Everything You Need to Know About Gap Year Internships

A gap year internship is an opportunity for Americans ages 18-22 to learn to navigate modern 9–5 life and thrive in a cross-cultural work environment. EF Gap Year students will further develop leadership skills during their gap year internships, and return home with a leveled-up resume, ready to take on whatever comes next. 

Students who choose an international internship will focus on developing their leadership style, navigating global workplace culture, and time management. 

Gap Year internships allow American students to become part of an international community of young professionals. Not only will you gain professional work experience, but you’ll have the opportunity to be fully immersed in the daily life of a new culture and city. Plus, our global team is here to support you every step of the way. When you need us most, we’re always close. 

Choosing to do a Gap Year internship will also give you the chance to learn more about work practices and industries that may be different from the ones you’re familiar with. Learning to work in new environments and adapt to various workplace cultures will teach you new skills, in addition to the ones you will undoubtedly learn from your day-to-day work.  

Fun fact: Did you know the most common form of greeting in Japan is a bow? In a business setting, it is always best to follow the lead of your counterpart and greet in the same manner. 

These softer skills, like adaptability and independence, are incredibly valuable to all employers. An international gap year internship will give you a competitive edge over your peers. 

Our EF Gap students have a plethora of life-changing experiences during their gap year internships. Interning overseas in the global city of Stockholm, Sweden will give you the opportunity to establish professional connections (that span continents!), gain introductory business skills, and work on projects while living independently. 

Fun fact: When you intern in Stockholm, you can expect to enjoy fika. Fika is a typical Swedish tradition where you take time out of your day to pause and enjoy a hot drink and snack with colleagues. Forget IKEA and ABBA, the most important 4 letter word to know in Sweden is fika. 

Our students live in apartment-style accommodations and outside of work time, are equipped with the confidence they need to explore their host city independently. Students are supported by their Gap Advisor and will also attend EF hosted workshops with other gap students. During their free time, students can even travel internationally on the weekends! 

“My internship was great – I loved it. It has actually helped me get a lot of internships afterwards throughout my college career... I felt incredibly useful, I had a very strong sense of purpose, and the freedom that goes along with “adulting” is an incredibly liberating feeling, especially for an 18-year-old to feel. It was really, really awesome.”  — Seth M., Gap Year 2018-2019 

"It propels you forward in your career.” — Grace T., Gap Year 2019-2020 

"For my gap year internship, I was working for a medical VR start up, so I helped them create their website. I made a bunch of their strategy decks for them and I helped them find investors and clients, so that was super cool and beneficial for me, which I wasn’t expecting. It helped me get a lot of experience in what I wanted to do."  — Missy M., Gap Semester Spring 2022 

“I was put in situations I never thought about before. I ran open houses, talked with people from all around the world, and helped to sell them apartment units. I even got to pick up the surfing lifestyle while doing it!” — Jack S., Gap Year 2021-2022 

“My internship in Stockholm, Sweden was such a rewarding experience. I got to enjoy growing professionally as well as exploring a new culture with my new friends. I worked alongside another Gap Year student at a consulting start up. In just 4 weeks, I became close with my team, enjoying “fika” every day with them and hearing their life stories. I got to meet people and explore places I never would have known about if it weren’t for this experience.” — Morgan T., Gap Semester Spring 2023 

Ready to take the next step toward planning your own gap year internship? Our dedicated team of Gap Year Consultants are here to help you every step of the way. Let’s connect to start the conversation.