Location
Multiple Locations +15
  • England
    • London
  • France
    • Paris
    • Nice
  • Germany
    • Berlin
  • Italy
    • Rome
  • Netherlands
    • Amsterdam
  • Spain
    • Barcelona
    • Madrid
  • Thailand
  • Costa Rica
  • Dominican Republic
  • Sweden
    • Stockholm
  • China
    • Shanghai
  • Japan
    • Tokyo
  • South Korea
    • Seoul
  • Peru
  • Czech Republic
    • Prague
Length
26 - 52 weeks
Merit-based funding, Payment plans, 529 Plan eligibility
Health & Safety

Program Details

Activities
City Exploring Hiking Remote Exploring Snorkeling Surfing Swimming
Timeframe
Academic Year
Housing
Apartment Hostel Hotel
Primary Language
English
Age Min.
18
Age Max
22

Pricing

Starting Price
43750
Price Details
Price includes all round-trip flights and local transfers to each stop in your itinerary, your accommodations and some of your meals on the trip, innovative and personalized language learning at one of EF's accredited language schools, workshops and activities designed to help you discover your strengths and goals, guided group activities, service projects, and excursions led by local guides, and one-on-one mentorship and 24/7 travel support before and during your program.
What's Included
Accommodation Activities Some Activities Airfare Domestic Airfare Airport Transfers Some Meals Tour Guide Transportation
What's Not Included
Some Activities Some Meals Park Fees Travel Insurance Visa
Apr 04, 2024
Jul 10, 2024
251 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

Experience the world and discover your passions with EF Gap Year. Visit 10+ countries, build real-world skills, make lifelong memories, and return home a better you. For students ages 18-22.

This incredible year combines guided exploration with cultural immersion. Begin your international adventure by traveling to twelve cities across three continents with a cohort of like-minded students. During your second semester, discover what it’s like to live independently abroad while learning a language in the city of your choice or interning at an international company. Return from your gap year with a greater understanding of global issues, having discovered new interests and gained the confidence to forge your own path forward.

EF Gap Year is part of EF Education First. With more than 50,000 staff members and 600 offices and schools around the world, EF Gap Year offers unparalleled international support 24/7.

Video and Photos

Program Highlights

  • Travel through multiple cities across three continents to foster global awareness as well as personal and social development
  • Live like a local and learn a language at a fully-accredited EF Campus
  • Intern at an international company, gaining real world skills to bolster your resume

Program Reviews

4.91 Rating
based on 11 reviews
  • 5 rating 90.91%
  • 4 rating 9.09%
  • 3 rating 0%
  • 2 rating 0%
  • 1 rating 0%
  • Housing 4.1
  • Support 4.4
  • Fun 4.75
  • Value 4.85
  • Safety 4.4
Showing 1 - 8 of 11 reviews
Default avatar
Alexandra
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

EF gap year

Taking the EF gap year has shaped the person I am today in so many incredible ways. This program is perfect if you want to see and experience new places in a fun and safe community. Traveling always has its moments of uncertainty, however, the EF local staff always did their best to support us and provide a plethora of information on the places visited. I loved this particular program because it allowed me to visit multiple countries and participate in a language study, service work, and an internship. Those experiences paired with tourist activities allowed me to fully experience the countries I was living in. This program allowed me to gain independence, meet so many wonderful people, and see places I never thought I would have the opportunity to see. I’m so grateful for this experience and highly recommend it to anyone considering!

What was the most unfamiliar thing you ate?
Kangaroo!
Pros
  • Tried so many new things
  • Met amazing people
  • Shared local experiences
Cons
  • Housing wasn’t always the best
  • Internship placement came very late
  • Food wasn’t always included
27 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Andrew
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Life changing experience

My gap year experience was life changing. It’s unique that I got to learn a language, volunteer, have an internship and travel to so many places all over the world in the span of six months. I learned so much about the world and interacted with a variety of cultures along the way. The experience taught me how to travel with others and also cherish the time to myself.

I’m now living and working abroad in Thailand, one of the countries I visited with EF. The gap year gave me the confidence and skills needed to make that possible.

What was your funniest moment?
New Zealand and Australia Immersion. I especially loved Milford Sound in the South Island of New Zealand
Pros
  • Choice of where you want to visit for each module
  • Travel opportunities
Cons
  • Sometimes the group was separated, limited opportunities to hang out with some of your friends depending on where your located
29 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Grace
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Spanish language gap year experience!

This program is unlike any other and it made me into the best possible version of myself! I chose Costa Rica, Peru and Madrid for my 3 modules because I wanted to improve my Spanish and I am nearly fluent now! I did some of the coolest things I’ve done in my whole life all throughout my gap year. I scuba dived in the Great Barrier Reef, lived in my first apartment in Madrid, jumped the highest cliff jump in the world, held a koala, volcano boarded, snorkeled in Panama, went to the Sydney opera house and so much more. I met some of the coolest most unforgettable people of my whole life and they are all likeminded people who love to explore and travel so it makes it way more fun. If you are on the fence about choosing college or a gap year, take a gap year! Life will start to get busy and you won’t want to regret it if you don’t go when you have the time! You’ll have so many stories to share and memories to cherish and nothing really compares to that.

What would you improve about this program?
There were some tours that were very boring and they were really strict on attendance but other than that, they give you a lot of slack as to how you spend your time on your gap year
219 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Helen
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Truly the opportunity of a lifetime!

I was a student in EF Gap's first-ever cohort in 2018-19, and it was an unforgettable experience. I was fresh out of high school, tired of classrooms, and just wanting to be different, so I decided that a gap year was what I needed. However, there are SO many types of programs out there that I couldn't decide what I wanted. I chose EF because of the huge variety of experiences, including service-learning, internship, language study, and pure travel. The highlights of my trip were our time spent at the beautiful Ashridge Estate near London, celebrating Loi Krathong with my amazing group in Chiang Mai, Thailand, my social media marketing internship in Milan, Italy (looks GREAT on my resume), and of course the MANY great friendships I made with my cohort. When you're traveling so much and frequently moving from place to place, the people you are with become your home. Yes, there will be ups and downs, but that is inevitable when traveling. I am a confident traveler now, and I even spent 3 weeks after the trip solo-traveling. The EF staff are very helpful and reliable and have proven to be great connections to have upon my return to the US. If you're hesitating to decide on an EF Gap Year, trust me, do it. For the money, this program is the most cost-effective of all the programs on the market, by far! EF will not let you down.

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
Be present, take a million pictures, keep an updated journal, get to know your cohort, and do whatever it takes to make the most of your trip.
228 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
anna
4/5
No, I don't recommend this program

My experience in EF Gapyear

The introduction to the program and the closure in Hult University in the U.K. was very good. The tours were good, the hotels ,mostly well located. The housing and assistance could greatly improve, I will give my comments on the three areas. LANGUAGE ( 6 WEEKS) ROME: The Academy was in the best area in Rome, two blocks from the Trevi Fountain. I petitioned to stay in the Residency which was next to EF. I was told to stay with a host family in order to better immerse myself in the culture. I was assigned an apartment with a landlady who rented rooms, no family experience, pasta for dinner every day, we were not allowed to store any food, in a very remote insecure area of the city. After several weeks of asking for a change, I was assigned to stay in a B&B near school, but this is not the experience I was looking for ( I was not living with students and not living with a family). I was sick for a week and one came to see me, call me or sent a Dr. ( WE ARE ALL 18 , MANY HAD NEVER BEEN ABROAD). SOCIAL SERVICE ( 6 WEEKS) TANZANIA: The Safari was the best experience I have had. The social service program did not give me any sense of accomplishment, for we were not involved in "real" program ...we stayed a week in each place... not enough time to get involved.... the last place I stayed was really awful, but since it was located in a beautiful beach resort I was able to take advantage of this. INTERSHIP ( SIX WEEKS) MADRID: After making a point that location was important I was assigned an apartment in a nice location but not a good street.... a street full of bars open until dawn...not the best place for 4 young girls to stay. The apartment was bare...no headboards, nightstand....one pair of sheets..one towel...no cleaning utensils provided...the small washing machine never worked....very bad rating in AirB&B.... that for the lodging...regarding the Intership we were not assigned to work in a company related to our interests... it was more like a part time job you can get back home. in a store at the mall... in contrast with my cousins that got internships this last summer in great companies. I think EF has a great platform with all the Ef Academies it has worldwide...but they have to be more conscious for the other services they are providing.... there is no one to in direct contact to make sure all is fine...and when we have a petition, comment, etc no one comes to really supervise what is happening and how to best solve your needs.

What would you improve about this program?
Better housing, have a "counselor " to be in touch , have a 5-6 week social service program with one ONG, have more contacts in companies to make the intership more enriching. Ef has great facilities for their language program, they need to work on their Social Program and Intership in they want their gap year to be successful.
234 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Maddie
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Best Year Ever!

The EF Gap Year transformed me into a world traveller and gave me more confidence and knowledge to take on college. My fellow gap year friends are like my family, and I now have friends all across the globe. This experience shaped me into a different person than I was before my gap year. My language study (Barcelona) and internship (Madrid) gave me the confidence to live in another city alone, learn to speak another language, and be able to adjust and develop a community. My favorite parts were Volunteer Service (Thailand) and the Australian Immersion program. Those modules I became very close with my cohort, and had the most fun! Although, it isn't always fun and can be hard and lonely at times (especially away from your family), however, I grew the most during the hardships and it became so much stronger in the long run. I can't wait to travel abroad again. I loved the EF Gap Year, I wish I could do it again, and recommend everybody to do it!

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
Most important: Have an open mind. You will be experiencing new cultures and new life-styles as you travel, and it is important to keep an open mind and to try new things while you are on this adventure. Write a journal and take more pictures than you think you want! Take videos if you want to put together an end of year video. Keep packing as organized as possible (PACKING CUBES!) and don't forget to have fun. Only get to do this year once!
234 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Annabel
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Out of My Comfort Zone, Into my Future

I can’t imagine who I’d be right now if I hadn’t taken a gap year. EF’s gap year program allowed me to accomplish so many goals of mine, whether it be to learn fluent Spanish or to go bungee jumping in a foreign country. I studied Spanish in Costa Rica, completed Service Learning in the Dominican Republic, and interned in Madrid, Spain. My gap year took me out of my comfort zone so many times that I don’t even know what that means anymore - and my life is better because of it. Now, as I head off to college, I am able to focus on my excitement rather than feeling nervous, because I have built so much confidence within the past year. If anyone is searching for a path to follow, a way to achieve their goals, or even just who they are, they need to take a gap year.

What was the most nerve-racking moment and how did you overcome it?
The most nerve-racking moment I experienced was meeting my host family in Costa Rica. These were the people who I would be living with for the next 6 weeks, and I really wanted to make a good first impression. I didn’t know whether I should be trying to speak Spanish or just speak English or what... I was seriously so nervous. But they welcomed me with open arms (and a generous meal!).
226 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Samantha
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

The Perfect Balance

I loved my gap year, thanks to EF! The program they offer is the perfect combination of structure and freedom, allowing space to explore and get to know yourself while still learning skills and achieving goals.

I studied French in Paris, learned through service in Costa Rica, and interned in Sydney, Australia.

My time in Paris was fantastic. I had classes a couple times a day, leaving time to explore the city and practice what I was learning in school.

Costa Rica was an amazing six weeks. EF scouted out some truly special volunteer programs and communities to partner with, making sure we made good use of our time. I worked closely with locals and as well as environmental specialist. I had hands-on projects, like handling sea turtles and teaching art to kids.

My favorite module was my internship in Sydney. EF worked with me to find a company that matched my beliefs and would help build the skills I was searching to develop. I worked with a truly meaningful non-profit company and started my first internship with a smile.

The blend of independence and support from EF was powerful. I felt confident in exploring myself, stepping out of my comfort zone, because I knew I wasn’t alone. EF does a fantastic job of making the students feel important while giving them space to do what they are on the gap year to do: grow. EF left an impact on me, and my gap year was a truly special experience because of it.

(Feel free to reach out if you have any questions!)

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
Don’t be scared! Trust yourself. Take risks. Say yes! You are more capable than you think.
224 people found this review helpful.

Questions & Answers

Hi Amy - As of right now, our Spring 2021 semester is scheduled to depart in January 2021 as planned. And our Fall 2021 semester and year programs are scheduled to depart in September 2021 as planned. We are of course in a somewhat unpredictable and unprecedented time right now, so dates are subject to change as the situation in the world evolves. Our website will always have the most up to date...

Hi Laylah, Our program is for high school graduates ages 18-22. No college degree required. A high school diploma or equivalent is required. Thanks for checking us out!

Hi Lindy, Our programs include all travel (including flights), full-time mentorship, accommodations, most meals, educational components and all activities listed. The cost for the Gap Semester is $17,500 and $33,700 for the Gap Year. A few of the destinations (mostly Asia) are considered premium and have additional costs of $1,500 and $2,000 respectively. Let us know if you have any other...