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30 unique ways to spend a gap year before college

After flipping their graduation tassels and listening to a few rounds of "Pomp and Circumstance," lots of loftier school graduates find themselves request, "What's next?" Although a lot of them will head straight to college, others opt to take a "gap twelvemonth" instead, using the fourth dimension to travel, acquire, and explore.

Depending on each person's individual interests and goals, these experiences can play out in many dissimilar ways. Students who already know what they want to study in college, for example, may utilise the opportunity to intern in their field or get a head outset building applicative skills. Others may only have the time to travel and clear their head, allowing new ideas to spring forward as they whittle down their options. Common elements of gap years include volunteer opportunities, educational or learning components, and cultural exchanges.

If y'all're considering taking a gap year only don't know where to first, think about your personal goals, also as your current skill set. Enquiry each plan'due south requirements in terms of prerequisites, also equally the general qualities that they are seeking in applicants. Likewise, recollect almost your own personality and what types of scenarios you'd thrive in the nigh. Are you someone who likes freedom and flexibility, for instance, or exercise you adopt structure? Are y'all adventurous enough for the living conditions of a developing country, or are y'all someone who enjoys creature comforts?

With endless options out in that location, Stacker has put together a list of unique and interesting ways to spend a gap year to assist in the quest for the right fit. The listing is complete with specific programs, requirements, and other pertinent data on each potential feel.

Accept a expect at some of the best options and prepare for your groovy hazard to unfold.

ALSO: Underrated networking tips to help heave your career

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Thinking Beyond Borders

Global gap year agency Thinking Beyond Borders offers participants a world bout every bit they travel from country to country, learning about local bug and volunteering within communities. Its most popular program is called Global Gap Year, which takes students to Guatemala, Thailand, Cambodia, Ghana, Kingdom of morocco, and the The states. According to the agency, it is looking for students who show a "passion for learning" and a "commitment to making change in their communities."

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US Regular army Afrida // Wikimedia Commons

Volunteering Solutions

With Volunteering Solutions, organizers connect students with various volunteer opportunities throughout the world at destinations including Thailand, Bali, India, Uganda, Philippines, China, Tanzania, Nepal, and others. The grouping offers tons of unlike types of volunteerism including teaching, community development, medical volunteering, disabled intendance, women empowerment, and even journalism and media internships.

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Applied science Earth Health Summer Stalk Programs

Aimed at medical students or those in other scientific discipline-related fields, the Engineering World Health Summer STEM Programs allow participants to use their emerging skills to further various global health initiatives. The summer programs, which take place in the Dominican Commonwealth, Uganda, Tanzania, and Rwanda, identify undergraduates in low-income hospitals and clinics where they serve two-month stints helping the local community.

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Jamie Wilson // Shutterstock

AuPair World

For people who've ever wanted to try being an au pair, this arrangement is a great way to get continued with host families. The idea of the organization is that a local family provides lodging and meals (and sometimes a small-scale stipend) in exchange for work effectually the house or tending to the children. The main objective is that both the au pair and the host family build cultural understanding and work on their language skills.

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Bureau of Land Management // Flickr

AmeriCorps

AmeriCorps is a classic gap twelvemonth choice that gives young people various opportunities to work on ecology and community outreach initiatives throughout the United States. Often referred to as the "domestic Peace Corps," the organization focuses on anti-poverty programs, youth mentoring, sustainability campaigns, national disaster preparedness, and other domestic initiatives. Participants can serve a standard one-year term or bring together role-time or summer programs.

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Art History Away

For fine art history majors and other lovers of fine arts, this Art History Away program provides the chance to study and appreciate art in Europe and other foreign locations. Each program offers a different sampling of fine art and culture. Its class in Italy, for case, offers a half-dozen-week study of architecture and sculpture on a tour that includes Rome, Naples, Siena, Florence, Verona, and Venice.

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Loop Abroad's Veterinarian Semester

Targeting aspiring veterinarians, zoologists, and other animal-focused careers, Loop Away's Veterinary Semester Abroad lets students work in veterinary hospitals, clinics, or other environments where they learn most and interact with diverse animals. Each opportunity is unique, ranging from studying elephants and sea turtles in Thailand to volunteering with monkeys and tapirs in the Ecuadorian rainforest.

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Estonian Information technology College // Flickr

Ironhack Web Evolution Programs

Designed with tech students in mind, Ironhack's Web Development Programs offer nine-week boot camps—too as longer, 24-week programs for part-timers—that provide a space for students to exercise their web skills in cute and intriguing locations. Some of the countries on the listing include Spain, Deutschland, France, Republic of colombia, Portugal, United mexican states, Brazil. Coursework includes UX/UI design, full-stack web development, HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript, React, TypeScript, Express, MongoDB, and more.

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Stoke Travel Adventure Programs

If you're someone with a gustatory modality for adrenaline, non to mention a wild party, the Stoke Travel Take chances Programs volition allow you to indulge in your crazy, adventurous side. Dubbed "party travel for the open-minded individual," the programs include ski trips in Andorra, surfing safaris in San Sebastian, cruise rides in Croatia, and netball tournaments in San Vino. The organization as well offers experiences like attending festivals, going to carnivals, and taking "glamping" trips.

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Sidfinya // Wikimedia Commons

Willing Workers on Organic Farms (WWOOF)

Willing Workers on Organic Farms (WWOOF) is an arrangement that's been effectually and so long people accept turned it into a verb. "WWOOFing," as it's sometimes called, allows you to volunteer on organic farms throughout the earth where y'all help out in exchange for food and lodging. Different many programs which have an age limit, WWOOF encourages people of all ages to participate, noting that some hosts fifty-fifty prefer "more mature WWOOFers who have specific skills."

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Miguel Virkkunen Carvalho // Flickr

Institute For American Universities French Honors Programme

French majors or other advanced-level French speakers tin strop their language skills by participating in the Institute For American Universities' French Honors Program in Aix-en-Provence, French republic. The semester-long programme, which offers academic course credits, includes a weekly French Honors course, as well as integrated activities and field studies. All student applicants must be able to demonstrate avant-garde French linguistic communication and comprehension skills.

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Sustainable Summer Semester Program

Meant for young people interested in conservation and the environment, Sustainable Summer offers "bridge years" where recent high school graduates tin gain leadership skills while learning about ecological and sustainability problems. The program includes a iv-week orientation period in Republic of ecuador, a ii-week leadership expedition to destinations like Cotopaxi or the Galapagos, and a ten-week fellowship with an ecology non-governmental organization.

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Adelante

Adelante is an organization that places Spanish majors and other students interested in the Spanish language in internships and written report abroad programs. The idea is to strengthen their language skills while also broadening cultural sensation and giving dorsum to the community. The arrangement, which says its mission is to encourage candidates to "move across their comfort zone," has programs in Spain, Chile, Republic of ecuador, Mexico, Uruguay, and other countries.

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NOLS Semester in the Rockies

Rooted in outdoor leadership and appreciation, NOLS has been spearheading wilderness excursions for young people for decades. Its Semester in the Rockies is aimed at outdoor-loving students who want to use their gap year to gain wilderness survival skills while also participating in adrenaline sports that get their hearts pumping. Expedition activities include whitewater rafting, rock climbing, mountaineering, canyoneering, backpacking, backcountry skiing, and others.

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Los Angeles Performing Arts Conservatory Gap Yr

Aspiring actors will feel at home in this performing arts-based gap year program aimed at budding actors, entertainers, and thespians. Located in Los Angeles and taught past Hollywood Acting Professionals, the Los Angeles Performing Arts Conservatory Gap Yr has produced actors similar Ken Jeong and Dario Soler.

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laurabodenschatz // Pixabay

Sporting Opportunities

For immature people who dearest sports, this versatile organization is a nifty way to observe a gap year opportunity that's focused on athletics. Participants can coach, train, or play a multifariousness of sports in Republic of ghana, Republic of kenya, China, India, Thailand, Argentine republic, Australia, Fiji, and other locations. The plan offers a great fashion to gain resume experience for those seeking future coaching opportunities.

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Adam Jones // Wikimedia Commons

Global Citizen Year

With the objective of giving students a broader earth perspective, Global Denizen Twelvemonth fully immerses participants in the language and civilization of their host land. The programme runs for a full school year during which time students alive with a family in India, Brazil, Ecuador, or Senegal, working as an apprentice or fellow on various educational, environmental, anti-poverty, and health-related initiatives.

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The Spring Medical Internship

Designed for prospective medical students, also as young people with an interest in global health intendance, The Leap's Medical Internship is a fantastic fashion for hereafter doctors, nurses, and non-governmental organization (NGO) leaders to gain real-world experience and learn more nearly their field, while likewise impacting people's lives. Based in either Sri Lanka or Nepal, students work in a fast-paced infirmary setting where they treat patients and assistance with medical care.

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Port of San Diego // Flickr

Seamester Study Abroad at Sea

Whether you lot want to be a marine biologist or but have the urge to sail around the earth, the Seamester Study Abroad at Sea programme offers a vessel in which students can meet new countries and learn more about life at ocean. Participants spend iii months in a traveling classroom where they get college credit for courses in marine biology and oceanography—complete with lectures, research projects, midterms, and finals. They also learn nearly local civilisation and history during day excursions to land and receive certifications in diverse sailing techniques, PADI Open Water, First Assistance, and CPR.

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Oxford Royale Academy Politics and International Relations

Oxford Royale Academy's Politics and International Relations programme is designed for students interested in a career in politics, diplomacy, or global affairs. The 10-calendar week academic gap year program, located in Oxford, England, includes rigorous debating sessions, independent research projects, field trips, and lectures. Students develop a personal thesis during the form, which includes lessons political science, international institutions, global perspectives, nationalism, and democracy. Samples theses have included "Brexit: the Consequences of Uk Leaving the EU," "The New, Not-So-Cold, War With Russia," and "The Politics of Climatic change."

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National Security Language Initiative for Youth

The National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y) is a scholarship program funded in part by the U.S. Department of Country with the goal of boosting American citizens' foreign language skills and cultural understanding. It sends students to diverse countries for 8-to-10-calendar week immersive experiences where they can learn languages including Arabic, Chinese, Hindi, Turkish, Indonesian, Korean, Western farsi, or Russian. "The summertime I spent in Jordan was the singularly most defining experience in my life," wrote one participant. "I've never been and then challenged, transformed, and inspired every bit I was when I navigated the challenges and wonders of living away." Applicants must be currently enrolled in loftier school with a GPA of 2.5 or higher.

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API Away Republic of costa rica Sustainability And Environmental Studies Program

Another gap twelvemonth programme aimed at environmental conservation, API Abroad'south Costa rica Sustainability And Ecology Studies Programme takes place in the Costa Rican suburb of San Joaquin De Flores, just outside the capital of San Jose. In addition to learning Spanish, participants attend classes at local universities where they study biology, ecology, earth sciences, and cultural studies—much of which is focused on the region'southward rich biodiversity.

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Feed My Starving Children // Flickr

Cantankerous Cultural Solutions

Cross Cultural Solutions offers a wide range of international volunteering opportunities including its "Effectually The Earth Gap Year," a 32-week bout with stops in Republic of peru, Thailand, Ghana, Greece, and Kingdom of morocco. Most of the plan's initiatives work in line with the Un Sustainable Developments goals, which are to stop poverty and hunger, achieve gender equality, ensure healthy lives, and promote inclusive and equitable education.

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This is Edinburgh // FLickr

Cultural Vistas Paid Technical Internships

What sets Cultural Vistas apart from other gap year programs is that all of the opportunities it offers are paid internships. The group's focus is mainly on technical and professional person development programs, placing students in paid fellowships in the fields of architecture, agriculture, business organisation consulting, finance, accounting, media and communications, pattern, real estate, economics, and the nonprofit sector. The system operates in more 25 countries.

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Projects Abroad's Journalism Internship in China

Future journalism students or others interested in media and communications careers volition gain all-encompassing existent-life knowledge and skills from Projects Abroad's Journalism Internship in People's republic of china. The program places aspiring media professionals at a magazine in Shanghai where they write stories about amusement, lifestyle, and business topics. It'southward a cracking portfolio builder, every bit well as an excellent opportunity to learn more most Chinese language, food, and culture.

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Paulinowrites // Wikimedia Commons

Carpe Diem Teaching

What makes Carpe Diem Education stand up out from other Spanish immersion programs is its special focus on getting students outside their comfort zones. It offers applied, real-life skills that prepare students for future international solo travel. With programs in Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa rica,Peru, Bolivia, and other countries, participants learn Spanish amongst a "no prison cell-phone, no Wifi" setting that also prohibits drug and alcohol in an effort to proceed participants "present, rubber, and involved." The programs, which are as well offered in not-Castilian speaking countries, give students the option of earning up to 18 quarter college credits.

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Larre // Wikimedia Commons

Where There Be Dragons Republic of madagascar Semester

Nestled on the so-chosen "8th continent" of Madagascar, this unique gap yr plan gives participants insight into the ecosystems of the region, also equally its many challenges. Students travel effectually the state by bush-league taxi, trekking through national parks and visiting wildlife sanctuaries to learn most lemurs and other local animals. In that location are also opportunities to speak the local Malagasy linguistic communication and study the area'due south limestone pinnacles. The organisation, which says that global citizenship, self-awareness, and leadership are its cadre values, stresses the "rugged travel" element, noting that "Dragons students are travelers, not tourists."

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Performing Arts Away Music Internship In Barcelona

Located in the vibrant, historic Spanish urban center of Barcelona, Performing Arts Abroad'due south Music Internship is an exceptional mode for music majors to larn more almost the music manufacture and practice their skills in a beautiful setting. Participants intern at a Spanish music school about 20 hours a week, assisting with marketing initiatives, public relations, didactics, online promotion, social media, and even working every bit a product assistant in some cases. "I had the opportunity to work with a great mentor who went out of her way to guide me and make sure I gained a lot of hands-on experience," one student wrote. "It was also a pleasure to work with the students and better my Spanish along the way."

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Rafting Rio Pacuare Costa Rica // Wikimedia Commons

Gapforce's Trekforce Expedition Leader Training

Intended for supremely adventurous, thrill-seeking lovers of the outdoors, Gapforce's Trekforce Expedition Leader Grooming is a quintessential survival form that teaches students a staggering amount of practical backcountry skills in 4 short months. Starting time in Wales and ending in Republic of costa rica, participants receive Mount Leadership and Advanced Expedition Medicine training while practicing things like cave rescues, jungle survival scenarios, drowning prevention, and kayak skill building. Previous expedition leaders have gone on to star in TV survival shows (Bruce Parry in "BBC The Tribe" and Ed Stafford in "Naked and Marooned") and piece of work on the sets of series similar Ben Fogle's "Extreme Dreams."

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Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences Summer Courses (BIOS)

These rigorous academic summer programs offering advanced level marine studies in Bermuda, where students can engage in oceanic field studies to complement their coursework. Aimed at upper-level undergraduates, graduate students, and even professionals in the field, the constitute holds different classes each summer which may include topics like Marine Plankton or Coral Reef Ecology. According to BIOS, the classes provide students with the "opportunity to written report topics in marine science that might not be offered inside the curricula of their abode institutions."

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