The thought of going on a gap year for most people is a daunting prospect. However, with the right advice, equipment and a specialist company, your gap year should run without any glitches.

Often, when considering taking a gap year, some people head off to Australia, the Far East or even America on their own or with a group of friends. But why not consider going with an organised group.
There are a variety of specialist companies who deal specifically with gap years. They travel to various locations around the world to give you a truly exhilarating and life changing gap year. Whether you want to spend time working with children in a school in Africa or helping at an elephant sanctuary in India, there is something to cater for everybody. In addition, you will make a new set of friends who might end up being friends for life.

If you take a gap year with an organised group, you do not have to worry about accommodation, food or travel arrangements as this is all done for you. However, normally you are expected to book your own flights. You can choose to go on your own or with a friend and you will be allocated to a group on arrival at your destination.

Taking a gap year needn’t be stressful; it should be fun and exciting.

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Organising a gap year can be overwhelming. There is so much to think about and just when you think it’s all done and dusted, up crops another problem or issue.

It’s often best to get professionals to help you out with the planning of a gap year, but whether you are doing it alone, or have a helping hand, there are certain things you must always consider.

Much of the planning will depend on just one thing: your budget. Many of us like to think that it’s not there and that we can forget about the money. But sadly, for most of us, that is not the case. But having a budget does not mean that you should be restricted. With careful planning, you should still be able to complete a rewarding and life enriching gap year.

The money you have has to pay for everything from your flights, travel, clothes, equipment, food and accommodation. So sit down and carefully work out how much you have to spend.

Then, with your budget in mind, it’s time to draw up a wish list. What would you like to achieve on your gap year? Where would you like to visit? And what would you like to do? If you would like to complete some voluntary work on your gap year, ensure that you sign up for this as soon as possible.

It is then time to start researching. Find companies who will help you to arrange a gap year and get travel advice from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Planning a gap year takes time. You should set aside at least a year to organise everything. But once you are on that plane, flying thousands of miles away, you will realise all that planning and organising was worth it.

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After all those years at school, those GCSEs, A Levels and masses of coursework, the last thing that most high school leavers want to do is jump straight into university.

And that is why so many of them are now choosing to take gap years.

Once you have finished high school, it is the perfect time to relax, travel, discover the world and find out a little more about yourself.

The options available to anyone who is looking to complete a gap year are huge. You can undertake voluntary work, adventurous trips or cultural visits. There really is something to suit anyone.

On a gap year, you can have the opportunity to work in some beautiful areas of the world and to really make a difference. If you choose to go on a voluntary scheme, it is an excellent way to begin your travels as you will get to meet new people, you will have the chance to build up your confidence and develop some useful skills.

The project that you undertake can range from teaching in Tanzania, jungle conservation in Peru or wildlife rescue in Thailand.

No matter which trip you take, it certainly beats jumping straight into the coursework and books again. Take a break, discover the world, discover yourself and feel refreshed and prepared for your university life.

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Making a life plan at the best of times is difficult enough. But when the recession is showing no signs of disappearing, the task can be even more daunting.

Jobs are difficult to come by and finding a role in a field that you actually want to pursue is near on impossible.

So when it comes to the end of your time at school or university, it can be an idea to take some time out. And ‘time out’ does not mean sitting in front of the television watching daytime television and snacking on biscuits all day. In fact, time out can be incredibly rewarding, thought provoking and adventurous.

If a gap year is not really your idea of fun, then a summer mini gap might be more up your street. With a voluntary programme as part of a summer mini gap, you can go abroad and do something really worthwhile.

A mini gap can last anything from one week to two months. And during this time, you can explore a new country and really make a difference with some voluntary work.

The mini gap programmes run between July and the end of August. And they can involve anything from bear rescue in Cambodia to elephant care in Thailand. The opportunities are endless and whether you would like to work with people, animals or conservation, there will be something to suit you.

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Your gap year is a fantastic way for you to experience the world, be it through working, volunteering, backpacking or just generally exploring different countries around the world, such as Thailand in Asia, Tanzania in Africa, or Peru in South America. To be prepared for your gap year experience there’s plenty of supplies you’ll need to take with you such as the following:
- A money belt worn around the neck or waist will help to keep your essential documents and all important cash safe from all eventualities.
- Maps, phrasebooks and guidebooks might weigh your backpack down but they will also save you from hours of wandering around lost trying to overcome the language barriers.
- Swiss army knives are always handy to have around for when you’re in a tight spot, though be sure not to carry them in your hand luggage.
- Torches are highly useful in countries where there might not be constant electricity or if you’re planning on spending some time hiking.
- Appropriate clothing such as the lightweight but resilient offerings from Montane.
Consider where you’re going and pack accordingly.

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All those years slogging away at school. It has finally come to an end. You’re free! …Well, for six weeks at least.

And then it’s off to uni for another three years of getting your nose stuck into a book, gluing your eyes to the laptop and getting your head down.

The idea is enough to send you running to the nearest airport just to get away from the pressure. But there is a way out of this pressure cooker.

Taking a gap year has become a popular phenomenon in recent years. More and more students are taking a year out before they go off to university, in order to travel and discover a bit more of the world than the IT room at school.

But one of the most rewarding ways to complete a gap year is by volunteering. You can opt for a range of programmes ranging from one week to six months in duration. And you can volunteer to visit some of the most amazing areas of the world and to help with important projects being carried out in these countries. Go to Indonesia and get involved in wildlife rescue or Thailand, for some marine conservation. You can even opt for Vietnam and work with street children and orphanages.

Whatever you choose to do, it will certainly be a learning curve. And it beats the IT room any day.

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A gap year can be a big financial commitment so it pays to start saving at the earliest opportunity. Whatever you’re doing to finance your trip, it’s a good idea to find a good savings account to help you on your way.

Interest rates are currently fairly low, but it’s still worthwhile putting your money into a proper savings account rather than leaving it in your current account, which will offer virtually no interest whatsoever.

The alternative is to pay in advance. This is riskier in a sense and you miss the satisfaction of having earned your break, but if you go about it in the right way, you can fund your travel in this way. Student accounts generally include interest free overdrafts, so if you’ve been sensible with money all year, you can take advantage of this feature. If you’ve been out of university for a while, many banks will still agree to some sort of overdraft, although it is less likely to be interest free.

Credit cards are another option, but are best used to supplement savings rather than replace them. If you’re going away for any length of time, you don’t want to be building up debt for the entire duration.

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It is often a good idea to have multiple ways of paying for things while you’re away. If you’re planning on taking a credit card with you, there are a number of things to be considered.

Many cards that are relatively commonly used in the UK have significant charges for overseas spending. Withdrawal charges can be 2.5-3% of the amount, which can be a sizable sum, particularly as you’re likely to be working to a budget where every penny counts.

If you’re likely to be withdrawing cash from machines, it is usually best to use a debit card. While there may be overseas loading fees and withdrawal fees, as with most credit cards, there shouldn’t be any interest to pay.

Within Europe, Nationwide’s FlexAccount Visa Debit Card offers no overseas loading fees, no withdrawal fees and no interest on withdrawals. It’s still a good option outside Europe as well as the loading fees are only 1%, which is still less than the majority of other cards.

If you’re working abroad for a period of time, by far the best approach is to open up an account in that country and have your wages paid into that, enabling you to avoid foreign payment charges with your own bank.

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Amazingly, up to 25 percent of people who travel do so uninsured. This is hugely unwise as travel insurance protects you when you fall ill abroad or lose belongings.

Gap year travel insurance is often sold as a separate policy, sometimes known as ‘backbacker’ insurance. Annual policies are also available, but they usually stipulate that you can only be away for a certain duration at any one time – typically a month.

Gap year travel insurance will cover you for longer trips, although many feature limits on where you can travel. Different policies cover different regions, so always check in advance that the policy you’re taking out covers the countries that you’re intending to visit.

You should also consider any activities that you might participate in while you’re away. If there’s a chance you might go bungee jumping or white water rafting, you’ll need to check that your policy covers you for these things. Many gap year policies will cover a lot of these things as they come with the territory, but it pays to check exactly what you can and can’t do.

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When you embark on your gap year abroad, one of the things which will play a prominent part in your mind is absent friends and family. It is always hard to leave behind people who are so dear to you, even for a short amount of time, but with the right planning before the event, the intensity of this can be diluted.

First of all, make sure that your phone is set up for international calls and determine which tariff is best. Recently some phone companies have abolished roaming charges and this could well be advantageous to you during your trip. The sound of familiar voices will be a great comfort to you, especially during the initial stages of your trip and therefore it is imperative that you plan accordingly before you leave.

Secondly, there is email, which is incredibly popular. It is quick, can store large amounts of information and in many places is free. Make sure that you set up an email account before you leave and circulate the address to all of your friends and family so they can all keep you bang up to date with everything which is going on back home.

Blogs and online diaries are also incredibly popular and will provide you with a lasting reminder of your experience. It is a good idea to start this well before you leave as not only will you be able to document your thoughts prior to your trip, you will also be able to ensure that everything is working as it should.

With the above in mind, it is highly recommended that you locate the nearest place where you can connect to the internet on your trip as soon as possible.

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