Why Choose EF
We’re the world leader in international education.
We’re the world leader in international education.
Since 1965, EF Education First has sent millions of people around the world to have life-changing experiences. Our gap year program is the culmination of 50 years of expertise in educational travel, language learning, and cultural exchange—our “greatest hits,” if you will. Here are some other ways EF Gap Year is unique.
Taking a gap year is an incredibly worthwhile experience. It can also feel overwhelming at times. You can count on EF teachers, tour guides, and staff for support every step of the way.
Each EF Gap Year student is paired with a dedicated Gap Year Advisor who will be a mentor, emergency contact, and main support person throughout your program experience. Always an email, text, or quick phone call away, your advisor is there for you whenever you need.
Unlike other gap year organizations, we insist on overseeing every aspect of your program ourselves—it’s the only way we can maintain our strict quality standards. Our Operations Team is on the front lines, working closely with partners around the world to ensure that your EF Gap Year experience runs smoothly.
The true magic of any EF program is our on-the-ground staff, and EF Gap Year is no exception. Our local guides and field directors are there to help you get the most out of your experience and provide the expertise and insider perspective that will make for an unforgettable trip.
Sara S. EF Gap Semester Class of Fall 2019EF gave phenomenal support to anyone in the cohort on our time abroad. Phone calls with concerns were answered promptly and always constructive and kind. The staff at EF really just wants to see you succeed and they do what they can to make that happen.
Alex L., California EF Gap Semester Class of Spring 2019If you have the opportunity to take an EF Gap Year, reach out and grab it. You could literally ask anyone for advice and the support staff is amazing at EF Gap Year. You always have someone to talk to in case you need to talk to somebody and there is always help when you need it.
EF is committed to making a positive contribution to the global community—through key partnerships, support for good causes and cutting-edge research into improving the way people learn.
Following the devastating earthquake that hit Nepal in April 2015, EF rebuilt Jalapa Devi Higher Secondary School—a public school located in one of the hardest hit areas.
Founded in 2009 and sponsored by Hult International Business School, the Hult Prize awards $1 million USD annually to young people working to solve the world’s toughest social issues.
EF is proud to have been appointed as the trusted supplier of language and education to seven Olympic Games.
In 2017, EF launched an educational partnership with the Nobel Museum, sharing the stories of Nobel Laureates who dreamed big and inspiring future leaders to do the same.
EF Gap is committed to prioritizing diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in our gap programs through the following initiatives, policies, and outreach. Our aim is to (re)imagine, actualize, and continually audit our programs, services, language, and marketing to strengthen inclusivity in everything we do.
We commit to fostering a co-learning community of diversity for our program participants, educators, and team members. We commit to creating and maintaining safe interactions, experiences, and spaces for both participants and program leaders.
Our EF Gap Year programs are designed to prepare students for life. An important part of this
mission is providing students with opportunities to look critically at their own identities, issues of justice and equity across the globe, and how they can contribute to making
the world a better and more inclusive place. Our goal is to continuously expand the perspectives of our programming, curricula, and educational partnerships.
We encourage all qualified students to apply for an EF Gap Year or Semester program.
Whoever you are, whatever you are passionate about—we welcome you and want you to
bring that to our program. We are committed to inclusion and belonging across
race, ethnicity, gender identity/expression, sexual orientation, age, religion, ability,
parental status, veteran status, experience and everything else that makes you unique. We
continually seek to build and maintain a vibrant community of program participants that
reflects the rich diversity of our world.
We recognize the importance of representation in making programs accessible, and we work to provide visual and written content on our website, social media platforms, and other outreach that portrays a diverse range of student backgrounds and experiences.
We are continuously striving to improve financial access to our programs for students from a diversity of socio-economic backgrounds. Today, we offer a range of merit-based scholarships, including a Diversity and Equity Scholarship. We also provide one-on-one support for families on how to make our programs work for a variety of financial situations.
We strive to recruit and retain EF team members that reflect the rich diversity of our world. We provide internal training and development opportunities to recognize and prevent bias and fight systemic inequality. We also endeavor to create and share educational tools, resources, and platforms to combat systemic racism and discrimination.
EF Gap Year is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), one of America’s most respected accrediting organizations. We are proud to meet NEASC’s rigorous standards for educational excellence and participate in its continuous process for improvement and growth.