Gap Year

AmeriCorps/ConnectiCorps-  AmeriCorps is the only federal agency tasked with elevating service and volunteerism in America. We provide opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds to give their time and talent to strengthen communities across our country. In exchange for a year of full-time service, AmeriCorps members earn a Segal AmeriCorps Education Award (equal to the maximum Pell Grant) that can be used to pay for college or trade school or repay qualiyed student loans. Part-time members receive an adjusted Education Award. Serving as a Member can be a meaningful opportunity for recent graduates, people taking a gap year, young professionals or people looking to make an impact within their communities while gaining valuable work experience and learning about nonprofits in Connecticut.

Pacific Discovery-Pacific Discovery offers experiential gap year semesters and summer programs abroad to some of the most amazing places on earth. Our programs are deliberate overland journeys, blending authentic immersion in diverse cultures, meaningful service-learning projects, rewarding adventures, wilderness exploration, and personal development. Students challenge themselves in a supportive small group environment, developing empathy for other cultures; furthering their understanding of international issues; heightening appreciation for the earth’s wild places; deepening global perspectives; and discovering their own passion and purpose.

Discovery Gap Year-Our Discovery Gap Year Program is tailored to help people who think and learn differently develop a strategy for completing college. We accomplish this by doing a deep dive into career options that will work for the individual based upon their strengths (and weaknesses). Our view is that people in our program need to know the reason they are attending college in order to succeed in college. For many, college can be a struggle, and having a clear outcome in mind can make it worth the struggle.

GoAbroad- You can take a gap year after high school, during college, after college, mid-career, during retirement—anytime! The unstructured pursuit of personal growth abroad tends to be what defines a gap year. There are lots of reasons to take a gap year and plenty of benefits to doing so. The best reason to take a gap year though is to learn more about yourself and your future goals. You’ll be surprised at how much a gap year can change your life and perspectives! Gap year benefits include a better sense of what you want for your future, increased confidence and feelings of capability, and even hard skills like new languages.

Teen Life Gap Year Guide-A gap year program is one of the best ways for students to expand their education outside of the classroom. With opportunities in fields like language, business, STEM, and more, a gap year before college is a perfect way to enrich a teen’s life after high school. 

Volunteer International- At International Volunteer HQ, we bring people of more than 96 nationalities together to create positive transformation through regenerative travel. This transformation takes place not just within the communities we support, but also within volunteers themselves.As part of your fully-hosted experience, IVHQ organizes all the stressful stuff like airport pickup and accommodation. We’ve been empowering volunteers to make a difference since 2007 - and we’ve always been committed to making volunteering abroad more affordable and accessible to everyone. For the last four years, IVHQ has been named the Top Volunteer Abroad Provider by Go Overseas for having the highest volume of five-star reviews. This prestigious award reflects our commitment to providing the world's best volunteering abroad experiences and makes us the most popular and trusted choice for volunteer travel!

Verto-Verto Education helps participants discover themselves and the world around them by making education abroad a foundational and accessible part of a four-year college plan. With Verto, students can begin college with a study abroad experience with world-class academics offered by our Academic Providers, while having the option to gain admission to Verto’s 70+ partner colleges. Verto participants walk away with much more than incredible memories and transferable credits; they gain the confidence, self-awareness, and global perspective needed to thrive in college and in life. Students can use their Verto Application to gain direct admission to our 70+ partner colleges, where the credits earned from our Academic Providers during the Verto experience will transfer seamlessly. Students have many available options after their time with Verto, allowing them to stay on track for a 4-year college graduation timeline.

EF Gap Year- EF Gap Year prepares students for success in our increasingly globalized world. Our educational philosophy celebrates travel as a pathway to understanding and self-discovery.