Best Gap Year Programs for High School Graduates (2027)

The best gap year programs for high school graduates fall into six types: academic research programs, paid national service, college-sponsored gap years, outdoor leadership semesters, language and exchange programs abroad, and internship years. The right one depends on your goal and budget, not on a ranking. Several strong options are free or pay you, and the best gap years usually combine two or three programs. This guide lists well-known programs of each type, with details checked on each official site in October 2026, including our own STEM Research Program, which many students have used during a gap year.

Looking for an academic gap year program you can do from anywhere? Work one-on-one with a PhD mentor on a research paper. See if you qualify for the STEM Research Program →

How we chose these programs

This list is organized by what you get out of the year. Each program below:

• Takes students straight out of high school.
• Has a clear structure: dates, supervision and a defined outcome.
• Is run by a national organization, a university or an established education organization.

We list facts from each program's official site. Check each program's site for current costs, aid and deadlines.

The best gap year programs at a glance

• Best STEM program: STEM Research Program (learnSTEM), online research with a PhD mentor, 12 weeks or six or nine months.
• Best paid service programs: AmeriCorps NCCC and City Year.
• Best college-sponsored programs: Princeton Novogratz Bridge Year and UNC-Chapel Hill Global Gap Year Fellowship.
• Best outdoor programs: NOLS and Outward Bound.
• Best abroad programs: CIEE Gap Year Abroad and Rotary Youth Exchange.
• Best internship year: Dynamy Internship Year.

Academic and research programs

Few gap year lists include academic research, but for students who plan to study science, engineering, medicine or economics, it is one of the most useful ways to spend part of the year. You arrive at college with a finished project in your field, a clearer idea of your major and a mentor who knows your work.

STEM Research Program (learnSTEM)

• What it is: one-on-one research with a PhD mentor from a top-20 university, online.
• How long: the standard program runs 12 weeks. Extended versions run six or nine months for students who want a longer project across the gap year.
• How it works: you do not need a topic in advance. You set your research question with your mentor by week four, then write your paper with one-on-one feedback.
• What you finish with: a completed research paper, a written evaluation from your mentor and a one-on-one college counseling session.
• Why it fits a gap year: it is online, so it runs alongside everything else in the year.

Our gap year students have combined the program with a lot more than research. Some held jobs. Some kept training and competing in their sport at a high level. Some did internships at the same time. The research gave the year an academic thread, and the rest of the year stayed free for work, sport and experience.

Several members of learnSTEM's leadership and founding team took gap years themselves, before going on to top universities. During their gap years they did internships at well-known technology companies. Those internships did not happen by chance: they spent a lot of time in high school applying for them and setting them up, so the gap year was planned and used well from the first month. That is the main lesson we pass on to gap year students. The best gap years are planned during senior year, not after graduation.

Other research options

• Independent research with a professor: some graduates find a professor or lab willing to take a full-time volunteer for a few months. It is free but depends on finding the right person. See how to find a research mentor in high school.
• Online research programs: our guide to online research programs for high school students lists more options, including free ones.

Best for: students who want to arrive at college ahead in their field.

Gap year students have done our program alongside jobs, internships and competitive sports. See if you qualify for the STEM Research Program →

Paid national service programs

These programs pay a living allowance, and members who complete a term can earn a Segal AmeriCorps Education Award, equal to the maximum value of the Pell Grant, to use for college.

• AmeriCorps NCCC: a 10-month, team-based national service program for ages 18 to 24, with extensive travel. NCCC provides housing and travel, plus a modest living allowance. You can apply at 17 if you turn 18 before you arrive on campus.
• City Year: members aged 17 to 25 serve full time for 11 months in public schools, as student success coaches who tutor and support students. City Year works with more than 200 schools across 29 U.S. cities and pays a living stipend.

Best for: students who want to serve, earn and save for college at the same time.

College-sponsored gap years

Some colleges run their own gap year programs for admitted students. You can only join them through admission to that college.

• Princeton Novogratz Bridge Year: a nine-month, tuition-free program in which newly admitted Princeton undergraduates do community-based service in international locations before starting their first year. The University pays the core costs.
• UNC-Chapel Hill Global Gap Year Fellowship: for high school graduates admitted to UNC-Chapel Hill through early action. Fellows design their own year abroad to travel, volunteer, intern or work, and receive a stipend.

Best for: admitted students at these colleges. If your college has no program, ask whether it supports deferral. Harvard, for example, encourages admitted students to defer for a year of work, travel or a special project.

Outdoor and leadership semesters

These are expedition-based semesters with professional instructors. They suit students who want independence, teamwork and time away from screens.

• NOLS: semester and year programs that combine wilderness expeditions with leadership training. Students can earn transferable college credit, from 6 to 27 credits depending on the course. Some semesters have separate age groups, for example 16 to 17 and 17 and older.
• Outward Bound: semester and gap year courses with more than 50 days of wilderness expedition, in the U.S. and abroad. Many semester courses offer transferable college credit through Western Colorado University.

Best for: students who want a challenge, a group and leadership experience.

Any of these programs fits with research. Our standard program runs 12 weeks, online, so you can do it before or after a service term or an expedition. Learn how the program works →

Language and exchange programs abroad

• CIEE Gap Year Abroad: three-month programs with 15 to 20 hours a week of college-level language classes and a homestay, in cities including Shanghai, Paris, Florence and Kyoto. CIEE offers merit and need-based scholarships, and students can earn college credit online.
• Rotary Youth Exchange: for students aged 15 to 19. Long-term exchanges last a full academic year: students attend a local school and live with several host families. Exchanges are run by local Rotary clubs, so contact the club near you.
• EF: gap year programs abroad for language study and travel, grouped by age, starting at 16.

Best for: students who want a language and a life abroad.

Internship years

• Dynamy Internship Year: a domestic gap year program in Worcester, Massachusetts, for students aged 17 to 22. Students live in apartments, complete up to three internships over the year and get one-on-one mentoring. Through a partnership with Clark University, students can take classes and earn up to 12 college credits. Dynamy offers need-based aid and accepts 529 savings plans in some cases.

You can also build your own internship year, and for competitive internships at well-known companies, this is often the only way. Start in junior or senior year: apply early, follow up, and confirm dates before you graduate. Small companies, labs, nonprofits and local government offices also often take a high school graduate who can work full time. Our guide to how to email a professor for research shows how to ask, and the same method works for internships.

Best for: students who want to test careers and learn to live on their own.

How to choose a gap year program

Ask each program these questions before you apply:

1. What will I have at the end? Savings, credits, a certificate, a paper, a language level? Get a specific answer.
2. How is it supervised? Who checks in with you, how often, and what happens in an emergency?
3. What does it really cost? Ask about travel, gear, insurance and spending money as well as tuition, and about scholarships and aid.
4. Does it fit your deferral? Most colleges do not allow you to enroll as a degree student elsewhere during a deferral. Check before choosing any program that gives college credit.
5. Does it leave room for the rest of your year? A program that takes all your time rules out work, sport or a second program.

Planning your gap year now? Many of our students do the program during a gap year. See if you qualify for the STEM Research Program →

Combine programs into one gap year

Most strong gap years use two or three parts. A few combinations that work:

• Internship plus research: an internship you set up during senior year, with a 12-week online research project before or alongside it.
• Job and sport plus research: a part-time job and serious training in your sport, with a six- or nine-month research project at a steady pace.
• Service plus research: a City Year or AmeriCorps term, plus an online research project during a lighter month or in the summer before college.
• Abroad plus research: a three-month language program in the spring, with a 12-week research project in the fall while you work at home.
• Outdoor semester plus internship: a NOLS or Outward Bound semester, then an internship in the field you plan to study.

For more ways to fill the year, see our list of gap year ideas. If you are still deciding whether to take a gap year at all, read gap year pros and cons.

Frequently asked questions

What are the best gap year programs after high school? It depends on your goal. For students heading into science, engineering or medicine, the STEM Research Program gives you a finished research paper with a PhD mentor, online. AmeriCorps NCCC and City Year are strong paid service options. NOLS and Outward Bound lead in outdoor leadership. CIEE and Rotary Youth Exchange are well-known abroad options. Dynamy is a structured internship year.

What is a good academic gap year program? One that ends with something you can show in your field. A research program with a mentor gives you a paper and a mentor evaluation. Language programs give you a level you can test. Check that any credit-bearing option fits your deferral rules.

Are there free or paid gap year programs? Yes. AmeriCorps NCCC and City Year pay a living allowance and offer an education award. Princeton's Bridge Year is tuition-free for admitted Princeton students, and UNC's Global Gap Year Fellowship gives fellows a stipend.

What are the best gap year programs in the USA? AmeriCorps NCCC, City Year, Dynamy Internship Year, NOLS and Outward Bound all run programs in the U.S. The STEM Research Program and other online research programs can be done from anywhere.

Can I do more than one gap year program? Yes, and most students should. Short programs of three months or less leave room for work, sport, travel or a second program.

Do gap year programs give college credit? Some do. NOLS, Outward Bound, Dynamy and CIEE offer college credit options. Check your college's deferral rules first, because credit-bearing courses can conflict with a deferral at some colleges.

About the STEM Research Program

We look for students who are curious, self-motivated and ready for independent work, including gap year students. Prior research experience is not required. Each admitted student works one-on-one with a PhD mentor from a top-20 university, online. The standard program runs 12 weeks, with extended versions of six or nine months. Students set their research question with their mentor by week four and finish with a completed research paper, a written evaluation from their mentor and a one-on-one college counseling session.

Start your application to the STEM Research Program → · Questions about a gap year schedule? Contact us →