EF Gap Year

What EF Gap Year does

EF Gap Year is a division of EF Education First that designs and delivers structured, travel-based gap year and semester programs for students aged 18-22. The company operates two primary product lines: the 24-week Global Gap Year program, which combines a multi-city experience with extended single-destination study, and 12-week semester programs including cohort-based multi-destination adventures (European Horizons, Spanish in Motion, Globetrotter, The Voyager) and independent single-city immersion at EF-owned International Language Campuses in Barcelona, Malaga, Paris, Nice, Munich, Berlin, Rome, Tokyo, Seoul, Playa Tamarindo, and Singapore.

EF Gap Year monetizes through one-time program fees that bundle accommodations, ground transportation, meals, language instruction, cultural activities, and (for most programs) airfare, with non-refundable enrollment deposits of $1,500 (semester) or $2,500 (year) applied to the total fee. Ancillary revenue streams include the mandatory Global Travel Protection Plan ($400-$900 depending on program length, underwritten by United States Fire Insurance Company with assistance from Falck Global Assistance), optional college credit fees via accredited U.S. university partnerships, and the Digital Media Fellowship (a content-creator scholarship of $1,000/term in exchange for social media content). The go-to-market is direct-to-consumer with advisor-assisted enrollment, supported by free consultations, weekly webinars, and a downloadable brochure.

The company's underlying technology layer includes the EF Campus Connect mobile application for iOS and Android, a customer web portal, and an owned physical infrastructure of 11+ International Language Campuses plus in-country staff in 50+ countries, providing 24/7 Safety & Incident Response. EF Gap Year is operationally housed under EF Education First International, Ltd. (Zurich, Switzerland) with U.S. marketing handled by EF Institute for Cultural Exchange, Inc. (Cambridge, MA), and ultimate copyright held by Signum International AG. The business benefits from the 55+ year EF parent brand, USTOA and IATA memberships, and Seller of Travel registrations in Florida, California, and Washington.

Name

EF Gap Year

Legal name

EF Education First International, Ltd.

Website

https://efgapyear.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1965

Operating status

Operating

Short description

EF Gap Year, a division of EF Education First, delivers structured 12-week and 24-week gap year and semester programs for students aged 18-22, combining language study, cultural immersion, and multi-destination travel across 11+ EF-owned International Language Campuses worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Educational Travel Programs

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Language Schools (61163), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Gap Year + Study Abroad Hybrid Programs (EDAIAAAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Structured Gap Year Programs (Multi-Sector & Rotational) (EDAIAGAJ), Conditional Offer / Package Programs (Language + Pathway + Progression) (EDAIAJAJ), Short-Term & Summer/Winter Multi-Country Study Abroad Programs (EDAIAAAF)

Keywords

• Gap year programs
• Study abroad semesters
• Language immersion
• International education
• Cultural exchange travel

Headquarters

HQ city

Cambridge

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Gap Year Program Fees: Comprehensive program fees covering accommodations, ground transportation, meals, field director support, sightseeing tours, language study, 24/7 global emergency support, and included airfare for most programs. Programs range from 12-week semesters to 24-week full gap years.
2. Global Travel Protection Plan: Optional but required insurance product: Gap Year $900, First-Year Program $900, Gap Semester $500, Short-Term $400. Underwritten by United States Fire Insurance Company with non-insurance assistance from Falck Global Assistance.
3. Enrollment Deposits: Non-refundable enrollment deposits: $2,500 for Year Programs, $1,500 for Semester Programs. Applied toward total program fees.
4. College Credit Fees: Optional college credits available through accredited US university partnerships for language coursework. Additional fees apply.
5. Digital Media Fellowship: Content creator scholarship program where selected students create marketing content for EF Gap Year's social media accounts in exchange for $1,000/term scholarship toward their program.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

EF Gap Year sells structured international gap year and semester programs for students aged 18–22, delivered as 12-week multi-destination cohort semesters, single-city language immersion semesters, or a 24-week Global Gap Year combining multi-city and single-city terms. Programs bundle language study (Spanish, French, Italian, Korean, Japanese, Mandarin), accommodations, most airfare, ground transportation, meals, cultural activities, and 24/7 emergency support, delivered through 11 company-owned EF International Language Campuses worldwide.

Product overview

EF Gap Year offers structured gap year programs for students aged 18–22, consisting of two primary product lines: The Global Gap Year (a 24-week two-term program combining multi-city adventure with extended campus study) and Semester Programs (12-week options including cohort-based multi-destination adventures and independent city immersion at 11 global EF Language Campuses). Cohort-based semester programs include European Horizons (Rome/Barcelona/Paris), Spanish in Motion (Malaga/Barcelona/Tamarindo), Globetrotter (Rome/Tokyo/Tamarindo), and The Voyager (Seoul/Tokyo/Singapore). City Immersion Semesters offer single-destination study at campuses in Barcelona, Malaga, Paris, Nice, Munich, Berlin, Rome, Tokyo, Seoul, Playa Tamarindo, and Singapore. Supporting offerings include the Digital Media Fellowship (content creator scholarship), Global Travel Protection Plan (insurance), EF Campus Connect mobile app, and EF Customer Portal. All programs include language learning, cultural activities, accommodation, flights, and 24/7 support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• European Horizons: 12-week multi-destination program covering Italy, Spain, and France
• Spanish in Motion
• Globetrotter
• The Voyager
• Global Gap Year
• City Immersion Semester
• EF Campus Connect

Products and services

• The Global Gap Year A 24-week multi-destination gap year program designed for students aged 18–22, combining a multi-city experience followed by deeper study at a single destination. Students can customize their two-term program with back-to-back semester options.
• European Horizons A 12-week cohort-based multi-destination semester visiting Rome, Barcelona, and Paris, where students learn Italian, Spanish, and French while immersing in European culture.
• Spanish in Motion A 12-week Spanish immersion program spanning Malaga and Barcelona in Spain, plus Playa Tamarindo in Costa Rica, covering two continents and three locations.
• Globetrotter A 12-week multi-destination program spanning Central Europe, Asia, and Latin America with stops in Rome, Tokyo, and Playa Tamarindo, Costa Rica.
• The Voyager A 12-week Asian exploration program visiting Seoul, Tokyo, and Singapore, where students learn Korean, Japanese, and Mandarin.
• City Immersion Semester Single-city semester programs offered at 11 international EF Language Campuses including Barcelona, Malaga, Paris, Nice, Munich, Berlin, Rome, Tokyo, Seoul, Playa Tamarindo, and Singapore, featuring daily language classes and independent cultural immersion.
• Global Travel Protection Plan A travel insurance package required for all participants, providing Accident and Sickness ($100,000), Accidental Death & Dismemberment ($50,000), Medical Evacuation ($150,000), and Non-Medical Evacuation ($100,000) coverage, available at $400–$900 depending on program length.

Quantifiable outcome

• Students enter college more prepared academically, socially, and emotionally with global experience and practical skills that set them apart.
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• United States Fire Insurance CompanycoreOthersUnderwriter for EF Gap Year's Global Travel Protection plan. Provides insurance coverage including Accident and Sickness ($100,000), AD&D ($50,000), Medical Evacuation ($150,000), and Non-Medical Evacuation ($100,000) as part of the mandatory travel protection requirements.
• Falck Global AssistancecoreOthersNon-insurance assistance services provider for EF Gap Year's Global Travel Protection plan. Provides 24/7 emergency assistance and support services to program participants.
• United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA)minorOthersEF Gap Year and EF Study Abroad share coverage under the USTOA $1 Million Travelers Assistance Program as Active Members, providing reimbursement protection for advance payments in the event of EF bankruptcy, insolvency, or cessation of business.
• International Air Transport Association (IATA)minorOthersEF is a member of IATA, the trade association for the world's airlines, enabling EF to negotiate special rates with major air carriers for program flights.
• Better Business Bureau (BBB) Eastern MassachusettsminorOthersEF maintains membership with the Better Business Bureau of Eastern Massachusetts, demonstrating commitment to customer service standards and business accountability.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• API (Academic Programs International): Provides study abroad and gap-style semester programs with academic credit options across multiple destinations, including language-intensive programs — directly comparable to EF Gap Year's credit-bearing language focus.
• ISA (International Studies Abroad): Provides study abroad and semester programs in multiple countries with optional college credit, language immersion, and cultural components — overlapping with EF Gap Year's college credit and language-focused offerings.
• Global Citizen Year: Operates a structured gap-year fellowship for high-school graduates combining language study, service learning, and immersion — a near-identical use case to EF Gap Year's targeted 18-22 demographic and program design.
• Thinking Beyond Borders: Operates semester-long multi-country gap programs combining cultural immersion, language study, and global issues curricula for the same 18-22 year-old college-bound demographic.
• Where There Be Dragons: Runs experiential gap year and semester-abroad programs in Asia, Africa, and Latin America emphasizing immersive multi-country travel and language study — directly comparable to EF Gap Year's cohort-based multi-destination semester products.
• Rustic Pathways: Provides structured multi-country service-learning and gap year programs for high school and college-age students, with similar cohort-based itineraries and language/cultural immersion components.
• CIEE (Council on International Educational Exchange): One of the largest U.S.-based study abroad and gap-year-style program providers, operating multi-country semester and short-term programs with language, cultural immersion, and service components — directly comparable to EF Gap Year's multi-destination semester model and credit-bearing options.

Emerging players

• Carpe Diem Education: A smaller, niche gap year program provider offering customized multi-country gap experiences to high school graduates — an emerging competitor in the same demographic and use case.

Broad incumbents

• Kaplan International: Operates a global network of language schools and study abroad programs with semester-length options — a broader incumbent with overlapping language-immersion offerings but less specialization in the gap-year segment.
• EF Education First (parent / EF Study Abroad): EF Gap Year's parent organization and the operator of EF Study Abroad, EF Language Schools, and academic programs globally — represents the broader incumbent ecosystem whose infrastructure and brand EF Gap Year directly leverages.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about EF Gap Year