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Gap Year
Need a break before starting your HE course?
Want to do something different?
One in five students now take a Gap Year between school and university.
What could I do in a Gap Year?
- Take part in voluntary work projects at home and abroad.
- Go on a work experience scheme like the ‘Year in Industry’.
- Get a temporary or seasonal job at home or abroad
- Travel independently to other countries
- Learn a new skill by going on a short course.
- Combine more than one of these during the year.
Why take a Gap Year?
Give yourself a break from full-time studying.
Do something different and experience the ‘real world’.
Help others and put something back into the community.
Develop your interpersonal and work-related based skills which are highly valued by employers.
Increase your maturity, independence and self-confidence so you cope more successfully at university.
Broaden your outlook by learning about other cultures and ways of life.
Save some money (maybe) to finance your HE course.
Gap year – the pitfalls
Organising a year off can be time consuming and hard work.
You need initiative and determination to find out about opportunities and make arrangements.
You could end up wasting a year doing very little. This won’t look good on applications to university or employment.
Some schemes cost a lot of money. Can you afford it?
Will you get out of the habit of studying?
If you want to go on to university afterwards you’ll need to apply for deferred entry or apply during your year off (not easy if you’re abroad). Although most university departments are happy to accept deferred entry applications, check this out first.
Where do I go from here?
Visit Links for useful web sites.
Your school, college, local library or Careers Centre should have information about Gap Year opportunities including contact names and addresses.
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