Yale Young African Scholars (YYAS) is an intensive academic and enrichment program designed for African secondary school students planning to pursue tertiary education and who wish to make meaningful impact as young leaders on the continent.

SUMMER 2027 OFFERINGS:

In 2027, YYAS will offer two programs…

• Online College Prep Workshop
• Residential Leadership Summit (Rwanda)

?There are no tuition costs for participation in either program. Students can only be admitted to ONE of the programs (not both). 

Over the course of both programs, participants will utilize various online platforms, including Zoom, to engage in seminars, lectures, and discussions.  Additionally, each year the residential program will take place on a host campus in an African country. All relevant program information will be communicated directly to admitted participants.

• Table of Content
• About Yale University
• Yale Young African Scholars Training
• Aim and Benefits of Yale Young African Scholars Training
• Requirements for Yale Young African Scholars Training Qualification
• Interview date, Process and Venue for Yale Young African Scholars Training
• Documents Required for Application
• Application Deadline
• How to Apply

Yale Young African Scholars Training

Aim and Benefits of Yale Young African Scholars Training

• There are no tuition costs for participation in either program.

Requirements for Yale Young African Scholars Training Qualification

In order to apply to YYAS, applicants MUST fulfill all of the following requirements:

• Age: You must be between the ages of 14-18 years old on the first day of the program (July 15) in 2027 in order to be considered. Please note that a typical YYAS student is between the ages of 16-17. 
• English: You must be able to participate in a rigorous academic curriculum conducted in English.
• Citizenship: You must be a citizen or permanent resident of an African country. YYAS will also accept applications from refugees living in an African country.
• School location: You must currently attend school in an African country.
• Grade Level: You must be a current 10th or 11th grade student (or the international equivalents). 
• Graduation date:   If you attend school in the Northern Hemisphere, you must be graduating secondary school by earliest May/June 2028 and no later than May/June 2029. If you attend school in the Southern Hemisphere, you must be graduating secondary school by earliest November/December 2027 and no later than November/December 2028.

If you are currently in your final year or term of secondary school, have already graduated secondary school, or are a university student, then you are NOT eligible to apply.

Interview date, Process and Venue for Yale Young African Scholars Training

Application Timeline & Deadlines

YYAS applications will be read and reviewed on a rolling basis. In fairness to all applicants, admissions decisions will NOT be made nor released until ALL applications from your respective applicant pool have been reviewed. Please know that we will release decisions as soon as possible, and decisions will be released no later than the decision release dates listed below. Please note that all times listed below are in Eastern Time (US).

Applicant Pool #1: Early Action

Applicant Pool #2: Regular Decision

Documents Required for Application

The following list describes the typical YYAS requirements, although the most up-to-date and accurate information is always in the application.

The following three (3) components are required of all applicants:

• Completed application form - The application can be found online and must be filled out by the applicant. Students will be asked to complete one 400-word essay and two short responses, and must provide information on their extracurricular activities and the school that they currently attend.
• Official transcript or grade report(s) - A student transcript is an official document provided by the school and includes the applicant’s list of courses and grades received. Students must upload their official transcript or grade report(s) for each year of secondary school (in general, this is the international equivalent of grades 9, 10, and 11). National exam scores, if available, should also be submitted but are not required. If a student has changed secondary schools at any point, they must include records both from their previous AND their current school. Please refrain from uploading certificates or transcripts from primary school.
• One (1) teacher recommendation - The recommendation must be filled out via the Online Recommendation Form that will be sent to a teacher’s email after the student provides their contact details. An email will be sent with a link to the Form and instructions on how to fill it out. The recommendation must be written and submitted by a teacher who knows the student well. Recommendations from parents/guardians, siblings, relatives, family friends, and/or paid private tutors/counselors will NOT be accepted.

YYAS place great importance on these recommendations because we understand that students come from a wide variety of backgrounds and education contexts. YYAS appreciate teachers taking the time to write recommendations for their student(s). To ensure sincerity, YYAS ask that teachers please refrain from sharing their recommendations with students.

Be sure to click the “SUBMIT” button on the last page for your application to be considered. 

YYAS reviews all applications holistically, and there are no minimum grade or standardized exam score requirements. However, a high level of English proficiency will be expected.

Decision Notification: Applicants will be notified electronically of admissions decisions by late March.

Check also:
Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at UBC 2027
Chevening Scholarship 2027

Application Deadline

How to Apply

Get Started:

Complete the Application:

Contact: [email protected]

For more information, kindly visit Yale Young African Scholars webpage.