Gap Year

Do you want to put a personal project into practice or gain new experiences during your studies? Université Bourgogne Europe lets you temporarily suspend your studies for 6 to 12 months to achieve your goals.

What is a gap year ?

DéfiDefinition

The so-called “césure” or gap period is a period during which a student enrolled in a higher education course temporarily suspends it in order to gain personal experience, either independently or with a host organization in France or abroad.

The “césure” may also consist of a semester or an academic year of training in a field other than that of the main course of study.

Duration

The duration of a “césure” varies from 6 to 12 months, and must begin at the same time as a university semester.

Public concerned

All students enrolled in a higher education course are eligible. During the “césure” period, the student is still considered a student, and benefits from most of the rights associated with this status.

Types of gap years

• Training in a field other than that of one’s academic studies
• Internship lasting one academic semester
• Employment on a fixed-term contract
• Volunteer work
• European voluntary service
• Civic service
• Voluntary work for associations or solidarity groups
• Carrying out of an entrepreneurial project under student status
• Volunteering in an administration or company

Find out more about the gap year at https://www.etudiant.gouv.fr

Calendar 2024-2025

For students :

• Departure in the 1st semester or for the whole year 2024-25
  • Application deadline: April 1 to June 30, 2024
• Departure in the 2nd semester 2024-25
  • Application deadline: October 1 to November 29, 2024

For Parcoursup and Mon Master applicants :

• Departure in the 1st semester or for the whole year 2024-25
  • Application deadline: July 19, 2024 and August 19-30, 2024
• Departure in the 2nd semester 2023-24
  • Application deadline: October 1 to November 29, 2024

How do I apply for a gap year?

Students must apply to the Pôle Formation et Vie Universitaire (Academics and University Life Cluster), using a Césure application form.

Included with the application form are:

• a CV,
• a cover letter detailing the project (support from the Pôle Formation et Vie Universitaire is available) and specifying its link with the course of study underway,
• proof of enrollment at the university,
• where possible, an acceptance letter from the host institution.

As a result of its organization, the “césure” system does not appear to be suitable in practice for professional bachelor’s degrees or any other selective course that takes place over one academic year.

For Parcoursup applicants (L1, DEUST, BUT) and Mon Master applicants (access to M1)

Applicants express their wish to take a gap year in their Parcoursup or Mon Master application during the application phase.

Once admitted to a program, applicants must confirm that they wish to take a gap year and submit agap year application. In the registration message, you will find the link to this dedicated page.

The decision is handed down after examination of the documents provided by the teaching staff of the program in which the student is enrolled and/or in which the student will be reintegrated after the gap year:

• The response may be positive with no further conditions: in this case, the university will notify the student of the agreement and the agreement to reintegrate, specify the pedagogical requirements and identify a referent.
• A positive response may be conditional: in particular, if the academic project that follows the gap period concerns a selective-access course, the positive response concerning the gap period is conditional on acceptance into the said course.
• The answer may be negative. In this case, reasons for the refusal must be provided in writing.