The Mandela Washington Fellowships for Young African Leaders empowers young people through academic coursework, leadership training, and networking. It is not designed to help Fellows identify funding for projects or organizations.

Are you thinking of applying to the 2018 Mandela Washington Fellowship? The application season is fast approaching, so begin to prepare now! The YALI Network Team interviewed 2017 Mandela Washington Fellows and asked them to share their advice on putting together a successful application.

1. Advocate for Yourself
When you are timid or shy, you don’t fully explain what you have accomplished through your activities. You are not demonstrating who you really are and how you’re a leader in your community or within your organization. Your written application needs to be able to stand out in a large pool of applicants.

2. Reach Out
Don’t wait for someone to come to you and give you advice — take initiative and seek it. There are many Mandela Washington Fellows looking to help prospective applicants. Look up past Fellows and find their contact information, send them an email, or drop them a Facebook message and introduce yourself.

3. Visit yali.state.gov
When filling in their application, current Fellows found the online blog posts and FAQ page very helpful.

4. Take Your Time.
Start early and familiarize yourself with the application questions. Do not rush your application or try to complete it at the last minute.

5. Be Specific and Truthful.
Narrow down your focus. It’s great that you’re interested in a lot of different projects, but make sure to emphasize your expertise on a certain topic. Know your projects, know your passion. Don’t pretend to be interested in something you’re not.

6. Be Resourceful.
If internet access is scarce or expensive, find a place to print out the application forms and fill out the answers directly on the form. This also gives you a chance to reflect on and refine your responses. Once you have finalized your answers, go back online and fill in the application based on what you already wrote.

7. Ask For Help.
Find someone (or a couple of people) to review your application and provide feedback, especially if English is not your native language.

8. Take a Chance!
If you’re reading this list, you’re already a step ahead! You’re here because you want to better your community — believe in yourself and what you can do, and apply!

9. Stay Cautiously Optimistic.
Applying for the Fellowship doesn’t guarantee you’ll get it. (Last year there were more than 64,000 applicants!) Having realistic expectations can help you articulate your goals and what you would hope to achieve through the Fellowship. Keep in mind that there are a lot of other opportunities open to you under the YALI program aside from the Fellowship — like the Regional Leadership Centers and YALI Network courses and resources.

IbnIbrahim:
The Mandela Washington Fellowships for Young African Leaders empowers young people through academic coursework, leadership training, and networking. It is not designed to help Fellows identify funding for projects or organizations.

Are you thinking of applying to the 2018 Mandela Washington Fellowship? The application season is fast approaching, so begin to prepare now! The YALI Network Team interviewed 2017 Mandela Washington Fellows and asked them to share their advice on putting together a successful application.

1. Advocate for Yourself
When you are timid or shy, you don’t fully explain what you have accomplished through your activities. You are not demonstrating who you really are and how you’re a leader in your community or within your organization. Your written application needs to be able to stand out in a large pool of applicants.

2. Reach Out
Don’t wait for someone to come to you and give you advice — take initiative and seek it. There are many Mandela Washington Fellows looking to help prospective applicants. Look up past Fellows and find their contact information, send them an email, or drop them a Facebook message and introduce yourself.

3. Visit yali.state.gov
When filling in their application, current Fellows found the online blog posts and FAQ page very helpful.

4. Take Your Time.
Start early and familiarize yourself with the application questions. Do not rush your application or try to complete it at the last minute.

5. Be Specific and Truthful.
Narrow down your focus. It’s great that you’re interested in a lot of different projects, but make sure to emphasize your expertise on a certain topic. Know your projects, know your passion. Don’t pretend to be interested in something you’re not.

6. Be Resourceful.
If internet access is scarce or expensive, find a place to print out the application forms and fill out the answers directly on the form. This also gives you a chance to reflect on and refine your responses. Once you have finalized your answers, go back online and fill in the application based on what you already wrote.

7. Ask For Help.
Find someone (or a couple of people) to review your application and provide feedback, especially if English is not your native language.

8. Take a Chance!
If you’re reading this list, you’re already a step ahead! You’re here because you want to better your community — believe in yourself and what you can do, and apply!

9. Stay Cautiously Optimistic.
Applying for the Fellowship doesn’t guarantee you’ll get it. (Last year there were more than 64,000 applicants!) Having realistic expectations can help you articulate your goals and what you would hope to achieve through the Fellowship. Keep in mind that there are a lot of other opportunities open to you under the YALI program aside from the Fellowship — like the Regional Leadership Centers and YALI Network courses and resources.

Good evening sir.
I came across an ad some days ago about the Mandela fellowship. Please, can you enlighten on what its about? The benefits of joining the fellowship. please.

Oluwapresley:


Good evening sir.
I came across an ad some days ago about the Mandela fellowship. Please, can you enlighten on what its about? The benefits of joining the fellowship. please.

You can read more here: https://yali.state.gov/washington-fellowship/

IbnIbrahim:
You can read more here: https://yali.state.gov/washington-fellowship/

Thank you very much, sir.

Oluwapresley:

Thank you very much, sir.

You are welcom

Hmmmm... I reserve my comment

meelerh:
Hmmmm... I reserve my comment

please comment, we can always learn from each other.

IbnIbrahim:

please comment, we can always learn from each other.

No I don't have d energy for long turanchi these days

I always love to be a fellow of Mandela Washington YALI, I have applied twice but it seems my write up is not interested to them may be its from me.

@ibnIbrahim don't know if you can assist in feeling of the form?

meelerh:


No I don't have d energy for long turanchi these days

You can always make turanchi short if you want.

IshaqAyinde:
I always love to be a fellow of Mandela Washington YALI, I have applied twice but it seems my write up is not interested to them may be its from me.

@ibnIbrahim don't know if you can assist in feeling of the form?

Funny enough, I have applied twice but was not selected. I will apply for the 2018 edition. We can always share ideas when the time comes.

The time starts tomorrow 13sept. So the time is now

The time starts tomorrow 13sept. So the time has come

Hello, I've been shortlisted for the yali west africa regional program and today is my online interview by 4 pm exactly. Any advice as to how to prepare?
thanks

Capitabrain:
The time starts tomorrow 13sept. So the time has come

when. will it close. I wish to apply for 2018 yali program

IbnIbrahim:
The Mandela Washington Fellowships for Young African Leaders empowers young people through academic coursework, leadership training, and networking. It is not designed to help Fellows identify funding for projects or organizations.

Are you thinking of applying to the 2018 Mandela Washington Fellowship? The application season is fast approaching, so begin to prepare now! The YALI Network Team interviewed 2017 Mandela Washington Fellows and asked them to share their advice on putting together a successful application.

1. Advocate for Yourself
When you are timid or shy, you don’t fully explain what you have accomplished through your activities. You are not demonstrating who you really are and how you’re a leader in your community or within your organization. Your written application needs to be able to stand out in a large pool of applicants.

2. Reach Out
Don’t wait for someone to come to you and give you advice — take initiative and seek it. There are many Mandela Washington Fellows looking to help prospective applicants. Look up past Fellows and find their contact information, send them an email, or drop them a Facebook message and introduce yourself.

3. Visit yali.state.gov
When filling in their application, current Fellows found the online blog posts and FAQ page very helpful.

4. Take Your Time.
Start early and familiarize yourself with the application questions. Do not rush your application or try to complete it at the last minute.

5. Be Specific and Truthful.
Narrow down your focus. It’s great that you’re interested in a lot of different projects, but make sure to emphasize your expertise on a certain topic. Know your projects, know your passion. Don’t pretend to be interested in something you’re not.

6. Be Resourceful.
If internet access is scarce or expensive, find a place to print out the application forms and fill out the answers directly on the form. This also gives you a chance to reflect on and refine your responses. Once you have finalized your answers, go back online and fill in the application based on what you already wrote.

7. Ask For Help.
Find someone (or a couple of people) to review your application and provide feedback, especially if English is not your native language.

8. Take a Chance!
If you’re reading this list, you’re already a step ahead! You’re here because you want to better your community — believe in yourself and what you can do, and apply!

9. Stay Cautiously Optimistic.
Applying for the Fellowship doesn’t guarantee you’ll get it. (Last year there were more than 64,000 applicants!) Having realistic expectations can help you articulate your goals and what you would hope to achieve through the Fellowship. Keep in mind that there are a lot of other opportunities open to you under the YALI program aside from the Fellowship — like the Regional Leadership Centers and YALI Network courses and resources.

I want to register, is there still room to apply for the yali program

dauddy97:
when. will it close. I wish to apply for 2018 yali program

I guess you will have to keep watching over there site