Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders

The Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders is the exchange program of the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI). It is run by the U.S. Department of State, and IREX administers it. It brings young African innovators and professionals to the United States.

What you get

• Academic coursework in the United States.
• Professional site visits.
• Structured networking.
• The U.S. Government funds the program. The official page does not list exactly which costs are covered. Check the official page.

Who can apply

• The Fellowship is for young African innovators and professionals.
• Fellows have come from all 49 Sub-Saharan African countries.
• Requirements such as age and work experience are not listed in the material we have. Check the official page before you plan your application.

How to apply

1. Check the official Mandela Washington Fellowship website for application announcements.
2. Follow the instructions given in the current application call.

Key dates

• Main Fellowship deadline: not announced yet.
• Opening date: not announced yet. Check the official page for updates.
• A separate 2027 Reciprocal Exchange component is open for applications. The official page posted this news on 21 October 2026. Its deadline is not given here, so check the official page.

Before you apply

• Read the full official rules for the call you want to apply to.
• Prepare your documents early.
• Check the deadline time and time zone on the official page.
• Submit a few days early. Portals can be slow near a deadline.

StudyFree is independent. We list opportunities, and the provider makes all decisions. Apply only through the official website: mandelawashingtonfellowship.org.