Yale Young African Scholars Program 2019
Every year Yale University offers a summer academic enrichment and leadership program for outstanding high school students or secondary school students as known in many other countries. Students from over 100 countries participate in one of the nine interdisciplinary sessions organized each summer within a global learning community. The Yale Young African Scholars Program was created as an extension of the Yale Young Global Scholars Program (YYGS) structure. Whereas YYGS takes place on Yale’s campus in New Haven, Connecticut, and is open to students from around the world, the Yale Young African Scholars Program takes place in Africa and is only open to students who are citizens or permanent residents of an African country AND who are currently enrolled in secondary school (i.e. high school) on the African continent. The 2018 edition took place in Gashora, Rwanda (29 July – 07 August), and Tema, Ghana (11 August – 20 August), bringing together a total of 303 students from 35 African nations who attend 235 secondary schools on the continent.
Application Deadline
February 6th, 2019
Program Location and Date
1) Ghana: July 25 to August 01
2) Kenya: August 07 to August 14
3) Zimbabwe: August 18 to August 25
Image from Yale website
Eligibility
Current high/secondary school students in Africa.
If you have graduated or will graduate before November/December 2019, you are NOT eligible. If you attend school in the Northern Hemisphere, you must be graduating from secondary school in May/June 2020 or 2021. If you attend school in the Southern Hemisphere, you must be graduating from secondary school in November/December 2019 or 2020.
Must be living and attending a school in Africa
Must be between 15 and 18 years of age. You are NOT eligible if younger than 14 years old.
Benefits
- Improved academic skills
- University Admission
- Financial aid application guidance
- Join a network of young African leaders to positively impact your continent
- Get access to mentors to guide you during university admission application process
Yale Young Scholars program has two offers.
- Yale Young Global Scholars (YYGS). Click here to learn more.
- Yale Young African Scholars (YYAS).
- Choose the one that works best for you. Don’t forget that you can apply for the two.
The following details are important for you to note when reviewing the sample blank application:
- Financial Information
- Coursework, grades, and letters of recommendation from your school.
- The Essay you will write
- Financial aid if you can demonstrate the need
- Provide as much additional information you know can explain who you are.
IMPORTANT POINTS TO NOTE
Review the sample blank applications to help you during the application process.
You can only submit your application online.
Sending your application by email or forwarding it as an attachment is not allowed.
Application Requirements
- Resume/activities list
- Official school transcript
- Two recommendation letters (Preferably from your teachers)
- Standardized test scores, if you available (they are not required)
- One 500 word essay and two 200 word essays
- The application is free if you are applying for only YYAS
For YYAS & YYGS Dual Applicants
Please note there is no cost to apply for or participate in YYAS. If you are applying for YYAS and YYGS, you will need to pay the application fee of $60. The application fee section only applies to students who wish to apply for both programs or YYGS only. Students who ONLY wish to apply for YYAS should disregard the financial aid section of the application.
To get answers to questions about your eligibility, send an email to african.scholars@yale.edu
Here are the SAMPLE applications documents:
If applying to Yale Young African Scholars (YYAS) – ONLY
(YYAS) Application SAMPLE PDF
If applying to Yale Young Global Scholars (YYGS) – ONLY
(YYGS) Application SAMPLE PDF
If you are going for the two, (Global and African Scholar), check this form:
(YYAS) and (YYGS) Application SAMPLE PDF
There’s also support if certain areas of the application are not clear. If you have any questions, please contact YYGS or contact YYAS.
For Frequently Asked Questions, visit the programs page here.
Learn more and Apply here.
Good luck with your applications.
