Best Christian Gap Year Programs of 2027 & 2028: How to Choose

Updated: October 2026

Two gap year team members watching a sunset in Namibia

D.J. Morgan Creative & Marketing Director, Experience Mission D.J. Morgan serves as Experience Mission's Creative & Marketing Director, helping connect volunteers to opportunities to serve and grow together on mission trips.

What are the best Christian gap year programs for 2027-2028?

The best Christian gap year program is the one that fits your desire to serve and learn, as well as your age, timeline, and fundraising capability. Experience Mission (EM) offers five IMMERSION Gap Year programs for 2027-2028. They run 6 to 9 months, bringing teams of young adults to serve and grow alongside local partners in communities across the United States, Uganda, Costa Rica, Peru, South Africa, Lesotho, and Namibia.

This guide helps you narrow these five opportunities down, with helpful questions worth asking of any Christian gap year before you commit.

New to the idea? Read what a Christian gap year is.

How do you choose a Christian gap year program?

Start by answering these questions for yourself: how you want to spend your time serving, which programs are open to your age, how many months you can step away from school or work, which communities and languages draw you, and what you can potentially raise and afford. Then ask how a program handles support, safety, and local leadership. The answers usually narrow the options quickly, helping you make an informed decision for your gap year.

Which program fits your age?

The IMMERSION Missions & Discipleship Gap Year is built exclusively for ages 18 to 20. EM's other Gap Year programs are for young adults ages 20 to 30, except the 6-Month Africa trip, which includes a team ranging from 18 to 30.

IMMERSION is for young adults of all walks of life, including current students, recent graduates of high school or college, and young professionals looking to try something new. If you are 18 to 20 and in between high school and college, the Missions & Discipleship Gap Year was designed for that particular season of life.

How long should a gap year be?

It's your year! How you spend it is up to you. The 6-month Gap Year programs cover one school term and cost less, ranging from $12,800 for 6 Months in Africa to $15,000 for 6 Months in South Africa and Costa Rica. Nine month programs cost $19,500 to $19,950, and span the full school year from Fall to early summer (with a break for the holidays), providing participants the longest stretch for relationships, language learning, leadership skills, and personal reflection. Choose the length that suits your plans best!

Which communities and languages draw you?

Only the Missions & Discipleship Gap Year includes communities in the United States: South Texas along the border with Border Perspective and the Navajo Nation in Arizona alongside local churches and ministries. It also serves alongside Another Hope Children's Ministry in Uganda, and with the Bribri community of Shiroles, Costa Rica.

The other four programs all serve internationally in Southern Africa (South Africa, Lesotho, and Namibia) and Latin America (Costa Rica and Peru). Programs spending time in Latin America are the most immersive for language learning and include Spanish classes to help team members engage on a personal level in communities where English is scarce.

Check out each of EM's Christian gap year programs to learn more about the communities your team could visit and what you will do to serve and learn on the ground.

What can you raise and afford?

Costs for 2027-2028 range from $12,800 to $19,950, depending on length and communities. Program fees cover most costs for team members during the trip, including international flights, food, housing, in-country staffing, training, and visas. Team members only need to plan separately for immunizations, necessary clothes and gear, travel to training and home from debrief, and a passport if you don't already have one.

Most team members cover the cost of their Gap Year through a mix of fundraising, personal funds, and help from family. EM connects each team member with an IMMERSION Fundraising Coach, a personal fundraising profile on EM's website (with tax-deductible donations for donors), and our best fundraising ideas, outlined in EM's IMMERSION Fundraising Guide.

How do faith and denomination fit?

EM is an interdenominational Christian organization, and team members from all denominations and backgrounds are welcome to join IMMERSION Gap Year programs (including Catholic young adults!). No one is asked to sign or agree to a particular statement of faith. EM's Statement of Faith is a public statement of what EM believes and what teams are stepping into as part of this trip. Applicants are asked about their faith in the application and interview process as a way to talk about how they hope to grow in their life and faith along their Gap Year journey.

EM's 2027-2028 Gap Year programs at a glance

The list below outlines each 2027-2028 IMMERSION Gap Year program with its age range, length, dates, communities, and cost:

Missions & Discipleship Gap Year - Ages 18-20; 9 months (Sept. 16, 2027 to June 22, 2028); South Texas, Navajo Nation (Arizona), Uganda, Costa Rica; $19,950.
9-Month Costa Rica / Africa - Ages 20-30; 9 months (Aug. 23, 2027 to June 29, 2028); Costa Rica, South Africa, Lesotho, Namibia; $19,500.
9-Month Peru / Africa - Ages 20-30; 9 months (Aug. 23, 2027 to June 29, 2028); Peru, South Africa, Lesotho, Namibia; $19,500.
6-Month South Africa / Costa Rica - Ages 20-30; 6 months (Aug. 23, 2027 to Mar. 30, 2028); South Africa, Costa Rica; $15,000.
6-Month Africa - Ages 18-30; 6 months (Jan. 10 to June 29, 2028); South Africa, Lesotho, Namibia; $12,800.

Open each program page for the full itinerary and current available dates, or compare all five by checking out Christian gap year programs.

What questions should you ask any gap year program?

Whichever program you consider, make sure you know how a program works day-to-day before signing up:

Typical week - What does a regular week include for service, learning, rest, and reflection?
Full budget - What does the program fee cover, and which costs fall outside it?
Support - Who walks with team members through this experience when team members encounter homesickness, conflict, or unexpected changes in plans?
Concerns - How do team members and families raise concerns about the program? Who responds and how quickly?
Local leadership - Who will Gap Year teams partner alongside? Who identifies the service opportunities? What ministry continues after the team leaves a community?
Safety - How are leaders trained to handle emergencies and a team of independent young adults? What is in place in terms of insurance and emergency plans?
Next step after the program - Do they provide any guidance for what comes next? (If you are looking to defer college, ask the school directly about deferral or possible college credit for participating in the program!)

EM staff answer these during your initial interest call and interview, and the Gap Year FAQs on Christian gap year programs cover safety, communication, and costs. For a wider checklist of things to consider, read 10 questions to ask before choosing a mission trip.

What is EM's approach to a Gap Year?

IMMERSION Gap Year teams are encouraged to think less about "what will I do?" and more about "How will I live?" Spending more than a month in each community gives participants the time and space to build real, lasting relationships that mean so much more than any measurable project to be completed. In this vein, team members are trained to not see themselves as the center of the story, to arrive as guests and learners, and to see each person as made in the Image of God. IMMERSION teams join work that local community partners are already involved in year-round and practice healthy service together, guided by EM's 7 Healthy Service Principles. We call this approach "joining a community in motion."

We hope you get the chance to serve in Uganda, where team members serve alongside Daniel and Ruth Kasozi at Another Hope Children's Ministry. Or in South Africa, where EM Africa staff lead each trip and bring teams into partnership with local organizations like KAIROS, Jeria Sending, and Vastfontein Community Transformation.

To kick off each 6- or 9-month experience, the team gathers together in the U.S. for 4-5 days of training, team building, and reflection. Before they set out to places across the globe, team members begin building healthy cross-cultural relationships within their team and looking ahead to those they will meet on the ground.

What if you want a 'gap semester' instead of a gap year?

EM's IMMERSION programs also run for 1 and 3 months. A 3-month program covers about one semester, and many team members use it as a "gap semester" taking time off school or as one portion of a year-long "gap year" they design on their own. If a full semester is too long, explore 1-month IMMERSION programs in the Summer or Fall.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need mission trip experience to join a Gap Year program?

No! EM's Gap Year programs welcome first-time participants as well as young adults with more experience serving internationally. Training and team building happen before you depart, and team leaders and local partners guide your team once you arrive. That's not to say IMMERSION won't be challenging. These gap year programs will break you out of your comfort zone and force you to see the world in a new way. That's why it's crucial your team and team leader are there to support you along the journey.

What is Healthy & Responsible Service?

Can I choose which communities I serve in?

Each Gap Year program follows a set route, so choosing a program means choosing its communities. If you are deciding between programs, an IMMERSION staff member can help you match your goals to the right one after you submit an interest form.

How big is a Gap Year team?

IMMERSION teams are made up of 5 to 15 young adults from across the U.S. and Canada. The Missions & Discipleship Gap Year and 6-Month Africa stay with one team across every community, while other Gap Year terms combine 3- or 6-month legs, which are open to additional team members. Over the course of your program, you may be part of 2 distinct teams, with a few fellow Gap Year participants traveling and serving along the same track.

Take the next step!

Explore EM's Christian gap year programs, compare upcoming dates and costs, read through reviews from past team members, and submit a Gap Year interest form when you're ready to learn more and apply to join. A member of the IMMERSION staff will follow up to talk through your goals and help you find the right fit!

About the Author

D.J. Morgan serves as Experience Mission's Creative & Marketing Director, helping connect volunteers to opportunities to serve and grow together on mission trips.