The Gap Year Association (GYA) holds the official Standards Development Organization title for Gap Year Organizations in the United States as recognized by the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Federal Trade Commission. GYA develops standards of best practices and offers professional accreditation for both Gap Year Programs and Gap Year Consultants. 

Gap Year Consultants are professional advisors who work one-on-one with students to plan intentional gap year experiences. Accredited Gap Year Consultants are very specialized in their gap year expertise and have gone through a rigorous review process in order to demonstrate proven core competencies in gap year planning and advising. 

The GYA Accredited Consultant Pre-Application serves to assess the eligibility of an applicant before investing a significant amount of time and resources in the accreditation process. It helps both the applicant and GYA to determine if there is a good fit before proceeding further with the formal application process.

In order to become a GYA Accredited Consultant, a consultant must demonstrate proficiency in the entire process of gap year advising and requires:

• An active and engaged membership with GYA
• Demonstration of on-going professional development
• Proper business insurance and registration
• Advising of at least 125 gap year students for initial accreditation (at least 60 of the client profiles must include independent, semi-structured or non-GYA accredited program experiences)
• Submission of a professional resume and letter of recommendation speaking to your gap year advising experience (required only for consultants applying for intial accreditation)

Additionally, each Accredited Consultant must demonstrate a commitment to student preparation and support, intentional mentorship, risk management, program and experience vetting, and a dedication to the field of gap year education.

In order to emphasize the importance of individual relationship-building with students and families, each individual consultant must pass the accreditation process to become an Accredited Gap Year Consultant, even if they work within an agency of other accredited consultants.

Upon accreditation, a gap year consultant is issued GYA’s Seal of Accreditation and featured on GYA’s Accredited Consultant webpage, among other benefits.

Upon receiving a Pre-Application submission, GYA will respond to all applicants within ten business days. Applicants who meet the pre-application eligibility criteria will be invited to sign an engagement letter, pay an accreditation application fee, and begin the full application process. 

The total accreditation fee for Gap Year Consultants is $1,000 for a solo practitioner and $750 per person for consultancy with more than one accredited consultant. Accreditation fees are only due during review years (once every four years). Accredited Consultant Annual Member Dues are separate from accreditation fees and are paid annually at the rate of: $300 / organization + $100 for each additional consultant. 

Please reach out to info@gapyearassociation.org or 406-201-5389 with any questions. 

Accredited Gap Year Consultants must be actively engaged in the gap year field. The evolving nature of student experiences requires that consultants continue refining their understanding of contemporary student needs, experiential education, and advancements in risk management.

6. New applicants seeking their Initial GYA Accreditation are required to self-report their experience working with at least 125 gap year students. At least 60 of the client profiles must include Independent, Semi-structured, or non-GYA accredited program experiences, as described in the Gap Year Consultant Referral Categories. This requirement ensures that Accredited Gap Year Consultants possess the skills required for making referrals beyond just GYA Accredited programs.

Currently Accredited Consultant applicants renewing their accreditation are required to self-report their experience working with at least 60 gap year students in the past four years. At least 20 of the client profiles must include Independent, Semi-structured, or non-GYA accredited program experiences, as described in the Gap Year Consultant Referral Categories. 

Every applicant should use this template to verify the required information about gap year clients that you have served. 

10. GYA requires Accredited Gap Year Consultants to register their businesses with their state and local governments. 

11. GYA requires Accredited Gap Year Consultants to be properly insured based upon the size and scope of their practice. Maintaining professional liability insurance (also called Errors & Omissions insurance) protects businesses against claims of mistakes, negligence, inadequate work, inaccuracies, misrepresentation or similar allegations. General Liability insurance provides coverage at your office related to customer injuries, property damage, or copyright infringement and advertising injuries.