Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders (YALI)
U.S. Department of State (implemented by IREX)
Flagship U.S. exchange for Sub-Saharan African leaders aged 25-35: a six-week Leadership Institute at a U.S. university (Business, Civic Engagement or Public Management). Ghana is eligible, but the official site says no Fellowship will run in 2026 and no 2027 call is announced.
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Eligibility
- Who can apply
- Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon and 44 more
- Education required
- None
- Age
- from 25 up to 35 (Between 25 and 35 as of the application deadline; exceptional applicants aged 21-24 considered)
- Fields
- Leadership, Business, Public policy
- Language
- Proficient in reading, writing and speaking English
- Residency
- Must be a citizen of AND resident in one of the eligible Sub-Saharan African countries; not a U.S. citizen or permanent resident
- Also required
- Proven record of leadership in business, civic engagement or public service and commitment to community service
- Commitment to return to Africa after the Fellowship
- Not an alumnus/alumna of the Mandela Washington Fellowship
- Not an employee or immediate family member of an employee of the U.S. Government
- Semi-finalists must present an international passport or government-issued photo ID at interview
About this opportunity
The Mandela Washington Fellowship, flagship of the Young African Leaders Initiative, has brought up to 700 young leaders a year from every Sub-Saharan African country to six-week Leadership Institutes at U.S. universities, with optional Professional Development Experiences of up to six weeks and an alumni network.
Past eligibility: citizens and residents of eligible Sub-Saharan African countries (Ghana included), aged 25-35 at the deadline (exceptional 21-24-year-olds considered), proficient in English, with a record of leadership and community service and a commitment to return to Africa. U.S. citizens/permanent residents, U.S. government employees and their immediate family, and alumni are ineligible. Applications historically ran mid-September to mid-October.
Status: the official site states 'The Mandela Washington Fellowship will not take place in 2026'; no 2027 call is announced.
- Level
- Early career
- Where
- United States
- Duration
- 6-week Leadership Institute (plus optional Professional Development Experience of up to 6 weeks)
- Number of awards
- Up to 700 Fellows per cohort in past cycles (650 hosted in summer 2025)
- Difficulty
- High · about 4 weeks to prepare
Funding
Fully funded
U.S. Department of State-funded exchange. In past cycles the Fellowship covered the costs of participation (international travel, the Leadership Institute, housing and meals, limited accident/sickness benefits); the current site does not itemise coverage, so the covers list is left empty.
What you will need
- Essays
- CV / résumé
- Passport or national ID
Past applications consisted of an online form with essay questions and a resume (plagiarism-screened); no recommendation letters were required. Passport/ID is shown at the semi-finalist interview.
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