Yale Young African Scholars (YYAS)
Yale University (Yale Young African Scholars)
Free Yale academic and university-preparation programme for African secondary students aged 14-18 in SHS 1-2 (10th/11th grade). 2026 offered an online college-prep workshop and a residential leadership summit in Kenya. The next cycle is expected to open around September.
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Eligibility
- Who can apply
- Africa
- Education required
- Secondary enrolled
- Age
- from 14 up to 18 (Between 14 and 18 years old on the first day of the programme)
- Fields
- Any field of study
- Language
- Able to participate in a rigorous academic curriculum conducted in English
- Residency
- Citizen or permanent resident of an African country (refugees living in an African country also eligible)
- Also required
- Current 10th or 11th grade student (SHS 1 or SHS 2 equivalent); final-year students, graduates and university students are ineligible
- Previous YYAS or YYGS participants cannot reapply
About this opportunity
Yale Young African Scholars (YYAS) is Yale University's academic enrichment and leadership programme for secondary students from Africa. 'There are no tuition costs for participation'; 'YYAS is free for all admitted students.' In 2026 it ran an Online College Prep Workshop and a Residential Leadership Summit in Kenya (students join only one).
Applicants must be citizens or permanent residents of an African country, aged 14-18 on the first day of the programme, and current 10th or 11th graders (Ghana SHS 1-2); final-year students, graduates and university students are ineligible. Applications need a 500-word essay plus two short responses, transcripts and one teacher recommendation; there are no minimum grades. The 2026 cycle closed 20 Oct 2025 (Early Action) and 21 Jan 2026 (Regular).
- Level
- Secondary
- Where
- Kenya, Online
- Duration
- Short programme (one-to-two-week summer sessions; online workshop)
- Difficulty
- High · about 4 weeks to prepare
Funding
Funding varies
- tuition
No tuition cost for admitted students. The official pages fetched do not state whether travel to the residential summit is covered; check the programme FAQs for the current year.
What you will need
- Essays
- Academic transcripts
- Reference letters (1)
One 500-word essay and two short responses; official transcripts for each year of secondary school; exactly one teacher recommendation (not from relatives or paid tutors); national exam scores optional.
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