Are you planning to resume your education after taking some significant time off? For various reasons, you may have taken a break from your studies. When it’s time to resume them, you need to produce a gap certificate or affidavit to explain the reason and duration of your break. You may need it to retake an exam, prepare for competitive tests, apply abroad, or set up a business. In this blog, we will discuss a gap certificate's details- its meaning, significance, format, and sample.
Highlights:
-
Reasons Why a Gap Certificate is Necessary: This document validates your gap and can be crucial for your university applications/job search/competitive exams after the gap.
-
Documents Required for a Gap Certificate: ID proof, citizenship proof, current address proof, school leaving certificate, validation letter from last institution, transcripts
-
Format of a Gap Certificate: Personal information, educational qualifications, duration and reasons for the gap, signature and date, certification by the public notary
If you’re aiming to apply abroad after taking gap years but don’t know where to start, don’t worry- Yocket has your back! We provide personalized counseling and assistance to help you get into your dream college overseas. We have successfully secured admits for 10,000+ students to top colleges around the world. Explore Yocket Premium to access our services!
Table of Contents |
What is a Gap Certificate?
A gap certificate is a certificate of self-declaration issued on non-judicial stamp paper. It states that you have taken a gap from your regular education, the duration of the gap, and the reasons for it.
Where to Get the Gap Certificate?
You can obtain your gap certificate from educational institutions or courts after getting it checked and signed by a notary public. It usually takes a few days to be issued and is highly recommended for applications abroad for your higher education.
Why Do You Need a Gap Certificate?
If you have taken one or many gap years, or a significant break from your education, you will probably need a gap certificate to resume your studies. This certificate validates your gap, clearly states the duration of your gap, and explains the reasons behind it. This is a key document necessary for applications to universities or jobs, setting up a business, retaking an exam, or preparing for other tests.
Format of a Gap Certificate
A gap certificate does not have a fixed format- it depends on the specifications of the institution and the organization issuing it. But there are some details and pieces of information that every gap certificate must contain. Below you can find the details that must be present in every certificate.
- Personal information of the applicant: your name, date of birth, and permanent address
- Educational details of the applicant: your place of last education, year of last educational qualification, most recent status of education
- Duration of the gap: period for which you have taken a gap from education
- Reason/s for the gap: detailed information about the reasons for the gap (eg: health issues, travel, test preparation)
- Desired university/institution: name of the institution you wish to apply for
- Date of application: date when you applied for the gap certificate
- Signatures: your signature and the advocate’s signature
Documents Necessary for a Gap Certificate
There are various documents and paperwork you must submit while applying for a gap certificate. We have listed below all the documents you need to obtain a legal gap affidavit.
- ID Proof: proof of your identification, such as your Aadhar card, voter ID card, PAN card, or driver’s license
- School or College Leaving Certificate: a certificate stating you have completed your school or college education and have officially left the institution
- Validation Letter from Last School: a letter from your last attended school validating your gap and reasons for taking it
- Proof of Residential Address: proof of your current address, such as the Aadhar card, passport, rental agreement, or lease
- Citizenship Proof: documents proving your citizenship, like the Aadhar card, passport, or nationality certificate
- Transcripts/Marksheets from Last Exam: the mark sheet detailing your performance in your last exam
- Proof of Work Experience: a certificate proving any work experience you may have
How to Apply for a Gap Certificate?
You must apply for and obtain your gap certificate after getting it signed and stamped by a public notary. This will make it a certified affidavit. Here’s a detailed guide on how to apply for this certificate.
- Step-1: Write your affidavit declaring your gap duration and other aforementioned details in Word format.
- Step-2: Buy a non-judicial e-stamp paper from a register office, bank, or court. The value of the stamp ranges between INR 20 and 200.
- Step-3: Print the written affidavit from its original Word format onto the stamp paper.
- Step-4: Get all your supporting documents ready, as mentioned above.
- Step-5: Go to a nearby court and present your affidavit to a public notary.
- Step-6: Sign your affidavit in the presence of the public notary.
- Step-7: Get all your documents checked by the notary public.
- Step-8: After checking, the notary public will sign and stamp the affidavit, completing the process.
Sample of a Gap Certificate
You must draft your gap certificate formally and concisely, sticking to the necessary points and stating the reason and duration of your gap clearly. Given below is a sample gap certificate. You can alter it according to the specifications of the university or organization you’re applying for.
Here’s a sample of a gap certificate:
Gap Certificate Affidavit
(on stamp paper)
I, [YOUR NAME], daughter/son of [FATHER’S/MOTHER’S NAME], born on [DATE OF BIRTH], and currently residing at [YOUR COMPLETE CURRENT ADDRESS], hereby solemnly affirm and declare that:
I have completed [LAST COMPLETED DEGREE, COURSE DETAILS, QUALIFICATION, AND AGGREGATE SCORE].
Afterwards, I was unable to attend [NAME OF INSTITUTION] for [GAP DURATION] due to [REASONS FOR THE GAP].
I have taken a gap from [BEGINNING DATE OF THE GAP] to [END DATE OF THE GAP] and solemnly confirm that I have neither engaged in any criminal activity nor been punished or had a case pending in a Court of Law.
Declared on [DATE].
[APPLICANT’S SIGNATURE]
Verification:
[VERIFICATION STATEMENT BY THE NOTARY PUBLIC CONFIRMING NO DOCUMENT IS FALSE OR ILLEGAL]
[VERIFICATION DATE]
Solemn declaration and signature in my presence on [DATE] after verification of all documents and contents of the affidavit
Signature and Stamp of the Notary
From the Desk of Yocket
A gap certificate or affidavit is necessary if you are restarting your education or career after taking some significant time off. Institutions require this certificate to know the details of your gap, its duration, and the reasons for it. It is an important document and this guide has detailed its significance and how to apply for it.
If you’re planning to restart your studies after a gap, Yocket is the perfect place to start! Our consultants are here to assist you every step of the way and make your study abroad dreams come true. Hop on a call with our counselors today!
