You are not the only one staring at university prospectuses and feeling stuck. Picking a degree can feel huge, and a gap year can look like a neat way to press pause.
The problem is that an unplanned gap year often turns into a long holiday, then a blind guess at a course. This guide will show you how to design a purposeful gap year that gives you real clues about what to study, instead of just pushing the decision away.
You will learn how to set clear questions, build a rough “degree testing” plan, reflect on what you discover, and turn your year into a confident degree choice. Think of it as a one-year experiment about your future self.
Key Takeaways: How to Use a Gap Year to Choose the Right Degree
- Decide what questions you want your gap year to answer about your interests, skills, and values.
- Plan activities that test real degree options, not only random jobs or travel.
- Track what energises you and what drains you, using a simple journal.
- Protect your study habits so going back to learning does not feel like a shock.
- End the year with a short decision checklist to choose a degree with more confidence.
Table of Contents
- Key Takeaways: How to Use a Gap Year to Choose the Right Degree
- Should You Take a Gap Year to Figure Out Your Degree?
- Set Clear Goals: What Do You Want Your Gap Year to Answer?
- Design Your Gap Year Plan: Activities That Test Real Degree Options
- Try work experience and volunteering linked to possible degrees
- Use short courses, online learning, and taster days to test subjects
- Travel with purpose: language, culture, and independence skills
- Build useful skills that work for almost any degree
- Plan your year in flexible phases, not a rigid day-by-day schedule
- Stay Sharp During Your Gap Year So Going Back to Study Is Not a Shock
- Turn Your Gap Year Experience Into a Clear Degree Choice
- Frequently Asked Questions About Planning a Gap Year to Choose a Degree
- Conclusion
Should You Take a Gap Year to Figure Out Your Degree?
A gap year is not magic, and it is not a mistake. It is a tool. The key question is whether you will use that tool well.
Common reasons students feel stuck on what degree to choose
Many students feel blocked for similar reasons:
- You have too many interests and do not know which one to pick.
- You like school but do not feel a clear “passion”.
- You are scared of wasting money on the wrong course.
- Family or teachers push you towards something “sensible” that does not excite you.
- Careers advice at school felt shallow or rushed.
- You are burnt out from exams and cannot imagine going straight into more study.
These feelings are normal. A well-planned gap year can give you space to breathe, plus structured chances to test real options instead of guessing.
When a gap year actually helps (and when it just delays the choice)
A gap year helps when you have even a loose plan and some questions you want to answer. It does not help when it is only about escape.
You can think about it like this:
| Type of gap year | What it looks like | Likely result for degree choice |
|---|---|---|
| Passive, “drift” gap year | Random jobs, unplanned travel, no reflection | You end up guessing a course at the last minute |
| Active, “testing” gap year | Clear goals, degree-linked experiences, regular reflection | You choose a degree that fits how you actually like to work |
Quick examples:
- Helpful: Sara is torn between medicine and psychology. She volunteers at a hospital, takes an online intro to psychology, and journals after each shift and lesson. By spring, she knows she enjoys talking with patients more than lab work, so she picks psychology.
- Unhelpful: Tom feels tired of school, so he works anywhere that pays and plays games the rest of the time. In August, he picks business because “it sounds broad”, even though he has never tried business-related work.
- Helpful: Priya loves both art and maths. She spends part of the year helping in a local gallery, then joins a coding bootcamp. She realises she enjoys solving visual problems with code, which nudges her towards graphic design or UX rather than pure maths.
The difference is not money or travel, it is intention.
Questions to ask yourself before you commit to a gap year
Before you decide, grab a page and answer these questions briefly:
- What are my top 3 degree ideas right now, even if they change later?
- What do I hope to learn about myself this year?
- Can I afford a year out, and how will I support myself?
- How will I keep some kind of study routine going?
- Do I have at least a rough plan for the year?
If you cannot answer any of these at all, you might need to think a bit longer before saying yes to a gap year. If you can give rough answers, you already have a starting point.
Set Clear Goals: What Do You Want Your Gap Year to Answer?
Instead of “I just need a break”, try “I want to learn X about myself”. Treat your gap year like a small experiment about your future.
Turn your confusion into 3 to 5 clear questions about your future
Start by turning the fog in your head into concrete questions. For example:
- Do I prefer working with people, data, or things?
- Do I enjoy creative work, or do I prefer clear, logical tasks?
- Do I like fast, hands-on environments, or calmer, thinking time?
- Can I see myself staying interested in Subject X for three or more years?
- What matters more to me, helping people directly or solving technical problems?
These questions connect to real fields:
- Enjoy people and helping? You might like medicine, nursing, teaching, psychology, social work.
- Enjoy data and logic? You might like maths, economics, engineering, computer science.
- Enjoy ideas and expression? You might like languages, history, art, design, media.
Write 3 to 5 of your own and put them at the front of a notebook or in a notes app. Revisit them every month to check if your answers are changing.
Translate your questions into simple, realistic gap year goals
Next, set 3 to 6 goals that match your questions. They do not need to be perfect SMART goals, just clear and realistic. For example:
- “Shadow at least two professionals in fields I might study.”
- “Complete one beginner online course in each subject I am considering.”
- “Work or volunteer in at least two very different environments, for example, a café and an office.”
- “Keep a weekly journal about what I am learning about myself.”
- “Save £X by the end of the year for uni costs.”
Check that your goals match your budget, location, and energy. If travel is not possible, focus on online courses, local work, and volunteering.
Balance degree exploration with rest, work, and fun
A good gap year is not 12 months of hard grind. You still need rest, social life, and money.
It can help to think in simple “phases” or “seasons”, such as:
- A rest phase, for example, a month or two to recover from exams.
- A work phase, where you earn money and learn basic job skills.
- An exploration phase, where you focus on degree-linked work, volunteering, or courses.
- A prep phase near the end, for applications and getting study habits back.
Try to avoid two extremes: spending the whole year chilling, or chasing CV points without any real reflection.
Design Your Gap Year Plan: Activities That Test Real Degree Options
Now you know your questions and goals, you can pick activities that act like mini test drives for different degrees.
Try work experience and volunteering linked to possible degrees
You do not need a fancy internship to learn a lot. Small, local roles can be just as useful if you pay attention.
Ideas by field:
- Science and medicine: hospital volunteering, lab assistant, pharmacy counter, health charity.
- Social sciences: youth clubs, community projects, helplines, local council schemes.
- Arts and media: local theatre, photo projects, school drama clubs, small magazines.
- Tech: IT support for a school or charity, coding clubs, helping a small business with their website.
While you do these roles, notice:
- Which tasks you enjoy and which you avoid.
- The pace of work, fast or slow.
- The kind of people you work with, and whether that suits you.
Even jobs that are not linked to your degree ideas, like retail or hospitality, still teach you about yourself. You might find that you thrive in busy, people-facing jobs, or that they drain you.
Use short courses, online learning, and taster days to test subjects
Think of each short course as a low-risk trial run for a degree.
You could:
- Take free online courses in subjects you are curious about.
- Attend university taster days or public lectures.
- Join a local evening class in something close to your degree idea.
After each course or session, ask yourself:
- Did I enjoy the reading, problems, or projects?
- Could I focus well, or did my mind wander a lot?
- Do I want to learn more, or am I glad it is over?
Write a few lines after each course about what you liked and disliked. These quick notes will be gold when you compare degree options later.
Travel with purpose: language, culture, and independence skills
If you plan to travel, you can still link it to your degree choice.
For example:
- Language degrees: attend a language school, do a homestay, or work in a country where the language is spoken.
- Geography or international relations: join a cultural exchange, volunteer abroad, or help with local development projects.
- Environmental degrees: take part in conservation work, beach cleans, or wildlife projects.
Travel can also build confidence, planning skills, and independence. Organising transport, handling money, and solving problems away from home are all useful for uni life. Just make sure your travel plans are safe and not only based on parties.
Build useful skills that work for almost any degree
Some skills help in almost every subject. During your gap year, try to grow:
- Time management and planning.
- Basic study skills, like reading and note taking.
- Communication, both written and spoken.
- Teamwork and problem solving.
- Digital skills, from spreadsheets to simple coding.
Keeping a small learning habit will make your return to study much smoother. You could read non-fiction in your interest areas, keep a learning journal, or set a goal to complete one short online course at a time. If stress is high, you might also explore student stress relief through meditation to support your focus and wellbeing.
Plan your year in flexible phases, not a rigid day-by-day schedule
You do not need a colour-coded timetable for the whole year. A simple phase plan is enough.
For example:
- Months 1 to 3: work locally and save money.
- Months 4 to 6: travel or try language study.
- Months 7 to 9: degree-related volunteering or work experience.
- Months 10 to 12: applications, personal statements, and rebuilding study routines.
Write a one-page plan with rough dates and goals for each phase. Share it with someone you trust, such as a parent, teacher, or mentor. Be ready to adjust as you go, while keeping your main questions in mind.
Stay Sharp During Your Gap Year So Going Back to Study Is Not a Shock
A full year without any study can make the first term at uni feel brutal. You do not need to copy school, but you do need to keep your brain ticking over.
Keep a light but steady study routine
Aim for a simple routine, such as:
- 30 to 60 minutes of learning on most days, or
- Two or three longer sessions each week.
You could:
- Read books or articles linked to your possible degree subjects.
- Do online quizzes in maths, languages, or science.
- Practise writing, for example, short essays or blog-style reflections.
- Study a language using apps and books.
The goal is to keep the habit of focusing and learning, not to exhaust yourself. These routines will help when you face lectures, seminars, and deadlines again.
Use a gap year journal to track what you learn about yourself
A reflection journal is one of the most powerful tools you can use this year.
After new experiences, jot down:
- What you did.
- What you enjoyed.
- What you disliked or found draining.
- What skills you used.
- What this might mean for your degree choice.
Once a week or month, you can answer prompts like:
- “What activities gave me energy this month?”
- “What kind of problems did I enjoy solving?”
- “When did I feel bored or frustrated, and why?”
These notes will help you spot patterns and will also be very useful when you write personal statements or talk in interviews about your gap year.
Look after your mental health, energy, and social life
A gap year can feel strange. Friends might move away, family might question your choice, and you might feel lost at times.
Take care of the basics:
- Sleep at regular times when you can.
- Move your body, even if it is just walking.
- Take breaks from screens.
- Stay in touch with friends and family.
- Ask for help if you feel low or stuck.
It is much easier to make a good degree decision when you are not burnt out or overwhelmed. Healthy routines and clear boundaries now will also support you once you start university.
Turn Your Gap Year Experience Into a Clear Degree Choice
By the end of the year, you will have a lot of experiences. Now you need a simple way to turn them into a decision, instead of more confusion.
Review your year: spot patterns in what you enjoyed and avoided
Set aside a few hours with your journal, photos, calendar, and course notes.
Make four lists:
- Activities I loved.
- Activities I liked.
- Activities I felt neutral about.
- Activities I really disliked.
Look for patterns. You might notice:
- “I enjoyed direct work with people more than solo tasks.”
- “I liked complex problems and research.”
- “I kept choosing creative projects whenever I could.”
- “I hated long periods of sitting still.”
These clues point towards or away from different degree families.
Match your gap year lessons to specific degree subjects
Take your top 3 or 4 degree ideas. For each one, ask:
- Does this degree fit my interests as I understand them now?
- Does it match my strengths and preferred way of working?
- Could I see myself studying this most days for three years?
- Do the careers or lifestyles linked to it appeal to me?
You can give each option a simple score out of 10 for “fit”, based on real experiences from your gap year. You can also make quick pros and cons lists. Try to base your answers on what you actually did, not only on what sounds impressive.
Create a simple decision plan and next steps
Once you have reviewed your options, turn it into a plan:
- Choose a first choice degree.
- Pick a back-up option that you would still be happy to study.
- Write a rough timeline for any applications, such as UCAS or local systems.
- List any final questions you need to research, such as entry requirements or course content.
Share your plan with someone you trust, such as a teacher, careers adviser, or mentor. No choice is perfect, and you can still change path later, but a planned gap year means you are choosing with better information and more self-knowledge.
Frequently Asked Questions About Planning a Gap Year to Choose a Degree
Will universities look down on a gap year?
Most universities accept gap years, and many see them as positive, as long as you can explain what you did and what you learned. A planned year with work, volunteering, or learning often makes your application stronger, not weaker.
What if my gap year makes me change my mind completely?
That is a success, not a failure. It is much better to change your mind before starting a three-year degree than halfway through it. Use your journal and review process to make sense of the change.
How do I explain my gap year in personal statements and interviews?
Focus on your goals, what you did, and what you learned. Show how your experiences link to your chosen degree, for example, skills you gained, insights into the subject, or proof of commitment.
What if I still do not know what to study at the end of the year?
You might not have perfect clarity, but you should have more information. If you are still very unsure, consider broader degrees, foundation years, or speaking again with a careers adviser. You can also use what you learned to rule out options, which still moves you forward.
Can I take a gap year if I am worried about money?
Yes, as long as you think through how you will support yourself. Many students spend part or all of their gap year in paid work. Jobs can still teach you a lot about your strengths and preferences, even if they are not linked directly to your future degree.
Conclusion
A gap year can be a powerful tool for clarity if you treat it as a planned experiment, not an escape. When you set clear questions, test real options, keep a light study habit, and reflect as you go, you end the year with enough confidence to choose a good next step.
You do not need a perfect, lifelong plan, only a well-informed decision for the coming few years. If this idea appeals to you, start drafting your own gap year plan today, even if it is just a rough first version. Your future self at university will thank you for the thought you put in now.
