If you decide to go abroad for 12 months, you have several options to choose from. First off, it's up to you whether you spend your year abroad in Europe or on the more distant continents such as Africa, Asia, Australia and America. If you're not tied to one place, you can even spread your stay across several countries or even continents. Below I'd like to introduce you to a few gap year abroad options and bring them a little closer.

Gap year abroad options: volunteering

First I'd like to introduce you to the concept of volunteer work. It's possible on every continent and for any length of time. Since we're talking about a year abroad here, volunteering is usually set up for 12 months and is possible in environmental, medical and social settings. You can also go abroad through an organization (which sometimes pays for your service) or organize your volunteer year yourself, in a project of your choice. During a voluntary social year you're part of the daily routine at your placement. You're entitled to vacation days, and any overtime you build up can also give you time for exploring the country.

Gap year abroad options: au pair

Another option for a year abroad is staying with a host family, where you look after the family's children in exchange for room, board and an allowance. You can find job offers of this kind on numerous websites, among other places. One particularity is that you're tied to one place and have fewer chances to travel freely. Even so, ideally you can join your host family's trips and explore the surrounding area on your afternoons off. You also have the chance to dive directly and unfiltered into a culture that's still new to you for an extended period. You'll surely manage to learn the local language, pick up recipes and grow beyond yourself. Working with the children also teaches you to take on responsibility and become more independent in your personal actions.

Gap year abroad options



Gap year abroad options: work & travel
You can also combine traveling and working for a year. It works either through an organization or can be organized privately by yourself. Many people who do work & travel use apps and websites that make placement easy. This option is available in numerous countries around the world and also lets you explore several destinations.

Gap year abroad options: school or university semester
Finally, there's the option of completing a school or university semester abroad. This can be arranged either through organizations or through your own school. With this option you come into contact with a school system that's still unfamiliar to you and will be able to make connections and find new friends quickly.