ELIGIBILITY:

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.

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, although exceptional applicants 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 application instructions);

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.

BENEFIT:

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.