In the summer of 2025, the prestigious Mandela Washington Fellowship will host up to 700 exceptional young leaders in the United States.
This comprehensive program is designed to cultivate essential skills and empower you to assume leadership positions in your respective communities and industries.
The Fellowship is committed to a policy of non-discrimination, embracing individuals from diverse backgrounds, including race, ethnicity, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, geographic location, education, income, socioeconomic status, ability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, etc.
Emphasizing accessibility, fairness, equity, and inclusion, the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) of the U.S. Government proudly presents the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders.
Since its inception in 2014, this flagship program has welcomed close to 4,400 young leaders from all nations in Sub-Saharan Africa.
With ages ranging from 25 to 35, these Fellows are exceptional individuals who have demonstrated a strong commitment to fostering innovation and making a positive impact on their nations and communities.
Each year, the Fellows participate in intensive six-week Leadership Institutes at esteemed American institutions, focusing on areas such as public management, business, and civic engagement.
Fellowship Highlights:
- The Fellowship program will take place in the United States of America
- Open to young African leaders
- The program is sponsored by the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI).
- Application opens on August 13th, 2024, and closes on September 10, 2024
Benefits of Fellowship:
The Fellowship is a once in a lifetime chance to:
- Take part in a six-week Leadership Institute at an American college or institution to learn from and share experiences with fellow Fellows and citizens of the United States.
- Make your work stronger by acquiring new knowledge, abilities, and concepts.
- Develop your skills by investigating fields outside of your regular job.
- Become a member of a continental and international alumni network to assist you in finding creative answers to shared problems.
- Take part in a summit involving upcoming African leaders.
Selection Requirements:
Young African leaders who fulfill the following requirements are eligible to apply for the Mandela Washington Fellowship:
You must be between the ages of 25 and 35 as of September 10, 2024, with the possibility of consideration for exceptional applicants ages 21 to 24.
You are neither citizens of the United States nor long-term residents.
You are qualified to obtain a J-1 visa for the United States.
You are not employed by the US government, USAID, a U.S. embassy or consulate, or any other U.S. government agency, nor are you the spouses, parents, children, or siblings of employees of the US government.
You must possess strong English reading, writing, and speaking skills.
You must be a National of an African country. Check the full list of eligible African countries HERE. Again, you must reside there permanently as of May 1st, 2025, and before the Fellowship’s start in June 2025.
Selection Criteria:
There is an open competition with a merit-based selection process for the Mandela Washington Fellowship. All qualified applications will be reviewed by independent readers following the deadline.
The U.S. embassies or consulates in the selected semi-finalists’ home countries will conduct interviews with you after this review.
If chosen as a semi-finalist you must take part in these in-person interviews in your native African nation.
If you move on to the semi-finalist stage, you will need to present a copy of your foreign passport if one is available or another form of official government photo identification during the interview.
The compulsory Pre-Fellowship Orientation must be attended by the you when selected as a Finalists in your native country of Africa.
How to Apply:
Visit the official Fellowship website, check the requirements and apply. Apply with this LINK
