The Young African leaders between 25-35 years of age who are eligible to
receive a United States J-1 Visa to apply for the 2015 Mandela
Washington Fellowship, a merit-based open competition – the new flagship
program of President Obama’s Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI).
Selection Process
The Mandela Washington Fellowship is conducted as a merit-based open
competition. After the deadline, all eligible applications will be
reviewed by a selection panel. Chosen semi-finalists will be interviewed
by the U.S. embassies or consulates in their home countries. If
selected for an interview, applicants must provide a copy of their
passport (if available) or other government-issued photo identification
to verify eligibility.
Who is eligible to apply?
Applicants will not be discriminated against on the basis of race,
color, gender, religion, socio-economic status, disability, sexual
orientation or gender identity. The Mandela Washington Fellowship is
open to young African leaders who meet the following criteria:
- Are between the ages of 25 and 35 at the time of application submission, although exceptional applicants younger than 25 will be considered.
- Are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents of the U.S.
- Are eligible to receive a United States J-1 visa.
- Are proficient in reading, writing, and speaking English.
- Are citizens and residents of one of the following countries: Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cabo Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Republic of the Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, 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, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Individuals residing in the Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea,
Eritrea, Guinea-Bissau, Madagascar, Sudan and Zimbabwe may not apply to
the public management track. Residents of Sudan may only apply for the
Civic Leadership track.
The U.S. Department of State and IREX reserve the right to verify all of
the information included in the application. In the event that there is
a discrepancy, or information is found to be false, the application
will immediately be declared invalid and the applicant ineligible.
Applications not meeting the above technical eligibility requirements
will not be forwarded to the selection committee. If you do not meet the
technical eligibility requirements for this program, we invite you to
visit exchanges.state.gov for information on other U.S. Department of State exchange opportunities.
What are the criteria for selection?
Selection panels will use the following criteria to evaluate applications (not in order of importance):
- A proven record of leadership and accomplishment in public service, business and entrepreneurship, or civic engagement.
- A demonstrated commitment to public or community service, volunteerism, or mentorship.
- The ability to work cooperatively in diverse groups and respect the opinions of others.
- Strong social and communication skills.
- An energetic, positive attitude.
- Demonstrated knowledge, interest and professional experience in the sector/track selected.
- A commitment to return to Africa and apply leadership skills and training to benefit the applicant’s country and/or community after they return home.
Mandela Washington Fellowship Application Process Timeline
- October 7, 2014- Application opens
- November 5, 2014: Application deadline
- January–February 2015: Semifinalists interviewed by local U.S. embassies and consulates
- April 2015: Applicants are notified of their status
- May 2015: Visa processing for finalists
- Mid-June 2015: Fellowship starts in the United States
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