internships for gap year students
A gap year is a term used to describe a yearlong break that students take before or during college.
A gap year is a term used to describe a yearlong break that students take before or during college. Gap years can be taken at any point in a student’s academic career (high school, college, grad school). Reasons for taking a gap year vary widely—students may want to travel abroad or gain work experience before starting their education. Some students participate in programs like the Peace Corps as part of their gap year experience.
one-third of four-year college students and half of community college students take some sort of gap year to work, travel or volunteer.
One-third of four-year college students and half of community college students take some sort of gap year to work, travel or volunteer.
Here’s how you can use your time off to explore career options:
- Internships are a great way to get exposure to a particular field and make connections with professionals in that industry. Many internships are unpaid, but they still provide valuable experience as well as networking opportunities that may lead to paid jobs down the road.
- If you cannot find an internship at an organization where you want to work, consider volunteering at an organization related to your field of interest. Volunteering will strengthen both your resume and your professional network in the process.
In the U.S., it’s more common for students to work or travel than it is for them to volunteer during their gap year.
In the U.S., it’s more common for students to work or travel than it is for them to volunteer during their gap year. You can travel on your own, but if you’re looking to make an impact while you travel, then volunteering is a great option.
Interning abroad is another popular way for students to spend their time depending on their interests and goals.
An internship abroad is another popular way for students to spend their time depending on their interests and goals. Student internships can be found in a variety of fields, from the arts and sciences to business, marketing and tourism. Some internships are paid, but many are not. The average pay for an intern with no experience is about $20 per hour or $4,000 per month (in USD).
Most student internships abroad take place in Europe because of its proximity to North America.
Gap years provide students with unique opportunities in terms of travel and socializing, but they also increase a student’s chance of graduating from college by 25 percent.
Students who take gap years are more likely to graduate from college and feel satisfied with their education.
If you’re a student considering taking a gap year, here are some reasons why you should:
- Gap years provide students with unique opportunities in terms of travel and socializing, but they also increase a student’s chance of graduating from college by 25 percent.
- Students who take a gap year are more likely to be satisfied with their college experience, major choice and overall academic performance.
As you evaluate your own reasons for taking a gap year, consider whether you want your gap year to help prepare you for your next steps in life or if you’re looking to gain new experiences that are unrelated to your academic career or future job prospects.
If you’re thinking about taking a gap year, you might be wondering what types of internships are available.
If your goal is to gain new experiences or expand your horizons, then there are plenty of ways to do that during your gap year. You can work at an animal shelter or volunteer in another country. You can travel with friends or family and explore the world together.
These experiences will help shape you as an individual and help prepare you for whatever comes next in life—whether that’s choosing a career path based on what interests you most, getting into college as a transfer student, or even just finding something fun to do after graduating high school (and yes, this includes joining the Peace Corps).
You can find an internship that fits with your gap-year goals without it being too much like school.
Internships can be a great way to get some experience, but they can also be too much like school. If you’re interested in an internship that’s more like real life and less like school, there are plenty of options.
- Look for an internship in the country you want to travel: If you’ve ever wanted to go somewhere but didn’t have the money or time, look for an internship that will let you travel while working. For example, if your dream is to visit India and work with elephants, try searching for internships in India related to animal rights—or any other kind of work that interests you! If your goal is simply traveling anywhere during your gap year, consider applying for an international job posting rather than just one from any company or industry (unless it’s something super specific).
- Look for an internship at home: It may seem boring compared to traveling somewhere new for five months! But think about what will happen after college graduation: You’ll need a job anyway; might as well get started now by getting some experience under your belt before launching into the big world of working adults next year!