A gap year is a period of time taken out from studying or working, it can be in this country or abroad and can include working, traveling, volunteering, teaching or studying.
The potential benefits of taking a gap year include developing your skills, learning about different cultures, making friends, having an adventure, increasing your confidence and independence, gaining work experience, trying out different industries, giving something back, saving money for university, enabling you to start the next part of your career feeling fresh and ready to go and giving you time to have a well-earned break, get yourself in better mental health or decide what to do next. It can also give you something to think and talk about for the rest of your life, which might make you stand out with employers, as well as with your friends and family. Think about if you don’t take this opportunity now, when will you next get such a chance?
However, the possible drawbacks include looking like you have been lazy, giving you an unexplained gap in your CV, a university may not be happy for you to defer, forgetting some of your course content, getting out of the way of studying, missing out on career opportunities, delaying earning a graduate salary, ending the year in debt, spending ages planning your time, not feeling ready to go out into the world without your parents/carers, risking your life by putting yourself in dangerous environments and coming back feeling deflated. Also, if you are the only one to take a break in the middle of a degree, your peer group will have moved on when you return.
If you decide to go ahead and want to avoid the drawbacks, create a plan detailing what you want to achieve by the end of the year, make your activities as relevant to your future career as possible, take Foreign Office advice on travel, consider an organised tour, avoid taking a gap in the middle of a degree and explain to your university why you want to defer, what you intend to do with your time, why it will benefit you and your future studies and how you will keep your knowledge and skills up to date. It is also wise to plan for when you return, so that you have something to look forward to.
An alternative is to use the summer holidays to travel, volunteer or work abroad instead. You generally get about 3 months depending on your course and university. You could take a course with a sandwich year and possibly do an internship abroad or study abroad instead. You could also take a short break, but choose to stay closer to home.
There are websites such as gapyear.com and notgoingtouni which list opportunities with organisations including Adventure China, BUNAC, Camp America, Camp Canada, Camp Leaders, China International Schools, The China Teaching Experience, City Internships, EA Ski & Snowboard Training, EF English First, Fewer Things, Frontier, Kaya Responsible Travel, Latitude, Maximo Nivel, Pod Volunteer and Wildpacks.
So, if the idea of a gap year appeals to you, research the places you could go to, decide who to travel with, if anyone, raise some money, book your travel, make sure that you have a plan for every eventuality, travel light and plan for your return. Enjoy!
You can contact Careers on: careers@loucoll.ac.uk and ask for assistance with choosing a career; choosing a course for next year at college, university or another training provider; writing a CV or personal statement; applying for a job or apprenticeship; planning a gap year; or anything else related to your future study or employment. We are here to help you to progress.
Loughborough College Careers