Global Citizen Year is an immersive gap year abroad for bold high school grads who are hungry to experience the world and make an impact before college.
Each year we select a diverse cohort of talented Fellows and provide them with opportunities to live and work in Brazil, Ecuador, India, or Senegal during a gap year program before college.
MAKE AN IMPACT
Make an impact
Gain real-world experience in fields like environmental conversation, public health, education, agriculture, or social enterprise (just to name a few).
LIVE WITH A FAMILY
Live with a Family
Experience a new culture through daily life with your host family – celebrate festivals together, learn to cook from your host mom, play pick up soccer with your siblings.
MAKE LIFELONG FRIENDS
Make lifelong friends
Join a community of extraordinary young people like you from around the world. Forge lifelong friendships through shared adventures and trainings.
LEARN A LANGUAGE
Learn a language
Build fluency in Spanish, French, Portuguese, Hindi, Wolof, or other local languages.
MAXIMIZE COLLEGE
Maximize College
Arrive on campus refreshed, focused, and with the advantage of real-world experience.
HEAR FROM GAP YEAR STUDENTS AND PARENTS
Fellow / Senegal
Ndanke, Ndanke
— Elise Leise
In a world filled with complex global challenges, I hope to be part of a generation that refuses to give up so easily.…
Fellow / Senegal
New Continent, New Family
— Erik Oline
I turned around to the open arms of my host family (yes, all 23 of them)! The family farm is a little slice of heaven……
Parent / Brazil
Maturity & Perspective
— Shih-Hung Shieh
The Fellows mature into intelligent, compassionate, cosmopolitan citizens of the world, able to converse about global issues……
Fellow / Ecuador
Why I Came to Ecuador
— Henry Yeary
I wanted the world to slap me silly, sweep me up like a tornado and crash me down. I needed to live.…
Fellow / India
This is How I Will Save the World
— Indi Nunez
The world does not need us to save it; it needs us to understand it. Perhaps to help is not to give after all, but rather to empower……
Parent / Senegal
Real World Skills
— Pam Ricker (Jordan Ricker)
I am so glad my son has had this experience. It has given him more than the acquisition of two new languages……