Program Reviews

I think the Europe Gap Year was an amazing experience, and I can’t believe it's over. It's been such a blessing, and I’m so lucky I’ve found it. I’ve met so many amazing people and have had so many once-in-a-lifetime experiences and I’ve gained so much, from learning to plan projects, how to communicate better, how to live independently, how to manage time and money. The reason I picked it was because I didn’t really know if I wanted to go straight into college and have to do school for another four years. But it's really opened my eyes to so many new things. I loved being able to experience all the different cultures we came into contact with. A huge passion of mine is skateboarding, and one of my main dreams is to travel and skate the whole world. The Europe Gap Year has already given me a big taste of that dream from being able to skatein both main cities of Scotland, Edinburgh and Glasgow.

A part of me considers having taken a gap year as something of a trial run. Being so far from home and comparatively on my own was a new experience, one I wanted to try briefly before going to university. Throughout the internship, I found myself branching out more, growing more confident, and simply learning how to take care of myself better in ways that I simply wasn't capable of back home. I feel this is something crucial to learn before spending more extended periods of time away from home. Obviously, circumstances are different for everyone, but I found that the safety net our program leaders provided was just the right blend of being secure without being suffocating. Interning in Northen Ireland provided me with an opportunity of personal growth and left a core memory I will forever cherish.

I had an amazing experience with Europe Gap Year this spring. Ricky was such a down to earth guy and couldn’t have asked for a better mentor. Getting the opportunity to work with Tourism Northern Ireland was such a great experience. I felt that I learned so many little things throughout the program that will help later in life. Living independently was another huge aspect that I didn’t expect I’d learn so much from. Being with my group specifically was a good eye-opener. Having conversation and going out with kids from other parts of the world was definitely a great learning experience.

Overall, this program had a very good balance between work and leisure where it wasn't too boring (too much free time), but also not overwhelming. I've tried so many different and more importantly, new things through this program; like surfing. I've also met a lot of great people that I hope to be friends with for longer. Coming out of this program, I also have a much more solid sense of identity and a lot more confidence in myself and living independently in university. The experiences of completing a professional social media campaign, speaking with professional businessmen, TedX speakers, and a photographer gave me a lot of insight on what career I'd like in the future and what skills I need to gain for that career.

The hands on experience with both photography and videography that Europe gap year helped me with, allowed me to build a diverse portfolio. The guidance from professionals was invaluable, offering insightful critiques and fostering my technical skills. I appreciated the opportunity to work on real-world projects, which not only honed my craft but also gave me confidence in my abilities. I would highly recommend this program to anyone looking to enhance their skills in a dynamic and culturally engaging environment.

I had an absolutely fantastic time in Europe this summer. The team at Europe Gap made it feel like a home away from home and there was so much to see and do. Me and my friend had the most amazing experience, we travelled across Northern Ireland, taking in the beautiful scenery and learning about the local legends. We even managed to take a trip over the “pond” to Edinburgh where we had a fantastic couple of days. Some of the highlights included meeting artists and local musicians and we even tried surfing :) We couldn't do the whole program because of studies so contacted Europe Gap who were able to tailor an experience to match our availability. We met some amazing people and I will definitely be back to the beautiful Northern Ireland. I couldn’t recommend Europe Gap enough for your gap year!