Gap years and service years
A gap year doesn't have to cost money. These programs pay a living allowance or are free, last from a few months to a few years, and several give you money for college afterward. Every fact below comes from the program's own pages, linked under each one.
AmeriCorps NCCC
AmeriCorps, the federal agency for national service
You join a team that travels to hands-on projects with local and national nonprofits.
- Who can join
- Ages 18 to 26 when you start (you can apply at 17 if you turn 18 before you arrive).
- How long
- 10 to 11 months, full time.
- What you get
- Housing and meals
- Travel to training, projects and home afterward
- A limited health benefit
- A modest living allowance
- A Segal AmeriCorps Education Award of over $7,000 when you finish
Source: AmeriCorps: NCCC. Checked November 6, 2026.
City Year
City Year, a nonprofit AmeriCorps program
You serve full time in a public school, supporting students as a tutor and mentor.
- How long
- A service year, with about two weeks off around late December.
- What you get
- A living stipend paid every two weeks, from $907 to $1,386 depending on the city
- Health insurance
- A Segal AmeriCorps Education Award ($7,395 in 2025)
- Scholarships at more than 110 partner colleges for alumni
Source: City Year: benefits for AmeriCorps members (October 2025). Checked November 6, 2026.
Service and conservation corps
More than 140 local and state programs in The Corps Network
Crews work on conservation and community projects, often outdoors.
- Who can join
- Generally ages 16 to 30, and up to 35 for veterans at some corps.
- How long
- From a few months to a year or more, depending on the corps.
- What you get
- A stipend or living allowance (the amount depends on the program)
- Often an education award or scholarship when you finish
Example: the California Conservation Corps is a one-year, full-time program for ages 18 through 25 (veterans through 29) that pays a monthly stipend. After a full year, members may qualify for the CCC scholarship and the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award.
Sources: The Corps Network: Corps FAQ; California Conservation Corps: FAQ. Checked November 6, 2026.
Job Corps
U.S. Department of Labor
Free career training in one of 10 industries, usually while living on a campus, plus help finishing a high school diploma or equivalent and getting a driver's license.
- Who can join
- Ages 16 to 24 from low-income households (under 18 needs a parent or guardian's consent).
- How long
- About 8 months to 3 years, depending on the program.
- What you get
- Training at no cost
- Housing, food, and health and dental care
- A living allowance every two weeks that goes up as you progress
- A transition allowance after you graduate
Status: The Labor Department paused Job Corps in May 2025. Federal judges blocked the shutdown, Congress funded the program for fiscal year 2026, and in September 2026 the administration dropped its plan to close 99 campuses. Check that the campus you want is enrolling. Source: Finger Lakes 1 News, September 16, 2026
Source: Job Corps: FAQs (Angell campus). Checked November 6, 2026.
YouthBuild
Local programs funded by the U.S. Department of Labor
You work toward a high school diploma or equivalent while learning construction (and at some programs, fields like healthcare or IT) and helping build affordable housing.
- Who can join
- Ages 16 to 24 who left high school without a diploma.
- How long
- Varies by program.
- What you get
- Diploma or equivalency classes
- Job training and industry certifications
- Leadership training
About 175 programs in 40 states, as of the Labor Department's 2022 fact sheet.
Read the Labor Department fact sheet
Source: U.S. Department of Labor: YouthBuild fact sheet (2022). Checked November 6, 2026.
The Segal AmeriCorps Education Award
Finish a full-time AmeriCorps term (NCCC, City Year and many corps are AmeriCorps programs) and you earn an education award equal to the maximum Pell Grant: $7,395 for terms approved in federal fiscal years 2025 and 2026. You have seven years to use it, for tuition at colleges and trade schools that take federal aid, some GI Bill-approved programs, or to pay down qualifying student loans.
Sources: AmeriCorps, Segal AmeriCorps Education Award; New York State Commission on National and Community Service, FY 2026 award amounts. Checked November 6, 2026.
Colleges that let you defer
If you've been admitted, many colleges will hold your spot while you take a year off. Of the 124 colleges whose own Common Data Set we've read and that answer the question, 104 say admitted students can postpone enrolling and 20 say they can't. Policies have conditions (deposits, approval, what you can do during the year), so ask the college before you commit.
Colleges that allow deferral (104)
- Bates College
- Binghamton University
- Boston University
- Bowdoin College12 months (one year)
- Bucknell University2 years
- California Institute of Technology2 years
- California State Polytechnic University-Pomona
- California State University-SacramentoOne Time Per Academic Year
- Carleton College1 year, with exceptions for military service
- Carnegie Mellon UniversityTwo years
- Case Western Reserve University1 year
- Citadel Military College of South Carolina1 Year
- Claremont McKenna College2 years
- Colgate University1 Year
- Colorado CollegeTwo years
- Columbia University in the City of New York2 years
- Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania1 year
- Cornell UniversityCornell University supports requests to defer enrollment for one or two years on a case-by-case basis
- Dartmouth College2 years
- Davidson College1 year
- Duke University2 years
- Fairfield University1 Year
- Florida International University
- George Mason University1 Year
- Georgetown University
- Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus1 or 2 years
- Governors State University1 year
- Hamilton College
- Harvard University1 year
- Howard UniversityOne Year
- Iowa State University1 year
- James Madison UniversityOne academic year
- Lehigh University1 year
- Lincoln University1 Semester
- Macalester College1 year
- Middle Tennessee State UniversityOne Semester
- Middlebury College
- Montana State University1 year
- Montclair State University2 Semesters
- North Carolina State University at Raleigh2 semesters
- Northeastern University1 year
- Northern Arizona University2 terms
- Northwestern UniversityMilitary service
- Ohio Wesleyan University1 year
- Old Dominion University12 months
- Oregon State University
- Pennsylvania State University-Main CampusOne year
- Radford University
- Rochester Institute of Technology1 year
- Rutgers University-New BrunswickOne full academic year
- Saginaw Valley State University5yrs (7 semesters)
- Sam Houston State University2 long terms
- Spelman College1 Year
- State University of New York at Cortland1 Year
- Stony Brook University1 Year
- Syracuse University1 year
- Temple University1 year
- Texas Christian University1 year
- Texas Tech University1 year
- The University of MontanaOne year and then the student must reapply including application fee and documentation
- The University of Tennessee-ChattanoogaOne Semester
- The University of Tennessee-KnoxvilleOne term
- The University of Texas at El Paso
- Tulane University of Louisiana1 year
- University of Akron Main Campus2 semesters
- University of Alabama in Huntsville
- University of Arkansas2 years for religious service
- University of California-DavisUp to 1 year/3 quarters
- University of Chicago
- University of Cincinnati-Main Campus1 semester
- University of Delaware1 year
- University of Georgia1 year
- University of Houston-Downtown1 academic year
- University of IdahoFour years
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign1 year OR 2 years for U.S. Military
- University of Iowa1 Year
- University of Kentucky12 months
- University of LouisvilleOne year
- University of Massachusetts-Amherst1 year
- University of Michigan-Ann ArborUsually 1 year
- University of Minnesota-Twin Cities1 year
- University of New Hampshire-Main CampusOne year
- University of New Mexico-Main Campus1 year
- University of North Carolina at CharlotteOne term
- University of North Texas
- University of Northern Colorado
- University of Rhode Island1 year
- University of South FloridaOne year
- University of Utah7 consecutive semesters
- University of Vermont1 year
- Vanderbilt University2 years
- Vassar College1 year
- Villanova University1 year
- Virginia Commonwealth University
- Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
- Wabash College
- Wake Forest University1 year
- Washington and Lee University1 year
- Washington State University1 Year
- Washington University in St Louis
- Wellesley College1 year
- Western Kentucky University
- William & Mary2 Year
- Yale University1 YEAR
Colleges that don't (20)
- California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
- California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt
- California State University-Fullerton
- California State University-Long Beach
- California State University-San Bernardino
- California State University-San Marcos
- Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University
- Grand Valley State University
- Purdue University-Main Campus
- San Jose State University
- University at Buffalo
- University of California-Irvine
- University of California-Los Angeles
- University of California-San Diego
- University of Central Florida
- University of Illinois Chicago
- University of North Georgia
- University of Washington-Seattle Campus
- University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
- Worcester Polytechnic Institute
From each college's Common Data Set (item C18, deferred admission), linked on its page. "Longest postponement" is in the college's own words.
Before you sign up
- Already admitted to college? Ask the college whether you can defer your spot for a year, and get the answer in writing before you commit to a program.
- Do the math. A living allowance is meant to cover basics. Ask what housing, food and health coverage are included where you'd serve.
- Check that it's running. Federal funding for national service and Job Corps has changed a lot since 2025. Confirm dates and openings with the program before you plan around them.
- Programs that charge tuition aren't listed here. We may add them later, with their prices.