Five things to do to get the most out of your gap year
Doing these 5 things will ensure that your gap year becomes a platform for building the future you want.
Read more →APPLICATIONS OPEN 01/11/2026
MAKE YOUR NEXT GAP YEAR
YOUR LAST
We help matriculants like you upgrade their marks, apply for tertiary studies, find employment and create opportunities for themselves and others through entrepreneurship.
THE REALITY FOR MOST MATRICULANTS
Matriculants in South Africa face a lot of challenges, we have the highest unemployment rate in the world and many matriculants have limited access to tertiary education. Many young people in the country have a lack of clarity on what is required for them to find work and succeed.The Kitso Gap Year Program is designed to address those challenges faced by matriculants in the Country and to help them find and create jobs.
0%
Of matriculants are unsure of their career path
0 out of 10
Youth in South Africa are unemployed meaning for every 10 young people you see 6 are not employed
Only0%
of matriculants get accepted into tertiary education institutions
About the KITSO Gap year Program
Kitso Gap Year is an organisation that runs an annual 12 months program in the North West province in South Africa that helps matriculants upgrade their marks, study further, get their first job or start a business all for FREE. We expect our matriculants to achieve atleast one of those objectives by the end of the program.
Our program is hybrid combining online and offline activities. We don't just send pre-recorded courses or a CV template and tell you to apply for jobs. Real impact requires real support, which is why our students work regularly with dedicated mentors and coaches.
Participate in the program and begin the journey to building the life you want to live.
The KITSO GAP YEAR program will be open to matriculants from the class of 2020 to 2026. Applications open 01 October 2026.
Ready to start?
Taking a gap year in 2027?
Join hundreds of matriculants who choose to use their gap year to apply for tertiary education, build skills, gain experience and create opportunities for themselves and others through entrepreneurship. Applications are open.
Our Free Short Courses
Explore our short courses designed to equip you with practical skills and knowledge that you can use to get a job, generate income and start a business.
What We Do
What this program will help you achieve
We make decisions about your future easier by providing structured support, real skills, and meaningful opportunities so that your gap year can become the foundation for building the life you want to live.
01
Apply for tertiary education
It is our belief that all matriculants need to consider getting a post matric qualification, this does not mean you have to go to university or college. There are other options, but you have to recognize that you need to be able to learn, go through an apprenticeship, learnership or some kind of training if you are going to participate in the economy, build the career you want, continue to earn more and increase your salary.
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02
Find your first job
Every matriculant that participate in this program will gain some form of working experience which will be beneficial to you whether you want to study further, go straight in to the world of work or start a business. A large portion of the 220 000 graduates produced by all our tertiary Institutions do not have any meaningful work experience, participating in this program will give you an edge over your peers should you study further as you would be one of the few graduates who would have working experience. It will also help you compete with the graduates for entry level jobs when all you have is your matric certificate and short course certificates you will earn during this program.
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03
Gain certifications
Certificates in general are good, whether you choose to study further or not. They prove to your future employers that you have put in some effort towards understanding the tools and processes associated with a certain discipline. Our Advanced fundamentals of computers course for example offers an independent understanding of commonly used computer programs in the workplace. Our courses are also not just online and with theory but you will get face to face classes as well, where you will get to experience how computers are used the workplace. You will also get an opportunity to put those skills to use during your work experience opportunities.
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04
Start A Business
Starting a business is not a mysterious activity that only a few people can do, everyone can successfully create a business that can generate an income. The problem is that most people do not want to start a business and many of you may feel the same but at the very least you need to be able to generate income for yourself i.e be self employed. The trick with starting a business is you need to sell two things, your time and either goods or your skills, most people do not know what skills and goods they can sell, where they can get them and how to sell them. The goal of our entrepreneurship course is to help you get in a position where you can do all of those things.
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05
Life Skills and personal development
We are heavily invested in ensuring that all our matriculants have the necessary tools required to survive in todays world. Through our mentors, coaches and short courses in Financial literacy, communication, time management and goal setting we will empower you with the resources that will help you face life challenges head on. These challenges may be physical, financial or emotional knowing how and where to look for help in life and in the workplace will help you succeed in life and career. At the end of this program you will have an idea of what type of person you are and what area of who you are and your attitude you need to strengthen to reach your goals.
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From The Blog
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WHAT IS KITSO GAP YEAR?
KITSO is a Free Gap Year Program that helps South African matriculants upgrade their marks, study further, find their first jobs and start their own businesses.
Read more →FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Any matriculant who graduated between 2020 and 2026 can apply. We welcome students from all backgrounds and walks of life.
We offer two core individual courses: Advanced computer fundamentals, Entrepreneurship. Most of our courses are classified under two main course clusters being the skills for income generation and skills for work course clusters. More information about the different courses provided there will be made available after the fifteenth of December.
YES. Applying to the Kitso Gap Year Program is completely free but you have to pay an application fee of R150 rands to reserve your place. The program is completely free.
A gap year done right sets you up for long term success. Our program gives you structure, skills, mentorship and real opportunities ensuring that 2027 will be your last gap year.
You will need your personal details, school information, a list of your subjects and levels obtained, and an image of your matric results.
We have a dedicated tertiary applications track where we help you choose the right institution, prepare your application, and improve your chances of acceptance.
Yes! Our entrepreneurship track is designed to give you practical tools to identify opportunities, build a business plan, and take your first steps as an entrepreneur.