Are you planning to go back to college after a notable duration of break? Then, draft an ideal GAP certificate for you. Its sole intent is to elucidate the reason for and duration of your leave of absence from regular school or college.
In this article, we’ll learn about what is gap certificate, the process of applying for it, its uses, and the reasons behind obtaining one.
What is a gap certificate?
A self-declared certificate of gap year taken out on non-judicial stamp paper with a valid explanation for the student's absence from schooling is known as a gap year certificate.
This certificate gives all the pertinent details about the student, including the causes of the educational gap and enables you to justify your educational gap to prospective employers or educational institutions better.
Table of Contents
- What is a gap certificate?
- Procedure for applying for a gap certificate
- Uses of a gap certificate
- Reasons to take a gap year
You can use a gap certificate as documentation showing you stopped attending school for a predetermined amount of time throughout your regular academic years. You may take a year or longer off from school for a number of reasons.
You can present your gap year certificate to the educational institutions where you wish to enrol when you decide to resume your studies after a hiatus. It is imperative that the gap certificate contain legitimate explanations for your leave of absence from formal schooling.
Also read: Gap year study abroad programs
Procedure for applying for a gap certificate
Applying for a gap certificate is a straightforward process. In general, filling out an affidavit form and sending it to the relevant authorities for approval is the procedure for applying for a gap certificate. The gap certificate will be given to you upon approval.
Following is a step-by-step instruction manual for applying for the certificate:
- Compose your affidavit using MS Word.
- Get a non-judicial e-stamp paper from a registered office, cooperative bank, or court in your area. (The stamp value ranges from INR 20 to INR 200 depending on the school, institution, or organisation.)
- Print the content of the Word document affidavit onto the e-stamp paper.
- Gather the necessary supporting documentation for the gap year application.
- Take the completed, printed affidavit to a notary public to get it attested.
- In front of the notary public, sign the affidavit.
- Every document will be thoroughly examined and modified by the notary public.
- The notary public will sign and seal the paper after the verification is finished, and they’ll then give it to you.
Uses of a gap certificate
In order to continue education after taking a break from a regular course of study, you must obtain a gap year certificate. They submit this certificate along with their application for admission to the next educational institution when they wish to continue their studies.
The following are some uses of a gap certificate:
- Acts as a bridge to higher education
- Aids in seeking further education
- Explains the reason for the gap in your education
- Aids in obtaining a career in the future
- It helps you complete your coursework after a hiatus
- It facilitates job interviews and helps present a positive picture to recruiters
Reasons to take a gap year
The following are a few reasons to take a gap year:
- Reasons pertaining to health
- Personal reasons
- Owing to a pandemic
- To launch a start-up
- To apply to study abroad
- To work and support the family financially
- To prepare for a competitive test
In this article, we learnt about what is a gap certificate. One of the key paperwork required when you return to college after a year or longer sabbatical is a gap certificate. Submitting a gap certificate can help you get accepted and finish your education after a break in your academic career.
You are required to provide your gap certificate according to a predetermined format. This format may vary based on different universities. You need to provide evidence to support your decision to take a break, and the process might take 2-3 days.
Experts from Edvoy can help you with the university application process and the necessary supporting document production.
