Taking a year out
Some students take time out – called a ‘gap year’ - to have a break from study before starting at university. Your son or daughter may be interested in volunteering overseas, travelling, or gaining work experience in the UK or abroad.
There are definite advantages of taking a gap year. It can be a great way to build confidence, meet new people, earn some money and learn a new language. There are also disadvantages such as cost, potential difficulties re-adjusting to academic/work life and ‘blunting’ or falling behind with knowledge/skills. Your son or daughter will need to weigh these up before making their decision…
Most universities view a well-planned year out positively, but students should check their plans with admissions’ tutors to make sure that a year out is viewed in a positive light. If they are planning to apply to university during their year out, they will need to think about the timing of any overseas work or travel to make sure it doesn’t clash with applications, interviews etc
Year in industry (YINI)
If your son or daughter is thinking of taking a gap year before (or during) HE, a Year in Industry work placement offers them the chance to get a step ahead on the career ladder and earn some money. Typically, students earn from £9,000 to £14,000 (though some companies pay more.) Around a quarter of YINI students also receive sponsorship for their time at university. YINI placements are available to post A level students in all areas of engineering, science, IT, e-commerce, business, marketing, finance, logistics and more. Visit www.yini.org.uk for more details.
Find out more
Your son or daughter may be interested to find out more about gap year opportunities using the Young People's section of this website. If they wish to discuss their ideas or how these may affect their application to university, Connexions Personal Advisers are available at schools colleges and local Connexions Centres.
