Fellowship•USA

Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders

Funding

Fully Funded

Program dates

TBA

The Mandela Washington Fellowship is the flagship program of the U.S. Government’s Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI). Sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and administered by IREX, it brings up to 700 accomplished young leaders from Sub-Saharan Africa to the United States each year for academic coursework, leadership training, and networking. Fellows spend six weeks at a U.S. college or university in one of three tracks — Business, Civic Engagement, or Public Management — followed by a concluding Summit in Washington, DC; a selected group also completes an optional Professional Development Experience with a U.S. organisation. Since 2014, nearly 7,800 fellows from every country in Sub-Saharan Africa have taken part. Note: the Fellowship will not take place in 2026, and a future (2027) cohort has not yet been confirmed.

Benefits & funding

  • The U.S. Government covers all program costs; there is no fee to apply.
  • J-1 exchange-visitor visa support.
  • Round-trip travel from the fellow’s home city to the United States, plus domestic U.S. travel required by the program.
  • A six-week Leadership Institute at a U.S. college or university (Business, Civic Engagement, or Public Management).
  • A concluding Mandela Washington Fellowship Summit in Washington, DC.
  • Housing and meals during the program and an accident and sickness benefit plan.
  • An optional six-week Professional Development Experience for a selected group of fellows.

Eligibility

  • Aged 25–35 at the application deadline (exceptional applicants 21–24 may be considered).
  • A citizen and resident of one of the 49 eligible Sub-Saharan African countries.
  • Not a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, and eligible to receive a J-1 visa.
  • Not currently participating in another U.S. Government-funded exchange, and not a prior Mandela Washington Fellow.
  • Proficient in reading, writing, and speaking English.
  • No university degree is required; the program seeks a proven record of leadership and community impact.

Application process

  1. 1
    Create an account and complete the online application in the official Fellowship application system when a cycle is open (the annual window runs from mid-September to mid-October).
  2. 2
    Shortlisted semi-finalists are contacted by their local U.S. embassy or consulate for an interview.
  3. 3
    All applicants are notified of their status, and selected fellows are placed at a host institute for the following summer.

Program timeline

  1. Application deadline for the most recent (2025) cohort

    Sep 10, 2024

  2. Semi-finalist interviews at U.S. embassies

    November 2024 – January 2025

  3. All applicants notified

    March 2025

  4. Six-week Leadership Institutes and Summit

    Summer 2025

  5. Fellowship does not take place (paused)

    2026

  6. Application window, when a cycle runs

    Mid-September to mid-October (annual)