40 events in 20 states. 100+ gap year organizations. Unlimited possibilities. Don’t miss the opportunity to connect with gap year experts and alumni in your hometown.
View ScheduleUSA Gap Year Fairs
Meet with gap year programs in person!
Looking for inspiration and information about gap year programs or summer opportunities? Catch a fair this winter to meet with experiential educators, gap year experts, and gap year alumni so you can start planning your next adventure.
For the past 13 years, USA Gap Year Fairs has partnered with progressive high schools across the country to educate, inspire, and empower students to look beyond the classroom and pursue opportunities for experiential learning. Taking a gap year, participating in a summer program, or enrolling in a high school semester abroad might seem intimidating, but it’s actually much easier than you think -- especially when you know there’s a community of people to help support you. Register to attend a gap year fair near you!
Upcoming Fairs
Each year, the Go Overseas team coordinates about 40 USA Gap Year Fairs across the country. In 2020, the fairs will run from January 5th - March 2nd. Attendees can expect to meet with 30-60 different gap year program representatives, though we’ll have over 100 organizations participate across the 8-week series. Although the fairs are free to the public, pre-registration is highly recommended. Check out upcoming events and a full list of fairs below.
Program providers interested in participating should contact us for more information as reservations are required.
Speakers
Every event begins with an interactive presentation to help attendees make the most of their time at the fair. We’ll give you a crash course on the gap year option, share stories from real gap year alumni, and outline some helpful tips for planning your gap year. Guest speakers have included gap year experts, counselors, alumni, parents of gappers, and college admissions representatives who have firsthand experience with experiential education, cultural immersion, service learning or international travel.
President, Center for Interim Programs
Holly Bull has placed over 2,800 individuals, including her daughters, in vetted programs in the 30+ years she has been counseling students and adults through the gap-year process. She took her own two gap years before and during college. Founded in 1980, her company, the Center for Interim Programs, is the first and longest-running independent gap year counseling service in the US.
Co-Founder, J2Guides
Jane traveled around the world when she was a junior in college, taking her anthropology studies from books to reality in England, India, Thailand, Malaysia, New Zealand and Colombia. While the countries and cultures were astounding, it was her faculty, and their leadership, that had an even greater impact. While she finished her degree in anthropology, Jane quickly started looking for opportunities to similarly guide students.
Founder of EnRoute Consulting & GYA Board President
Julia Rogers is a traveler, writer, speaker, and professional gap year counselor (yes, that's a thing). She has circled the globe a few times over, always in search of the most inspiring adventures to recommend to gap year students. She believes in the power of intentional travel to transform how we define higher education. Her favorite destinations are Morocco, New Zealand, Laos, and Nepal. When not planning her next adventure, she enjoys playing in the mountains of Stowe, Vermont, where she calls home.
Co-Founder, J2Guides
Jason Sarouhan has offered 20+ years of his professional career supporting students pursuing experiential education opportunities all over the world. Together, he and his wife Jane, co-founder of J2Guides, are the only GYA Professionally accredited gap year counselors that have: taken, led, designed, coordinated and directed gap year programs.
Gap Year Advisor
Hailing from Boulder, Colorado, Marion Taylor is owner of Taylor The Gap LLC and the only gap year advisor between Chicago and California. Prior to founding Taylor The Gap LLC in 2011, Marion worked in Social Work for over 35 years focused on families, women, and children both domestically and abroad. Distinct from other counselors, she offers a unique parenting perspective with all four of her children having participated in a structured and or independent gap experience.
Gap Year Scholarships
Planning your gap year and funding your gap year go hand in hand, which is why we’re thrilled to offer gap year scholarships each year.
Open
USA Gap Year Fairs Student Ambassador Scholarships
Why do you want to take a gap year in 2020? Tell us why and you could win a scholarship to make those dreams become a reality! We'll grant two scholarships to students who demonstrate outstanding motivation to pursue gap year experiences.
Deadline:
Value
$3,000
Learn about taking a gap year
Want to read up on gap years before or after the fairs? Here are a few articles to help you with your gap year research.
GapMatcher
Wondering which gap year program might be the right fit for you? Discover your perfect match GapMatcher is a custom search tool that helps you find personalized gap year program suggestions, curated for you.
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