Mandela Washington Fellowship

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 7,200 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. Applicants must be between 25 and 35 years old by the application deadline, though exceptional candidates aged 21-24 may also be considered. Applicants must be citizens and residents of Sub-Saharan African countries and not hold U.S. citizenship or permanent residency. They should be eligible for a U.S. J-1 visa and proficient in English. Additionally, applicants must not be employees or immediate family members of employees of the U.S. Government, including U.S. embassies or consulates, USAID, or other U.S. Government entities. Finally, individuals who have previously participated in the Mandela Washington Fellowship are not eligible to apply