Gap Year Association

Gap Year Association GYA is the only national nonprofit working to coordinate the growing gap year movement.

The Gap Year Association is a nonprofit membership community who share a vision of a future where gap year experiences are widely accessible and recognized as vital to personal, professional, and educational development. Recognized by the US Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission as the Standards Development Organization for gap year education, the Gap Year Association oversees a robust accreditation process for gap year providers and consultants. The Gap Year Association is the official Standards Development Organization in the US for gap year education, as recognized by the US Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission. We continue to advance the field of gap year education by collaboratively pioneering research on its benefits, as well as serving as an information and advocacy hub for university admissions personnel and educational counselors. While our main goal is to focus on accreditation such that every student signing on with a GYA Member organization will have the best and safest experience available, we will not be accrediting individuals nor individual project sites.

10/02/2026

My Gap Year Prepared Me for College

Shanthi was headed straight into a four-year program. Then she chose Berridge Programs and spent her gap year making art alongside creatives from around the world. She came back a better collaborator and listener, and far more grounded going into her studies. She also found her best friends, who still talk every single Sunday. Watch to hear why she calls her gap year one of the most impactful decisions she’s ever made.

This video is part of our Gap Year Exploration Month video series, Future Ready: Skills for a Lifetime, spotlighting how gap years build the skills young people carry into college, careers and beyond. Stay tuned for more videos the entire month of October!

10/01/2026

It’s officially Gap Year Exploration Month!

This October, we’re asking this question: What does it really mean to be ready for the future?

Our 2026 theme, Future Ready: Skills for a Lifetime, is all about the skills young people build during gap year experiences: independence, confidence, adaptability, communication, problem-solving, self-direction, and so much more.

And all month long, you’ll hear directly from the people who know this best. Gap year alumni from across the country and around the world will be sharing their stories, the experiences that challenged them, the skills they didn’t expect to gain, and how their gap years are shaping what comes next.

Follow along, join the conversation, and help us ✈️

There’s a lot of chat right now about the labor market, AI, and the skills needed to land a job. It’s on the minds of st...
09/30/2026

There’s a lot of chat right now about the labor market, AI, and the skills needed to land a job. It’s on the minds of students, parents, the professionals advising them on post-secondary options, and more!

AI, data, and tech skills are clearly in demand. But what we’re also noticing is that soft skills, the skills that keep our humanness intact, are just as important for the 2030 job market. Adaptability, resilience, problem-solving, curiosity, and leadership rank among the most in-demand skills, according to both the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and the World Economic Forum.

Do these skills ring a bell? That’s right: they’re the same skills gap time helps cultivate! Our latest blog post explores this overlap, plus a sneak peek at GYA’s upcoming Gap Year Exploration Month (GYEM) this October.

Ready to read? Link in bio or below 👇

https://www.gapyearassociation.org/blog/the-most-in-demand-skills-employers-are-looking-for-and-how-gap-years-help-build-them/

Happy Friday, GYA programs, consultants, gappers, and everyone else! We’ve got another warm welcome to give today: pleas...
09/25/2026

Happy Friday, GYA programs, consultants, gappers, and everyone else! We’ve got another warm welcome to give today: please meet iNext Insurance, our newest Affiliate Organization partner 🎉

If you’re new here or missed the news, GYA recently launched our Affiliate Organization partnership, working with affiliates that offer services relevant to the gap year field and experiential education. Services are for professionals and businesses, as well as students and families, and include, but aren’t limited to, risk management, insurance, outreach support, and much more!

We’re excited to welcome iNext Insurance as our newest Affiliate Organization partner ✨🎉iNext International Insurance offers a full portfolio of travel and medical protection for the international education field, including accident and sickness coverage, trip cancellation, and evacuation for political unrest and natural disasters.

Interested in learning more about iNext Insurance? Head to their website: https://www.inext.com/

Looking to join GYA as an Affiliate Organization? Check out our membership page, link in bio :)

It’s been a minute since we’ve reshared some hard data from our incredible alumni and National Alumni Survey, so here’s ...
09/22/2026

It’s been a minute since we’ve reshared some hard data from our incredible alumni and National Alumni Survey, so here’s your reminder: gap years are way more than time off! 🌍

Whether you’re taking one after high school, during or right after undergrad, or even mid-career, the evidence is clear. Gap years increase self-confidence, bring personal and professional clarity, and open up amazing opportunities to explore new experiences, locally or abroad.

Research on gap year alumni has shown that:

📈 97% said their gap year increased their self-confidence
📈 82% felt a competitive advantage applying for college or jobs
📈 95% felt better prepared for their next steps in life
📈 81% said their gap year influenced their choice of career

Gap years give us clarity, skills, and personal development. Curious which skills gappers build most? Stay tuned, we’ve got a blog post coming soon. 👀

Ready to start thinking about your gap year? Check out our resources, including our free Gap Year Planning Guide, blogs, gap year professionals, and more. Link in bio! 🔗

Happy Friday! There’s nothing better than kicking off the weekend by welcoming a new program provider to the GYA family✨...
09/18/2026

Happy Friday! There’s nothing better than kicking off the weekend by welcoming a new program provider to the GYA family✨

Today, we’re excited to welcome to the GYA! 🎉

For over 20 years, GapGuru has offered global semester programs that immerse students in new cultures across South East Asia, the Himalayas, and South America. Students live like locals in Thailand, Cambodia, Nepal, India, Peru, and Panama, working alongside local partners and communities to create meaningful, ethical impact.

Through internships lasting 4–12 weeks, students do more than travel; they give back, build practical skills, and make a real difference.

🔗 Learn more: https://gapguru.com/
🔗 Interested in GYA membership? Link in bio.

By now, many students are a couple of weeks into their gap time, whether at home or abroad. One shared experience across...
09/16/2026

By now, many students are a couple of weeks into their gap time, whether at home or abroad. One shared experience across the board? Culture shock.
What is culture shock? It’s the experience of navigating a new environment — new languages, customs, norms, ways of life, food. And it isn’t limited to international travel; culture shock can happen just as easily in your home country.

If you or someone you know is in the thick of it, here are a few tips:

💚Embrace and Accept: Stepping outside your comfort zone comes with this territory. Don’t resist it, learn to accept and embrace the feeling.

✨Stay Open-Minded, Respectful, and Curious: Use this as a chance to ask questions and reflect inward, while staying respectful of the new environment and culture.

🌱Find Community and Share Your Experience: You’re likely not alone. Take the first step, be vulnerable, and share how you’re feeling with your peers, that’s where connection and community begin.

Final thought: culture shock can be a sign of growth. If you’re experiencing it, it likely means you’re opening yourself up to learning, and that’s what stepping outside your comfort zone is all about.

Looking for more strategies? Check out GYA’s blog on culture shock during gap time. Link in bio.

Happy Friday! We always love starting off the weekend by welcoming a new program to our association and followers. Today...
09/11/2026

Happy Friday! We always love starting off the weekend by welcoming a new program to our association and followers. Today, we’re welcoming Liminal Learning to the GYA.

Liminal Learning based in Canada is a program provider that offers a collective launch into purposeful adulthood. A yearlong, offline-and-online program that prepares young people ages 18–25 to thrive. The program works alongside study, work, or a gap year. Their curriculum is built on Neither/Nor, a practical philosophy that blends Western & Eastern thought with principles from developmental psychology and affective neuroscience.

Liminal Learning helps young people shift their relationship with the unknown: from worry and a fear of navigating alone, to wonder and purposeful collective experimentation. Together, they cultivate the skills to find one’s own way in work, study, and life.

And the end is not the end: alumni return as mentors for the next cohort, and everyone is invited into lifetime membership of a lasting peer and intergenerational network.

Interested in learning more? Check out our their website: liminal-learning.com

Looking for more information on GYA membership, head to our website! Link in bio:)

The start of the academic year is here, but for those taking a gap year, it’s the start of a different kind of adventure...
09/08/2026

The start of the academic year is here, but for those taking a gap year, it’s the start of a different kind of adventure. With that likely comes a mix of emotions: excitement, fear, anxiety, wonder… just to name a few. Here are some reminders as you launch into your first few weeks on your gap year:

🌱It’s normal to feel whatever comes up for you during this period of change. Acknowledge it, accept it, and remember to be where your feet are, many feelings are allowed to exist at once.

✨Be curious about the new places, people, and experiences around you. You don’t need to be in a new country for this mindset, curiosity finds glimmers whether you’re abroad or gapping closer to home.

📞Ground yourself as you adjust to new people, places, and maybe new languages, a walk, a call to a loved one, journaling, whatever works for you.

❤️Homesickness is normal. Missing home doesn’t mean you chose wrong, it just means you’re human, and it usually eases as you settle in.

🫂 You’re not doing this alone, lean on your program and support network when you need it, and document the small moments along the way. You’ll want them later, and they’re often what connects you most to other gappers going through the same thing.

Know someone about to take a gap year? Send them this post to remind them!

Looking for more gap year resources? Check out our website, link in bio!!

It’s that time of year when you (or someone you know) is wrapping up summer and turning toward the next chapter. For som...
08/25/2026

It’s that time of year when you (or someone you know) is wrapping up summer and turning toward the next chapter. For some, that’s heading straight into a university or college degree. For others, it’s starting a new job, or kicking off an exciting gap year.
Wherever you fall on the spectrum of autumnal new beginnings, here are a few reminders as you step into this season, many of which apply no matter your path:

🎓 Starting a program this fall? Make sure you’ve got the essentials sorted: start dates, flights, accommodation, medication, packing, and anything else your program requires.

🏡 Staying local? Revisit your goals and intentions for your gap time to make sure they still align, so this time can feel like personal, professional, or academic success for you.

💰 No matter your path, this is a great time to build or check in on a budget.

✈️ Traveling somewhere new? Double-check your travel documents (passport, visas, etc.), and brush up on the basics of where you’re headed, transportation, language, and whether you know anyone else traveling too. If so, maybe reach out to them before you go!

💛 A gentle reminder: it’s completely normal to feel excited and nervous at the same time. Big changes and stepping outside your comfort zone often bring both, so give yourself room to feel them fully.

Looking for more planning resources? Check out our website, link in bio!

Address

Missoula, MT
59807

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 4pm
Tuesday 9am - 4pm
Wednesday 9am - 4pm
Thursday 9am - 4pm
Friday 9am - 12pm

Telephone

+14062015389

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