Yale Young African Scholars (YYAS)

The Yale Young African Scholars Program (YYAS) is a high-intensity academic and leadership program designed for African secondary school students who have the talent, drive, energy, and ideas to make meaningful impacts as young leaders, even before they begin their university studies.

YYAS brings together students from across Africa in this seven-day, residential program and introduces them to the demanding U.S. university application process and requirements. YYAS is an official program of Yale University.

Yale Young African Scholars (YYAS) is a seven-day, residential program for African secondary school students currently enrolled in high school on the African continent. YYAS is designed for students who will graduate from secondary school in 2018 are 18 years or younger at the time of the program, and have the talent, drive, energy, and ideas to make meaningful impacts as young leaders.

The program will help prepare students for the demanding application process of U.S. universities through small group workshops and post-program mentorship. The week long program will help students recognize and understand global issues, strategize responses, and innovate solutions while learning from Yale faculty, as well as undergraduate and graduate students who currently attend Yale. Students will participate in a lecture series and a number of elective seminars on a variety of topics. The demanding academic content is designed to improve students’ analytical thinking, intellectual flexibility, and written and oral communication skills.

There is no cost to students to participate in the Yale Young African Scholars Program. Participants are, however, responsible for getting themselves to the venue at the outset of the program and their return home at the end of the program. Participants will also be responsible for any incidental expenses they elect to incur. Admitted students demonstrating financial need may apply for a limited number of travel assistance grants, intended to help defray the cost of international travel between African countries. Students can only apply for travel assistance after they have received an offer of admission to YYAS.

On-site accommodation is mandatory, and will be provided for all students, along with three meals a day. There is no cost for students to participate in the program.

Who can Apply

The eligibility requirements for students interested in applying to YYAS are as follows:

• intention to complete secondary school in 2018 (i.e. have 1.5 – 2 years left before graduating from high school)
• Are 18 years or younger at the time of the program
• excellent academic record
• demonstrated leadership potential
• strong written and verbal communication skills
• ability to read, analyze, and reflect on large quantities of difficult material in English
• desire and ability to work cooperatively with peers
• good work ethic
• high standard of personal and professional conduct
• interested in attending university in the United States

Students must also be mature and able to engage respectfully and civilly in discussions over controversial intellectual, moral, and political issues.

Summer 2017 sessions will be held in three locations:

Rwanda: July 27 August 2
Ghana: August 7 – August 13
Mauritius: August 18- August 24

Official Link: http://africanscholars.yale.edu/

Deadline: March 16, 2017