Before and beyond college, Baret Scholars explores 7 regions of the world, their passions, and their purpose.
Baret Scholars is a global gap year program that brings together a cohort of 180 gap year students from around the world to journey across 7 regions (North and South America, Europe, Africa, Middle East, India, and China/Asia), over 180 days, in a semi-structured and self-guided gap year experience.
This will be their best year yet
Baret Scholars is a global learning journey for students taking time before or during college to explore the world with purpose. Over 10 months, students live and learn in seven world regions: New York, São Paulo, Paris, Istanbul, Nairobi, Delhi, and Beijing.
Inspired by Jeanne Baret—the first woman to circumnavigate the globe—the program fosters global awareness, cultural fluency, and personal growth through immersive, place-based learning.
Each city features a Morning Program with speakers ranging from Pulitzer-winning journalists to climate scientists and local activists, offering insight into career paths and regional challenges and perspectives.
Afternoons are open for Independent Exploration—volunteering, language study, local travel—and Seminars, like Starting Things, a class on entrepreneurship led by Baret’s founder, or Creative Writing, taught by one of our Fellows.
Each region ends with a Fellowship, a 7-day thematic deep dive in small groups. Recent examples include examining Brexit and post-colonial politics in London, climbing Kilimanjaro while studying conservation in Tanzania, and supporting tiger preservation in Madhya Pradesh.
Throughout the year, students are guided by a full-time Fellow through a structured advising program. The year culminates in a Capstone Project—a personal expression of each student’s global learning journey.
Baret Scholars offers a truly global, structured, and inspiring gap year—not a break from education, but a powerful extension of it.
Reviews For Baret Scholars Gap Year Program (3)
To be honest I find...
Reviewed
on Oct/16/2025
To be honest, I find it very difficult to describe the programme in a few words. You will be travelling a lot and experiencing life out of a suitcase. At the same time, you have the chance to see the world from the perspective of the people who actually live there and build up unforgettable friendships. We have all encountered difficulties ranging from loneliness to deciding where to do your laundry. However, I am sure that everyone who embarks on the journey will overcome these challenges. Ultimately, it will help you grow. It has influenced the way I think and interact with people. It has changed the way I look at the world and my values. If you want to know more about it, please don't hesitate to send me an email :)(m.sturm@baretscholars.org)
A transformative experience that allowed...
Reviewed
on Oct/14/2025
A transformative experience that allowed me to understand and observe the world and how societies interact. It gave me perspective and helped me further develop my passions through an insightful exposure to different fields from experts in culture, film, politics and more.
My experience with Baret Scholars...
Reviewed
on Sep/22/2025
My experience with Baret Scholars was nothing short of life-changing. From the very beginning, I had access to some of the best teachers I've ever met and connected with them on a deeper level. They were all knowledgeable, inspiring, and genuinely invested in my personal growth. The program went above and beyond in every aspect, even down to accommodation; staying only in the best hotels in town made the journey not just educational but also deeply comfortable and enjoyable.
What impressed me the most was how Baret Scholars encouraged real-world impact and following and discovering "your personal journey". By the end of the program, I was able to establish my own NGO. The combination of top-tier mentorship, world-class living arrangements, and meaningful opportunities for social contribution makes Baret Scholars truly exceptional.
I can confidently say it was one of the coolest and most transformative experiences of my life and it will boost your life, your CV, but most importantly, yourself.
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To be honest, I find it very difficult to describe the programme in a few words. You will be travelling a lot and experiencing life out of a suitcase. At the same time, you have the chance to see the world from the perspective of the people who actually live there and build up unforgettable friendships. We have all encountered difficulties ranging from loneliness to deciding where to do your laundry. However, I am sure that everyone who embarks on the journey will overcome these challenges. Ultimately, it will help you grow. It has influenced the way I think and interact with people. It has changed the way I look at the world and my values. If you want to know more about it, please don't hesitate to send me an email :)(m.sturm@baretscholars.org)