TURN YOUR GAP YEAR INTO COLLEGE CREDIT & USE YOUR 529 PLAN TO DO IT!

Dynamy Internship Year is proudly accredited by the Gap Year Association (GYA). The GYA offers college credits through the University of Montana (UM) to students taking gap time with accredited gap year programs such as Dynamy. Students enrolled in an online course at UM can earn up to 6 college credits per semester, in turn making 529 Savings Plans applicable to the full cost of Dynamy tuition—making your internship experience not just life-changing, but college-credit eligible!

Follow the steps below or reach out to our admissions team to learn how to make your 529 Plan work for your gap year at Dynamy!

step 1 – Complete your Online Application, admissions interviews, and get accepted to Dynamy!

step 2 – After you’ve been accepted, let our admissions team know you plan to use a 529 Savings Plan to cover your tuition. From there, we will add the $1,950 UM flat fee to your invoice.

step 3 – Sign and return a UM College Credit Registration Form. Dynamy will provide this in the weeks leading up to Opening Day.

step 4 – GYA and UM will contact students directly with course information, next steps, and work with you throughout the semester.

step 5 – Participate in the course, complete assignments, and submit all work within 30 days of the end of the semester.

step 6 – Once official grading is complete, the UM Registrar will create your official UM Transcript. Students typically receive these within 2-4 weeks of grades being submitted by the GYA instructor.

Eligible Courses Offered

For a flat fee of $1950 Dynamy students can earn up to 6 college credits per semester from UM that will be available for transfer. Taking one or more courses allows you to pay for your full Dynamy Internship Year tuition through your 529 Savings Plan. Please note that students will not receive a tuition statement form (Form 1098-T) for receiving college credit. In lieu of a Form 1098-T, it is recommended that you maintain proof of payment to Dynamy and documentation of enrollment with the University of Montana in the form of a student Id number and/or official transcripts.

Listed below are the courses available for college credit and the use of a 529 Savings Plan:

CTE 298 | DOMESTIC INTERNSHIP (first semester)

This internship program is designed to provide students with hands-on domestic experience in a wide range of industries (including journalism, graphic design, creative writing, marketing, finance, etc.). Interns will work closely with mentors and professionals within their chosen field and engage in various projects to enhance their skills and understanding of their assigned area of work experience and career development.

Coursework includes: maintaining a blog, submitting a short video, and writing a final report about your internship experience. Additionally, internship courses require a mid-point check-in with your Instructor of Record, a self-evaluation, and an evaluation from your internship supervisor.

CTE 191 | INTRO TO LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT (second semester)

This course provides experiential learning opportunities for undergraduate students participating in study-away programs. The course is designed to introduce students to the principles, theories, and practices of leadership development. Through a combination of theoretical frameworks, self-reflection, and practical applications to lived experiences, students will gain insights into effective leadership strategies, communication skills, and ethical decision-making. The course facilitates critical self-assessments of students’ leadership styles, and examines successful leadership qualities in various personal and professional contexts.

Coursework includes: guided journal reflections, a selected reading, active participation in a program’s “contact hours” (cultural excursions, language immersion, site visits, service learning projects, service/volunteer work, etc.), and a final paper to be completed after the program. Your experiences during your gap year program will help to inform your journal entries and final paper, which is the final course assignment that you will complete once you return home.

COLS 191 | SELF & CULTURE IN EXPERIENTIAL COHORTS (second semester)

This course provides experiential learning opportunities for undergraduate students participating in study-away programs. The course is designed to use a student’s real-world experiences as a foundation for understanding fundamental principles of communication, relationship-building, cultural development, and other group dynamics within an experiential cohort-based program. Students will engage in self-reflection and explore group dynamics in various contexts, gaining essential skills for personal and professional communication while examining the particular dynamics of a cohort-based experience in various cultural settings. Through readings, reflections, and applications to real-world examples, students will examine the roles that culture, identity, and communication play in cohort formation within personal, academic, and/or professional settings.

Coursework includes: guided journal reflections, a selected reading, active participation in a program’s “contact hours” (cultural excursions, language immersion, site visits, service learning projects, service/volunteer work, etc.), and a final paper to be completed after the program. Your experiences during your gap year program will help to inform your journal entries and final paper, which is the final course assignment that you will complete once you return home.

Recommended

As a safety measure, the Gap Year Association and Dynamy Internship Year strongly recommend that students/families consult with their tax professional and/or fund manager to verify that expenses are considered qualified and allowable. If you intend to use a 529 Savings Plan to fund your gap year or semester, please let Dynamy know as soon as possible so we can initiate the necessary arrangements with the Gap Year Association and the University of Montana.

Additionally, it is recommended that students on a formal gap year deferral consult with their deferred college before taking ANY college courses during their gap year. Each college’s deferral policy can differ regarding earning credits from other colleges and universities during a deferred enrollment period.

Please visit the GYA frequently asked questions page here for more details on the college credits process.

Gap Year Association College Credit Option

Frequently Asked Questions

Have questions? Our admissions team is always here to help—reach out to learn how to make your 529 Plan work for your gap year at Dynamy! Contact us at admissions@dynamy.org