Fall Gap Year Programs
With school back in session and fewer families on the road, autumn is the perfect time to take a gap year. You'll be surrounded by locals going about their daily lives who live and work in those destinations. As the ‘off-season’, autumn also boasts as one of the cheaper times for airfare and accommodation!
Your hard-earned money will go further, the crowds will be thinner, and in most places, you'll experience cooler temperatures, making Fall an ideal time for exploration.
For students who are fans of exciting and far-flung destinations, here are a few places to spend your gap year during the autumn season:
- Australia: Being among the top ten largest countries in the world, it’s a place that needs significant time to visit! Autumn in the US is actually Spring in Australia! It's one of the most beautiful seasons to visit as the jacaranda trees bloom and the streets are filled with lavender petals. Mild temperatures also create the perfect opportunity to explore small beach towns like Byron Bay and natural wonders like the Great Barrier Reef and Uluru.
- Nepal: Since the summer months are notorious for monsoons in Nepal, autumn provides relief from the wet season. The dry weather of autumn provides exceptional visibility, perfect for trekking in the Himalayas.
- Greece: Did you know autumn is the season for olive harvesting? Agrotourism in Greece is steadily growing, allowing more people to experience the process of harvesting olives -- all the way from picking the fruit to creating pressed olive oil! You can also plan to spend your days visiting archeological sites or sailing around the islands!
Planning a gap year and traveling overseas can be overwhelming and daunting, but you can minimize the anxiety and create a more enriching experience by purposefully structuring your gap year. Taking a gap year is about learning about yourself, exploring different values, and getting real-world experience.
To ensure a meaningful year abroad, it's best to plan how and where you want to spend your time. One of the best ways to do this is to enroll in a gap year program. This is a safe and low-risk option that provides logistical guidance and curates an educational and social experience for the group. Gap year programs are also tremendously useful for connecting you with internship or volunteering opportunities.
