How to start planning your gap year?

Begin by answering some key questions and brainstorming big picture ideas. Get out a piece of paper and find a place free from distractions to think. Spend at least 15 minutes answering these questions:

• Why do you want to take a gap year?

• If you could do anything what would you do?

• Any places you dream of spending time during your gap year?

• Do you have a timeline for when you’d like your gap year to begin & end?

Keep coming back to this brainstorming list for the next few weeks - months. Set aside 5-15 minutes per day to plan your gap year, either by brainstorming, researching opportunities online, or talking to people in your community who might support your idea. Hoping to become fluent in French? Talk to your French teacher. Want to explore the arts more in depth? Ask your art teacher about courses or studios to enhance your skills.

TIP: When researching opportunities online, make note of what specific activities or locations most interest you, in addition to program names and websites. You might find that a semester or year-long program that caught your eye is out of your price range, but you could replicate the parts of the experience that most interested you for a shorter time period or in a different location in a way that aligns with your budget.

Budgeting

Don’t put off thinking about your gap year budget for too long. You may find that you need to spend time working and saving to help fund your dream gap year. Have a conversation with your parents or caregivers about how much, if any, they might be willing to contribute to your gap year fund. Calculate how much you have saved, or how much you might be able to earn between now and when your gap year begins. Set up a spreadsheet with your gap year budget and itemized expense lines based on how you hope to spend your gap time.

6 weeks of Independent Travel in Europe:

Airfare $1,400

Lodging $2,700

Meals $1,300

Activities/Spending Money $1,400

Public Transportation $400

Passport $145

Travel Insurance $190

Total $7,535

2 month sustainability internship in Costa Rica:

Airfare & In-country transportation $750

Program Fee (Includes Accommodation & Meals) $1,400

Spending Money $400

Passport $145

Travel Insurance $120

Immunizations & Personal First Aid Kit $120

Total $2,935

It is possible to have a great gap experience, even incorporating some travel, on a budget. Advance planning can be especially helpful, as that gives you more time to save up for more expensive gap experiences later on. You might consider imbedding some work into your gap experience to continue saving up for a winter or spring experience. Opportunities for international paid work are fairly limited for gap year students, though some gappers might consider applying for a Working Holiday Visa for New Zealand or Australia. Work Away is a great way to travel on a budget by working a set number of hours per week in exchange for room and board.

Staying in hostel dorm rooms is great for budget travel, and also helps in meeting fellow travelers. Cooking your own meals in a hostel kitchen or dining at local markets or street food stalls is often a more budget friendly alternative to eating in expensive restaurants every meal.

For those keen to explore another part of the U.S. you might considering a gap year through an Americorps program such as NCCC, American Conservation Experience, or City Year. A service year is a great opportunity to build practical skills as part of a team engaging in meaningful service, develop leadership abilities, and potentially earn a Segal Education Award that can be used towards higher education expenses.

Destinations

Where you spend your gap year might depend on your goals and aspirations for your year. Are you hoping to become fluent in Spanish or Japanese? Do you want to spend part of your gap year engaging in a marine science internship or volunteer project? Does working at a ski resort and skiing or snowboarding on your days off sound like a dream gap year? Think about how locations relate to your interests and desired experiences when planning your gap year.

Tip: If you have family or friends that live in another part of the country or abroad, see if it is possible to link your gap year to their location. Having a local connection as a familiar face, emergency contact, or even a free - cheap place to stay can be a huge bonus.

You’ll want to consider the safety of any locations you might travel to. You can look at country profiles on the U.S. Department of State website, and view Traveler’s Health information provided by the CDC. Regardless of where you travel, you should always ensure that you have adequate health insurance and travel insurance to cover you in case of illness or injury during your gap year.

Structure & Support

You’ll want to spend your gap year doing things you enjoy in places that interest you, but you also want to ensure that those places and experiences offer you an appropriate amount of challenge and support. This is key for a successful gap experience. Ask yourself:

1. How comfortable am I venturing out in the world on my own?

2. Can I use my voice to be an advocate for myself?

3. How will I manage stressful situations?

If these questions make you feel anxious, or you feel that you might struggle to advocate for yourself or independently manage stressful situations, then you might opt for a more highly structured and supported experience to begin your gap year. Programs that incorporate a program leader or mentor can be a great start for students who don’t feel ready for an independent experience or would feel more reassured with additional support. You want to feel challenged during your gap year, but not challenged to the point that you become stressed and unable to cope. Talk with your parents or caregivers about what level of structure and support you might need.

Tip: It’s a good idea to begin the gap year with more structure & support and transition into experiences that allow for greater independence as the gap year progresses.

Want more advice on how to plan your dream gap year adventure? Check out the DIY Gap Year Toolkit. It includes: a 64 page workbook with engaging exercises to jumpstart your gap year planning; informative videos on The Foundations of the Gap Year, How to Set Gap Year Goals, Budgeting, Safety, and A Step by Step Guide for How to Launch Your Gap Year; Access to a Gap Year Opportunities List with over 100 different experiences to choose from; and a One-on-One Planning Session to workshop your Gap Year Plan with a professional gap year consultant.