Gap Year Programs

So you'll be joining the ranks of Harvard undergrads, but not until next year... if you're thinking you'd like to take advantage of this time to go abroad (a great idea!), the following programs and resources may be of interest:

Resources
Take a look at some articles and a range of program options about and for gap year students on the Transitions Abroad website. The TA site also includes a large database of international work, volunteer, travel and study options.

You (or your parents) may want to visit CSIET's website for a list of reputable international programs and providers.

Founded in 1980, and with offices in New Jersey and Massachusetts, The Center for Interim Programs is a consulting service that can help you plan your gap year. The website offers sample programs and ideas.

Gapyear.com features a wide variety of travel and planning ideas and offers resources for further reading.

For further reading, see
The Gap Year Advantage: Taking Time off Abroad and
The UnCollege Alternative
(both available at amazon.com or at your local bookstore.

Programs
Amigos de las Americas
-Service opportunities in Latin America
-Projects include: Healthy Households/Healthy Communities, Community Nutrition,
   Digital Technology in Local Culture, Youth-to-Youth Community Development

Global Routes
-Teach English and other subjects in Africa, Asia and Latin America
-Schools are located in rural villages; teachers are assigned in pairs
-Live with a local family
-Programs in Costa Rica and Ecuador require working knowledge of Spanish; all programs open to students 17+

Cross-Cultural Solutions
-Volunteer in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe and Latin America
-Opportunities in health, education and social service fields
-Cultural activities, language training and guest speakers
-'Home Base' program housing
-Flexible program length- 1 to 12 weeks; program open to student 18+ (possibly 16-17 with permission)

Projects Abroad
-Teach, volunteer, study and work abroad in Africa, Asia, Europe, Central and South America and Australia
-Examples of projects include: volunteering in an orphanage, environmental field work, lab work in a veterinary clinic, intensive immersion language study, etc.
-Program costs include all meals, housing, program arrangements and 24-hour staff support; lengths vary from 1-3 months or more
-Short 2-week themed programs for students 16-19 also available

Rotary Youth Exchange
-Travel to Southern Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe and the Americas
-Long (full year) or short (weeks or a few months) options
-Long programs may involve study; students in both types of programs live with host families
-Participants expected to make efforts to learn the language of their host country; open to students ages 15-19

Where There Be Dragons
-Semester programs in Guatemala, India, China and the Himalayas -Cultural immersion programs can include internship, independent study, language training, leadership work, teaching and work
-WTBD gives students freedom in designing their own programs
-Live in homestay; open to students ages 17-22

CIEE
-Sites in Australia, Latin America, Europe and Asia
-Gap Year Programs (site coming soon)
-Global Service Summer Programs, 3-4 weeks
-High School Study Abroad Programs, semester or year (open to recent HS grads)

Global Adventures Project (an division of AIFS, offering study abroad programs for high school and college-level students 17+)
-Program 'Cores' in Aus/New Zealand, Latin America and Asia may combine work, volunteer and teaching components
-The program fee includes housing in most locations as well as a ten-stop worldwide airline ticket

El Casal: Learning Adventures in Barcelona
-Semester programs fall and spring
-Combination of language and culture coursework in Spanish, Catalán language and community service/internship
-Live in homestay -Two or more year of Spanish required

Summer Programs
SEA Education Association
-3-week programs in Oceanography, based near Cape Cod, Woods Hole, MA -Open to high school sophomores, jrs and srs, and college freshmen

SFS
-One-month summer programs in Australia, Costa Rica, Mexico, Turks and Caicos and Kenya
-Programs field-work, trips and lectures; focus on environmental studies
-Students 16+ are eligible to apply

Visit our Beyond Credit webpage for further options.