United States. Participants receive a small stipend with room and board. www.brethrenvolunteerservice.org

  Read More

• City Year

  The City Service Youth Service Corps unites over 1,400 young people for a year of full-time community service, leadership development, and civic engagement. Members can be placed in one of 19 U.S. locations or in Johannesburg, South Africa. www.cityyear.org

  Read More

• Council for International Educational Exchange

  College-bound high school graduates spend an academic semester or year staying with a family abroad. Participants do language study, volunteer in the community, or intern as English instructors. CIEE offers Gap Year programs in Chile, China, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, France, Japan, and Spain. http://www.ciee.org/hsabroad/gap/index.html

  Read More

• Dynamy

   

  A non-profit organization that offers nine month long residential program/internships in a variety of sectors - internships range from working with the American Red Cross to working in a French-style patisserie. www.dynamy.org

  Read More

• Earth Watch

  Work with leading environmental researchers around the world on issues varying from climate change to coral reef health. 

  http://www.earthwatch.org

  Read More

• Earthwise Living Foundation

  Live and work in New Zealand. Internships can last anywhere from 4 to 20 weeks and can vary depending on participant’s interests (photography, real estate, conservation, etc). Depending on participant’s budget, different accommodations are available from homestays to apartments. Complimentary bicycle upon arrival. www.elfnz.com

  Read More

• El Casal

  This program in Barcelona combines seminars in Spanish language with travel, outdoor activities, internships, and community service. www.elcasalbarcelona.com

  Read More

• Frontier Nursing: The Courier Program

  The Courier Program provides opportunity for young people to shadow healthcare professionals in rural Appalachia for a period of 1 to 3 months. Must be at least 18 years old and have a valid driver’s license and a vehicle. http://www.frontiernursing.org/Courier/Courier.shtm

  Read More

• Global Citizen Year

  Global Citizen Year is a premier global bridge year program designed to unleash the potential of the next generation of young Americans as authentic leaders and effective agents of change.

  Read More

• Global Learning Across Borders

  Through international cultural immersion and community service programs, Global LAB seeks to educate and inspire young people to become responsible global citizens in their own communities and beyond. Program locations include Greece, Morocco, and the Himalayas. www.global-lab.org/programs

  Read More

• Global Routes

  Teach school and work with local leaders on various community projects in Kenya. Finish the semester on a safari in the Masai Mara! Gap-year students may also go on three-month placements teaching abroad while staying with a host family. Programs are in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. http://www.globalroutes.org/

   

  Read More

• Global Service Corps

  Non-profit group that specializes in overseas volunteer programs and internships in Thailand, Cambodia and Tanzania. Programs include Volunteer Vacations, 2-week introductions to Service Learning, 4-6 week short term volunteer abroad assignments and 9-week to 6–month International Internships and volunteer assignments. www.globalservicecorps.org

  Read More

• Global Vision International

  Volunteers assist in conservation and education projects ranging from teaching literacy and English to indigenous communities in Latin America to wildlife research and conservation in Africa. Programs can range anywhere from 2 weeks to a year. http://www.gviusa.com

  Read More

• Global Works

  Community service-based adventure travel programs for students and groups. In all of our locations, we partner with communities and organizations to select and implement grassroots service projects that make an impact. www.globalworkstravel.com

• Habitat for Humanity

  www.habitat.org

   

  Read More

• Himalayan Gap Year

  Students choose from 5 core modules which provide an immersion into the cultural and ecological environment of the Himalaya: adventure & ecotourism, volunteering with children, sustainability internships, culture & language, and spiritual journeys.  www.himalayanconnections.org

  Read More

• Involvement Volunteers

  Has volunteer placements in more than 30 countries worldwide. http://www.volunteering.org.au/

  Read More

• John Hall Venice

  An eight-week (January-March) introductory course on art history. Students will begin the course in London, then go on to travel/live in Venice, Florence, and Rome. A very popular course, so apply early. http://www.johnhallvenice.com

   

  Read More

• KIVUNIM

  Based in Jerusalem, KIVUNIM focuses on understanding the history and contemporary life of international Jewish communities while developing an appreciation of other cultures. The program is structured around international field trips every fix-six weeks to countries such as Greece, Bulgaria, Morocco, Spain, Turkey, Hungary, and India. www.kivunim.org

  Read More

• LEAPNOW

  Participants spend a group semester period in Asia or Latin America, which is followed by a solo internship in one of 126 countries. Earning college credit is a possibility. www.leapnow.org

  Read More

• Magic Carpet Rides

  Program begins with a home-stay in Guatemala, expanding to El Salvador, Honduras, and Belize. Program stresses cultural immersion, language study, and community service. www.magiccarpetrides.com

  Read More

• Marchutz School of Art

  A semester art program in the South of France which includes a 5-day museum study in Paris, a 5-day sculpture workshop in Giverny, a 10-day painting excursion to Venice, and site-visits in the surrounding countryside of Provence. No previous experience in studio art required. Housing is generally provided by French host families. www.marchutz-school.org

   

  Read More

• Masa

  Program enables thousands of Jewish youth to spend a semester or a year in Israel in any of more than 160 programs. 

  http://www.masaisrael.org/Masa/English/

  Read More

• National Outdoor Leadership School

  Program offers a variety of outdoor courses of varying durations (anywhere from two weeks to one year). Programs range from horseback riding in the Rockies to backpacking in Scandinavia. www.nols.edu

   

  Read More

• Partnership for Service Learning (IPSL)

  Program offers 12-week programs in Ecuador, Italy, and Thailand. Includes intensive language study, community service placements with orientation and support. Room and board provided. www.ipsl.org

  Read More

• Projects Abroad

  Volunteers can choose from a variety of placements in teaching, care, conservation, medical, journalism, or work experience projects across five continents. Placements are flexible, most volunteers going for between two and four months. www.projects-abroad.org

  Read More

• Rustic Pathways

  Offers gap year programs to over 17 countries worldwide. Programs include working in turtle conservation in Costa Rica, to skiing in New Zealand, to going on photo expeditions in the Kalahari. Program length varies. www.rusticpathways.com

  Read More

• SAGE Program

  The SAGE Program offers either an academic gap semester/year, or the opportunity to do volunteer work for 2- to 8-week periods. Programs take place in the Himalayas and South India, with an emphasis on community work and independent service projects. 

  http://sageprogram.org/

  Read More

• School Year Abroad

  A secondary-level program which allows students to live with a European or Asian family for an entire academic year while earning U.S. graduation credits and preparing for selective U.S. colleges. Program focuses strongly on home stays and an academic program that emphasizes foreign language acquisition. http://sya.org/s/833/home.aspx

  Read More

• Sojourns Abroad

  Semester styled programs in Siena and Paris that include language study, home-stay accommodation, art history, and outdoor excursions. www.sojournsabroad.org

  Read More

• Student Conservation Association

  Student Conservation Association (SCA) opportunities in a variety of fields and locations, ranging from team-based programs to individual internships in fields ranging from climate change to habitat restoration to environmental education. https://www.thesca.org/serve/program/gap-year

• Thinking Beyond Borders

  A 35-week program that involves taking 16 graduated high school students around the world to study global development issues from social, political, and economical perspectives. Students will spend five weeks in each of four Core Countries working with local NGOs and building personal relationships with the local people and culture. www.thinkingbeyondborders.org

  Read More

• Vermont Youth Conservation Corps (VYCC)

  For 29 summers, the VYCC has offered residential service opportunities to youth and young adults seeking meaningful conservation experiences. Our Venture gap program is a twenty week residential program that runs from June 30th through November 14th on the Farm at VYCC. Our program model is: small teams, well-trained leaders, and diverse crews working to complete projects that benefit the community. www.farmatvycc.org/ 

• Volunteers for Peace

  Volunteers do a variety of work depending on the needs of the community – this can vary from historic preservation, to sustainable agriculture, to working in an orphanage. Duration is from 2 weeks (short-term projects) to 6 months. Participants can choose from hundreds of work sites in many countries. www.vfp.org

  Read More

• Where There Be Dragons

  Program organizes small-group “learning adventures” in Asia, Latin American, and Africa. Gap Year programs run for three months and, depending on the region, can focus on environmental diversity, modern political movements, and traditional arts. www.wheretherebedragons.com

   

  Read More

• Woolman Semester

  A Quaker-based sixteen-week program that immerses students in peace studies, social justice, and sustainable living on a 230-acre rural campus in Northern California. www.woolman.org/woolman.html

  Read More

• World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF)

  WWOOF enables people to live and volunteer on a variety of organic properties. Volunteers (WWOOFers) help on the land and home for 4-6 hours a day and hosts provide the food and accommodation. If you want to have hands on experience, learn and share organic and sustainable ways of living then WWOOF might be for you. http://www.wwoof.net/welcome-to-wwoof/

• Yachad Gap Year

  Yachad Gap Year gives you the opportunity to have the ultimate immersion experience in Israel, by participating in Israeli mechina programs with Israelis your age. The word Yachad means “together,” and as a participant, your Israel experience will be more up-close and personal than any other – because you’ll be doing it together with your Israeli peers.

  
  The word mechina means “preparation.” When young Israelis want to take a gap year after high school, to learn more about their culture, society, and their Jewish identity, they can participate in one of 40 mechina programs. And just as Israelis use their mechina experience to launch them into elite units and leadership positions in the IDF, you can use your mechina experience to enhance your resume and improve your standing in university admissions.
  
  http://www.yachadisrael.org/
  

  Read More

• Young Judaea

  Year course program organized in three semesters, each in a different and distinct location in Israel and each including academic study, Hebrew language Ulpan and engaging with/contributing to Israeli society through intensive volunteering. “Specialty tracks” ranging from athletics to fashion to culinary arts are also available. http://www.yearcourse.org/landing/index.html

  Read More

• Youth for Understanding International Exchange

  A non-profit group that offers students the chance to work or study abroad in year, semester, or summer programs. 

  http://yfuusa.org/

  Read More

• Youth International

  Offers 12-week long programs where teams of 14 explore three different countries in one region of the world (Asia, South America, or Africa). Programs focus on inter-cultural exchange, volunteer work, home-stays, and outdoor adventure. http://www.youthinternational.org

  Read More