Check upcoming open days and book your place arrow
Student Life

Best gap year jobs for students

Taking a gap year is a great way to have a break from studying, find out who you are and what you want to do with your life. It's also a great time to pick up some valuable work experience...

Eleanor Foulds
by Eleanor Foulds
Last Updated:
01 Jun 2023

After finishing 13 years of school and study, you probably need some time to clear your mind and decide what you really want to do with your life - who you are, what kind of goals you want to achieve and what career you would like to pursue. Taking a gap year is the perfect way to find all of this out!

However, a year full of adventures and time abroad does not fund itself - that’s why it’s important to find a way to combine finance and fun. To help, we have collected some the most interesting and exciting gap year job ideas for you, which will not only advance you professionally and financially, but also in your personal development.

Teaching English abroad


Firstly we want to make one thing clear: You don't have to be a native speaker of the language to teach it. Asia, Thailand in particular, are popular destinations for students who travel and want to earn some extra money at the same time by teaching English. Worldwide the demand for english teachers is extremely high. It also looks great on your CV for the future too! A few months teaching abroad on your gap year will be a great experience for you but also a great experience for all the children you help!

Au pair


Do you love children? Are you looking for a unique experience abroad? Then working as an au pair could be just the thing for you. Regardless of whether you would like to live in the USA, Great Britain, New Zealand or Australia - there are host families who need someone to look after their kids everywhere. That means, as an au pair you have many options when it comes to the destination you want to go to.

Most of the time, this kind of work also means you can live with the host family and be looked after with home cooked meals and a nice family environment away from home. So as long as you are open to getting to know new cultures, and be willing to be responsible for the saftety and wellbeing of little ones, nothing should stand in your way of doing a gap year as an au pair.

Online freelancer


Online jobs are becoming increasingly popular. More and more young people are choosing to work permanently from their laptop and thus from home - or wherever they happen to be. As long as you have a laptop and a working internet connection, you can work from anywhere - whether you are in the UK, New Zealand or Australia. ‘

What exactly does this work consist of?’, you might ask. It really depends on you! From english or math classes online to coaching in specific areas to selling photos of your trip: find out where your strengths lie and use them to earn some extra money during your gap year. And who knows - maybe you can also use this experience to start your future career.

Seasonal/casual labour jobs


Would you like to travel to a number of different places during your gap year? For many, seasonal or casual jobs offer the perfect opportunity to get some work experience and fund their trip as they go.

Why? Because this type of travel is fundamentally based on the idea of self-financing a large part of the costs during the trip. This way you have the unique opportunity to travel as long as you want to. And because you have to step out of your own comfort zone more than once on a trip like this, you grow with the challenges it brings. There is a large selection of seasonal jobs abroad like farm and fruit-picking work, event work and delivery work out there which allows you to do short stints before moving on. 

Sports instructor


Crazy about sports? Do you enjoy sharing this passion with others? Then a job as a fitness instructor in a hotel could be just the thing for you. That way, you live and work where others go on vacation. Many hotels regularly look for instructors who take care of the hotel guests. You usually get one of the rooms in the hotel for yourself and can fill your stomach at the breakfast buffet as well!

Your own business


A gap year offers you the opportunity to travel and meet new people. But you should also use it to find out your strengths. Because the sooner you do that, the faster you can use them in life, make a career out of them and do what you love.

For example, if you are skilled in craftsmanship and art,  then get creative - create your own products and sell them online in your own online store. Or set up your own blog or vlog and try to become an online influencer. There are no limits to your imagination - find your own niche, because that's exactly what your year off should be for.

Ski season jobs


Is skiing your big passion in life? Or just love messing around in the snow? Then head for the mountains during your gap year! When looking at ski season jobs, there are lots of different vacancies to choose from. You can choose to work at the top of the mountain as a lift operator or work in the warmth of a cozy cafe serving hot chocolate to tired skiers. If you are skilled enough, then the most exciting position from all ski jobs is to work as a Ski instructor. You’ll get to spend all day on the slopes, perfecting your skills, having fun and getting paid!

NEXT:

- Should you take a gap year?

- The best student-friendly holiday destinations

 

This article was originally written for Whatuni by the team at AnyworkAnywhere.coma job listing website that has a huge selection of summer and winter jobs that are perfect for those on a gap year.

Similar articles