The Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders is the flagship program of the U.S. Government’s Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI). Established in 2014, the Fellowship has brought nearly 7,800 young leaders from every country in Sub-Saharan Africa to the United States for academic and leadership training. The Fellows, between the ages of 25 and 35, are accomplished innovators and leaders in their communities and countries.
The Fellowship is an unparalleled opportunity to…
- Participate in a six-week executive-style institute at a U.S. college or university to share your experiences with and learn from American experts.
- Engage with U.S. experts in in business and trade, emerging technologies, and governance and security.
- Meet with American leaders in the public and private sectors to strengthen your professional network.
- Explore American innovation, industry, history, and culture to expand your expertise.
- Join an active network of nearly 7,800 alumni.
Eligibility
The Mandela Washington Fellowship is open to young African leaders who meet the following criteria:
- Are between the ages of 25 and 35 on or before the application deadline, although exceptional applicants ages 21-24 may be considered;
- Are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents of the United States;
- Are eligible to receive a United States J-1 visa;
- Are not employees or immediate family members (spouses, parents, children, or siblings) of employees of the U.S. Government (including a U.S. embassy or consulate or other U.S. Government entity);*
- Are proficient in reading, writing, and speaking English (applicants who are deaf should refer to the “English Language” section of the application instructions);
- Are citizens of one of the following countries: Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cabo Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Cote d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, or Zimbabwe;
- Are residents of one of the above countries, and will be permanently residing there as of February 1, 2027, and at the beginning of the Fellowship in June 2027; and
- Are not alumni or prior participants of the Mandela Washington Fellowship.