University of Virginia

Gap Year Students

The Semester at Sea study-abroad experience is now available to gap year students. Get a taste for the entire world as you explore 8-12 international ports and communities, attend classes on global topics with students from around the country, take part in service projects and cross-cultural opportunities in port, and head back to college with a defined sense of the world.

Fall 2010 voyage - Around the World (space available)
Spring 2011 voyage
- Around the World (now accepting applications)
May 2011 voyage - Engineering a New Tomorrow (Central America)

Application requirements for students with deferred admission to a degree-granting program at an accredited college or university:

  • Provide proof of admission at an accredited college/university.
  • Provide proof of exceptional performance at the high-school level, including as many of the following as possible:
  • • SAT or ACT score report
  • • AP test score reports
  • • Teacher recommendation(s)
  • • Graded academic writing sample
  • • Good academic and judicial standing
    • Submit a 300-500 word essay that responds to one of these two questions:
  • • How will SAS create or enhance your personal global perspective?
  • • What are your academic goals, and how will SAS help you to achieve them?
    • Submit a statement of academic purpose to address a compelling academic rationale for participating in SAS as a gap year student, specifically:
  • • Why will the coursework credit gained on Semester at Sea be instrumental to your academic goals?
  • • Why do you want to participate in a Semester at Sea voyage at this time in your academic career?