Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders

Organization: U.S. Department of State (Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs), administered by IREX

Type: Fellowship

Location: Global

Deadline: October 13, 2026

Funding: Fully Funded

The Mandela Washington Fellowship is the flagship exchange of the U.S. Government's Young African Leaders Initiative, run by the U.S. Department of State and administered by IREX. In summer 2027 it brings up to 550 young leaders from Sub-Saharan Africa to the United States for a six-week executive-style institute at a U.S. college or university, in one of three tracks: Business and Trade, Emerging Technologies, or Governance and Security. Applying is free, and the U.S. Government covers all programme costs for those selected. **What you get:** - A six-week executive-style institute at a U.S. college or university, mid-June to early August 2027 - J-1 visa support - Round-trip travel from your home city to the United States, plus domestic U.S. travel the programme requires - Housing and meals for the length of the programme - A limited accident and sickness benefit plan - Reasonable accommodations at no cost for Fellows with disabilities or chronic health conditions - The chance to apply for an optional four-week Professional Development Experience at a U.S. business, nonprofit or government agency (up to 50 Fellows), with housing, meals and transport supported - Entry to an alumni network of nearly 7,800 Fellows, with ongoing professional development and networking **What you'll do:** - Join a group of about 25 Fellows at a U.S. institution for academic sessions, site visits, networking, community service and cultural activities - Follow one of three tracks: Business and Trade, Emerging Technologies, or Governance and Security - Meet American leaders in the public and private sectors and build partnerships with U.S. counterparts - Attend mandatory pre-Fellowship orientation and a visa interview in Sub-Saharan Africa if selected **Key dates:** - Applications opened September 22, 2026 - Applications close 16:00 GMT on Tuesday, October 13, 2026 - Semi-finalists interviewed by U.S. embassies and consulates, October or November 2026 to January 2027 - Applicants notified of their status in February or March 2027 - Visa processing and pre-Fellowship activities for finalists, March to May 2027 - Fellowship begins in the United States in June 2027 **More information:** - Full 2027 application instructions (PDF) on the official Fellowship website - Application FAQs on the official Fellowship website - Information for applicants with disabilities on the official Fellowship website

U.S. Department of State (Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs), administered by IREXFellowship

Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders

Oct 13, 2026 16:00:00 UTC

Opportunity type

Fellowship

Funding

Fully Funded

Location

Global

Deadline

Oct 13, 2026 16:00:00 UTC

About this opportunity

What you get:

A six-week executive-style institute at a U.S. college or university, mid-June to early August 2027
J-1 visa support
Round-trip travel from your home city to the United States, plus domestic U.S. travel the programme requires
Housing and meals for the length of the programme
A limited accident and sickness benefit plan
Reasonable accommodations at no cost for Fellows with disabilities or chronic health conditions
The chance to apply for an optional four-week Professional Development Experience at a U.S. business, nonprofit or government agency (up to 50 Fellows), with housing, meals and transport supported
Entry to an alumni network of nearly 7,800 Fellows, with ongoing professional development and networking

What you'll do:

Join a group of about 25 Fellows at a U.S. institution for academic sessions, site visits, networking, community service and cultural activities
Follow one of three tracks: Business and Trade, Emerging Technologies, or Governance and Security
Meet American leaders in the public and private sectors and build partnerships with U.S. counterparts
Attend mandatory pre-Fellowship orientation and a visa interview in Sub-Saharan Africa if selected

Key dates:

Applications opened September 22, 2026
Applications close 16:00 GMT on Tuesday, October 13, 2026
Semi-finalists interviewed by U.S. embassies and consulates, October or November 2026 to January 2027
Applicants notified of their status in February or March 2027
Visa processing and pre-Fellowship activities for finalists, March to May 2027
Fellowship begins in the United States in June 2027

More information:

Full 2027 application instructions (PDF) on the official Fellowship website
Application FAQs on the official Fellowship website
Information for applicants with disabilities on the official Fellowship website

Who can apply

Aged 25 to 35 on the application deadline (October 13, 2026); exceptional applicants aged 21 to 24 may be considered, and no one older than 35 or younger than 21
Citizen of one of 49 eligible Sub-Saharan African countries: Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cabo Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, 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, Zimbabwe
Resident of an eligible country now, and still permanently residing there on February 1, 2027 and at the start of the Fellowship in June 2027; you may live in a different eligible country from your country of citizenship
Not a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, and eligible to receive a U.S. J-1 visa
Proficient in reading, writing and speaking English; the application must be written in English, and no TOEFL score is required
Not an employee, or an immediate family member of an employee, of the U.S. Government; current IREX staff, consultants and their immediate families are also ineligible
Not an alumnus or prior participant of the Mandela Washington Fellowship
One application per person, submitted online; paper and email applications are not accepted
No passport is needed to apply, but finalists need one valid through at least February 28, 2028
Fellows may not bring spouses, children or other dependents

AI Verification

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Good to know

+A fully funded six-week leadership institute at a US university, covering visa support, flights, housing, meals and health cover
+The US Department of State's flagship programme for young African leaders, run since 2014
+Up to 550 fellows, and no application fee

Worth checking yourself

!Only citizens who also live in one of 49 Sub-Saharan African countries can apply
!Usually for ages 25 to 35; exceptional applicants aged 21 to 24 are considered
!Closes 13 October at 16:00 GMT, not midnight
!No salary replacement or spending money is provided

Sources checked

MAmandelawashingtonfellowship.orgApplyMAmandelawashingtonfellowship.orgApplyMAmandelawashingtonfellowship.orgApplyMAmandelawashingtonfellowship.orgApplyMAmandelawashingtonfellowship.orgApplyMAmandelawashingtonfellowship.orgApplyMAmandelawashingtonfellowship.orgApplyMAmandelawashingtonfellowship.orgApplyAPapply.mandelawashingtonfellowship.orgOfficialIRirex.orgOfficialYAyali.state.govOfficial

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