Gap Year Abroad and Pre-College Study Programs

Education abroad professionals use a variety of labels for pre-college students who want to study abroad before starting their college or university career, making it somewhat problematic to search for programs through online databases. Terms currently used for this student population include: Pre-College, Pre-Freshman, Prematriculated, January/February Admitted Students, Second Semester Admits, Gap Year Students, and High School Graduates.

Why is this period now increasingly common and seen as so valuable? See a comprehensive series of articles which discuss various program experiences below:

Featured Articles on Gap Year and Pre-College Programs Abroad

The Allure of the Gap Year by Susan Griffith, author of Your Gap Year

Taking Time Off Before College: What Is the Gap Year Abroad Advantage? An interview with Karl Haigler and Rae Nelson.

The Difference a Gap Year Abroad Makes by Aliscia Niles

Exploring Gap Year Options Abroad by Volker Poelzl

Take Time Off: A Gap Year Abroad After High School Offers an Unforgettable Education by Mira Murphy

Gap Year Essentials: A Student Perspective by Isabel Bohrer

Summerfuel Study Abroad Programs Summerfuel offers month-long summer study abroad programs in England (Oxford University), Spain (Barcelona and Spanish Homestays), France (Nice) and Italy (Florence and Venice) for students completing grades 9-12. Combine a taste of college life with exploration of another culture! Students take excellent classes in exciting subjects, from psychology to fashion design, anthropology to Italian cooking. Participants also have wide range of activities to choose from every afternoon and evening, and have opportunities to take guided excursions to all the best sights. Spend this summer with Summerfuel!
	Dates: Dates vary by location Cost: $6,895 - $8,295 Contact: Summerfuel, 375 West Broadway, Suite 200; New York, NY 10012. Tel: 212-796-8340. Fax: 212-334-4934. Email: info@summerfuel.com Website: www.summerfuel.com
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CIEE: Gap Year Abroad Programs Language / Culture / Challenge Gap Year Abroad with CIEE offers college-bound high school graduates an opportunity to acquire a broader global perspective, foster independence, and gain self-knowledge in six countries. Our programs offer accelerated language growth through classes and immersion into a foreign community, the opportunity to live with a host family, and experience abroad participating in organized volunteer work in the local community. Included in the CIEE program are day and weekend excursions of cultural and historical importance that will provide an important dimension to understanding of the host country. Dates: Semester and Year programs available Contact: CIEE Gap Year Abroad Programs, 300 Fore St, Portland, ME 04101 Tel: 1.800.40.STUDY Email: gapyear@ciee.org Website: www.ciee.org/gap-year-abroad/

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SPI College Credit Study Abroad — Homestay Immersion Study abroad and earn college credit this summer in Spain, France, Italy, Mexico, Costa Rica, or Italy! SPI programs truly let you experience the language and culture from an insider's perspective as you live with a local homestay family, travel to amazing sites, take fun classes for college credit, and prepare yourself for college. Dates: Summer June - July Costs: $2000-6000 All Inclusive Program Fees! Contact: SPI Study Abroad, 11149 Research Blvd Suite 100 Austin, TX 78759 Phone: 866-502-7505. Fax: 512-532-0803 Email: info@spiabroad.com Website: www.spiabroad.com

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Volunteer in Spain Beef up your resume at Instituto Hemingway. Instituto Hemingway Spanish School is an excellent choice to spend your vacation, enjoy sun, mountain and sea views. Make new friends and learn a new culture. You will have the time of your life! We offer Spanish lessons throughout the year plus jobs, internships and volunteer programs.
	Dates: Throughout the year, any time, any program. Cost: From US $100 per week. Contact: Instituto Hemingway, Bailen 5, 2 Dcha. 48003 – Bilbao 48003 Spain Tel.: +34 94 416 7901. Fax: +34 94 416 57 48 Email: info@institutohemingway.com Website: www.institutohemingway.com
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Teen Volunteer Programs in Africa, Asia & Latin America Global Leadership Adventures (GLA) It’s like Peace Corps for Teens.  Programs are offered in 11 countries throughout Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Students explore natural and historical sites while they learn the local language and history, and serve the community through meaningful volunteer efforts. GLA’s goal is to provide life-changing experiences that will cultivate a global perspective and open-mindedness in students that will ultimately inspire them to become great leaders and global thinkers who will seek positive change in their own communities.  For college-bound high school students. Program Themes: healthcare, political-economic issues, international relations, poverty alleviation, wildlife and environmental protection, and children's rights.
	Dates: summer (June, July, August); spring break Cost: $1,699 - $4599 Contact: Global Leadership Adventures, 10509 San Diego Mission Road, Suite A, San Diego, CA  92103 Tel: +1 858-771-0645 Email: info@experienceGLA.com Website: www.experiencegla.com
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Aidan College Switzerland — Where passion meets purpose! Do you want to enhance your university prospects? Do you need to concentrate on a couple of subjects through a tailor-made programme? Do you wish to prepare or retake specific exams? Do you love skiing, hiking or being in contact with nature? Are you interested in immersing yourself in an international environment and improve your French? Do you seek to develop 21st century skills such as critical thinking, independence and leadership while making friends from all over the world? If the answer to some or all of these questions is yes, then Aidan College is what you are looking for!
	Dates: Fall term, Winter term, Spring term, Summer camp, Academic Year. Please see our website for detailed dates. Cost: Varies according to the length and type of programme chosen. Please see our website for details. Contact: Veronique Bertrand Bouffard, director. Address: Aidan College, Route de Vasselin 2, 1892 Lavey-Village, Switzerland. Tel: +41 24 485 11 23. Fax: +41 24 485 30 12. Email: info@aidancollege.ch Website: www.aidancollege.ch
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Where There Be Dragons Summer and Gap Year Semester Programs in Asia, Latin America and Africa Where There Be Dragons offers summer and gap year learning adventures in Asia, Latin America and Africa. Through off-the-beaten-path travel, home-stays, language study, service, and wilderness exploration, Dragons provides an authentic survey of culture, landscape and development issues in the world's most intriguing locales.
	Dates: Fall Semester: September 6th- December 8th. Spring Semester: February 9th- May 12th Cost: $5,050 - $10,375 Contact: Where There Be Dragons, 3200 Carbon Place, Unit 102, Boulder, CO 80301, USA. Tel/Fax: 303-413-0822, 303-413-0857 Email: info@wheretherebedragons.com Website: wheretherebedragons.com
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Adventures Cross-Country: Gap Semesters in Africa, Asia and Latin America Adventures Cross-Country's Gap Year Semester Programs offer an educational and cultural bridge between high school and college. The ARCC Gap Semesters are an opportunity to live, work, learn, and explore in some of the greatest classrooms on earth. On an ARCC Gap Semester, students immerse into the culture through homestays, service work, teaching, and exchange. ARCC offers GAP Africa, GAP Asia and GAP Latin America semesters.
	Dates: 90-day semester programs every fall and spring Contact: Adventures Cross-Country, 242 Redwood Hwy, Mill Valley, CA 94941 Tel.: To get more information or request a catalogue call our headquarters at 1-800-767-2722 Email: info@adventurescrosscountry.com Website: www.adventurescrosscountry.com
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Global Routes
High School Summer Community Service Programs — Gap Year & College Semesters — Custom Programs in Africa, Asia, Central and South America
Offers teen community service programs for those from the 9th to the 12th grades as well as gap year and semester internships for college students.

Visit: www.globalroutes.org

Go Abroad China Ltd. (GAC)
GAC Gap Year Program in China
A gap year program in China is an exciting and popular way for high school and college students to add color to their CV or university application. It's also an effective way to gain some real life experience outside of the classroom. Go Abroad China's Gap Year Program has an array of exciting opportunities for participants to experience and enjoy China in a great way for an extended period of time.

Visit: www.goabroadchina.org

ISA (International Studies Abroad),
Programs include gap year experiences in Spain, Italy, France, U.K., Dominican Republic, Mexico, Costa Rica, Argentina, Chile, and Australia. There are a few exceptions that do require college time.

Visit: www.studiesabroad.com/programs/document/gap

LEAPNOW: Transforming Education
LEAPNOW offers group and individual programs bringing together academic credit, strong intentional focus on personal evolution, and a database of thousands of ways to travel, study, and work in countries around the world for ages 17-24. Some have used the program to independently complete their high school work.

Contact: info@leapnow.org, www.leapnow.org/leapyear/

Living Routes
Study abroad programs based in eco-villages around the world to help students gain the knowledge, skills, and inspiration to build a sustainable lifestyle. High school and gap year students are welcome to participate in many of the programs.

Contact: info@LivingRoutes.org, www.LivingRoutes.org

Masa Israel Journey
The Gateway to Long-Term Israel Programs, enables thousands of Jewish young adults to spend a semester or year in Israel on one of over 100 approved programs by providing information, scholarships, and more. Masa’s aim is to help young Jews from around the world build a life-long relationship with Israel and a firm commitment to Jewish life.

Visit: www.masaisrael.org

Projects Abroad
Global Gap Program
27-week volunteer program designed for high school students. Students are immersed in several countries and continents on multiple projects.

Visit: www.projects-abroad.org/projects/global-gap-program/overview/

School for Field Studies
Programs in environmental studies in the Caribbean, Mexico, Australia, Costa Rica, and Kenya.

Contact: admissions@fieldstudies.org, www.fieldstudies.org

SEA Semester
Summer field programs in marine and environmental studies are available to high school graduates seeking a gap experience..

Visit: www.sea.edu

SAGE Study Abroad: Woodstock Himalayan Gap with SAGE
This program is ideal for the true adventurer looking for a meaningful and diverse experience between high school and college. Studying Indian culture, learning to communicate in Hindi, trekking up snow peaks in Garhwal, exploring the picturesque settlements of Kaza, stumbling across millennia-old monasteries, spotting tigers in Corbett National Park, white-water rafting on the Ganges — there is something for everyone with the Woodstock Himalayan Gap Semester. Highlights of the semester are: Learning Hindi and experiencing the culture of the Western Himalaya; Service-learning projects and homestays in Himalayan villages; Advanced first aid, basic mountaineering and introductory rafting; Wildlife safari and an introduction to human-animal conflict.

Contact: info@sageprogram.org, www.sageprogram.org

Youth International
3-Month Multi-Country Adventures
Youth International is an experiential learning program that combines international travel, inter-cultural exchange, adventure, volunteer community service work, and homestays. Teams of up to 14 people between the ages of 18 and 25 travel together with two group leaders. For a full 3-month semester, they explore three different countries in one region of the world. Additional programs available for teens (18+) for Asia and South America.

Contact: info@youthinternational.org; www.youthinternational.org