Wondering how to spend your gap year?
Discover inspiring gap year activities and ideas
How to spend a gap year
With some careful planning, your gap year can be the perfect time to gain impressive skills and experiences that will help you in the future. There are so many fantastic gap year activities to try, which give you the chance to meet new people, broaden your horizons and challenge yourself. If you’re wondering what to do on a gap year, The Gap Year Hub has rounded up some of the top gap year activities and gap year ideas, so you can fill your time with experiences that are as unique as you are.
“Knowing what we do about the professional and personal enrichment brought on by the gap year experience, and how positively it impacts academics and employability, it is time to rebrand gap years as one of the most significant educational opportunities we have”
Forbes
What can I do on my gap year?
Here are some of the most popular gap year ideas to help you start planning your trip:
Art and culture trips
Indulge your love of the arts with cultural gap year activities, including art, music, dance and drama.
Backpacking on a gap year
Discover the world and meet new people by filling your backpack and heading off on a life-changing gap year.
Community projects
Joining a community project on your gap year can be an incredibly rewarding experience.
Gap year conservation programs
Make a difference to local people, animals or the environment by joining a conservation project as one of your gap year activities.
Cookery courses
Don your chef’s hat and become a culinary master on a gap year cookery course at home or abroad.
E-gap years
If you are spending your gap year at home, an online e-gap year course can help you gain new skills.
Gap year expeditions
Try thrilling gap year activities on an expedition to remote destinations, and explore mountains, forests, glaciers and more.
Gap year internships
Gain experience in a sector that interests you with a gap year internship at home or abroad, on a paid or voluntary basis.
Learn a language on your gap year
Take a language course at home or further afield and spend your gap year learning new lingo.
Medical gap year programs
Specialised medical gap year programs for pre-med and nursing students looking to gain experience overseas.
Gap year overland tours
Overland gap year tours give you the opportunity to explore a destination with a group of like-minded travellers.
A gap year on the ski slopes
If you love snowsports then combine your passion for ski or snowboarding with a working gap year on the slopes.
Gap year sports coaching
You can teach sports on your gap year by joining an adventure organisation, summer camp or training scheme.
TEFL teaching courses
Earn money and boost your CV by teaching English to non-English speakers during your gap year.
Volunteer on your gap year
Give something back and make a real difference by spending time volunteering as one of your gap year activities.
A working gap year
There are so many paid jobs you can do on a working gap year, from summer camps, to hospitality, farm work and childcare.
Learn or teach water sports
If you’re happiest in the sea, spend your gap year learning a new water sport or teach others how to perfect their skills.