Students and starting out · 7 min read
Should I take a gap year to figure out what I want to do?
A gap year answers career questions when it is built around real work, volunteering and deadlines. Plan it around two or three questions, then review quarterly.
The short answer
A gap year can help you figure out what you want to do if you fill it with real experiences: paid work, volunteering, short courses and conversations with people in fields you are curious about. An unstructured year often leaves people just as unsure. Plan it around two or three questions you want answered, check how your university or college handles deferral, and budget for the year before you commit.
On this page 7 sections
Start with your questions
Write two or three questions you want the year to answer. Good examples: Do I want to work with people or with things? Do I want to study this subject for three years? Could I handle working in healthcare? A year planned around questions produces answers. A year planned around a vague sense of needing a break usually produces another vague sense.
A sample structure (illustrative)
| Months | Main activity | Question it tests |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 4 | Paid job in retail or hospitality, saving money | Do I like fast, people-facing work? |
| 5 to 8 | Volunteer or intern in a field of interest | Do I like this field's real work? |
| 9 to 12 | Short course or project in a second field, plus shadowing | Is this the subject I want to study? |
Practical checks
- Ask your university or college about deferral before you plan.
- Check any effect on student finance, scholarships or benefits.
- Make a budget, including any travel.
- Plan how you will stay connected to friends going straight on.
Review every three months
Every three months, write a page: what you did, what you learned, what you would change. By the end you will have four honest pages, which are useful for choosing your next step and for applications.
A budget check before you commit (illustrative)
Illustrative figures only. If a teenager living at home earns money from a part-time job for four months and spends on a volunteer placement and a short course later, a simple plan shows whether the year pays for itself.
| Item | Months | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Paid work | 1 to 4 | Save a set amount each month |
| Volunteer placement | 5 to 8 | Check costs for travel, food and any fees |
| Short course or project | 9 to 12 | Choose one with a practical output |
| Buffer | Throughout | Keep some money aside for surprises |
Programmes abroad can be expensive. Ask exactly what fees cover, and be cautious about paying large sums for volunteering that local organisations would offer free.
Questions that make good gap-year anchors
- Do I want to study this subject for three or four years, or just like it at school?
- Do I prefer working with people, with things, or with ideas and information?
- Can I handle the pace, hours and pressure of the work I imagine?
- Would an apprenticeship or job with training suit me better than university?
Write the answers you expect before the year starts, then compare them with what you actually found. The differences are the value of the year.
Questions people ask
- Do universities accept gap years?
- Many allow deferred entry, but policies vary by institution and course. Check before applying or accepting a place.
- Will a gap year look bad to employers?
- A purposeful gap year with work, volunteering or projects is usually seen positively. Be able to describe what you did and learned.
- What should I do in a gap year to find a career?
- Work a job, volunteer or intern in two or three different settings, talk to people in fields you are curious about, and keep notes on what you learn.
- Is a gap year expensive?
- It can be if it involves travel or programmes. A gap year built around paid work and local experiences can be affordable or even help you save.
Exercises are practice, not evidence of career fit or a qualification. How to read our guides and report a correction.
Sources
- Workplace experiences · The Careers & Enterprise Company
How this page is written
Sources support the factual background, not a guarantee that an exercise predicts career fit. Fictional practice material is labelled. Dates record content updates; no independent expert review is implied. More about OffLadder.