Gap years are becoming increasingly popular, with UCAS stating that the number of students deferring their university education increased by 28% between 2012 and 2022.

In 2023, up to 232,000 18-24 year-olds took a gap year in the UK, with almost 30,000 deferring starting university by a year. Individuals choose to take a gap year for a wide range of reasons, ranging from wanting to travel to undertaking voluntary work before resuming full-time education or employment.

Finatical’s Shannon Reed provides an in-depth breakdown of the reasons why you should consider taking a gap year, its benefits, and the important things to consider before you embark on one.

Why should I consider taking a Gap Year

There are many reasons that you may want to consider taking a gap year, ranging from personal growth to professional development. Here are just a few motivations behind why some people take a gap year:

Independence and personal growth

Gap years are commonly taken in the UK between sixth form/college education and university, but can be taken at any point during your adult life. For many, taking the step to go to university or into full-time employment after sixth form/college education is a daunting prospect that can feel difficult to prepare yourself for.

These feelings may contribute to a person’s decision to take a gap year, providing them with space and time to explore their interests, new experiences they wish to acquire or whatever else they feel would facilitate their personal growth.

The UK Government’s statistics on gap years highlights the desire ‘to become independent’ was the motivation for 40% of students taking a gap year, typically involving travelling and/or employment.

Exploration and travel

Government studies have shown over half of students (56%) embark on a gap year to travel, with almost 60,000 students in 2022-2023 academic year also working and/or volunteering abroad. In the UK, students who are taken a gap year have usually been in full-time education since the age of 4 and may have a university degree of 3 to 5 years ahead of them.

It is unsurprising that students may wish to take a break from full-time education before they go onto university or full-time employment and opt to use this to gain some travelling experience. Southeast Asia, including countries such as Thailand, and South America, including Argentina, are amongst the most popular travel hotspots for students travelling on a gap year.

The destination of travel will dictate the cost, with some countries such as the USA costing an average of £6,800+ per month according to Teaching Abroad Direct. 

Professional development

According to Teaching Abroad Direct, around 80% of young people fund their gap years via working in the UK including those that also travel. Taking a gap year in order to work in the UK or abroad provides an excellent opportunity for you to gain full-time working experience before continuing with full-time education, and may help you be more financially secure whilst at university.

The type of employment undertaken during a gap year is varied, but all types of experience can be valuable to your CV by providing you with transferable skills and experience which you can build upon through your higher education. Professional development does not always need to take the form of paid employment.

For some sectors such as ecology and environmental work, experience of voluntary work can demonstrate your dedication to the field and capacity to collaborate with others which can be fundamental to later securing a paid role in these fields.

Alternatively, you may choose to undertake courses such as learning a new language or skill such as coding which may not only benefit your CV, but help support you in your degree programme.

What are the benefits of taking a Gap Year

• Becoming independent and increasing your self-confidence – to become independent was listed as the primary reason that people choose to take a gap year in the UK. Taking time to gain new experiences without the pressures of full-time education can also help to build your self-confidence as you become more independent.
• Skill acquisition – whether you’re travelling, volunteering, or working in your gap year you will acquire transferable skills that will contribute to your professional and personal development.
• Global perspective – if you are planning to work, volunteer abroad, or travel you will have a wonderful opportunity to engage with different cultures and broaden your world view.
• Time and space to think about your next steps – gap years can provide essential breathing space for those that are still unsure about whether university of full-time employment is right for them. It can allow you time to reflect on what you would like to achieve in the future, and what might be the next step to get you there.
• New experiences – no matter what you decide to do with your gap year, the opportunity for new experiences will be there to help nurture your growth and development. 

Things to consider before taking a gap year

The first thing to consider before taking a gap year is your motivations for doing so – what do you want to achieve by taking a gap year?

Intentions and motivations

For some people this may be as simple as wanting a break from full-time education, for others this may be dedicating a year to your professional development by undertaking a voluntary role that you are interested in.

Knowing what your intentions and motivations are for the year can help guide some of the other considerations which you will need to make, such as finances.

As previously mentioned, around 80% of people fund their gap year through working in the UK. For those who are wishing to travel, having a plan of when and where you will be working will provide you with the financial security to make your appropriate travel plans before you leave the UK. 

Financial and planning aspects

Although gap years are typically self-funded for young people via employment in the UK, there are various ways to finance your gap year and usually depend on what your intentions are.

For example, around 20% of young people fund their gap years through allowances from their parents. This method may not be suitable for people from low-income background or those intending to travel for the duration of the year, but may be suitable for those wishing to work or volunteer local to their home.

Working out the financial aspects of your gap year such as what your earnings and outgoing may look like is critical to ensuring your gap year is financially viable, and for some may be a determining factor.  

Communication with institutions or employers

If you have applied to go to university in the next academic year, you will need to inform your chosen institution(s) via UCAS if you decide to defer your place until the following year.

This will ensure that the universities know that you do not plan to attend until the following academic year, enabling them to offer someone else that place and to retain yours for when you are ready.

If you are in full or part-time employment and your gap year will require you leaving your usual place of work, you should inform your employer of your intention to take a gap year. In some cases, they may even offer to give you your position back once you have returned.

Conclusion

A Gap Year may not be for everyone, so make sure to weigh-up your own personal preferences before deciding whether this is the right step for you!

Utilise the information available across the internet, books and of course – other people’s experiences – to help guide your choice.

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