Gap Years

There are a variety of reasons why students take gap years. Some students wish to take a break from education; others would like to see the world, experience employment in order to save money ready to start university the following year, or organise a work experience placement to improve their chances of employment.

There are many ways of spending a gap year, including:

• Paid employment in order to save money for University;
• Organising some paid or voluntary valuable work experience;
• Travelling or working abroad;
• Partaking in an organised gap year trip.

If students are considering taking part in an organised gap year, ensuring they have completed their research is a necessity. Good starting points include various websites - such as www.yearoutgroup.org since member organisations are required to abide by a code of practice and should be reputable.

Ideally students should consider the following questions when approaching gap year organisations:

• Who can take part and how are candidates selected?
• What is known about the company providing the gap year experience?
• What are the cost implications?
• How will time be spent?
• Who will benefit and why are UK people required?