Gap years
Taking a year out
You need to think about how taking a gap year will affect your future plans. A well thought out and planned gap year can look good on your CV and help you develop useful skills.
Gap years may involve:
- paid employment in this country or abroad
- voluntary work
- work experience with a relevant company
- travel
- part-time study
- cultural exchange.
You could do a split year - several months of paid work and then travel.
If you are applying for university and thinking about taking a gap year, you can find out more about deferred entry to university from UCAS.
There are pros and cons to taking a gap year
Pros
- Travel - a chance to travel and experience different cultures before concentrating on a career.
- Motivation - time out to be certain about future plans.
- Work experience - if related to career ideas it will be helpful and impress future employers.
- Escape - from study and exams.
- Money - working and saving to help meet the cost of higher education.
Cons
- Finance - how will you fund it?
- Future plans - some admissions tutors have reservations about students taking a year out so check with the university.
- Work routines - it may be difficult to settle into study again.
- Money - you may miss your regular wage if you have had one.
Gap year - useful websites
www.bunac.org/ offers a range of work abroad and volunteer abroad programmes.
www.doit.life/volunteering has thousands of volunteering opportunities throughout the UK.
www.gap360.co.uk provides advice and information on gap year and student travel abroad.
www.yearoutgroup.org gives advice and has links to all leading year out organisations.