Europe Gap Year Jobs, Programs & Trips

Europe is one of the most incredible continents with history, world famous cities, islands, beautiful beaches and so much more. If you want to travel, go backpacking, work, intern, volunteer or study in Europe find a trip today.

Paid Work, Language Courses & Tours in Europe

Backpacking and Travelling in Europe

Do you fancy spending your gap year travelling, working, volunteering or studying in Europe? Need ideas for where to go and what to do?

You could choose one destination but if you are more flexible you could spend months exploring this amazing continent.

Recommended places include London, Barcelona, Madrid, Paris, Seville, Prague, Berlin and the Greek Islands – just to name a few.

Best Places to Go

If you want to take a gap year in Europe there are so many countries you can choose. These are some of the most popular destinations to consider visiting: • France • Spain • Germany • Greece • Ireland • Italy • Portugal • United Kingdom • Austria • Croatia • Czech Republic.

Other countries you could consider adding to your itinerary include: Albania, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, , Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Gibraltar, Hungary, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland and Turkey.

Work in Europe

Spending a gap year working in Europe is really popular. There are so many jobs in countries throughout the continent, some short term and flexible whilst others are longer and can lead to full time careers.

Summer jobs are really popular with people seeking sun, sea and tropical climates whilst working at ski resorts during winter is also a top choice. Where you go and what you do really depends on your interests. You can find lots of jobs which include accommodation in Europe, this is a great way to save money.

Most work and travel programs throughout Europe are open to UK/EU citizens, and people from Australia, New Zealand, USA, South Africa, Canada and other worldwide nationalities.

Internships in Europe

If you are looking to gain work experience there are thousands of companies in Europe who hire interns. Placements offer a great opportunity to gain experience, boost your CV, make new professional contacts and get to live and work in a different country/culture. There are lots of industries with internships and placements are open all year round in major cities like London, Paris, Madrid and Berlin.

Teach in Europe

Choosing to teach English as a foreign language – which is more commonly referred to as TEFL – is a fabulous thing to do during your gap year travels. It’s worth bearing in mind that it’d be a mistake to think you have to travel to the other side of the world in order to teach. Indeed, Europe is a fabulous place to put your qualifications to good use.

Admittedly, many of those who hold TEFL accreditation will head to Asia – China, Thailand and India are just some of the most popular destinations – but it’s possible to do so in places much closer to home. As well as costing much less money to fly to Europe than it does to Asia, teaching in the continent provides a great opportunity to improve your CV and experience a diverse range of cultures. With that in mind, here’s a look at some of the best places in Europe where you can teach non-English speakers.

If you are keen to become a teacher in Europe there are paid and voluntary positions available throughout the continent. You could consider taking a TEFL course and getting qualified to teach English in eastern or western Europe. Language schools hire all year round.

Teaching English in Europe can be rewarding because you can really feel like part of a local community, however the general rule is that the more popular the city the harder it is to get a TEFL job. If you only just finished your TEFL course and have no teaching experience you will find it very difficult to get a job say in Barcelona or Paris. It will be a lot easier to get a job in a small town where you will have a lot less competition. Again, some schools will require you to have a university degree, but not all.

Teaching in Europe varies greatly from teaching in Asia. Some schools may only give you a few hours of lessons per week, so you will often have to find more than one job to support yourself. You are also paid a lot less and will generally only have enough to live on, not enough to save though. In Europe you will more or less be left on your own to find your own accommodation and settle in, although some schools might help you. It is also quite likely that you will have to travel to the country to attend a face-to-face interview.

Volunteer in Europe

There are lots of rewarding ways to volunteer and make a difference in Europe. You can find projects helping people, communities, wildlife and the environment. Popular gap year volunteering programs in Europe include helping animals, teaching at language camps, helping the environment and working to improve lives for communities.

Study in Europe

If you want to study abroad then Europe offers so much choice. There are language schools offering classes and also academic and sports courses available from some of the most prestigious universities in the world. Popular ideas include spending a semester or academic year studying abroad in the UK, studying French in France or learning Spanish in Spain.

If you’re thinking about traveling to Europe to broaden your horizons, it doesn’t really matter whether you undertake a course or other kind of training while you’re there. Often, there will be interesting information and a little something to be learned everywhere you turn. Many European nations are very progressive, which can lead to some really interesting elements of your own self-discovery.

Europe Tours

Keen to explore more of Europe see amazing destinations or go off the beaten track? Lots of local and international operators offer trips all year round including small group, overland, adventure and sailing adventures.

From exploring world famous cities to island hopping in places like Greece and Croatia, the hard part is deciding where to go. Short and long trips are available where you can discover one destination, or spend weeks exploring the whole continent.