The Gap Year Experience
Typically, approximately 60 students elect to delay the start of their Colorado College education by designing and pursuing a year-long adventure of their own making. An additional 30 students admitted to our Winter Start program will embark on a personalized semester-long gap experience in the fall semester before reuniting with their classmates in January to enroll in their first block on campus.
If you're considering a year-long or semester-long gap experience, we are likely to support your gap request because we believe that making a difference in the lives of others will make a difference in your own personal and intellectual growth.
Read more about specific program options for your gap year around the world, and information about credit transfer from these opportunities, on our Winter Start page. We encourage you to write to us at admission@coloradocollege.edu if you don't find the information you need.
The gap year option
CC students define their educational paths as lifelong journeys rather than an event that has a beginning when they arrive on campus and an ending when they graduate. While there are a multitude of personal reasons students cite for pursuing a gap experience, each tends to point to a quest for experiential learning that isn't found in the confines of a classroom. From accepting a structured public service role with a local organization to investigating global health and social problems abroad, the transformative lessons they learn and bring back to our campus will enrich the CC experience for all.
Students admitted under our Early Action, Early Decision, or Regular Action programs may submit a gap year request to delay their enrollment for one year. We will approve longer gap terms for purposes of national service or religious mission. Students admitted to the Winter Start Program are not eligible to apply for a gap year.
The Gap Year Request
Your gap year plan does not have to be in its final stage at the time you submit your request. Think of your gap year request as a thoughtful proposal that you genuinely intend to fulfill but which may require some modification(s) at a later date.
As you draft your proposed gap year plan, please let us know of your interest at admission@coloradocollege.edu. We will then send you a form to complete online which will seek the following information:
- Why you want to delay enrollment
- Description of your gap year plan
- Timeline of your gap year plan
The Approval
We will routinely approve any request provided you satisfy the following requirements.
- Express your gap interest at any time after receiving your admission notification.
- Submit your request on or before May 1 of the year you're admitted to Colorado College.
- Complete and submit your enrollment agreement form within the applicant portal.
- Submit the required enrollment deposit if required.
- You agree to enroll at Colorado College after you complete your gap year.
- As a condition of approval, you are not permitted to enroll as a degree-seeking student at a different college or university during your gap year.
- In the month of February of your gap year, you agree to complete an electronic survey acknowledging that you intend to enroll at Colorado College in the fall. Within that acknowledgement, we'll ask for an update of your gap year experience. After we receive your completed survey, you will receive confirmation of your guaranteed seat in the incoming first-year class.
Gap Year Association
The Gap Year Association website is a helpful resource for students contemplating a gap year experience. Offering a wealth of guidance and practical tools, it facilitates informed decision-making and effective planning. Through testimonials and success stories, students gain insight into the benefits of a gap year, while directories of accredited programs and financing tips offer the information students need to create tailored experiences. Whether students aspire to volunteer abroad, pursue internships, or explore new horizons, information provided by Gap Year Association offers the resources and support needed to embark on a fulfilling gap year journey.
Tilting Futures
We believe that learning extends beyond the classroom, and that a well-designed, educational gap-year can help students find and pursue their passions. Our partnership with Tilting Futures engages students in Take Action Lab, an immersive learning program where students learn how to create a meaningful impact on human rights issues during a semester in South Africa. Students expand their global perspective and sense of purpose through a research-backed curriculum, cultural immersion experiences, and apprenticeships with organizations advancing human rights issues.
Verto Education
This fully accredited program through the University of New Haven allows for seamless transfer of coursework to Colorado College and will prepare you for success in an increasingly global marketplace. You can start your college experience by studying with Verto Education for a year or a semester in one of their five global locations, and join CC with college credits that are already approved for transfer. Verto has programs in the following cities:
- Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Prague, Czech Republic
- London, England
- Florence, Italy
- Seville, Spain
Financial Aid assistance
Need-based awards
Students approved for a gap year and awarded need-based financial aid must reapply for financial assistance by submitting these required forms by their published deadlines. Completing and submitting these forms will require careful planning and scheduling since the forms must be submitted while pursuing your gap year. Learn more about need-based financial aid options.
Merit-based Awards
In most cases, students selected for and awarded a Colorado College merit-based scholarship will have this merit-based award reinstated upon their enrollment at CC. We encourage you to inquire about your specific merit award by writing to the Financial Aid Office at financialaid@coloradocollege.edu.
If you're interested in looking further into Financial Aid, please click on the buttons below, which will lead you to an overview of our Financial Aid process and take you through a Deeper Dive into how our Office of Financial Aid can assist you.