Yale Young African Scholars Program 2025 for African Secondary School Students

Applications are now open for the 2025 Yale Young African Scholars Program. 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.

Across both programs, participants will enhance their academic skills, receive university admission and financial aid application guidance, and join a network of young leaders from across Africa. Students may attend only one session, but they can indicate their prefered session(s) on the YYAS online application. 

YYAS 2025 Program Dates:

• YYAS Online College Prep Workshop (6 days): 17 – 22 July 2025
• YYAS Residential Leadership Summit (Kenya; 9 days): 9 – 17 August 2025
  
  SUMMER 2025 OFFERINGS:

In 2025, YYAS will offer two programs…

• Online College Prep Workshop
• Residential Leadership Summit (in Kenya)

Eligibility Requirements

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 17 July 2025 in order to be considered (i.e. born between 18 July 2006 and 17 July 2011). 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 2026 and no later than May/June 2027. If you attend school in the Southern Hemisphere, you must be graduating secondary school by earliest November/December 2025 and no later than November/December 2026.

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.

Program Details:

YYAS College Prep Workshop (online): The YYAS College Prep Workshop will offer admission to ~200 students, and is open to students across all countries in Africa. To participate, students must be able to access Zoom on their own mobile phone, tablet, and/or computer with reliable internet for the duration of the program.

Given the limited duration of the program, YYAS has strict attendance expectations where students are unable to miss even one day of the program. Students who successfully finish the program will receive a pdf YYAS Certificate of Completion that can be added to college and university applications. The YYAS College Prep Workshop (online) is entirely free of charge.

YYAS Residential Leadership Summit (Kenya)

The YYAS Residential Leadership Summit will offer admission to ~100 students, and is open to students across all countries in Africa. Students will reside on a residential school campus in Kenya for nine (9) days. 

The program will focus on the same college prep topics as the online workshop in addition to leadership, innovation, design, and 21^st century skills. Given the limited duration of the program, YYAS has strict attendance expectations where students are unable to miss even one day of the program. Students who successfully finish the program will receive a pdf YYAS Certificate of Completion that can be added to college and university applications.

The YYAS Summit is tuition-free ($0) and provides free housing, meals, and all academic curriculum materials.

TRAVEL: For the YYAS Summit (residential in Kenya), all students must be able to travel to and from Kenya, and all students will coordinate and pay/fundraise for any required travel documentation (such as passport, travel visa, etc.).

Travel Grant

• Regarding transportation (such as flights), there are a limited number of need-based Travel Grants available for students who are offered admission and live outside of Kenya. All applicants will automatically be reviewed for Travel Grant eligibility, and each offer of admission for the YYAS Summit will include information about whether or not a Travel Grant was provided (and then students and families can choose whether to accept or decline that offer of admission).

All students who do not receive/qualify for a Travel Grant must be able coordinate and pay/fundraise for their travel to and from Kenya.

Application Timeline:

Applicant Pool #1: Early Action

Application Deadline	11:59 PM ET on 24 October 2024
Decision Release	Notified of Admission Status by 11:59pm ET on 20 December 2024
Deadline to Accept or Decline YYAS Offer	11:59 PM ET on 5 January 2025

Applicant Pool #2: Regular Decision

Application Deadline	11:59 PM ET on 20 January 2025
Decision Release	Notified of Admission Status by 11:59pm ET on 20 March 2025
Deadline to Accept or Decline YYAS Offer	11:59 PM ET on 25 March 2025

How to Apply?

Get Started:

Step 1	Review the YYAS eligibility criteria.
Step 2	Review the YYAS application required components.
Step 3	Review a PDF of a sample blank application, and start preparing to answer as many application questions as possible.
Step 4	You will need to submit contact information for a parent/guardian, teacher, and/or official at your school. Reach out to them as soon as possible to review the PDF of a sample blank application with you, and be sure to collect the information you need.

Complete the Application:

Step 5	Click APPLY NOW to start your YYAS application. Be sure to write down your email and password to access the application at a later time.
Step 6	Check the “Review” page of the application to see if you are missing any required components, and re-visit any pages that require further information.
Step 7	Once your application is complete, click on the “Review” page. Next click on the “Submit Application” button at the bottom of the page.
Step 8	Check your inbox for a YYAS confirmation receipt that indicates the successful submission of your application. Confirmation emails usually arrive within 24-48 hours of submission, due to occasional delays payment processing.

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the Yale Young African Scholars Program

Deadline: 20 January 2025