700+ YALI Mandela Washington Fellowship 2024 for young Africans
The YALI Mandela Washington Fellowship will bring up to 700 young leaders to the United States in the summer of 2024 for a comprehensive executive-style program designed to build skills and empower Fellows to lead in their respective industries and communities.
Application Deadline: September 12, 2023
Eligible Countries: Sub-Saharan African countries
To be taken at (country): USA
About Scholarship: The Mandela Washington Fellowshipsfor Young African Leaders empower young people through college courses, leadership training, and networking. The scholarship will provide 700 outstanding young leaders from sub-Saharan Africa with the opportunity to hone their skills at a college or university in the United States and receive support for their professional development after returning home.
The Fellows, aged 25 to 35, have a proven track record of driving innovation and positive change in their organizations, institutions, communities, and countries. The YALI Mandela Washington Scholarship
Type of scholarship: Fellowship
Eligibility:Applicants will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, socioeconomic status, disability, sexual orientation or gender identity. The Mandela Washington Fellowship is open to young African leaders who meet the following criteria:
- Are between the ages of 25 and 35 by the application deadline, although exceptional applicants between the ages of 21 and 24 will be considered;
- Are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents of the United States;
- Are eligible to receive a J-1 visa from the United States;
- Are not employees or immediate family members of employees of the United States government (including a United States embassy or consulate, USAID, and other United States government entities);
- Fluency in reading, writing and speaking in English (deaf applicants should refer to the English language instructions on the Resources page);
- Are citizens of one of the following countries: Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cabo Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Republic of Congo, Ivory Coast, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tomé and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia or Zimbabwe;
- Are residents of one of the aforementioned countries; And
- Are not former Mandela Washington Fellows.
Please note that Fellows are not permitted to have dependents, including spouses and children, accompanying them during the Fellowship. The US Department of State and IREX reserve the right to verify all information contained in the application package. In case of discrepancy, or if information proves to be false, the application will be immediately declared invalid and the candidate ineligible.
Number of Fellows: Up to 700
Selection Process and Criteria: The Mandela Washington Fellowship selection process is an open, merit-based competition. After the deadline, all eligible applications will be reviewed by a selection panel. After this review, selected semi-finalists will be interviewed by U.S. embassies or consulates in their home countries. If admitted to the semi-finalist round, applicants must provide a copy of their international passport (if available) or other government-issued photo ID at the time of interview. Selection panels will use the following criteria to assess applications (not in order of importance):
The following criteria will be used to assess applications (not in order of importance):
- A proven record of leadership and achievement in business, civic engagement, or public service;
- A demonstrated commitment to public or community service, volunteerism or mentorship;
- The ability to work cooperatively in diverse groups and to respect the opinions of others;
- Strong social and communication skills;
- An energetic and positive attitude;
- Proven knowledge, interest and professional experience in the preferred sector/sector; And
- A commitment to return to Africa and apply the leadership skills and training for the benefit of the candidate’s country and/or community upon return.
Scholarship Worth: There is no fee to apply for the Mandela Washington Fellowship . If you are selected for the scholarship, the US government will cover all costs of participation. Financial arrangements provided by the U.S. government will include:
- Support for the J-1 visa;
- Round-trip travel from the scholar’s hometown to the United States and domestic travel within the United States as required by the program;
- A six-week academic and leadership institute;
- Closing Summit in Washington, DC;
- A compensation plan in the event of accident and illness;
- Accommodation and meals during the program; And
- An optional six-week professional development experience (for up to 100 fellows).
Please note that the scholarship will not cover scholarship recipients’ salaries while away from work or funds for personal purchases such as gifts.
Mandela Washington Fellows will also have access to professional development, mentorship, networking and training opportunities, as well as support for their ideas, businesses and organizations.
How to apply:
Download the Application Instructions for the 2023 scholarship.
It is important to visit the official website (link found below) for detailed information on how to apply for this scholarship.
Visit the YALI Mandela Fellowship webpage for more details.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
I cannot afford the application fee. How can I apply?
Application for the Mandela Washington Fellowship is free.
The application instructions state that all responses must be “personal and original work”. What does that mean ?
All answers should be your own ideas and written in your own words. Be careful not to plagiarize, which is taking someone else’s work or ideas and presenting them as your own. If you use another person’s writings, ideas, words or material, you must acknowledge the source. Don’t copy and paste ideas from the Internet or other sources. Plagiarism is strictly prohibited in many organizations and academic institutions in the United States, and individuals who plagiarize their application materials will be disqualified. This also includes the use of another applicant’s or former fellow’s phrasing in your application. The US Department of State and IREX will check all submissions for plagiarism. For more information, please visit the Plagiarism.org website.
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