A gap year is your opportunity to take time out between school and further studies, college and work, or a break from your career... In fact, the fastest-growing group of gap year takers are non-students.
A gap year might involve travelling, volunteering, working, or all three. There can be lots of benefits: you can find out more about yourself and other people, pick up new some new skills, plus there’s the chance to do something really worthwhile.
Working out exactly what to do and where to go can be a challenge, so have a look at Gap Advice or Go Gap Year for more information and advice.
Exploring the world for a few months could be an amazing experience and it doesn’t have to cost the earth. Do your research beforehand and get to the best festivals, sports events, and anything else you have always wanted to see!
Although some employers or universities might be more impressed with a structured gap year, there are still plenty of opportunities to make the most of your time away. Also, depending on where you are, there’s always the option to pick up some work or arrange a volunteering placement.
Remember that airlines do have different policies about under-18s travelling without an adult, so it’s important to check this before your book. The laws applying to under-18s travelling on their own also vary from country to country, so check the situation with the country’s embassy in the UK before booking anything.
Contact details for embassies can be found on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website .
Some popular gap year travel options are:
For cheap accommodation, hostels are a good bet as many hotels won’t accept bookings from under 18s (or under 21s in America).
If you’re going outside Europe, you may need to arrange visas and vaccinations well in advance.
Speak to your doctor or have a look at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website to find out about each country’s entry requirements.
Volunteering is a great way for you to give up your time to help other people, animals, the environment or whatever it is you’re passionate about - anywhere in the world! There are lots of organisations and charities that specialise in gap year opportunities if you want to volunteer but don't know where to start.
Most organisations will ask you to raise some money towards your experience and travel expenses. However, they give lots of advice and guidance on what you can do to raise money, so don't let that put you off. It is important to research the organisation and placement before parting with your cash. Have a look at the Ethical Volunteering website for more information on how to choose a volunteer programme.
It will take a bit more planning, but some people choose to set up a volunteering placement themselves. There are a number of ways to go about this:
You can search for possible international volunteering opportunities on Young Scot WOW.
Picking up work while you’re travelling is a great way to learn new skills and make sure your trip lasts as long as you want it to.
If you’re travelling within Scotland or any other country within the European Economic Area member country - that‘s the EU countries plus Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein – you can work without restriction and you won’t need any special work permit or visa. For more information about the opportunities available for working in Europe, have a look at the Eurodesk website.
If you want to work in another country outside the European Economic Area, you’ll usually need to be sponsored by an overseas employer and sorting out all the necessary paperwork can be difficult. You’ll also need to apply for a visa – the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website has links to each country’s embassy, where you will find information about how to do this.
Some countries, including Australia, New Zealand and Japan offer working holiday visas that allow you to work and travel for up to a year. These schemes are designed for people who want to take on casual work while they travel to top up their funds. To find out more, contact the embassy for the relevant country.
Published on 07/08/2010
Last modified on 19/12/2011
© 2010 Young Scot Enterprise and its suppliers. All rights reserved.