The Gap Year Association (GYA) is a community committed to advancing the gap year movement through standards of best practice, professional development, research, resources, and advocacy with the ultimate goal of empowering more people to access transformative gap year experiences. We envision a future where gap year experiences are widely accessible and recognized as vital to personal, professional, and educational development. GYA is the Official Standards Development Organization for gap year education in the U.S. as recognized by the U.S. Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission. GYA advances the field of gap year education by collaboratively pioneering research on gap year benefits and trends, as well as providing professional development opportunities and resources for educators in gap year education and intersecting fields. GYA also maintains a robust accreditation process for gap year program providers and consultants.