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Planning a Gap Year in 2024? Start Here

Last updated on February 6, 2024

Whizzing down the slopes of the Alps... snorkeling through the waters off Indonesia… You’ve decided that taking a gap year in some far out locale is the fix your life needs. And while you’re wired about time off overseas, you’re feeling fuzzy about actually planning a gap year. Your mind may be racing with thoughts like, “how do I plan my gap year?” Keep calm! Planning a gap year doesn’t have to be as stressful as it sounds. So, if you’re ready to jump start the process, we’re your go-to gap year planner. Breathe easy—we’re giving you the skinny on how to plan a successful gap year! 

How to plan my gap year

close up of map with circles, person holding pen, and cups of coffee

Time to start planning your gap year, but where to even begin?

For starters, there are two ways to travel a gap year. You can gap abroad with a program or you can travel independently. By joining a program, things like housing, daily schedules, sightseeing, visas, and transportation will be organized for you. You might also be a more take-charge type eagerly thinking, “I wanna plan my gap year!” Sure, you can totally travel on your own, however, you’ll be responsible for all your gap year planning details. So, which track should you take? If you’d rather be in the driver’s seat, create your own travel itinerary, and have more overall freedom, a solo gap year is the road for you. 

Now, if you prefer more structured travel, with a built-in social network, and support/guidance/accountability when it comes to making good on your gap year goals, then an organized gap year program is your winner. Let’s flesh out the planning process for each route.

STEP 1: Decide How You Want To Spend Your Gap Year

Whether you’re traveling solo or not, you’ll have to decide where you want to go and what you want to experience during your gap year. Do you want to volunteer, work, intern, or just travel and sightsee? You’ve got lots of fantastic gap year options. 

Gap year program itineraries. So, you won’t need to create a whole itinerary, but you will need to choose your fav gap year program and apply to it. Now, picking a program can be kinda overwhelming because there are a bajillion to choose from! Here’s a simple breakdown of the process: 

  • Think about what countries get you excited and what you want to spend your time doing. Do you want to learn a language, mentor kids, or stack some coins by bartending? Perhaps interning at an animal shelter fits perfectly into your future veterinary plans. 
  • Match your travel interests with the program that best fits your gap year goals.

Another pointer? Check out those program reviews! They’ll have all the deets from former gappers about what a program is really like. 

Girl smiling in large hat in front of eiffel tower

This could be you, you better get planning.

Still feeling foggy about choosing the right program? Don’t panic! Use our MyGoAbroad tool and our online advisors will pair you up with five to six programs that best match your interests. Okay, you’ve finally chosen your number one program. Great job! Pay close attention to the program fees and application requirements and send in that application, baby! 

Solo gapper itineraries. So, you wanna be your own gap year travel planner? And your can-do personality is fired up thinking, “I want to plan my gap year but can I really organize it and travel on my own?” Absolutely, you can sooo do this! With gap year websites, travel guides, and online travel communities, you can confidently organize your own gap year plans. How, you ask? 

  • Make a list of all those awesomely cool places that are on your bucket list. Then, jot down ideas of what you’d love to spend your gap year doing.
  • Figure out how much can you afford to spend traveling and decide how long you want to travel for.
  • Research the costs of visiting your favorite gap year destinations and make a budget (more on costs, budgets, and ways to raise dough in a sec). 
  • Match up your schedule, favorite locales, and gap year activities with your budget and...
  • Start designing the gap year itinerary of your dreams! 

Insider’s trick: Need some itinerary inspiration? Find a gap year program itinerary that you really love and replicate it for your own travels! Just Google phrases like, “gap year program Bali,” “planning a gap year in Australia,” and “gap year travel ideas” to craft your excursions.

[Get matched with gap year programs]

close up of globe with orange dots in places

Pick a place, pick a program, and get that globe rollin’!

STEP 2: Make A Nifty Budget

Budgeting for gap year programs. As you narrow down your top gap year programs, you’ll be comparing their fees to your budget. You’ll definitely want to get a clear understanding of what each program costs, what expenses are covered in the program, and what outside expenses you might incur. That means budget for everything and then some, especially if you’re planning on doing some independent travel on weekends or buying a lot of artwork, for example.

Budgeting for a solo gap year. Whether it’s on paper or an excel spreadsheet, carefully budgeting solo travels is super-duper important! So, figure out how much you can afford to spend traveling and compare that to your potential gap year expenses. Write down anticipated costs like transportation, travel insurance, housing, internet, food, visas, sightseeing, etc.—you can use online tools like cost of living calculators to find estimates of every potential gap year cost you can think of and more (think emergency fund!). 

No matter how you’re planning a gap year, you may find your pockets strapped for traveling cash. Are there ways to offset the costs? Most def! You can pick up a part-time job, apply for travel scholarships or grants, do some long-term saving, or fundraise. And here’s a little gem—use our FundMyTravel resource to create a poppin’ fundraiser!

[Compare programs side by side with MyGoAbroad]

STEP 3: Research Accommodation

Accommodation for gap year program travelers. Your gap year program will arrange housing for you. To help them get it right, choose the program with accommodation options that best meet your comfort levels. You could be sharing a room with other gappers or shacking up in a hip downtown flat. Another common gap year housing option is living with a local family in their home—homestays are excellent ways to become really immersed in the society and form deep bonds with locals. So, think about what you're most comfortable with, but also try to be flexible. One recurring gap travel adage is that stepping outside of comfort zones makes for the best experiences!  

people crowded in seats on large coach bus

No sugarcoating here, travel logistics can be a nightmare, but good planning goes a long way.

Accommodation for solo gappers. As a solo gapper, where you crash every night is totally up to you. So, really think about how you like to travel. On a tight budget and okay with super modest accommodations? Then a backpacker’s hostel is a great choice that’s also easy on your wallet. Can’t stand the thought of sharing a bathroom? Bump it up a notch and make reservations at a cozy guesthouse. And if you have a friend who happens to be living abroad, consider bunking with them for a few nights while you’re in town. Location, budget, and comfort will be the top factors to consider as you’re arranging your gap year housing. 

[Taking a Gap Year: There’s Nothing to be Afraid of]

STEP 4: Plan Your Rides

Gap year program transportation. With a gap year program, your in-country transport will be planned by your organization. However, if you decide to do any traveling outside of the program’s schedule, you’ll have to arrange that transportation on your own. A lot of gappers will choose to do this before or after their formal program schedule. You’re already in Ecuador, why not stay for longer and try the solo gap year thing?! Feel free to pick your program advisors’ brains for transport advice!

Planning transportation as a solo traveler. When planning your own gap year travels, you’ll be the one booking all of your transportation in and between countries. You could do anything from hiring Ubers in Kigali to canoeing down the rivers of Yangzhou. Hit up some Facebook travel groups and destination guides to research your options and organize your rides.

STEP 5: Get Familiar With Visa Requirements

No matter where your wanderlusting heart lands you, you’ll probably need a visa to get into your desired country. You might need to submit copies of your ID or return flight ticket, turn in a letter from the orphanage you plan to work at, have a passport with at least six blank pages, or all of the above. Some countries will ask you to apply for a visa at their embassy in your home country while others will grant it right at the airport. 

Basically, visa application processes differ country to country. With gap year programs, your advisors will tell you how to get your visa. However, if you’re traveling solo, you’ll need to find out exactly what the visa requirements are for any country you decide to visit. This is a crucial step in planning a gap year! Use the GoAbroad Embassy Directory to get linked with embassies for details on their country’s visa requirements.

Woman in red shirt looking at river from bridge. Ghent, Belgium

Seriously. This. Could. Be. You. What are you still doing here?

STEP 6: Prep Your Health And Finances

Get your shots! Want in on another key to an awesome gap year experience? It’s staying healthy! So, it's crucial that you get all the recommended immunizations for wherever you're traveling to. You can get this info from either your program advisor, a doctor, or the CDC’s website. Then head to a travel health specialist to get all your shots and any medications (like antimalarials) you’ll need.

Buy some travel insurance. Traveling is exhilarating, but traveling with insurance will give you peace of mind. Travel insurance can cover the costs of lost luggage, airline cancellations, medical expenses, and more. If you’re traveling with a program, find out if travel insurance is included in their program fees. Buying insurance isn’t mandatory, but seasoned gappers will tell you it’s not something you want to skimp out on. 

Take care of those bills, bills, bills. Before you leave, chat with any lenders about payment arrangements for while you’re abroad. That could be a convo with your bank about your mortgage payments, your cell phone company about your contract, or Sallie Mae about deferring your student loans. So, get in touch with whoever you owe so that you can travel without a gray cloud of debt looming over your head! Lifehack: before you leave, let your bank know that you’ll be traveling so they authorize your bank cards to be used overseas. 

STEP 7: Learn Local Culture And Language 

Even the most adventurous souls will go through some cultural adjustment. It’s practically a gap year rite of passage! So, how can you have a smoother transition? Try learning a bit about where you’re going and their cultural norms. That way you won’t pay for something with your left hand in a country where that’s considered rude (although as a foreigner, you’ll probably be cut some slack!). 

Learning a few basic sentences in the local language will also take you far. Read our destination guides, crack open that Frommer’s book, and do a little web surfing so that you’re well-versed on life in your gap country.

[Take a Year off After High School! But, Seriously.]

Person with backpack and maroon coat waiting for metro

Take the next train to anywhere! (But, not really, please plan your gap year.)

STEP 8: Do Further Reflection Of Gap Year Goals

Now it’s time for deeper introspection about any major gap year goals you have. Maybe you’d love to supply a needy library in Sri Lanka. Or perhaps trekking through Namibia’s Fish River Canyon (Africa’s largest canyon!) is on your must-do list. Now think about any special steps you can take before leaving to kickstart your gap year plans. A little pre-departure reflecting will make your goals even more attainable. 

Example of gap year goals include:

  • Career related. Are they any specific skills you’d like to develop while abroad that can help your professional future? You can aim for mastering a language, networking with experts in your field of study—anything that fits into your educational or work goals. This could even be laying down the foundation for your autobiography or taking stunning photos to bolster your chances of becoming a top notch travel blogger. 
  • Adventure. Where have you always dreamed of visiting and what adventures have you always longed to experience? Your goals could be backpacking through the Alaskan wilderness or exploring the green valleys of the Spanish wine country. Think about endeavors that really get you charged and add them to your must-do list!
  • People skills/passions. Have you been doing some self-reflection and discovered a few ways you can develop better as a person? You can use your gap year to work on any personal goals you have such as becoming a more independent, social, or even culturally aware person. Or, if you’re passionate about serving others, helping Caribbean hurricane victims rebuild their communities when you’re not busy with your gap year medical internship could be a goal.

STEP 9: Pack Those Bags And Go, Go, Go!

You’ll probably be tempted to pack any and everything your heart desires—from a few containers of your favorite foundation to a down sleeping bag. Still, you’ll have to be careful about how much you stuff in your luggage. Airlines have maximum luggage weight allowances plus, the less you have to lug around the easier on your back! Keep in mind that you can often find many “needs” right in-country. And feel free to ask former gappers, program staff, and travelers who’ve been to the country for their gap year advice on the most important stuff to pack. You can also find some super helpful sample travel lists online too!

[Bookmark This Checklist to Guarantee You will Be Prepared For Your Gap Year]

You now have a gorgeous plan for your gap year!

packed duffel bag on hardwood floor next to chair

Before you know it, you’ll be all packed and ready to go!

You’re all set on how to plan your lit gap year adventure! That wasn’t so bad, was it? From now on, your new mantra is, “yes, I can plan my gap year”! With this roadmap, planning a gap year isn’t too hard at all. Now, take a breath and get ready to begin one of the most exciting periods of your life. This is an experience that will leave you more self-aware, independent, and with a knack for seeing the world through different perspectives. You might even stumble into your hidden passion! So, what are you waiting for? Pull out your pen and pad and get to plannin’ your gap year!

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Originally published on October 31, 2017

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