Gap Year Programs in the United States

New York City—a global cultural and financial epicenter—offers an experience like no other. Join us and gain invaluable professional exposure in one of the world’s premier financial capitals. Working in NYC will help you forge vital global connections and elevate your career to new heights. In this city of endless opportunities, your future knows no limits! Our award-winning intern abroad programs span all sectors, from roles in business, marketing, PR, and finance to positions in governments and NGOs. These are high-quality, sought-after roles that will propel your career development forward and help you stand out in an increasingly competitive job market. Travel abroad while also gaining invaluable experience for your CV - apply today! Visit The Intern Group's website to get all the details!

Get the chance to work with injured animals from the Amazon rainforest or at a shelter for sea turtles in one of our internships abroad. At the Institute for Global Studies, we help students gain invaluable work experience in their field from an international context. Wildlife shelter work can bring out the best of human nature. Connecting with abandoned animals instills a sense of accomplishment that few tasks provide. Apart from bonding with animals, gain insight into local communities and their interactions with wildlife in their area. Meet with students, residents, and the general public to learn about their customs. Common duties include food preparation, checking in animals, interpretation to the public, medical assistance, and community outreach.

GoEco is one of the world’s top volunteer organizations, with award-winning and ethical programs selected by sustainable travel experts. Since 2006, tens of thousands of volunteers have taken part in projects and internships worldwide, focusing on wildlife and marine conservation, education, and medical initiatives. GoEco operates in over 50 countries, providing unique cultural immersive experiences that aim to make a positive impact on the environment and society. The organization also offers internships and academic programs for students. GoEco provides safe and meaningful experiences while promoting sustainable travel and reducing carbon emissions.

Spend the semester on Maui and the Big Island, exploring our natural world via the island ecosystem. During this semester, you'll engage with a deeper side of Hawai'i—it's no beach vacation. As a land of elemental forces coming together to create one of the most extraordinary and beautiful ecosystems, Hawai'i hosts the most isolated population center on Earth, resulting in a distinct culture that remains vital and alive today. For those who love the natural world, come and be humbled by the ocean's grandeur, the whales' migrations, the vibrance of the land, and the magic of the Aloha. Those seeking a deeper understanding of Hawaiian culture, the complexities of U.S. colonization, and the ongoing dialogue about Hawaiian sovereignty, land rights, and social justice are invited to learn about significant cultural and social issues within the United States. Fall 2025: Closed Spring 2026: February 25 - April 22 Fall 2026: September 24 - November 19

Journey through Hawaii, Fiji, and New Zealand on a 10-week adventure that blends exploration, cultural immersion, and personal growth. Surf volcanic coastlines, hike through lush rainforests, and volunteer on conservation projects that protect Polynesian ecosystems and honor Indigenous traditions. Engage in meaningful cultural exchange—learn traditional crafts, connect with local elders, and experience daily life through a lens of respect and curiosity. This isn’t just travel; it’s hands-on learning with real impact. Whether you're supporting reforestation efforts or participating in community-based initiatives, your contributions are grounded in ethical partnerships. With leadership development, guided reflection, and a close-knit group of peers, you'll build confidence, skills, and a clearer sense of purpose. Whether you’re on a gap year, seeking academic credit, building your resume, or craving deeper connection, this journey offers challenge, insight, and transformation. Explore with intention. Return with purpose. Reach out to Learn More!

Love travel and adventure? This is your game-changer. Embark on a life-changing adventure and take your skiing to the next level. Meet like-minded individuals while exploring some of the biggest and best mountain resorts across Canada, Switzerland, New Zealand, Japan, and the United States. Join EA Ski and Snowboard Training on an instructor internship, and you'll get world-class training, an internationally recognized qualification, and a guaranteed paid job offer at your chosen resort. EA Ski & Snowboard Training's courses all include: - A paid job offer - Training and exam fees - Season lift passes - Accommodation while training - First aid training - Avalanche training - Local EA Rep to help and support you throughout the season - Exclusive invites to social events And much more! Applicants must: - Be eligible for a working holiday visa in Canada, USA, Japan, Switzerland or New Zealand - Have prior skiing or snowboarding experience - Have the ability to ski or snowboard at an intermediate level - Be passionate about the snow sports industry - Have the funds to participate in the program (course costs from $5975)

The Glacier Bay Semester offers an unparalleled opportunity for young people aged 18-24 to develop as leaders, community members, and global citizens. Based at our twin campuses, students will explore a mossy old-growth forest, paddle through icy fjords, and climb the rugged alpine summits of Glacier Bay National Park and the Tongass National Forest. The program is built around three central pillars: academic work in the liberal arts and sciences, service labor performed in support of the campus and community, and democratic self-governance. Close-knit community life and wilderness exploration round out the experience. Join us and immerse yourself in the communities and wildlands of Southeast Alaska, home to tidewater glaciers, alpine meadows, humpback whales, and brown bears. All students must be legally permitted to reside in the United States for the entire duration of the program. This means that DACA recipients are eligible for this program. Unfortunately, Tidelines cannot currently sponsor visas for international students.

Placements available on the J-1 Visa program through the U.S. Department of State. Work placements of up to 3 months at a U.S. summer camp, followed by an optional 1 month travel period. * Counselors Counselors care for a group of campers 24 hours a day for 8 to 15 weeks. While this job can be exhausting, it is also very rewarding. Counselors are role models for their campers and can profoundly impact their lives. A strong counselor speaks fluent English, is mature and flexible and has a good sense of humor. * Support Staff Support staff are responsible for the behind-the-scenes work that keeps camp running, such as maintenance, laundry, housekeeping, and cooking. In some camps, you may only do one job all summer and in others, you may rotate jobs throughout the week. Support staff jobs require long hours of physical labor, but you'll receive a slightly higher stipend than counselors.

ARCC’s Western U.S. Gap Semester provides access to some of America’s most beautiful and remote landscapes ranging from the jagged peaks of the Grand Tetons to the depths of Utah’s most spectacular canyons to the expansive deserts of Arizona and the dazzling turquoise waters of Hawaii. Explore some of the most pristine wilderness of the West and partner with local conservationists to understand threats to native species, ecological systems, and our waterways. Building upon our 40-year history of running domestic programs in the U.S., this semester provides hands-on opportunities and access to areas usually unavailable to the everyday traveler. The newfound insights gained from this in-depth look at some of the most famous landmarks of the American West leave our perspectives and appreciation for our own backyard changed forever.

It’s weird being a young adult in these times! With countless voices telling us who to be as the world around us burns with crisis after crisis, finding an authentic, hopeful, and life-giving way forward can feel out of reach. The Contemplative Semester offers a chance to slow down, take a break from the noise, touch the earth, and tune into the center of who you are. Based in the foothills of Vermont's Green Mountains, the Contemplative Semester is a 14-week, residential immersion into the depths of the human experience. Drawing from Buddhist teachings and practices as a primary framework, you’ll have the chance to deeply connect with yourself, others, and nature as you explore your unique path to greater peace, love, joy, and purpose. With optional college credits offered. Now, more than ever, the world is calling for people who live, love, laugh, cry, create, and care from the depths of their hearts. Are you ready to answer the call? Thankfully, it’s a group call with dance parties. Join us!

Are you a student or young professional looking to enhance your career prospects through international work experience and hands-on learning? At Intern Abroad HQ, we help students and young professionals turn career aspirations into reality. We organize affordable internships in 20 destinations across 24 career fields that are tailored to meet each individual’s academic, professional, or personal requirements. With over 200 internship programs across Europe, Asia, Africa, Central America and South America to choose from, and options to intern from 2 weeks to 6 months either full-time or part-time, in-country or virtually, we facilitate career-enhancing experiences that work for you, not just the host organization. Intern Abroad HQ is proudly brought to you by the team behind International Volunteer HQ. We have collectively supported over 120,000 program participants since 2007 and are the only B Corp certified provider in our field.

Looking to apply your talent and expertise to a good cause? Find a program that matches your interests and skills through Volunteer World! We are the largest volunteer abroad comparison platform around the globe, enabling you to seek and compare offers from major travel agencies as well as smaller grassroots NGOs and local specialists in more than 80 countries. All these with just one click! Find projects in wildlife, teaching, community development, and several other areas. Simply choose your desired destination and desired travel date, and our search engine will compare the best volunteer abroad programs on your behalf. Whether you wish to gain experience at a wildlife sanctuary in South Africa or teach English at a monastery in Nepal, we've got you covered. Volunteer World guarantees a quick and easy application. We will guide you through this process, as well as help plan your next meaningful trip. We provide free access to quality-checked projects and flexible options. And if anything goes wrong, we've got your back with our qualified support team and our refund guarantee.

Live like a local whilst getting paid on a Working Holiday in the USA. What better way to spend your university break with the opportunity to travel to The Land of Opportunity! Head over for up to 4 months with an amazing job lined up from a range of fun host companies, from hospitality to hotels and from theme parks to ski resorts! After, travel to tick some must-dos off your American bucket list. Global Work & Travel will take the stress out of the whole process and help you navigate the tricky visa application by securing essential sponsorship so you can sit back and relax whilst your American adventure is taken care of. Our team will set you up with a paid job opportunity and 5 nights of hostel accommodation. We also arrange a US bank account, a mobile number, US medical insurance, and some awesome experiences including an overnight stay in Las Vegas! You’re not just signing up for a Working Holiday, you’re signing up for the best summer of your life! Get started today!

HMI Gap is designed to be a unique and refreshing break from our busy world – an uninterrupted journey of adventure, self-discovery, and growth. These are for high school graduates and current college students, ages 17-22. With rock climbing and wilderness travel-focused programs in Patagonia and the American West, participants spend 3 months traveling to some of the world’s wildest places, gain independence as outdoor adventurers, and give back by helping with real-world conservation projects. We emphasize building a strong, intentional community, where students make lasting friendships with people who encourage them to become their best selves. Since 1998, HMI has offered empowering experiences in inspiring surroundings, boldly uniting place-based and hands-on learning with the natural world. Students return from HMI transformed, carrying with them the confidence, passion, and readiness to excel in college, graduate school, and beyond. Our alumni stand out in an increasingly competitive environment, as colleges and employers view HMI alumni as risk-takers in the best sense who have the skills to work effectively on a team and emerge as leaders in their community.

Join this gap year program designed for your adventurous soul and the part of you that craves out-of-the-box experiences alongside a group of fun-loving friends. We offer the chance to be seen and accepted for who you already are as well as see the world for what it is and what it could be. We inspire rather than coerce. We challenge you to be real. We get dirty. We think big. We work on organic farms, build using sustainable materials, make our own bread, and hike our brains out. As a group, we go on a road trip through the southwest down to Oaxaca, Mexico, looking for adventure and learning about what makes these areas rich and interesting. In the process, you learn the skills of self-sufficiency, community, and quality living. At the end of the program, you will possess new options for living the good life and experiencing the richness of the world. Fall '25 Where: Colorado, Mexico, and the Southwest When: 8/06 – 11/17 Spring '26 Where: Colorado; Utah; Arizona; Bordercountry When: 3/10 – 5/17

Adventure Treks offers this gap semester program that lets you go on a unique and highly rewarding learning adventure, building vital skills and traits along the way. The Leadership Adventure Semester (LAS) is a profound, intensive opportunity to deepen your outdoor, interpersonal, and leadership skills. Along with your peers, you will: - Gain mastery in outdoor skills like backpacking, mountaineering, rock climbing, whitewater kayaking, and canoeing - Take a Wilderness First Responder medical course and Swift Water Rescue training - Participate in local, meaningful service projects - Improve essential and pragmatic hands-on life skills (plumbing, home repair, personal finances, résumé building, etc.) - Earn credits through Western Carolina University - Develop personal growth, independence, and interpersonal skills - Help build a strong, supportive community LAS emphasizes the development of noncognitive skills such as leadership, communication, collaboration, and community building—all necessary to succeed in today’s world. These will be woven naturally and intentionally into the gap semester as an excellent complement to your higher education experience.

Before and beyond college, Baret Scholars explores 7 regions of the world, their passions, and their purpose. Baret Scholars is a global gap year program that brings together a cohort of 180 high school students from around the world to journey across 7 regions (North/South America, Europe, Africa, Middle East, India, and China/Asia), over 180 days, in a semi-structured and self-guided gap year experience. This will be their best year yet. Named after Jeanne Baret, the first woman to circumnavigate the globe, Baret Scholars provides students with a comprehensive and holistic understanding of the world, paving the way for years of fulfillment and achievement. The program serves as a foundation for their future, fostering cultural literacy, a global perspective, and a desire to create a better world.

Ready to travel the world, gain independence, and experience life like never before? With Carla’s Au Pairs, you can live with a host family in the USA, Europe, or Asia while caring for children, exploring new cultures, and growing into your future self. Our program places young South Africans and Namibians in exciting countries such as the USA, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Germany, Turkey, and China. You’ll receive a stipend, free accommodation, meals, and personal support from our experienced team - every step of the way. No experience abroad? No problem. We’re here to guide you with training, visa help, and prep. As proud IAPA members, we follow global standards to keep you safe and supported. This is more than a job. It’s a life-changing journey. Join our sisterhood of au pairs around the world and start writing your next chapter!

If you find yourself at the crossroads of life post-high school, craving a deeper understanding of your purpose, or yearning for guidance and mentorship as you step into the real world, join Touch the World's Gap Year Program. This gap year is tailor-made for young people searching for intentional discipleship and who are eager to foster their relationship with Jesus through hands-on experiences and service-oriented missions. Venture into a transformative journey offering an enriching blend of education and exploration in a Christ-centered mission. Over two semesters, our program weaves together mentoring, spiritual formation, and experiential learning. It guides you on a journey of self-discovery and faith exploration in a family-style setting in The Mission Center, nestled in the Pocono Mountains. Your gap year culminates in a month-long global mission immersion alongside our esteemed TTW ministry partners. Get ready to learn how your story fits into God’s mission. *Please note that we do not assist with visas, and students must be able to travel internationally to our global host locations. Please inquire today to learn about program eligibility.