» » YALI 2027 Mandela Washington Fellowship for young African Leaders (Fully Funded to the United States of America)

YALI 2027 Mandela Washington Fellowship for young African Leaders (Fully Funded to the United States of America)

by September 22, 2026

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Application Deadline: October 13, 2026

Applications are now open for the The Mandela Washington Fellowship will bring approximately 550 young leaders to the United States in the summer of 2027 for a comprehensive executive-style program designed to empower Fellows to lead in their respective sectors and communities and build partnerships with American counterparts.

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, althoughexceptionalapplicants 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);
• 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.

*Current IREX employees and consultants and their immediate family members (spouses, parents, children, and siblings) are not eligible to apply for any IREX-implemented grant programs, either as individuals or as the responsible party representing an institutional applicant.

Please note that Fellows are not allowed to have dependents, including spouses and children, accompany them during the Fellowship.

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Financial Provisions of the Fellowship There is no fee to apply for the Mandela Washington Fellowship. If you are selected for the Fellowship, the U.S. Government will cover all program costs. Program costs funded by the U.S. Government will include:

• J-1 visa support;
• Round-trip travel from Fellow’s home city to the United States and domestic U.S. travel as required by the program. Fellows must depart from their country of residence within an eligible Fellowship country in Africa to the United States;
• A six-week institute;
• A limited accident and sickness benefit plan;
• Housing and meals during the program; and
• An optional four-week Professional Development Experience (for up to 50 Fellows).

Please note that the U.S. Department of State, IREX, institutes, and/or PDE Hosts will not provide funds to cover Fellows’ salaries while they are away from work or funds for personal purchases, such as support for Fellows’ home organizations or gifts for family.

Application and Selection Process

• The Mandela Washington Fellowship selection process is a merit-based open competition.
• After the deadline, all eligible applications will be reviewed and scored according to the criteria for selection (see below).
• Following this review, U.S. embassies and consulates will interview selected semifinalists in person in their home countries.
• If chosen as a semifinalist, applicants must provide a copy of their international passport (if available) or other government-issued photo identification at their interview.
• Selected finalists are required to attend a mandatory in-person pre-departure orientation.

Application Timeline:

• **September 22, 2026 |**Application opens
• **October 13, 2026 |**Application deadline
• **November 2026 – January 2027 |**Semi-finalists interviewed by local U.S. embassies and consulates
• **February/March 2027 |**Applicants notified of their status
• **March – May 2027 |**Visa processing and pre-departure orientations for finalists
• **June 2027 |**Fellowship begins in the United States

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