Facing the illness/disability of a relative is the daily life of many youths. This situation may lead to take on caring responsibilities like cleaning, cooking, or administering medicine. This major life event is a psychosocial transition which redefine youths world representations (Parkes, 1971) and may be integrated as part of identity (Guichard, 2005). The caring experience will then directly influence, in a conscious or unconscious way, vocational choices by choosing a care-related career or not (Becker & Becker, 2008). Decisions about academic directions and career plans could be directly related to the relative’s illness/disability (e.g., becoming a nutritionist when a parent has diabetes; Thompson et al., 2017). The aim of this study was to investigate how caring experience is associated to vocational choices in higher education. As taking on caring responsibilities may be part of identity, we supposed that this association would be strengthened by self-recognition as helping and supporting a relative with an illness/disability. The sample consisted of 6,767 young adults (77.28% women; Mage = 20.14; SDage = 1.87) recruited in higher education in different fields of study in France. Regarding caring experience, 20.39% had never faced the illness/disability of a relative, 16.43% had faced it in the past, 2.70% had faced it in the past and were still facing it, and 60.47% are currently facing it. First, participants were asked by “yes” or “no” if their vocational choices were shaped by major life events. Second, if they answered “yes”, an open-ended question invited them to explain which major life events. Third, they were asked by “yes” or “no” if they considered helping and supporting a relative with an illness/disability. Preliminary analysis showed, using a Chi-square test with examination of adjusted standard deviation, that young adults who currently face the illness/disability of a relative mainly reported that their vocational choices were influenced by major life events contrary to young adults who faced it in the past or never (χ2 (3) = 210.78, p < .001). Next, to determine the nature and function of major life events, we will use a qualitative analytic strategy in order to highlight major themes. These themes will then be considered regarding current caring responsibilities, self-recognition as helping and supporting a relative with an illness/disability, vocational choices and professional aspirations. Implications for future research as well as for institutional support for young adult carers’ orientation will be discussed.