The ‘Gap Year’ in Australia: Incidence, Participant Characteristics and Outcomes

I report on the incidence of gap-taking-a year between secondary school and university-and find it has increased from about 10 per cent to almost 25 per cent of recent school-leaver university entrants. Gap-takers have lower school achievement scores than direct entrants. Non-metropolitan students are much more likely to take a gap year. I investigate evidence that gap-takers work in order to access the Youth Allowance benefit. Finally, I compare the course and career progression of gap-takers and non-gappers.