Gap Year

DTS is a two-part catalyst for your faith:

Lecture Phase: Deepen your relationship with God through world-class teaching and hands-on ministry.
Outreach Phase: Take what you've learned to the ends of the earth.

In Asheville, your training goes beyond the desk. You’ll serve on the front lines: from food truck evangelism and anti-trafficking efforts to building life-changing relationships with local at-risk youth.

DTS students also have the option to select a "track" to participate in. The Fall 2026 DTS tracks are Outdoor Adventure, Worship, Justice, and Create.

•Let Jesus transform every part of your life⁠

•Get outside your comfort zone and really live⁠

•Make intentional and intimate friendships⁠

•Experience worship, prayer, and intercession⁠

•Participate in local ministry and learn to serve the city you’re in⁠

•Travel someplace new to tell and show people about Jesus⁠

•Finally have time set aside to spend in the Bible

•Find a safe place to ask questions⁠

•Get world-class training on things you’ve been craving to know more about⁠

•Experience freedom and growth in ways you never knew possible⁠

•Engage in 24/7 life-changing discipleship⁠

•Have the chance to focus JUST on Jesus for 5 whole months!⁠

Refine and Grow Your Leadership

It’s time to build your toolkit and take your leadership, communication, and ministry skills to the next level.

Refining Your Calling: Identify your unique gifts and learn how to apply them in ministry settings and beyond.
Practical Leadership: Receive hands-on mentoring and training in project management, teaching, and pioneering new initiatives, including an international mission trip.
Deepening the Word: Transition from being a student of the Bible to an effective communicator of its truths.
Put It All To Use: SOMD aims to give students as many opportunities to lead as possible. This will include participating in ministry strategizing, preparations, and planning, prayer and intercession, and much more. By the end of outreach, SOMD students will have a solid understanding of what it takes to effectively lead a team, make gospel-informed decisions, and apply Biblical principles to everyday life.

WHY DO A GAP YEAR AT YWAM ASHEVILLE?

At YWAM Asheville, you will get to know God, learn to hear and recognize God’s voice, and begin to uncover His purposes for your life. You’re probably searching for the best gap year locations, or maybe the cheapest YWAM DTS. There are tons of YWAM DTS locations in the USA alone, and hundreds around the world. We believe that the Lord will lead you to the best YWAM location for you through prayer. We urge you to choose your YWAM DTS location based on the guidance of the Holy Spirit alone. That being said, here are just a few reasons we are proud of our YWAM base and the schools we run here!

Our base size allows us to be a close-knit community of friends. Because our YWAM DTS sizes are more intimate, we have a greater staff-to-student ratio, meaning more available and accessible leadership/discipleship. You will know all of your classmates and staff by name, and will be able to create deep friendships with each other. You will have ample access to base leadership, lecture speakers, elective leaders, school staff, and your one-on-one.

Here at YWAM Asheville, we believe that every Christian is called into a life-long apprenticeship of Jesus. This involves learning from those who have gone before us, those who are walking alongside us, and those who are following after us. We believe that love-filled, intentional, and committed discipleship allows believers to grow into the person God has made them to be. During a YWAM DTS at YWAM Asheville, you will be called higher, loved deeply, and purposefully guided in the ways of Jesus.

2026 DTS: September 27th, 2026 - February 27th, 2027

2027 SOMD: Coming Soon!

DTS Lecture Phase: 4 payments of $999

DTS Outreach Phase: 4 Payments of $999

*Payments are not due all at once. You can pay as you go and come as you are! These payments cover your entire YWAM DTS.

Why is it so expensive?

Glad you asked. YWAM Asheville prides itself in running top-quality schools that allow our students to have a premium experience. This price point affords YWAM Asheville DTS students ample wholesome meals and snacks, comfortable and safe housing, reliable transportation, top-notch speakers and teachers, in a highly sought-after location.

Looking for the cheapest YWAM DTS? We get it. It can be tempting to want to go to the cheapest YWAM DTS you can find. Know that things like food and housing quality may begin to decline as the DTS cost does depending on the base. We deeply urge you to decide which DTS to attend through prayer and intentionally seeking God’s will. The best YWAM DTS location for you is the one God calls you to.

Coming Soon

Outreach locations vary for every DTS! Students in the application process will be made aware of locations being considered for their school before arrival. If you want more info about the different locations we take our teams, fill out the message form at the bottom of the page.

To apply for your gap year at YWAM Asheville, first apply for our DTS. Upon graduation, you will be free to apply for the SOMD.

Once you’ve completed the initial portion of your YWAM DTS application, we will send you an email with a few other forms we’ll need to complete your acceptance. This includes 3 references and a medical evaluation. NO APPLICATION FEE is required!

Once we’ve gotten all that from you, it’ll just take us 1-2 days to pray over and process your application. Simple! Click HERE to start!

Weekly one-on-ones & discipleship
Practical tools that empower you to process what you’re learning
Ministry & evangelism
Engage with Scripture in new ways
Enter into an existing culture of respect, gratitude, joy, and healthy boundaries
Learn and practice life-giving communication
Join in tending to the community property and tasks
Enjoy community meals that lay a foundation for celebration and connection
Homework & reading assignments
Experience community worship & intercession
Rhythms of rest and personal time with God
Be challenged and stretched almost every day

To be wholeheartedly present
A desire to grow, take risks, & learn
Humility towards God & others
Readiness to practice vulnerability
To embrace the gift of friendship
Punctuality & respect

An average day during the YWAM DTS Lecture phase begins with a time of individual morning devotionals. After breakfast, DTS students will begin their classroom time with worship or prayer, followed by lecture, which is typically 3 hours each day. There are snacks and coffee breaks throughout lectures. After lecture, students may join in a time of local ministry, study time, or community responsibilities. Here at YWAM Asheville, we also offer electives that allow students to experience Jesus in unique ways throughout the week. After all of that, it’s home for dinner, maybe some homework, and fun with friends. During Outreach Phase, the schedule changes quite a bit. But there will still be regular times of worship, prayer, ministry, and fun!

There are so many ways to creatively cover your YWAM DTS cost! Here are 7 ideas:

I came into DTS feeling stuck with where I was on my walk with Christ, but during DTS I was able to grow more in my faith than ever before. I came into DTS with a lot of resentment and unforgiveness that I didn’t know was holding me back, until Freedom and Identity week when I realized forgiveness is one of the keys to freedom, and now I am able to walk out in that.

In DTS I learned a lot about God's character and nature, and how that applies to me. I was able to apply that and communicate it on outreach to make God known to others. DTS was very helpful in establishing a good foundation for practicing a Christian life practically.

Coming into DTS I wanted to solve the problem of not feeling able to share the gospel. I thought I was unworthy, but that’s kind of the whole point of the gospel. I alone am not worth,y but the Holy Spirit within me is enough. DTS has helped solve the problem of feeling inadequate. By learning practical tools and having personal encounters with the Holy Spirit, I have grown more confident.

I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to do my DTS at YWAM Asheville. Every day they made an effort to be like family to us. They constantly supported and encouraged us and gave it their all to make sure our time there was special.