The application portal for the 2024 Mandela Washington Fellowship was opened on August 15, 2023, for interested and qualified students from around the world. The program wishes to build the skills of successful applicants and empower them to lead in their communities and fields.
Every year, over 500 students are selected to participate in the Fellowship program in the United States of America (USA). However, the number of students admitted to the program will be 700.
The Mandela Washington Fellowship is highly competitive, and it is merit-based. A selection committee’s job is to review all the applications submitted after the application portal closes. The committee reviews the application and recommends the best applicants.
After they are recommended, they will be asked to grant a series of interviews in their home countries. Only the applicants who pass the interview will be offered the opportunity to participate, where they can share their experiences and learn.
Summary of the Program
Fellowship program sponsor: The US government.
Fellowship program country: The United States.
Fellowship program institution: Not stated
Fellowship program number: Numerous
Fellowship program duration: Six weeks
Eligible students: African students
Fellowship application deadline: September 12, 2023
Selection Criteria for the Program
Applicants must show commitment to volunteerism, public or community service, or mentorship.
Applicants must be able to work cooperatively in different groups and respect the opinions of members of the groups.
Applicants must have excellent social and communication skills;
Applicants must have a positive, energetic, and flexible attitude.
Applicants must meet other requirements.
Program Eligibility Criteria
It would help if you were around 25 and 35 on or before the application portal closes. If you are outstanding and between 21 and 24, your application will be accepted.
U.S. citizens and their permanent residents can’t apply for the program.
You must be qualified to receive a United States J-1 visa.
You must not be working for or be an immediate family member of someone who works for the U.S. Government (including a U.S. embassy or consulate, USAID, or other U.S. Government entity).
You must be good at writing, reading, and speaking the English language. (There are other requirements for applicants who are deaf).
You must be a citizen of any of the following countries:
Angola, Botswana, Benin, Burundi, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Cabo Verde, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Republic of the Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Eritrea, Equatorial Guinea, Eswatini, Gabon, Ethiopia, The Gambia, Guinea, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Lesotho, Liberia, Kenya, Madagascar, Mali, Malawi, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Niger, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Togo, Tanzania, Uganda, Zimbabwe or Zambia.
Applicants must be willing to help their respective communities with what they gained at the program.
You must not be an alumnus of the Mandela Washington Fellowship program.
Fellowship Application Guidelines
All applicants are advised to visit the application portal and submit their applications before September 12, 2023. The selection committee for the program does not review applications submitted after the deadline.
Link: https://www.mandelawashingtonfellowship.org/apply/
Conclusion
It is a six-week program that will have a positive impact on the fellows for many years. The reward of participating in the fellowship is unmatched.