Gap Year Options
A gap year can be a healthy and productive step in the educational process for students who wish to explore interests or develop personally between graduating from high school and attending college. It’s a time to find and explore passions, experience the world, and take a break from traditional education. Often times, students emerge from a gap year more independent, mature, focused, and self-confident.
The SHS Counseling Department typically recommends that students considering a gap year still go through the college application process. Once accepted to college(s), students can request to defer matriculation for one year. Generally, colleges are receptive to the idea of planned, structured gap year experiences, but it is critical for the student to check with each institution about their own specific policy.
Gap year experiences can include work, internships, service, travel, language immersion, conservation, the arts, and skill development and training. Gap year programs vary greatly in terms of their aims, emphasis, location, and cost. Below is a list of some of the more popular gap year programs and databases.
Staples High School has provided a list of gap year programs as a courtesy to students and their families. These programs have been recommended by former students. Westport Public Schools has not conducted any review or background checks of these programs. If students and their parents decide to pursue any of these opportunities, they should conduct their own review.
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Action Without Borders |
Non-profit job and internship database |
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African Leadership Academy |
Two-year program supporting growth of African communities |
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All NY |
New York City employment resource guide |
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Alliances Abroad |
Customized study and work abroad programs |
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American Field Service |
Conservation, education, health, social issues, or community development |
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American Institute of Foreign Study |
Study abroad programs in 16 countries |
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Americorps |
Engaging Americans in service to meet critical needs in communities across country |
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Amerispan |
Study abroad programs |
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Amigos de las Americas |
Community service in Latin America; health, education, and environmental projects |
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Ancient Pathways |
Experiential courses in desert survival, outdoor safety, and bushcraft |
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Audubon College |
Environmental learning program in Minnesota |
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AustraLearn |
Study abroad programs in Australia, New Zealand, and the South Pacific |
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Bridge Year |
Spanish abroad programs in Chile and Argentina |
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British American Educ. Foundation |
Placement in British boarding schools |
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Brown Ledge Gap Year |
Making documentaries using digital video, audio, and photography |
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Camphill |
Help youth and adults with developmental and other disabilities |
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Campus Career Center |
Entry Level jobs and internships for college students |
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Casa Xelaju |
Spanish immersion program in Guatemala |
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Castle Rock Institute |
Study of the humanities and outdoors in North Carolina, Australia, or New Zealand |
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Center for Cross-Cultural Study |
Study abroad programs in Spain, Argentina, and Cuba |
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Center for Cultural Interchange |
Homestay, internship, work, travel, and language study programs in 30 countries |
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Center for Interim Programs |
Gap year counseling organization |
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Central American Service Exped. |
International service and cultural experiences |
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City Year |
Youth engaged in service, leadership development, and civic engagement |
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Class Afloat |
Sail and study abroad |
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College Internship Program |
Individualized academic, internship, and independent living experiences |
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Cool Works |
Find a job at a national park, ski resort, theme park, ranch, etc. |
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Council on Intn'l Educ. Exchange |
Study abroad programs worldwide |
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Cross Cultural Solutions |
Brazil, China, Costa Rica, Ghana, Guatemala, India, Peru, Russia, Tanzania, Thailand |
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Cultural Embrace |
Travel programs that gain academic credit and work experience |
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Danish Institute for Study Abroad |
Study abroad in Denmark |
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Disney College Program |
Education and work experience at Walt Disney World resort |
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Dynamy |
Independent city apartment living with internships, advising, and leadership |
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Earthwatch |
Join research teams around the world |
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Eco.org |
Environmental job search engine |
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Education First (EF) |
Educational tours and language programs |
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El Casal |
Barcelona program combining language study, cultural activities, and homestay |
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Federation EIL |
Homestays, study abroad, language training, work and cultural immersion programs |
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Flying Fish |
Professional training and international adventure on the sea and snow |
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French Culinary Institute |
Professional culinary arts instruction |
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Gap Adventures |
Small group outdoor adventure travel |
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Gap Year Canada |
Live and work in Banff |
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Gapwork.com |
Gap year ideas and planning resource |
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Gapyear.com |
Gap year ideas and planning resource |
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GIC Argentina |
School and study abroad programs in Buenos Aires |
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Global Crossroad |
Volunteer abroad programs |
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Global Experiences |
International experiential education programs |
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Global Leadership Adventures |
Service learning programs in Africa and Latin America |
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Global Learning Across Borders |
Cultural immersion programs in Africa and Asia |
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Global Routes |
Teaching internship programs in Africa, Asia, and Latin America |
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Global Service Corps |
Volunteer in Tanzania, Cambodia, or Thailand |
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Global Vision International |
Volunteer abroad on conservation and community projects |
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Global Volunteer Network |
International volunteering opportunities in communities in need |
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Global Volunteers |
Volunteer abroad on community projects |
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Go Abroad.com |
Database of study abroad programs |
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Go Overseas |
Database of study abroad programs |
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Habitat for Humanity |
Community service for teams of young people |
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Inst. for Intn'l Coop. & Develop. |
Training in Williamstown, MA, for development work in Africa and Latin America |
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InterExchange |
Work, language, volunteer, professional training, internship and au pair programs |
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International Cultural Adventures |
Cultural immersion programs |
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International People's College |
Study abroad in Denmark |
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Internship Programs.com |
Internship search engine |
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Internships.com |
Internship search engine |
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Intn'l Cultural Exchange Program |
Turkish exchange program |
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Intn'l Part. Serv. Learn. & Leader. |
Study abroad integrated with volunteer service |
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Intn'l Wilderness Lead. School |
Education, outdoor leadership training, technical instruction |
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Italian Language School |
Florence, Milan, Rome, and Siena |
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I-to-I |
Volunteer teaching abroad |
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Jewish United Fund |
Israel study abroad programs |
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Kroka Expeditions |
Sustainable community living; instruction in adventure sports and wilderness living |
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Leap Now |
Group and individual travel programs |
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Lexia International |
Study abroad programs worldwide |
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Lingua Service Worldwide |
Language immersion and study abroad programs |
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Living Routes |
Study in an ecovillage learning about sustainable development |
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Love One Love All |
Four-month travel program experiencing diverse cultures |
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Magic Carpet Rides |
Structured fall semester in Guatemala; spring in El Salvador, Honduras, and Belize |
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Map the Gap International |
Service learning and study abroad programs |
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Masa Israel Journey |
Programs for Jewish youth in Israel |
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Massachusetts Audubon Society |
Jobs and internships protecting nature |
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Monster College |
Job network for college students |
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National Internship Program |
Internships in media, government, and national organizations |
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National Outdoor Lead. School |
Outdoor skills, leadership, and wilderness adventure programs |
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National Park Service |
Internships at the park level and NPS centers and offices |
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One Small Planet |
Volunteer, work, travel, and study abroad |
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Outward Bound |
Wilderness expeditions |
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Pacific Challenge |
Study abroad and experiential programs |
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Pacific Discovery |
Study abroad, travel, cultural immersion, and service programs |
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Pine Mountain Settlement School |
Environmental education and support to local community in Appalachia |
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Planet Gap Year |
Gap year ideas and planning resource |
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Pro World Service Corps |
Service & academic programs in Latin America, Asia, and Africa |
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Projects Abroad |
Wide range of gap year opportunities |
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Public Allies |
Leadership development in communities and non-profits |
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Quebec Labrador Foundation |
Community-based conservation initiatives in Eastern Canada and New England |
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Quintessential Careers |
Internship resources for college students |
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Resort Intern Connection |
Internships in the resort, travel, and tourism fields |
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Rising Star Internships |
Internship database |
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Rotary International |
Youth exchange programs |
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Rothberg International School |
Attend school in Israel |
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Round River Conserv. Studies |
International conservation research and education |
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Rustic Pathways |
Study abroad programs |
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SAGE |
Study abroad |
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School for Field Studies |
Helping communities around the world learn environmental problem-solving skills |
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SeaMester |
Live aboard boat sailing island to island, country to country, or continent to continent |
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Semester at Sea |
Study abroad sailing programs |
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Sojourns Abroad |
Programs in Siena and Paris |
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Southern France Youth Institute |
Study abroad in France |
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St. Clare's, Oxford |
Liberal arts study in Oxford |
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Student Conservation Association |
Conservation service internships |
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Student Education Programs |
Links to numerous programs |
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Students Partnership Worldwide |
International peer educator volunteer programs |
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Summer Jobs.com |
Summer and seasonal jobs with camps, parks, resorts, and environmental groups |
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Thames Academy |
Post-graduate/pre-college transitional experience |
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The Corps Network |
State/local programs engaging youth in service, training, and educational activities |
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The School of The New York Times |
Engage with leading thinkers who are covering important issues of our time |
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The Washington Center |
Internships and academic seminars in Washington, DC |
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Thinking Beyond Borders |
Cultural immersion and service learning |
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Transitions Abroad |
Work and study abroad |
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| U.S.A. Gap Year Fairs |
Gap Year Fairs across the country |
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U.S. Department of Agriculture |
Academic study and on the job training |
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Up With People |
Travel the world performing in shows |
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Vermont Youth Conservation Corps |
Conservation and park management projects on public lands in Vermont |
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Volunteer Match |
Volunteer project database |
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Volunteers for Peace |
International volunteer projects in 100 countries |
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Where There Be Dragons |
Cultural immersion, service learning, and physically challenging adventure programs |
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WLS International |
Volunteer in Cambodia, China, Nepal, India, The Philippines, Thailand, or Vietnam |
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Woolman Semester |
Experiential education program focused on sustainability, peace, and justice |
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Work and Volunteer Abroad |
Volunteer projects and internships in various countries |
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World Challenge |
Educational expeditions |
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World Learning |
International living, study abroad, and international development programs |
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World Ocean School |
Educational internships aboard tall ship |
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Worldwide Classroom |
Search engine for overseas programs |
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Worldwide Opps. on Organic Farms |
Volunteer help on organic farms |
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Young Judaea |
Study and volunteer in Israel |
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Youth For Understanding |
Study abroad |
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Youth International |
Experiential learning combining cultural exchange, volunteer service, and homestay |