Wouldn’t this be the best time to take a break ? Also known as a gap year, this break in the school or university career is an opportunity for many young high school and university students to have unique experiences and acquire new skills. And when the gap year is spent abroad, it becomes a real asset for the future.

But leaving for a semester or a year is not something you can decide on a whim : this project must be carefully thought out and prepared. Traveling, studying, backpacking, discovering other cultures, working abroad, doing an internship, acquiring new language skills, completing your CV, volunteering… whatever your project, Linguifamily allows all high school and university students to find accommodation easily and without intermediaries, and to stay with a host family for as long as necessary.

Let’s prepare this project together ? Here is a summary of the necessary formalities and some good advice to prepare and succeed in your gap year abroad.

Studying abroad

Schooling abroad

For high school students, studying abroad for a semester or a full year is possible. For this to happen, you must have the agreement of the head of your school in France, so that the student can return to his or her school after his or her stay abroad with peace of mind. You must also be enrolled abroad in a class corresponding to your age group.

The year spent abroad will not be counted as part of the student’s schooling and he or she will pick up where he or she left off. But far from being lost, this year of study abroad is one of the most beautiful adventures that a young college student can experience. Such a project is beneficial in many ways. A different school system, new class schedules, different pedagogy and methodologies, new subjects, all of these changes are conducive to a complete linguistic and cultural immersion.

Our advice : Some host families offer to host you for a whole semester or even a year. They will guide you through the high school application process. Find them on the Linguifamily platform, by checking ” school semester ” in the type of stay sought.

Post-bac gap year

For high school students who wish to take a gap year, registration on Parcoursup is mandatory. You should know that the gap year is not granted by right. You must make your request on Parcoursup when you enter your wishes, by checking the “Césure” box.

For students wishing to temporarily interrupt their university studies, a request for a gap year must be made to the training institution.

During the gap year you keep your student status and you have the possibility to keep your grants. This gap year also gives you the right to ECTS credits.

At the end of the gap year you have the right to return to the institution where you registered. You also have the right to re-enroll if you wish to reorient yourself.

Need more info on the procedure ? Visit the government’s student website.

The Working Holiday Program (WHP)

Thanks to agreements signed between France and 14 partner countries, 18-30 year olds can spend a year abroad, including work permits, in the United States and Canada for example.

All the procedures on the government PVT website.

Please note : Since spring 2020 and due to the health context, this program is currently slowed down.

Budget

Going abroad for a few months or even a full year has a cost : visa and plane or train ticket to start with. Housing is also a significant expense. With the Linguifamily platform, you can find accommodation with a host family and save money !

Going with Linguifamily is the possibility of making a stay 40% cheaper compared to other more traditional solutions of linguistic stay.

The Axa Travel Assistance travel health insurance included in your Linguifamily reservation protects you for a maximum stay of 90 days. For a longer stay, you must take out personal travel insurance.

Find a student job or internship abroad

Many students find it difficult to find an internship or a job abroad. Research takes time. However, the offers are there, but you have to know where to look !

On social networks

Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn offer thousands of jobs every day. It’s up to you to find the right hashtag!

On the web

There are also many sites that offer many deals. Linguifamily suggests some of them. This list is far from being exhaustive.

• Student jobs in Europe and abroad on theEuroguidance website.
• Internship in a European institution, in the agricultural sector, in management, in the hotel industry, in the cultural field, in an embassy, a consulate, etc.

Note: Many private organizations have specialized in offering internships abroad, possibly with a financial contribution. Linguifamily would like to advise you to be careful about the seriousness of their proposals and their guarantee of the realization of the internship.

International volunteering

Volunteering abroad allows young people between the ages of 18 and 28 to gain professional experience. Find all the information you need on the official platform for international volunteering : https://mon-vie-via.businessfrance.fr/

Leave with a backpack

Like a globetrotter, taking trains, buses and hitchhiking, this way of discovering other countries makes you dream ! So, go with Linguifamily and find your drop-off point quickly, after a few email exchanges.

From a few days to several weeks, Lingufamily’s host families will host you and can share with you all their good travel tips (odd jobs, free tourist visits, getting around for cheap,  etc). The other advantage of such an accommodation is that you can really discover the culture of the country you are visiting by living the daily life of a host family.

So are you ready for a gap year ? Will you be able to take a break from your studies ? To find out, here is a quiz proposed by the ONISEP.

Going abroad right after high school or during your university studies is a project that must be prepared and organized. Whether you want to travel, study, work or get involved, we hope you find the right formula and make it a unique experience. Don’t hesitate to contact the host families and read the testimonials of young people who have already left with Linguifamily.