Gap year work and travel

Traditionally, a gap year is a period of travelling, working or volunteering abroad between high school and college/university. A stop gap if you like, somewhere between the academic world and the ‘real world’. But then, we were never really one for tradition. To us, a gap year isn’t just for students, or for graduates, or for an amount of time that happens to add up to a calendar year. What defines a gap year is taking a break to do something different. Not just to travel – although that’s part of it – but to travel with a purpose. Whether that’s to earn money, make a difference, grow your skills or simply to refocus on what’s next. It’s your time, we’re all about making it work for you. 

Gap years are no longer viewed negatively by employers or admissions tutors. If anything, it’s the opposite. Travelling teaches independence, responsibility and understanding – helping us to become better global citizens in a world beyond our own communities or country. It also gives us perspective. There’s nothing like a metaphorical (or actual) mountaintop moment to help you take stock and figure out what’s next. As well as growing personally, a gap year can also help you professionally – to get money, transferrable skills and work experience under your belt. Plus, build connections and friendships with people from all over the world (while having all the fun in the world).

We’d say something profound here like ‘The world is your oyster’. But if you’ve ever been on an overnight backpacker bus after a bad oyster, you’d know that travel and seafood don’t always mix. For their traveller-friendly culture and ease of finding work, classic gap year destinations tend to be Australia, New Zealand, Canada or the UK  – often with stops in Asia, Africa, Europe or Latin America if you’re doing a round the world ticket. If you want to get out of your culture comfort zone, then think about a ski season or working holiday in Japan. It’s one of the safest countries in the world, plus we help find you a ski season job before you go. Job done.

Traditionally if you took a year out to travel, you’d have to wait an academic year before going to university – hence the gap ‘year’. Short history lesson over. In reality, the length of your trip depends on your budget. If you need to earn while you’re away, think about a working holiday visa. Working holidays are iconic gap year stops – either as a destination in themselves or as part of a round the world. Just be aware that some countries will only allow you to have one visa per lifetime – so use it wisely. If you don’t want to use up a working holiday visa but want to earn money over part of the year, check if you’re eligible for our summer camp or Work USA program instead.