How to Have an Affordable Gap Year With No Money

This article originally appeared in our free, dedicated Ebook on gap year travel before college. Get your copy today!

J-Lo says love doesn’t cost a thing, but a gap year could get pricey—depending on what you’re looking for. The cost of your gap year depends on a few factors: Where are you trying to go? For how long? With a program? Self-designed? 

Traveling broke isn’t the end of the world, but with my advice, you’ll be all set!

Figuring out what kind of experience you want to have can inform how much it will cost. And you know what? The reality is—gap years can be expensive. Even if you’re lucky enough to find affordable gap year programs, paying for additional fees, gear, tickets, food, etc. can add up REAL quickly. But just because a gap year is an investment (one I highly recommend, BTW), doesn’t mean that it’s reserved for the rich. It doesn’t mean that it’s a luxury.

In fact, if you’re like me, you can figure out paying for a gap year even when the cash flow is low. I’m Cecilia Polanco, and this is how I funded my gap year even though I started out with zilch.

You can figure out what to do in a gap year with no money.

NO MONEY? NO PROBLEM!

It is a shame that seeing the world and learning deeply about its nuance, complexities, and beauty is reserved as a “luxury” for most people. In mind, having the ability to travel should be a NECESSITY—and if you’re like me, drawn to lands outside our own and willing to put in the work to make that experience happen, you’re in for a treat. There are dozens of resources out there specifically aimed at helping low-income families afford gap-year travel.

Trust in the process—every little penny counts.

Even though many gap year programs have a $$$$ expensive price tag $$$$, there are actually affordable gap year programs out there too. Just keep in mind that beyond your program fee, you will also have to dish out expenses like your flights, an emergency fund, your visa/passport processing, and a little extra for souvenirs. All in all, it helps to determine your gap year budget first, then get to work on earning those funds! (You don’t want the stress of traveling broke, do you?!). I don’t travel because I’m rich—I’m rich because I travel.

I PLANNED AHEAD so I wouldn’t be traveling broke.

I always thought that traveling was a luxury reserved for the rich and old, and I would dream of one day being able to travel somewhere, but that wasn’t the case! I took a chance on my gap year traveling with no money—I definitely knew my budget would be tight. 

I think gap years are very beneficial for folks who may be low income—as I said, I didn’t think it would be possible for me, but thanks to the combination of scholarships, savings from working as a lifeguard, and family and friend-raising, my gap year on a budget was possible. An affordable gap year was not only possible but worth the extra effort to make it happen.

Read on to learn more about how I paid for gap year travel without money to start!

An affordable gap year isn’t a fairytale. I’m living proof!

How I went on my own gap year with no money

More of my story

When I was considering taking a gap year, I wasn’t sure what a gap year was, I didn’t know anyone who had taken one, and I wasn’t sure what I would do on mine. But, I did know that taking or not taking a gap year solely depended on whether I could pay for it. I learned about gap years thanks to the Global Gap Year Fellowship through the “Center for Social Justice at UNC,” the Campus Y. I was applying for scholarships my senior year like it was my job when I came across this opportunity. I wasn’t super sure what taking a gap year meant; however, when I started the application, I knew applying would make it an option. The Global Gap Year Fellowship through UNC was in its first year, so I would be part of the first group of students to be part of the program. I was definitely intrigued by the possibilities, but knew I wouldn’t be going anywhere without some money.

[Download our FREE Ebook on Gap Year Travel Before College]

This fellowship was a huge opportunity for me because it came with a scholarship for $7,500 for the gap year. Knowing this information, I decided: 1) I would only take a gap year if I got the scholarship to pay for it, and 2) $7,500 would be my budget. As a low income, first generation college student, figuring out how to pay for college was already stressful enough. I can’t stress scholarships and grants enough, the money is out there to pay for college and for opportunities to take a gap year, and it’s worth a few google searches to find them. Luckily, I got the Fellowship and the funding, so it was #gaplife for me!

Try volunteering on your gap year to push yourself to learn and grow even more.

In addition to the Fellowship, I saved up another $1,000 working as a lifeguard before I left, and was able to raise another $1,000+ from family and friends, which brought my monies to about $10,000—my gap year budget goal. Woot!

[More Ideas on How to Cover Your Gap Year Cost]

I also used smart-spending strategies to save money during my gap year.

If anything, I was doing what I’d already been doing as someone coming from a low-income family; being smart about how I spent my money through budgeting and being frugal (aka cheap!). I reused things I already had, I bought the cheaper flight even though it took longer, I caught the 5am train and stayed in hostels—all strategic decisions that anyone with limited funds has experience making. 

A gap year is not an extended vacation; it’s an Easter egg, full of wonderful and unexpected surprises, so it will be money well spent!

How my gap year changed me.

At the time of my gap year, I was still developing my identity, but I knew what it meant to me to identify as Latina and American. The only other travel I’d done before my gap year was to El Salvador with my parents, and it was so odd to be called “gringa” while I was there. To me, “gringa” was a term reserved for blonde hair and blue eyes, definitely not my brown self. But the way in which it was used was to imply that I was “other,” “foreign,” “not from around here,” and I got that. As Salvadoran, as I thought I was growing up with my immigrant parents in the U.S., it was a different experience from living and growing up in El Salvador. Going abroad also showed me how I could be “othered” around the globe. 

When I told people I was American, they’d sometimes respond with “But, where are you really from?” or “What else are you?” 

Being American isn’t a one-size-fits-all opportunity.

Both those inquiries made/make me cringe because identity encompasses many factors. On the bright side, seeing myself through a global lens while in my gap year challenged me to answer those questions and seek the understanding of my developing self-identity that helped me figure out who I am. As a person of color, a gap year can help one get out of the dominant narrative and space of what it’s like and what it means to be a person of color in the U.S. Going abroad offers an opportunity to stop seeing the U.S. as the center of the world, to challenge the American-centrism of our news, our social media, and the history we learn in school. 

During my travels, my Nicaraguan host mom reminded me she is also Latina, she’s from Latin America, isn’t she? Identity is complex, but traveling and learning about other cultures, or even more about one’s nation of origin, helps us understand where we come from, who we are, and who we are becoming.

Figuring out what to do in a gap year with no money was a GREAT experience for me.

In the end, I walked away with a greater understanding of myself, my goals, my heritage, my country, my purpose. I consider that QUITE the return on investment! I later came back to the US, finished my degree at UNC, and launched my own business, So Good Pupusas—a food truck that specializes in my Grandmother’s empanada recipe! It also helped me launch Pupusas 4 Education, a nonprofit that offers provides last-dollar scholarships to undocumented and DACAmented students from the Triangle area to attend any higher education institution, such as a university or college. This is more than a passion project for me. 

Without the space and time to see the world on a gap year, I may have never had such deep insight into the person I’m meant to be. And for that reason alone, I’m motivated to help every individual have a meaningful experience abroad (regardless if they’re flirting with the poverty line or not).

Empanadas for all!

More affordable gap year ideas

Tips for future gappers who might struggle with finances

• Start planning early! The earlier you start, the more time you have to research, and apply for, scholarships and grants and find the right program at the right cost for you.
• I found it useful to have some funds preloaded on my Skype, have a Paypal, carry cash, card, and a back up card, and I’d recommend researching international student cards as well. I learned about them after my gap year, but there are often perks that could be beneficial. I also had an adult like my sister, authorized on my account so she could transfer emergency money, and also keep an eye out that I was managing my budget well. 
• Don’t be afraid to start a FundMyTravel campaign to family and friend-raise! Once folks learn about what you’re doing, they will be excited to help you reach your financial goals! Sharing your story and your hopes for your gap year helps include people in being part of your success—your biggest fans would never let you go traveling with no money. Who needs a birthday or Christmas present when you can get some money for an affordable gap year! 
• Since my family worried about me being by myself and far away, we put some money into an emergency fund in case I needed to quickly buy a plane ticket home. Thankfully, I didn’t have to use it, but it was a safety net that made my parents feel better! (Giving them peace of mind is essential when their precious kid is off traipsing the globe).
• Additionally, it is helpful when considering a gap year and how to pay for one, to talk to an expert. Whether it’s someone who works in advising for gap years, someone from a university that may provide funding for affordable gap years, and fellow gappers themselves (like me!) can be a resource into how to go about applying for scholarships, grants, as well as saving and fundraising. Oftentimes reaching out to the affordable gap year programs themselves, once you’ve got a few you’re interested in, can be helping to learn more information about costs and if financial aid is provided for their program. 
• You can never have too MUCH to keep you from traveling with no money, keep working, saving, being responsible with your funds, and fundraising! 

Other resources to help you find affordable gap year programs

I recommend visiting the American Gap Association website and their list of Accredited Gap Year Programs. They’ve done all the vetting for you. They also have some information on Financial Aid for Gap Years. If you can get college credit for your gap year, it is a wise investment indeed!

There are tons of resources for scholarships and funding through the GoAbroad scholarships directory. You can also hit the ground running with a fundraising campaign on FundMyTravel. Instead of socks, ask grandma for a donation to your gap year funds so you can help pay your own way around the world. In starting your search for gap year dollars, it also helps to start with Universities that are gap year friendly. You can find more program specific funding opportunities, as well as general scholarships as well. Here’s an example from Hostelling International, which offers 81 scholarships of $2,000 each to travel.

You don’t have to do it all alone. Just check out these resources for cheap gap year programs!

Some colleges have gap year or bridge year programs built in, so when you apply to the school, you can also apply for their programs. Tufts University has its 1+4 program and Princeton has the Bridge Year Program, great examples of programs focusing on making international travel affordable and accessible. Here, you can find out more about my Fellowship, which is only available to students admitted to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (great reason to be a Tarheel!).

Carpe Diem Education is associated with a nonprofit, Carpe Mundi, that aids low income gap year students from the Portland area in achieving their travel dreams. So, if you’re a Timbers fan and live within an hour’s drive of Portland, consider reaching out and getting involved in their affordable gap year programs.Point is: Resources are out there, and it’s up to you to find them. Money should be a limited barrier to your gap year travels. If you put in the legwork and hit that Google search bar hard, you’re going to find lots (and lots) of resources out there to aid you in paying for your gap year, even if you don’t have a lot of money RN.

Having an affordable gap year IS possible!

The world is out there. Go grab it!

Figuring out what to do in a gap year with no money isn’t impossible! My budget ended up being about $10,000 and it had to last until purchasing my plane ticket home, so plan accordingly y’all! Like I said, you don’t have to be rich or old to take a gap year. You can do a lot with a little, especially if you plan and spend smart! Your networks are more powerful than you think; tap into all your resources to make your gap year happen. Have fun ballin’ on a budget and enjoy the process of paying for gap year travel without money.

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