Gap Year at GRC - Get a taste of American education and culture

Create your own academic adventure starting at Green River College

Done with high school but for ready for university? Excited about studying in America but not willing to commit yourself to a full degree yet? The Gap Year programme at Green River College provides the perfect opportunity to get a taste of American higher education and experience American culture. In this programme, you will enjoy a combination of interactive classes, travelling and extra-curricular activities.

We offer our students a flexible education. You can choose to spend 3, 6 or 9 months with us. You can also choose your study location to match your personality and travel ambitions. Spend the first three months at Green River, and then attend college in California, Hawaii, or Australia and New Zealand.

Depending upon the courses taken and the policies of the receiving university, you may be able to transfer some credits from Green River College’s Gap Year programme to your undergraduate degree.

On-campus student dormitories are available for all students of our "Gap Year" programme. Living amongst your peers is an excellent opportunity to enjoy a dynamic learning environment. You will experience community, personal growth and the development of special friendships. In addition, Grreen River provides a full array of student services, including airport pickups, peer mentoring and excellent onsite sport facilities.

Four unique gap year experiences. Choose the one that’s right for you.

1. Washington

What you can expect from the programme:

• Combine language and academic studies
• Study abroad for 3, 6 or 9 months
• Transfer to a world-class university for a BA degree
• Achieve complete language fluency
• Network with students from over 60 countries

Seattle has long been the home and inspiration of great musicians like Kurt Cobain, Jimi Hendrix, and more recently Macklemore. In addition, Seattle hosts some major cutting edge industries like Amazon, Microsoft, Boeing and Starbucks. This mix of die-hard live music fans and young professionals makes taking courses in the Seattle area a fantastic cultural experience, whatever your interests.

Green River College, just 45 minutes from the city centre, is located in Auburn, Washington. The campus is surrounded by forests and natural beauty making it an idyllic and peaceful place to study.

When the weekend comes around, Green River is not far from great movie and arts scenes; renowned symphony, opera, ballet and theatre companies; professional sports teams (Seahawks and Sounders); a variety of restaurants; vibrant cultural and music festivals; and great outdoor adventures for hiking, biking, boating, and skiing.

2. California

What you can expect from the programme:

• Opportunities to participate in over 70 campus activities
• Campus life
• Travel
• California in the winter
• Career discover programs
• Sample academic classes

The Green River to California Gap Year program is designed to provide a nine-month (September to May) learning experience at two colleges on the west coast of the United States. Students spend the first quarter at Green River College (September - December) and then 1 semester (January - May) at Santa Barbara City College.

3. Hawaii

What you can expect from the programme:

• Opportunities to participate in over 70 campus activities
• Campus life
• Travel
• Hawaii in the winter
• Career discover programs
• Sample academic classes

The Green River to Hawaii Gap Year Program is designed to provide a nine-month (September to May) learning experience at two colleges in the United States. Students spend the first quarter at Green River College (September - December) and then 1 semester (January - May) at Kapi'olani Community College in Honolulu, Hawaii.

4. Australia/New Zealand

What you can expect from the programme:

• January - March
• All inclusive tuition and housing!
• Opportunities to participate in over 70 campus activities
• Campus life
• Travel
• Australia/New Zealand in the winter. Winter in the U.S. and Europe is summer in Australia and New Zealand
• Career discover programs
• Sample academic classes

The Green River to Australia/New Zealand Gap Year program is designed to provide a ten month (September to June) learning experience in the United States, Australia and New Zealand. Students spend the first quarter at Green River College (September - December) and then 10 weeks in Australia and New Zealand (January - March) and then return to Green River for their third quarter.

How to apply

• Completed application
• Financial statement
• Secondary school graduate or 17+ years of age

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