10 Best Post-College Gap Year Programs

The period after college to the time of entering grad school for most students can be daunting. Some students have their line of taught on the career to take, while most are pretty much confused.

If you’re any of such students, there’s an option for you; go into business or take a year off after college and do a gap year program.

A gap year program abroad can be an essential opportunity to gain professional and personal experiences in a global context.

Especially for college graduates, a gap year program done abroad is more than you think.

It allows you to accomplish the same things you would’ve at home (i.e., an internship, further study, teaching, or entry-level job), but you will do them in a much broader setting.

So, if you have a wrong notion about gap year programs, get ready to change your mind because a gap year is a year to improve your skills and knowledge.

Keep reading as we show you the true meaning of a gap year, and help you understand the benefits, the type of programs available, and the effects your career will have by taking a year off after college.

The table of content below gives a broader view of the topics this article treated.

Stay with us!

What is Gap Year?

A gap year is when you take a year off after every level of education.

A gap year can also be any period; it does not have to be a full year. It can be a semester or a few months.

Gap years are free time for high school or college students to work, volunteer, or study.

A Post-College Gap Year is an intentional break between college and the next phase in a student’s life. It is also known as the Gap Year After College.

What is Post-College Gap Year?

Post-College Gap Year can be a full-time job, graduate school, volunteering, or something else.

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Why Take a Gap Year After College?

Most students are raised to follow the same path – make good grades in high school, go to a great university, graduate in four years, and then enter business or enroll in graduate school.

After a grueling four-year period of apparently uninterrupted learning, most college graduate may feel like he deserves a break. And for many, those short summer vacations after graduation won’t be enough.

Meanwhile, some graduates are unsure of the career they want to pursue, while others are disappointed that they were not admitted to their grad school of choice.

Some even have it all figured out, go to college, graduate, and start their careers. One of these events occurs in the life of most college graduates.

For those seemingly confused or who need a break, taking a year off is the perfect way to fill in the middle period and let your steam off.

Also, taking a year off after college allows you to reflect on your mantra, goals, and values.

Observing and experiencing how people live in other parts of the world can help you reevaluate your life and its problems and give you the perspective you need.

If you’ve had enough of your current lifestyle, a gap year may even inspire you to change the direction of your life completely. You will learn more about yourself and what you are capable of without the comforts of family, friends, a job, and a native language that you master.

Whatever your motivation, spending a year abroad before entering the workforce is a solid plan. After all, it will be much more difficult for you to travel once you start your career or have a family to support.

Most importantly, gaining relevant work experience and a new international perspective will make you significantly more attractive to a potential employer when you return home.

Meanwhile, you can use your year abroad to discover new interests or old passions. Have you always loved animals but can’t afford veterinary school? Spend a year abroad conserving wildlife in sanctuaries.

See Also: Studying Abroad in England | Requirements, Cost, Top Universities

How Does a Gap Year Work?

As a college student seeking to take a gap year program, you need to understand how the gap year works.

The great thing about most gap year programs is that you can choose the type you want to major in.

Due to the recent popularity of gap years, you can find almost any type of experience in various industries.

Whether you want to use your environmental degree to work in conservation in Tanzania or improve your Chinese language skills in China, there is a gap year program to suit your interests.

We are here to help you explain the most common types of gap year programs you will encounter as a college graduate.

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Study

If you are a college graduate and not ready to leave the academy, consider taking classes during your gap year.

Language courses are the most popular and valuable gap year programs, and being able to speak another language is a real CV booster.

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Volunteer

Volunteering abroad is another gap year program type. It is a great way to immerse yourself in a culture and make a difference while developing your career skills.

You can spend the whole year working on one project or doing several smaller ones in different parts of the world.

Explore some of our favorite gap year volunteer programs.

Those that Read this Article, End up Reading: Volunteering Programs For High School Students In 2024

Paid Work

If you are concerned about being financially dependent on your parents, you can combine your gap year program with a paid job.

Look for a job that you can do abroad during your gap year.

You can find a job online, so your work never interferes with your trip.

Internships, teaching English abroad, and working as an au pair are some of the most popular ways to earn money, finance a year of travel, and learn skills to include on your CV.

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How Much Does a Gap Year After College Cost?

Financial responsibilities are one of the main reasons young graduates don’t take a gap year. This is not (and should not) be the case.

A gap year is one of the best options to generate income while studying.

There are plenty of ways to earn money on the go, from paid internships to working as an au pair to landing a part-time job.

Depending on what you are doing in your gap year, you can apply for related grants, scholarships, or even crowdfunding.

Also, research which parts of the world work best for your budget. Your money will go much further in countries like Thailand, Cambodia, or Mexico than in France or England.

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What to Do in a Gap Year Before University

A gap year after college is an excellent opportunity to explore.

There are great options for you. You can follow the crowd to spend a year abroad while you update your Instagram followers or how you visited every city in that country. Or you can spend it by being productive such as working abroad, volunteering abroad, or learning a new language.

Not only that, a gap year is open to anyone, even college graduates, whether you’re doing a paper in a corner booth or climbing the corporate ladder.

There are many gap year travel programs for gap year travelers that are not that cliché, so consider a gap year trip after college.

If you’re a college graduate wanting to impact the world, here are some transformative gap year programs to consider during your year off.

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How to Choose a Suitable Gap Year Program

Gap-year programs are big these days, with many stylish international agencies offering endless options.

Remember that most are for high school dropouts, while some are for college graduates confused or needing a break.

Whatever your case, opt for a program that requires a college degree or experience in your field. In this way, you will gain much valuable and practical experience.

Seek those engaging experiences that add to your resume and opt for that gap year program that matches your chosen field.

For example, aspiring teachers will want to work in education, environmental scientists in conservation, and medical graduates.

Although finding the right program can be a challenge, we have made it easy. Below you will find the Best Post-College Gap Year Programs in 2024.

All you need to do is click and enroll for one.

It’s simple, right?

These are some great and best gap year agencies:

• GoAbroad
• Gap Year Association
• Go Overseas
• Gapforce
• Projects Abroad

These companies offer a full range of immersion experiences abroad, from volunteering to internships, job placements, and everything else.

However, you have to pay a fee to use their services.

10 Best Post-College Gap Year Programs in 2024

Taking a gap year class may seem like a drag after four years in college, but it can help you make significant progress.

Many graduate programs only last one year, so instead of taking a year to travel and then going to graduate school, why not combine the two and attend graduate school abroad?

Stay with us as we outline the 10 Best Post-College Gap Year Programs in 2024.

#1. Water and Sanitation Projects – Blue Missions

Blue Missions is a charity organization that aims to improve public health by providing families with clean water and sanitary environments.

This clean water charity runs one-year after-college programs every summer to work on water and sanitation projects in rural areas of the Dominican Republic.

This is an excellent opportunity to serve and study abroad for a one-year gap year program after college.

At Blue Missions, the volunteers join their team abroad and work with locals to construct the project from the start to the end.

They are to sign up for a service project and fundraise the cost of materials.

Also, you’ll live in a rural community for 8 days, working, learning, living, and enjoying the moment.

This might also be a good option for you if you don’t have a full year of graduate vacancy to spare but still want to get involved in an important project and meet like-minded students and recent graduates beforehand early in your career.

Although the time frame is short, most participants describe it as a positive and immersive experience.

Application for this program starts Dec 1st every year and lasts five weeks.

Click the link below for more information about Blue Missions Gap Year Program.

Apply Now

Requirements

Internship fee of $550 covers the following:

• Airfare (round trip from Miami to the Dominican Republic)
• In-country transportation
• Lodging and most meals
• Travel Insurance

Must participate in workshop training before the summer of 2024

Must be first-aid and CPR certified with the American Red Cross before May 1, 2024. It highly recommended becoming Wilderness First-Aid certified.

If you are a South Florida resident, you must attend their trip preparation meetings in the Spring

#2. Study Abroad & Internships with Linguistic Horizons

Linguistic Horizons offers customized international internships, language immersion, CAM, and study abroad programs for all majors.

They offer a variety of gap year programs ranging from 2 weeks to a full year.

You can choose from the various internship, study abroad, and foreign language immersion programs! They have several options from South America to Europe and New Zealand.

Linguistic Horizons gap year programs after college can connect you with tailored internships or volunteer projects while immersing you in Spanish or English.

Choose how long you want to spend abroad with minimum commitments of two weeks and programs of up to one year.

Accommodation, meal plans, project supervision, field trips, excursions, and 24/7 emergency support are included in the program costs.

Here are Linguistic Horizons gap year programs after college in 2024:

South America: Peru!

• Intern in the Sacred Valley of the Incas, PERU
• Nutrition & Natural Medicine in PERU

Europe: SPAIN!

• Intern & Study Spanish in SPAIN
• Summer Study Spanish in Spain
• SPAIN: Semester or Academic Year

Europe: UK!

• Intern in the UK

Oceania: New Zealand!

• Intern in NEW ZEALAND

Apply Now

#3. Gap Year Semester Program – Pacific Discovery

Pacific Discovery Gap Year Programs are based on experiential education and combine cultural immersion, personal and leadership development, volunteer and community service projects, ecotourism and sustainability, and transferable college credit options.

If you want an experience that challenges you, broadens your horizons, and blends cultural awareness and environmental sensitivity with fun and adventure, then you’re at the right place.

Their educational travel programs are suitable for high school graduates, gap year students, college students, and graduates, ideally between 18-24.

Pacific Discovery Gap Year semester programs are a 10-week journey with an optional 1-3-week independent extension.

Programs are offered in Fall and Winter/Spring and can be taken consecutively for an in-depth and transformative gap year experience. Academic credit options are available in all programs.

Apply Now

#4. GoEco: Volunteer Abroad – Affordable & Trusted Programs

GoEco offers various volunteer experiences with flexible durations ranging from two to twelve weeks.

You can volunteer at an animal rescue shelter in Ecuador, health and medical care in Costa Rica, or help with animal conservation and conservation efforts in Zimbabwe, Kenya, the United States, etc.

The link between these many opportunities focuses on responsible and green travel.

Choose a program if you cannot spend your entire graduate gap year volunteering, or contact GoEco to arrange multiple consecutive experiences.

Here is the different volunteer opportunity GoEco had in 2024:

• Private Island marine Experience – Belize
• Wild Animal Rescue Shelter – Ecuador
• Health and Medical care in San Jose – Costa Rica
• Sea Turtle Conservation – Costa Rica
• African Wildlife Orphanage – Zimbabwe
• Maasai Mara Lion and Wildlife Conservation – Kenya
• Miami Environmental Conservation – United States
• Animal Rescue Conservation – Costa Rica
• Canary Islands Dolphin and Whale Research – Spain
• Sea Turtle Rescue and Recovery Hospitals – Ecuador

Apply Now

#5. Gap Year Volunteer Programs | International Volunteer HQ

Every year thousands of people choose to join IVHQ gap year volunteer programs. Because:

International Volunteer HQ offers the world’s most affordable and reliable volunteer programs in more than 50 countries, including Bali, Cambodia, Costa Rica, Peru, South Africa, and Kenya.

You can join programs for periods ranging from 1 week to 6 months, and many gap years volunteers choose to combine multiple programs in different destinations.

Whether you want to volunteer in education, child care, medicine, community development, construction and renovation, turtle conservation, or wildlife conservation, IVHQ has a gap year volunteer opportunity.

With volunteer program fees starting at $180, you won’t find a more affordable and reliable volunteer organization.

Apply Now

#6. Learn Japanese in Tokyo, Japan, with KCP International

KCP Japanese International Language School is open to all full-time university students, graduate students, and adult professionals, regardless of their field of study.

The program is open to American students and students from other countries with a visa treaty with Japan.

Students who make the most of the KCP program must have completed at least one year of university Japanese. If you are not a native English speaker, you must show your fluency in English.

Requirements

Generally, to be accepted into the program, you:

• Must be at least 18 years old.
• should be prepared to spend three to five hours of study a day outside of class
• and must have completed your secondary education

Enrolled students need a GPA of at least 2.75 (on a 4.0 scale).

There is no transcript requirement for college graduates or adults who are not students over 21.

Apply Now

#7. TEFL Certification for Teaching English Abroad – International TEFL Academy

International TEFL Academy (ITA) is a world leader in TEFL certification for teaching English abroad and teaching English online.

ITA offers accredited TEFL certification classes online and in 21 locations worldwide and has received multiple awards and widespread recognition as one of the best TEFL schools in the world.

Regarding their gap year programs, you can use your graduate gap year to become certified to teach English as a foreign language and then land your first job in your new field.

TEFL Academy’s international programs offer the option of earning your TEFL certification online or visiting one of their sites to train for four weeks abroad.

This includes Teaching English in:

• Asia
• Europe
• Latin America
• The Middle East

Once you have completed your training, the Academy will help you find your first placement and all others after with Lifetime Placement Assistance.

While this is more independent than many overseas graduate gap year programs, the agency also helps find accommodation and arrival assistance at each new placement location. It facilitates meetings, including networking opportunities among alumni of the program.

Apply Now

#8. Gap Year and Internships in Spain – Instituto Hemingway

Instituto Hemingway offers many gap year program opportunities to college graduates. Options like the au pair, volunteering and internships in Spain, and many more.

Instituto Hemingway will place you in a full-time service position in spas and hotels throughout Spain with their gap year programs after college.

This program allows you to undertake internships in Spain in different areas.

They pay an up-front fee for the placement, but once you are there, in exchange for your work, they cover your lodging and meals and a modest allowance for your free time.

The program requires a minimum commitment of four weeks but can be extended for longer stays if you take advantage of it.

Take the opportunity to explore Spain and the surrounding region on your days off.

Apply Now

#9. TEFL Certification Gap Year Programs in Latin America – Maximo Nivel

Máximo Nivel is the leading organization for study abroad and educational trips in Latin America.

They are an internationally accredited organization with four local institutes in 3 of the most beautiful countries in the world: Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Peru.

You can choose from various programs: volunteer abroad, international internships, TEFL certification, Spanish immersion, study abroad, and more.

It launches a new TEFL certification program every month at one of the three Top Level sites in Latin America.

After four weeks of training, including 15 hours of hands-on experience and classroom observation, the organization will help you find your first TEFL teaching location.

They are usually located in Asia, so this could be a great way to travel the world during your graduate gap year.

The TEFL certification program does not include accommodation in the program fee. Still, Maximo Nivel can help you arrange accommodation in student accommodation, self-catering apartments, or host families at affordable prices.

Whether you want to study, volunteer, teach, take a year off, gain international work experience, or get involved in life, language, and culture, Máximo Nivel has a program for you!

Apply Now

#10. Gap Year Programs in Africa – African Impact

African Impact provides reasonable and exceptional volunteer abroad, gap year programs, internships, and study abroad in Africa.

African Impact’s graduate gap year options will allow you to participate in established volunteer projects or internships in various African countries.

Given the project locations, meals and accommodation are generally reasonably essential but safe, sufficient, and included in the program fee.

Different projects have different deadlines, but you can generally choose from programs that vary in length from 2 to 12 weeks.

While there are many projects to choose from, wildlife conservation projects, in particular, seem to be most students’ favorites.

Here are five gap year ideas for volunteering in Africa that will make 2024 unforgettable:

• Teaching & Community Support in Zanzibar, Tanzania
• Medical & Community Development in Zambia
• African Big 5 & Wildlife Conservation in Greater Kruger
• Gender Equality & Community Development in Victoria Falls
• Sports Coaching & Development in Cape Town, South Africa

Volunteer in Africa with the best provider!

Apply Now

Conclusion

As we noted earlier, the real deal about gap years is that they are 100% what you do with them.

You can jump from country to country and experience a ton of new things, live in one place year-round and immerse yourself in another culture, or share your year and do both.

The opportunities are endless, so don’t be afraid to personalize your time abroad and make it as beneficial as possible.

Happy Gapping!

References

• goabroad.com – 14 Incredible Post-College Gap Year Programs
• gooverseas.com – Gap Year Programs After College
• fluentco.com – What’s Next? Finding a Gap Year Program After College

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