Are you thinking about taking a gap year?
Well, you won’t be alone if you do. In fact, you’d be joining hundreds of thousands of other students in the US (and all over the world) who are taking a break from their educational journey.
But it’s a decision that’s not to be taken lightly, and one that requires careful planning — especially in regards to how you’ll be spending your time.
If you’re wondering what to do during a gap year, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve curated 150 inspiring gap year ideas to help you get started!
What is a gap year?
Also (albeit less commonly) known as a sabbatical year, a gap year is a period of time when students take a break from their studies, typically after completing high school, before embarking on postsecondary education or taking their first steps into the world of work. Some students, meanwhile, may take a gap year during their college program.
Despite its name, a gap year isn’t strictly limited to a year-long break. It can last as little as a few months, or as much as two years, depending on your needs and goals.
The benefits of taking a gap year
While taking a gap year has become unfairly stigmatized, and is surrounded by some very dangerous myths (“Oh, those who take a gap year must be lazy”, for example), there are many benefits to taking a break before joining the workforce or going to college, including:
- Personal growth: A gap year offers time for self-reflection and independence, helping you mature, gain confidence, and better understand your goals and values before committing to academic or professional paths.
- Enhanced academic performance: Research shows that students who take gap years often return to school with improved focus, motivation and academic performance — leading to higher GPAs and overall success in college.
- Career exploration: A gap year allows you to explore potential career paths through internships, volunteer work or travel, offering hands-on experience that helps clarify long-term professional goals.
- Global perspective: Traveling or volunteering abroad during a gap year can expose you to different cultures, improving your cultural awareness and communication skills — both of which are increasingly valuable in the global job market.
- Reduced burnout: After years of continuous education, a break provides relief from academic pressure, preventing burnout and enhancing mental wellbeing before diving into the next phase of your life.
150 inspiring gap year ideas
Sounds good, but what can I do during a gap year?
Well, the possibilities are truly endless. To help you out, we’ve listed 150 gap year ideas to consider!
Volunteering and community service
Volunteering abroad or at home provides a chance to give back while gaining valuable experience and life skills that perhaps college can’t teach you. It’s also a great way to develop empathy, leadership and teamwork skills (all highly sought after by employers), and it exposes you to new cultures and perspectives, enhancing personal growth and global awareness in the process.
Some volunteering gap year ideas include:
- Volunteer at an animal shelter
- Teach English abroad
- Help build homes with Habitat for Humanity
- Volunteer in a conservation project
- Assist with disaster relief efforts
- Join a medical volunteer mission
- Work on a refugee support program
- Volunteer at a children’s orphanage
- Plant trees in a reforestation project
- Provide clean water through well-building initiatives
- Support elderly care facilities
- Help run community art programs
- Volunteer in rural education projects
- Assist with wildlife rehabilitation
- Help distribute food to the homeless
Travel and adventure
Adventure travel allows you to explore new places, experience different cultures and challenge yourself outside of your comfort zone. It builds independence, adaptability and problem-solving skills. Plus, traveling broadens your horizons, helping you develop a global perspective and lifelong memories — and you might even make some friends and useful professional connections along the way.
Here are a few ways you can spend your gap year while traveling:
- Backpack across Southeast Asia
- Take a road trip across the US
- Explore national parks in South America
- Hike the Camino de Santiago in Spain
- Go on a safari in Africa
- Climb Mount Kilimanjaro
- Island-hop in Greece
- Explore Machu Picchu in Peru
- Visit all the UNESCO World Heritage sites in a country
- Cycle through Europe
- Scuba dive in the Great Barrier Reef
- Go on a photography expedition
- Explore ancient temples in India
- Hike the Himalayas in Nepal
- Experience the Northern Lights in Iceland
Skill-building and learning
A gap year focused on learning and skill development can lead to personal and professional growth. Whether you’re picking up a new language or mastering a creative hobby, these experiences enhance your résumé and prepare you for future challenges. Building new skills during a gap year can also boost your confidence and creativity.
Some options to consider include:
- Learn a new language (abroad or at home)
- Take a cooking class in Italy
- Study meditation in a Buddhist monastery
- Learn photography
- Get scuba diving certification
- Train as a yoga instructor
- Study art history in Paris
- Enroll in a foreign university course
- Learn digital marketing online
- Get a TEFL certification
- Take coding bootcamps
- Learn to play a musical instrument
- Take pottery classes
- Study marine biology
- Attend a creative writing retreat
Work and internships
Working or interning during your gap year gives you real-world job experience and a competitive edge in the job market. It helps you develop professional skills, build networks, and understand workplace dynamics. You’ll also get the chance to explore potential career paths and gain financial independence.
Here are some work and internship ideas to consider for your gap year:
- Intern at a global tech company
- Work on a farm through WWOOF
- Intern in the fashion industry
- Work in a ski resort
- Take a hotel management internship
- Teach abroad as a language assistant
- Intern at a wildlife conservation organization
- Work as an au pair in Europe
- Work in a summer camp in the US
- Join a marketing internship at a startup
- Intern for a political organization
- Work on cruise ships
- Intern at a publishing house
- Intern for a travel company
- Take an environmental research internship
Entrepreneurship and business
Starting a business or side hustle during your gap year can sharpen your entrepreneurial mindset and teach you how to manage projects, finances and challenges. It also hones problem-solving, innovation and decision-making skills, offering a sense of fulfillment as you bring your ideas to life.
Some ideas worth considering include:
- Start your own blog
- Launch an e-commerce business
- Sell photography or artwork online
- Create a YouTube channel
- Write and publish an eBook
- Develop a mobile app
- Start a podcast
- Run a social media management business
- Organize local community events
- Offer freelance writing services
- Start an online tutoring service
- Open a pop-up shop
- Build an affiliate marketing website
- Create an online course
- Build a portfolio as a freelance graphic designer
Teaching and mentorship
Teaching and mentoring during your gap year isn’t only a great way to help others, but it also fosters your leadership, communication and patience. Sharing knowledge in different fields is highly rewarding, and it provides you with valuable experience in education or training — which is particularly useful if that’s where your career aspirations lie. It also encourages self-reflection and growth as you guide others in their learning journeys.
Here are some teaching and mentorship options to consider:
- Tutor underprivileged students
- Volunteer as a language conversation partner
- Mentor youth in a mentorship program
- Teach coding to kids
- Work as a summer school tutor
- Teach music to disadvantaged children
- Lead outdoor education camps
- Tutor children in math and science
- Volunteer in literacy programs
- Teach adults new skills in community centers
- Lead debate clubs in schools
- Work as a mentor for young entrepreneurs
- Teach art in underserved schools
- Volunteer as a swimming instructor
- Lead wilderness survival courses
Health and wellness
A gap year dedicated to physical or mental health helps build habits that promote a balanced lifestyle. Indeed, things like yoga retreats, meditation or fitness training improve mindfulness, emotional resilience and overall wellbeing, equipping you to handle work and life’s stresses more effectively.
The following are some health and wellness ideas to consider for your gap year:
- Join a yoga retreat in Bali
- Take a wellness retreat in Costa Rica
- Train for a marathon or triathlon
- Complete a mental health first aid course
- Take part in a 10-day silent retreat
- Study holistic nutrition
- Learn the art of Thai massage
- Practice mindfulness with a meditation program
- Get certified as a personal trainer
- Work in a holistic health center
- Attend a plant-based nutrition retreat
- Go on a hiking retreat in the Alps
- Volunteer in mental health support groups
- Attend an Ayurveda retreat in India
- Join a tai chi retreat
Environmental and sustainability projects
Participating in environmental projects nurtures a sense of responsibility for the planet and fosters eco-consciousness. It can also teach you practical skills while raising awareness of critical environmental issues — overall, it’s a fulfilling way to contribute to a healthier planet and learn about sustainability.
Some gap year ideas worth looking to are:
- Volunteer in an eco-village
- Help clean up beaches and oceans
- Participate in sustainable farming initiatives
- Volunteer in a national park
- Join an organic farming project
- Work in an urban garden project
- Support a zero-waste initiative
- Build renewable energy projects
- Volunteer in community recycling programs
- Plant urban trees in city regeneration projects
- Study permaculture design
- Help monitor endangered species
- Join a sustainable water management project
- Help protect rainforests in the Amazon
- Work in wildlife tracking and monitoring
Cultural immersion and language exchange
Cultural immersion deepens your understanding of diverse traditions, languages and ways of life, which in turn expands your worldview, builds cross-cultural communication skills and fosters appreciation for diversity. Language exchanges, in particular, can lead to language fluency and strong personal connections.
Here are some options to consider:
- Stay with a host family in Japan
- Attend a festival tour in South America
- Volunteer in a rural community in Africa
- Join a language immersion program in Spain
- Work as an exchange student coordinator
- Take a gap year in a homestay program
- Learn Māori culture in New Zealand
- Study traditional crafts in Morocco
- Immerse yourself in rural French culture
- Volunteer at a tribal school in India
- Learn about Incan culture in Peru
- Attend language exchange meetups
- Volunteer with indigenous communities in Australia
- Experience tango culture in Argentina
- Learn flamenco dance in Spain
Sports and outdoor activities
A gap year focused on sports and outdoor activities is perfect for adventure seekers. Physical activities improve fitness, build discipline and enhance teamwork. Sports also teach resilience, strategic thinking and how to push personal limits, contributing to both personal and professional growth.
Below are some sport and outdoor activity gap year ideas:
- Train in martial arts in Thailand
- Become a certified ski instructor
- Learn how to surf in Bali
- Take sailing lessons in Greece
- Rock-climb in Yosemite National Park
- Try skydiving in New Zealand
- Learn mountaineering techniques
- Go snowboarding in the Alps
- Train as a scuba diving guide
- Join a gap year program relating to sports
- Become a certified yoga instructor
- Try kitesurfing in Brazil
- Learn fencing in Italy
- Take a horseback riding trek in Mongolia
- Learn to free dive in the Caribbean
FAQs about taking a gap year
Still got questions about gap years? We’ve got answers.
Q: Are gap years only for students?
Traditionally, yes — a gap year is basically a break before or after college. But anyone can take a “gap year” at any stage of life, though this is most commonly known as a career break. Indeed, working professionals can take time off to recharge, gain new skills, explore different career paths or even prepare for retirement.
Q: Will taking a gap year hurt my career or education?
It won’t, as long as your gap year is carefully planned around useful activities and valuable experiences. Indeed, many employers and schools value the maturity and adaptability that come from a gap year.
Q: How do I explain a gap year to future employers?
Whether it’s in your résumé or during an interview, frame your gap year positively by explaining the skills and experiences you gained, and how these are relevant to the job you’re applying for.
Final thoughts
Before you decide what to do during a gap year, whether it’s hiking the Himalayas, teaching English abroad or doing an internship, take the time to think about whether it’s a good idea and if it’s possible or even necessary.
Ask yourself questions like:
- What are my educational or professional goals?
- How will a gap year help me achieve those goals?
- What skills, knowledge and experiences will I gain?
- Do I have the financial resources to fund a gap year?
- How difficult will it be to resume my academic career afterwards?
If a gap year does make sense at the end of this little soul-searching exercise, then it’s only a matter of making it happen.
Can you think of any other exciting gap year ideas? Let us know in the comments section below.
This article is a complete update of an earlier version originally published on April 3, 2017.
