Application Deadline:06 February 2019 at 11:59pm EST
The Yale Young African Scholars Program (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.
Participants will enhance their academic skills, receive university admission and financial aid application guidance, and join a network of young leaders from across Africa. Following the program, students will be paired with mentors who will help advise them throughout the university application process. There is no tuition cost to students to participate in YYAS.
YYAS 2019 will be held in three locations:
Ghana | 25 July – 01 August
Kenya | 07 August – 14 August
Zimbabwe | 18 August – 25 August
Eligibility Requirements:
- YYAS accepts applications from current secondary school (i.e. high school) students in Africa, typically between the ages of 15 and 18. All applicants must be citizens or permanent residents of an African country AND currently be attending a school in Africa.
- Students who will graduate secondary school before November/December 2019, or who have already graduated secondary school, are NOT eligible to apply. YYAS will also not accept applications from students who are younger than 14 years of age by the application deadline
Student Profile:
A typical YYAS participant has:
- Excellent academic records
- Demonstrated leadership potential
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- A desire and ability to work cooperatively with peers
- Persistence and determination when facing challenges
- High standards of personal and professional conduct
- The ability to read, analyze, and reflect on large quantities of difficult material in English
- Demonstrated maturity and interest in engaging in discussions about intellectual, moral, and political issues in Africa
Please note that YYAS is a university access program that gives preference to high-achieving, low-income (HALI) students who do not have university guidance in their schools or communities.
Application Requirements:
- Completed application form – The application can be found online and must be filled out by the applicant. Students will be asked to complete one 500-word essay and two short responses, and must provide information on their extracurricular activities and the school that they currently attend. Please be sure to write down the email and password you use to create your account so you may log back in.
You may preview the application here.
- 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. 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 teacher recommendation – The recommendation must be written and submitted by a teacher who knows the student well. They may do so through a link that will be provided by the applicant on the online portal. Alternatively, the teacher may email a letter of recommendation in PDF (.pdf) format to african.scholars@yale.edu and our staff will upload it to the student’s application. Recommendations from parents/guardians, siblings, relatives, family friends, and/or paid private tutors/counselors will NOT be accepted.
If you have any specific questions about your eligibility, please email african.scholars@yale.edu.
For More Information:
Visit the Official Webpage of the Yale Young African Scholars Program 2019
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