Is Gap Acceptable for USA Student Visa?

Check: International Student Visa Guide to USA 

Reasons for Gap Year Accepted at US Universities 

There are various reasons why students choose to take a year-long break or even a longer break. Reasons can vary from student to student. Following are some of the most common gap year reasons among students which may or may not be acceptable at US universities admission: 

Educational Reasons 

• Clearing backlogs of previous educational institutions that bar students from applying for admission to higher education. 
• Results of backlogs being declared at a later date than expected at the previous institution of study. 
• Some students aim to appear for national level exams like UPSC, State PCS, NDA, IBPS, SSC, etc. and hence take a year-break to prepare before appearing for the same. 
• Students who are confused between various options and drop out in the middle of a course to try another one also result in a gap year. The date of the course switch may take a year longer to complete. 
• Those who defer their admission offers for the next year are also considered in the bracket of a gap year in the USA. 

Also, Read: Gap Certificate for Studying Abroad

Professional Reasons 

• Before going for a postgraduation some students might have to gain professional experience, like for MBA in the USA, hence a gap year would be required to cover the experience in their resume. 
• Interning in top companies is an opportunity which basically cannot be missed and add value to the student’s CV. 
• Social work or volunteering activities also are a strong base for gap year reasons, widely acceptable at US universities. 
• Those willing to set up their own businesses may also require some time off which can be a strong reason for a gap year.  

Personal Reasons 

• There can be a strong medical reason which may require students to focus on their health and not being able to attend college is a major reason for a gap year. 
• Unavoidable mishaps in the family of the student can be another reason for a gap year. 
• Not having enough finances to support the education of the student to study in the US can also be considered a strong reason for a gap year. 
• Upskilling before applying for admission and requiring more time to study for entrances required to study in the US may be other personal reasons for a gap year. 

Read more about the cost of studying in the USA and the cost of living in the USA for international students.

How much study gap is acceptable in USA?

Usually, a year-long study gap is acceptable in the USA for international students. However, the applicant must be able to justify the reasons for the study gap while applying to US universities in their admission applications. In case of a study gap of more than one year, applicants may lose a chance to qualify for admission at the US university in question. Applicants must give valid reasons for a study gap that is longer than a year. For study gaps that are very long, but result in the applicant's achievements at large, may be accepted at US universities. 

USA encourages social work at large and allows those students to study at their universities which have shown some exemplary contributions to society. Those who have the right kind of knowledge and experience can aim to study at US universities despite their study gaps, even if they are longer than one year's duration. Overall, it mostly depends on a case-to-case analysis based on the applicant's talents and expertise and how they are admitted or not admitted at US universities. 

US Universities Accepting Gap Year 

How much gap is accepted to study in the USA is one of the major questions that crop up in the minds of students who would apply to US universities with a gap year. The answer to the question is that a one-year gap is acceptable at the top US universities. These universities are as follows: 

US Universities Accepting Gap Year
Princeton University	Harvard University	Yale University
Massachusetts Institute of Technology	Georgia Institute of Technology	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Florida State University	Emory University	New York University
Duke University	University of Oregon	Indiana Wesleyan University
Tufts University	University of Denver	Portland State University
American University	Texas Christian University	James Madison University

The above-given universities in the USA accept only one year of the gap. Some of these universities may also accept a 4-year gap or an 8-year gap based on the case of the student. 

How to Cover Gap for US Student Visa?

The applicants who have had a gap and have to get a thumbs up for their F1 student visa can show:

• Social service experience during gap years
• Go for part-time courses (or teaching)
• Take up relevant extracurricular activities, because they are an essential part of US admission applications.
• In case of medical conditions, ensure to attach relevant medical certificates that are attested. 

These can be a few suggestions which can be useful in covering and gap years for get US student visas. Also you can get in touch with our team of counsellors for help related to such situations. Sign up for free at Shiksha Abroad Counselling.

Check out some of the top scholarships to study in the USA for international students.

 

Applying for Student Visa with a Gap Year in the USA 

Those students who get an offer letter from US universities despite a gap year are eligible to apply for a student visa in the USA. Students while appearing for an interview for their student visa application, should keep the following points noted: 

• Students should have proof of their medical history during the gap year if the reason was medical. 
• Those who were clearing backlogs should carry their updated transcripts or results from the respective high school or university. 
• For professional reasons, proof of work tenure should be carried along if required. 
• The reason for the gap must match the admission application and the interview.  
• If students were enrolled in part-time courses, the relevant certificates should be carried along.  

Finally, make sure that all shreds of evidence provided by the student are authentic and can be attested at a future date if needed by the concerned US university or the Immigration Department.  

Difference Between Deferring Offer & Gap Year in USA 

In the USA, students have the option of deferring their offers or taking a gap year. These are two different terms not used interchangeably and may mean differently in each case. Read on the difference between deferring an offer and a gap year: 

USA Terminology	Deferring Offer in US Universities	Gap Year in US Universities
Meaning	A deferral is when a student decides to delay the start of college for the applied semester.	A gap year is a full-year deferral, often opted while into enrichment, fellowship or another such program.
Total Period	For one semester or two, a total of one year only.	Officially one year, a maximum of 10 years is acceptable.*
How to apply?	Submit the enrollment deposit and confirm to not join any other college or university.	Request for a gap year by submitting an online form, which would require details of plans during the gap year.
Universities Accepting	University of Alabama  Northern Arizona University  California State University  Georgia Tech University  Dickinson College	New York University  Dartmouth College  Harvard University  Yale University  Portland State University
Applicable for	Both domestic and international students	Both domestic and international students on a case-by-case basis.

*Note: Students who have a gap year of more than one year will have to be open and talk about what they did in the gap year. Depending upon the case, the students will be either offered an offer letter or their applications may be rejected at US universities.