THE Essential list of Websites for Gap Year Opportunities

Gap Year Link List 

Lonely Planet

Amazing list of things to do and places to stay in the country of your choice. Very inspiring, and includes tips and tricks from people who have done it all before.

Year Out Group

This is an amazing resource that provides a whole list of gap year companies plus stories from gappers and benefits of taking a year out to travel.

Yini

Highly recommended site for a year in industry.

Gap Year

Provides volunteering, conservation and many other types of work abroad, and also just travel. You can even find a travel mate!

Gap Org

People have had superb experiences with this company according to reviews. Large range of countries to travel to.

Sta Travel

Cheap student travel - specific gap year section on the website.

The Pod Site

They currently offer gap year, career break, working holiday and volunteer projects in Malawi, Nepal, Peru, Tanzania and Thailand.

Teaching Abroad

Offers a wide range of projects, including teaching, care, conservation, medical and journalism. You can choose when to go and how long to stay for too.

Pay Away

Online guide to working holidays, jobs abroads, and gap years.

Rail Europe

An individual's personal guide to ticket and route planning (interrailing)...

Rail Europe

...and on what to take on a gap year.

Madventurer

This one looks like alot of fun. They say "we offer inspiring range of volunteer placements, community projects and adventures that can be combined to give you an unforgettable trip of a lifetime. We have experts on hand to help you build an itinerary that takes you through some of the world's most exciting destinations from the idyllic beaches of Fiji, to the heights of the Andes and the jungles of West Africa."

Absolute Africa

Somebody i know said this was the highlight of their year. Provides safari's in Africa. Amazing photos

Natives

For season worker's who want a job on their gap year for a few months. Such as working as a barman on the French Alps. Some provide free accommodation as well as paying you!

Round The World Flights

Really good website offering (as the name suggests :-)) round the world tickets.

Book Hostels

Good for finding hostels where you want to stay. Basic accommodation at cheap prices for you backpackers!

Find A Gap

Includes everything from cheap travel, accomodation, insurance to a massive database of Gap Year Jobs and Placements.

Engineers Against poverty

Volunteering work experience in low income countries.

Aidworkers

Website for international development / relief / aidwork.

Bunac

Very popular site offering jobs in USA, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and South America.

Volunteer South America

Free and low cost volunteer work in South America.

Global Choices

Programmes are classified in 5 types: Working Holiday, Internships, Teaching Abroad, Volunteering and Courses. Countries available are Greece, United Kingdom, Spain, Ireland, USA, Australia, India, China, Brazil.

Project Trust

Volunteer and travel. A choice of 24 different countries.

Volunteer Africa

Shorter volunteering projects in Africa.

Go Gap Year

Funky website and fun guide to everything to do with gap years to get you prepared. Essential info on travel insurance, top tips, money, phone calls, what to take etc

British Council

FREE gap years...You get a grant from the European Union, which covers everything (food, accomodation, flights, insurance etc). You can go for any length of time (although 6-12 months is the norm) and you get to choose your project. Teaching, helping disabled, environmental issues, red cross, basically anything you fancy anywhere in Europe. (And "Europe" is more of a vague geographical description, you aren't limited to the 25 countries in the EU.)

Working Abroad

Volunteering and working abroad. Includes unusual choices such as Sweden (which looks great in the photos)

i-to-i

Might be more pricey but it has been running for years and has a huge range of countries to choose from. I think i might go for the conservation project in New Zealand actually :-)

ESL Cafe

Teaching Abroad.

Teach Abroad

Teaching Abroad

Pure Australia

Perfect if you are planning to have any time in Australia. Provides info on a massive range of useful topics.

Very GC

Another helpful and inspiring website for things to do in Australia. Nice photos.

Real Gap

Professional and very popular gap year site. Lots of inspirational projects including round the world trips, sports programmes, conservation work and paid jobs abroad.

Obami

Useful links and tips.

If you are confident enough, and you are going to a typical backpacker's destination, you would save alot of money by not using a gap year company, and simply doing it all yourself. Obviously profit - making companies over-price things to make money, however sometimes it is worth it if you think you will need support and reassurance during your gap year.

Au Pair World

Being an au pair abroad.

Au pair agency

Being an au pair abroad.

CESA Languages

Learn the native language in a place you travel to. You could learn Spanish for example in Madrid and combine it with Flamenco lessons!

Forum Info

REALLY useful and inspirational info on gap years from an individual on a forum. A few good links too.

One World 365

One of the best websites with a huge and interesting range of opportunities including placements such as archery instructor / lifeguard / sailing instructor at Camp America, plus travel tours, volunteering, teaching, seasonal jobs, community work...anything!

Link Ethiopia

Volunteering opportunites in Ethiopia. Highly recommended by a person who says tha the charity really look after you. You only need to give a contribution to flights and accommodation, but they only take a limited number of people every year since they are a charity.

Gap Year Worldwide

Lots of varied opportunities including ecotourism, work experience in Australia and New Zealand, working at an elephant sanctuary in Asia, doing a Gibbon rehabilitation project in Thailand, teaching, journalism and much more!

i Gap Year

Very useful tool where you can select the type of gap year you want and the country you want to go and it searches for available projects. Volunteering, travel, and jobs available, including wildlife rehabilitation, working with children and construction projects.

Kiwi Experience

NZ gap year.

Gap Year NZ

New Zealand gap year info.

New Zealand

Great travel info for New Zealand.

Let's Trek Australia

Australia and New Zealand Tours

Gap Adventures

Adventure tours in a large range of countries.

Rough Guides

Very handy guides to a whole range of countries.

Escape Rentals

The coolest van rentals in New Zealand...I want one!

Australia

Official site of Australian Tourist Commission.

Travel Guide

Cool travel guide to loads of cities and countries. Even includes unusual weddings like underground and Arctic weddings!

BUG Australia

Hostel reviews, essential tips, guides to areas of Australia and transport info.

Backpacker Tours

Tours for backpackers in Australia.

CSU

Fab guide to Australia including cultural things to do, city guides and more.

YHA

Great for finding hostels in Australia.

IMMI

Australian government guide to visiting Oz.

Time Out Amsterdam

Guide to Amsterdam.

Gay Amsterdam

City guide for gay visitors to Amsterdam.

Europe

Fab virtual tours of Barcelona, Amsterdam, Lisbon, London and Paris.

DFDS Seaways

Trips and cruises by sea.

National Express

Travel to many different destinations.

Easy Jet

Low cost airline.

World Travel Guide

A guide to many places.

India Mart

Travel guide to India.

Guide to Thailand

Thailand travel guide.

Thailand Travel

Travel and hotel search in Thailand.

Thailand

All-round guide to Thailand including places to go/things to see.

Pass Planet

Varied details specifically for backpackers to Asia and Central America.

Khao San Road

Official website for Khao San Road, which is 'backpacker central' in Bangkok, Thailand.

Tourism Thailand

Official site of the Tourism Authority of Thailand. Clear guide to activities, beaches, festivals and activities. Includes blogs for info, and has a good 'do's and don'ts' section.

Gay Thailand

Travel site for gay visitors to Thailand.

World Surface

Read about people's real life experiences in many destinations, and get a guide for things to do / places to see worldwide.

Get Jealous

Interesting to look at other people's travels and also record your own adventures....so everyone can get jealous!

Wikitravel

Good for unusual info on destinations, and very varied information on most places in the world.

Yummy Jobs

Opportunities for world in Disney World. Sounds like fun!

Travel Buddy

Forum for meeting fellow travellers and reading their travel stories and reviews, as well as lots of photos to give you itchy feet.

Projects Abroad

Voluntary work placements including teaching, care, conservation, healthcare, sports, culture and journalism. Good choice of destinations.

Tall Ships

Charity enabling people to have an adventure of a lifetime crewing a tall ship...looks like fun!

Walt Disney World

Interesting forum all about working in Disney World. You can chat with current workers and other applicants, as well as viewing tips and a survival guide. I love Disney so this is very tempting for me :-)

Travel Tree

Overseas volunteer work, gap year programs, language schools, adventure holidays, international internships, career breaks, study abroad programmes and much more...

Yomps

Once in a lifetime adventure trips from 4 weeks to 1 year. Great looking website, and exciting experiences on offer. From diving in Fiji to snowboarding in Switzerland, as well as much more including learning a language, trekking, exploring, conservation, abseiling and kayaking!

Summer Camp

Work at a worldwide summer camp. Includes jobs and a forum.

Camp America

Really popular summer camp where you can help with kids activities at camps in America. Looks like a great experience.

CCUSA

Work and travel experiences, volunteering and summer camp jobs.

Search for jobs at summer camp

Does what it says on the tin - search for summer cmap jobs!

Summer Camp Forum

Summer camp forum discussing jobs and placements - so you can read about other people's experiences and even make friends before you go!

Student Travel Blog

A blog to offer brief information on places around the world.

Travel Independant

Loads of brilliant advice on packing, where to go and what to see in a wide range of countries; a must-see before you travel.

Bolivia Volunteering

Non profit-making charity which provides projects for people in Bolivia, including orphanage support, teaching english and rehabilitating street children. Realistic experience with a wide range of projects on offer.

Volunteer to Travel for Free

Ten ways to get free travel by volunteering. There is a range of activities, all of which look amazing!

Black Tomato

Lots of inspiration for your travels.

Go Wander

Journey tips, plus blogs detailing the travels of other people - interesting and inspiring.

My Personal Website

Here you can view the above links in a different format, plus view the rest of my site which includes things to make, recipes and fun activites.

My Trip Journal

People's journals about their adventures and travels, with photos and info.

Lazy Shark

HUGE mass of info on the cheapest backpacker accommodation, plus a range of trips and tours. It's free and allows you to see other people's experiences and plan your own, plus upload your own travel diary entries and photos.

Adding Travel To Your CV

Really useful info about how to make your gap year make your CV more impressive - plus tips on wording.

Tips for Solo Travellers

5 tips for solo travellers to make you feel less lonely!