She temporarily left the sport in 1999 to study English at the Carlisle College.

[3] As of 2012, Yuan Gao moved to Zurich, Switzerland for part-time study of a master of philosophy in sports studies at the University of Stirling with a coaching role at Swiss Badminton.

She also served as a women's ambassador for Badminton World Federation.

[4] Currently she is acting as Performance and Development Coach of Badminton Scotland.

Her father was a football coach and her brother was a professional player of Hubei Province.