There are several other gap year-related organizations that provide vital services to students, parents, gap year providers, and others with information about gap year programs, colleges’ policies on students taking gap years, accreditation services for programs and gap year counselors, research, etc. Among those organizations are:
- Gap Year Association: This is the US-based organization that provides a wide variety of services and information to gap year providers, students, parents, and the general public about gap year opportunities and outcomes. GYA provides gap year programs and counselors with standards for official accreditation, and it conducts an annual “State of the Field” survey of gap year providers, including information about number of participants, and a National Alumni Survey that assesses the impacts that taking a gap year can have. GYA also hosts an annual gap year conference that serves as a think-tank for providers, gap year counselors, and higher educational representatives to support the gap year movement.
- Service Year Alliance: For students looking specifically for service-oriented experiences during their gap year, this website provides complete information about thousands of opportunities around the country, both paid and volunteer.
- USA Gap Year Fairs: This is the organization that annually coordinates gap year fairs in more than 40 cities around the US, usually in the late winter and early spring. These fairs usually take place in schools and include a presentation about how to get started in thinking about taking a gap year, followed by a fair where typically 40-50 gap year programs provide information about their offerings. A complete listing of the types of gap year programs that participate in the fairs, along with reviews, is available at: https://usagapyearfairs.org/programs/
