About the 2025 Mandela Washington Fellowship
The 2025 application is now closed. Learn more about next steps in the application and selection process.
Learn moreU.S. Educational Institutions to Host Mandela Washington Fellows
26 U.S. educational institutions in 21 states will host Leadership Institutes for 650 young African leaders in summer 2025.
Learn MoreApplications for 2025 Reciprocal Exchange Component Now Open
Applications for the Reciprocal Exchange component of the Mandela Washington Fellowship are open until April 25, 2025.
Learn MoreMeet the 2024 Leadership Impact Award Winner
Congratulations to our 2024 Leadership Impact Award Winner, Dr. Joel Duah Afi, 2019 Fellowship Alumnus from Ghana.
Learn MoreFellowship Alumnus Named Top Agri-Food Pioneer
2023 Fellowship Alumnus Terese Akpem was named a 2024 Top Agri-Food Pioneer (TAP) by the World Food Prize Foundation.
Learn MoreABOUT US
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.
Learn MoreBUREAU OF EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS
The Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders is a program of the U.S. Department of State with funding provided by the U.S. Government and administered by IREX.
Program Impact
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49
?Sub-Saharan African CountriesFellows have come from all 49 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. -
7,200
?Mandela Washington Fellowship Alumni NetworkSince 2014, nearly 7,200 Fellowship Alumni have completed the program. -
87,000
?Hours of Support Dedicated to U.S. CommunitiesSince 2014, Fellows have dedicated more than 87,000 hours to support U.S. communities during their Leadership Institutes. -
2,400
?U.S. Companies and Organizations EngagedSince 2014, the Fellowship has engaged approximately 2,400 institutions from the private, nonprofit, governmental, and multilateral sectors across the United States during Institutes, PDEs, Reciprocal Exchanges, and the Summit.
Stories
Following the completion of their in-person Professional Development Experiences (PDEs) in September 2023, Mandela Washington Fellows had the option to continue collaborating with their Host Organizations after returning home through...
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News
U.S. Educational Institutions to Host Mandela Washington Fellows
April 17, 2025
News
Applications for 2025 Reciprocal Exchange Component Now Open
April 7, 2025
Learn more about the 2025 Mandela Washington Fellowship!
“I believe that the Mandela Washington Fellowship has made me a stronger and better leader and has challenged me to think outside the box… There can only be more, bigger, and better to come from me, my fellow Fellows, and the continent of Africa as a whole.”
– Mandela Washington Fellowship Alumna
Learn more about the 2025 Fellowship selection timeline and process, eligibility information, and more. We can't wait to meet the next Mandela Washington Fellows!
Learn more-
September 10, 2024
Application Deadline
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Nov 2024-Jan 2025
Semifinalists interviewed by local U.S. embassies and consulates
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March 2025
Applicants are notified of their status
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May 2025
Finalist visa processing and Pre-Fellowship Orientations
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June 2025
Fellowship begins in the United States
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July 2025
Summit takes place in Washington, D.C.
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Including Fellows, Reciprocal Exchange Participants, and U.S. Partners
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