FellowshipFully Funded

African Young Women Leaders Fellowship Program Fully-Funded to New York or a Regional Country Office

Heads up — this listing may be outdated. The dates and details below reference a year that has already passed and our editorial team has not re-verified this scholarship is still open. Always confirm the current intake on the sponsor's official website via the button below before you invest time in an application.

The African Young Women Leaders Fellowship Program is offering a fully-funded 12-month fellowship in New York or at one of UNDP’s regional offices., Post a Comment

Provider: Various
Host country: Multiple
Deadline: Annual – check official site
Region: Global

Official source

Topics

Eligibility & requirements at a glance

African Young Women Leaders Fellowship Program Fully-Funded to New York or a Regional Country Office is open to African students applying to study in Multiple at the Fellowship level, with fully funded funding. Below is a quick summary of who can apply, what's covered, and the key dates — full details are further down the page.

Who can apply: Fellowship · applicants for Multiple
Funding: Fully Funded
Study level: Fellowship
Deadline: Annual – check official site

Key eligibility criteria

African young women aged 22–35 with a Master's degree and 2+ years of work experience

What the fully funded award covers

Monthly stipend
Accommodation
Health insurance

About the African Young Women Leaders Fellowship Program Fully-Funded to New York or a Regional Country Office (2026)

##### Do you have what it takes to be a modern woman leader? The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) is looking for 25 African women below 34 years old to join the African Young Women Leaders (AfYWL) Fellowship Program. The African Young Women Leaders Fellowship Program is offering a fully-funded 12-month fellowship in New York or at one of UNDP’s regional or country offices. In partnership with the African Union Commission (AUC) and the UNDP, the program works to enhance women’s leadership and representation in public and private institutions. This is done through targeted leadership training and capacity development to promote the participation of young women in decision-making roles. Now working on finding applicants for its second cohort, the AfYWL Fellowship Program also presents interested African women with the chance to be assigned to the United Nations Secretariat or the AUC. **Application deadline:** September 14, 2021 ### Table of contents - [Benefits of the African Young Women Leaders Fellowship Program](https://scholarshipsforafricans.com/african-young-women-leaders-fellowship-program-fully-funded-to-new-york-or-a-regional-country-office/#h-benefits-of-the-african-young-women-leaders-fellowship-program) - [AfYWL Training and Learning](https://scholarshipsforafricans.com/african-young-women-leaders-fellowship-program-fully-funded-to-new-york-or-a-regional-country-office/#h-afywl-training-and-learning) - [Program Details](https://scholarshipsforafricans.com/african-young-women-leaders-fellowship-program-fully-funded-to-new-york-or-a-regional-country-office/#h-program-details) - [Eligibility Criteria](https://scholarshipsforafricans.com/african-young-women-leaders-fellowship-program-fully-funded-to-new-york-or-a-regional-country-office/#h-eligibility-criteria) - [How to Apply for the Fully-Funded Opportunity](https://scholarshipsforafricans.com/african-young-women-leaders-fellowship-program-fully-funded-to-new-york-or-a-regional-country-office/#h-how-to-apply-for-the-fully-funded-opportunity) ## Benefits of the African Young Women Leaders Fellowship Program The African Young Women Leaders Fellowship Program shall cover expenses related to travel and medical insurance. In addition, each fellow is entitled to a monthly stipend. This shall cover accommodation and living costs at their respective duty stations. A learning budget is also set aside for undertaking relevant learning and development activities. For fellowship assignments that require a participant’s relocation, physical travel will be dependent on the recommended guidelines of each recruiting office. ## AfYWL Training and Learning As part of the fully-funded fellowship’s assignment, the fellow will benefit from the following training and learning opportunities: - Participation in a dedicated induction workshop in Addis Ababa (early 2022) hosted jointly by AUC and UNDP (all costs covered). - Access to an earmarked learning budget for relevant learning/development activities. - Participation in regular mentorship by senior UNDP staff. - Participation in a transformative leadership development training program jointly developed by AUC and UNDP. - Support from UNDP on other corporate learning and development activities. - In addition, the Fellow will benefit from the relevant training and learning modalities/opportunities offered in the receiving office. On the other hand, as part of the AfYWL Fellowship Program, the fellows will benefit from the following supervision modalities: - Joint structured induction program hosted by UNDP and AUC. - Structured guidance provided by the supervisor. - Coaching and mentoring by experienced UNDP People Manager. - Establishment of a work plan with clear key results and deliverables. - Effective supervision through knowledge sharing and performance/development feedback throughout the assignment. - Participation in Unit/Team/Office meetings to ensure integration and operational effectiveness. - Guidance and career advice in relation to learning and career growth opportunities within the field of expertise. ## Program Details The fully-funded fellowship aims to provide opportunities for African women in the key areas of education, employment, entrepreneurship, and engagement, as well as mainstream youth and women in key development spaces. Moreover, AfYWL is founded on the following pillars: - Equipping outstanding young African women leaders with the leadership skills and experience required to advance the SDGs and Agenda 2063 and contribute effectively to decision-making in public, private, and multilateral institutions at home and abroad. - Creating a diverse pool of talent to enhance UNDP’s organizational efficiency and contribute to more responsive and effective policies and programs. - Developing a network of African young women professionals that engages in promoting innovative, sustainable and inclusive development through South-South development change. ## Eligibility Criteria In order to be considered for the African Young Women Leaders Fellowship Program, one must meet the following eligibility criteria: - Female candidates only. - National of an African Union member state. Priority will be given to nationals of AU member states that did not benefit from the first cohort of the Fellowship Program. - Aged below 34 years at the date of application. - Master’s degree or equivalent in Economics, Political Science, Business Administration, International Relations/Development, Law, Communications, Digitalization or other related development field. - Maximum one year (post master) of relevant and paid working experience in research, analysis and program/project development, implementation and management. - Available in late 2021/early 2022 to participate in an induction workshop in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. - Available in 2021/22 to dedicate 12 months to a fellowship assignment. - Willing to live and work outside their country of residence. - Understanding of, and interest in, poverty eradication, sustainable structural transformation, the SDGs and Agenda 2063. - Capacity to gather comprehensive information on complex problems or situations, and ability to evaluate and analyze information accurately in order to identify key issues and solutions. ## How to Apply for the Fully-Funded Opportunity Start your fellowship application process by [applying online](https://jobs.partneragencies.net/erecruitjobs.html?JobOpeningId=39247&HRS_JO_PST_SEQ=1&hrs_site_id=2). For further information, please visit the official [AfYWL Fellowship Program webpage](https://www.africa.undp.org/content/rba/en/home/presscenter/articles/2021/call-for-applications--2nd-cohort-of-the-afywl-fellowship-progra.html). * * * _brought to you by Scholarships for Africans_ [**Scholarships for Africans**](https://scholarshipsforafricans.com/) is a premier scholarship information blog committed to bringing more opportunities for Africans globally. They are part of the African Scholar Initiative, powered by Scholarship Hippo. Be a part of our growing community! **JOIN:** [Scholarships for Africans Facebook group](https://www.facebook.com/groups/ScholarshipsforAfricans) **LIKE:** [African Scholar Initiative Facebook page](https://www.facebook.com/AfricanScholarInitiative) ### Share this: - [Share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Facebook](https://scholarshipsforafricans.com/african-young-women-leaders-fellowship-program-fully-funded-to-new-york-or-a-regional-country-office/?share=facebook&nb=1) - [Share on X (Opens in new window)X](https://scholarshipsforafricans.com/african-young-women-leaders-fellowship-program-fully-funded-to-new-york-or-a-regional-country-office/?share=twitter&nb=1) - [Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)WhatsApp](https://scholarshipsforafricans.com/african-young-women-leaders-fellowship-program-fully-funded-to-new-york-or-a-regional-country-office/?share=jetpack-whatsapp&nb=1) - [Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)LinkedIn](https://scholarshipsforafricans.com/african-young-women-leaders-fellowship-program-fully-funded-to-new-york-or-a-regional-country-office/?share=linkedin&nb=1) - [Share on Telegram (Opens in new window)Telegram](https://scholarshipsforafricans.com/african-young-women-leaders-fellowship-program-fully-funded-to-new-york-or-a-regional-country-office/?share=telegram&nb=1) - [More](https://scholarshipsforafricans.com/african-young-women-leaders-fellowship-program-fully-funded-to-new-york-or-a-regional-country-office/#) - [Print (Opens in new window)Print](https://scholarshipsforafricans.com/african-young-women-leaders-fellowship-program-fully-funded-to-new-york-or-a-regional-country-office/#print?share=print&nb=1) - [Share on Reddit (Opens in new window)Reddit](https://scholarshipsforafricans.com/african-young-women-leaders-fellowship-program-fully-funded-to-new-york-or-a-regional-country-office/?share=reddit&nb=1) - [Share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)Tumblr](https://scholarshipsforafricans.com/african-young-women-leaders-fellowship-program-fully-funded-to-new-york-or-a-regional-country-office/?share=tumblr&nb=1) - [Share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)Pinterest](https://scholarshipsforafricans.com/african-young-women-leaders-fellowship-program-fully-funded-to-new-york-or-a-regional-country-office/?share=pinterest&nb=1) ### Like this: LikeLoading... ### _Related_ In[African Leadership](https://scholarshipsforafricans.com/tag/african-leadership/), [African Women](https://scholarshipsforafricans.com/tag/african-women/), [Fellowship Opportunities](https://scholarshipsforafricans.com/tag/fellowship-opportunities/), [fellowships for africans](https://scholarshipsforafricans.com/tag/fellowships-for-africans/), [leadership program](https://scholarshipsforafricans.com/tag/leadership-program/), [United Nations](https://scholarshipsforafricans.com/tag/united-nations/)

What the Fully Funded African Young Women Leaders Fellowship Program Fully-Funded to New York or a Regional Country Office covers

The award components below were extracted from the sponsor's published description. Always cross-check the exact figures, ceiling amounts and conditions on the official site before you budget around them.

Monthly stipend
Accommodation
Health insurance

African Young Women Leaders Fellowship Program Fully-Funded to New York or a Regional Country Office eligibility for Multiple applicants

Always cross-check eligibility against the sponsor's official site before applying — sponsor rules can change between intakes.

African young women aged 22–35 with a Master's degree and 2+ years of work experience

Documents required for the African Young Women Leaders Fellowship Program Fully-Funded to New York or a Regional Country Office application

A planning baseline drawn from how 90%+ of African scholarship sponsors structure their checklist. The sponsor's portal is the source of truth for any single application.

Valid international passport (bio page scan)
Most recent academic transcripts (sealed or e-verified copies)
Curriculum vitae / résumé (1–2 pages, reverse-chronological)
Personal statement or motivation letter (500–1,000 words, tailored to the sponsor)
Two to three reference letters (academic for students, professional for working applicants)
Proof of English proficiency (IELTS, TOEFL or Duolingo) — Medium-of-Instruction letter may substitute for Anglophone-Africa graduates
Passport-sized photograph meeting ICAO biometric standards
Research proposal or statement of purpose (500–2,000 words for PhD)
Published or unpublished writing sample (PhD and research-led Masters)
Financial-need declaration or family-income statement (sponsor-specific template)
Country-of-origin proof (national ID or birth certificate) — required by many Africa-focused funders

How to apply for the African Young Women Leaders Fellowship Program Fully-Funded to New York or a Regional Country Office 2026

A practical, sponsor-agnostic sequence used by >95% of international scholarship applicants. Adapt to the sponsor's specific portal — the order rarely changes.

1
Confirm eligibility on the official site
Open https://www.africa.undp.org/content/rba/en/home/presscenter/articles/2021/call-for-applications--2nd-cohort-of-the-afywl-fellowship-progra.html and verify the sponsor's stated criteria match your profile — currently: "African young women aged 22–35 with a Master's degree and 2+ years of work experience". Sponsor rules change between intakes, so always confirm against the live call.
2
Secure a study place or admission offer
Identify a supervisor whose research aligns with yours, exchange emails, and either obtain a conditional offer or confirmation that they will host your project. Many Various awards require this before the funding application opens.
3
Sit required tests and gather documents
Register for IELTS / TOEFL / Duolingo (or SAT / GRE where required), request official transcripts, brief two or three referees, and prepare passport and identity documents at high resolution.
4
Draft your essays and statements
Write a focused 1,000–2,000-word research proposal and a separate personal statement. Tailor every paragraph to the sponsor's stated priorities — generic recycled essays are the most common reason strong applicants are rejected.
5
Complete the online application
Create an account on https://www.africa.undp.org/content/rba/en/home/presscenter/articles/2021/call-for-applications--2nd-cohort-of-the-afywl-fellowship-progra.html, fill in every field, and upload the required documents in the formats specified (PDF, max file size, single-file vs multi-file). Save progress frequently — most portals time out after 30–60 minutes.
6
Submit by Annual – check official site (aim 7 days early)
Sponsor portals routinely slow or fail in the final 24 hours. Submit early, download the confirmation receipt, and screenshot the submission timestamp. Late submissions are not accepted under any circumstances.
7
Prepare for shortlist interviews
If shortlisted, Various will contact you within 4–12 weeks. Re-read your essays, rehearse 3–5 likely questions out loud, and confirm your time zone for any video interview.

African Young Women Leaders Fellowship Program Fully-Funded to New York or a Regional Country Office deadline & application timeline

The sponsor has not published a fixed deadline yet. Use the milestones below as a generic 12-month plan; substitute dates once the intake window opens.

12 months out
Register for tests (IELTS/TOEFL/SAT/GRE), shortlist 3–5 universities, identify referees.
6 months out
Sit your tests, draft a personal statement, request transcripts and confirm reference letters.
3 months out
Finalise essays, upload supporting documents, complete the online application portal.
1 month out
Final review, double-check uploaded files, submit a week before the deadline to avoid portal issues.
Application deadline
Submit by 23:59 in the sponsor's stated time zone — usually local to the sponsor, not your country.

Ready to apply?

Cross-check the latest eligibility rules and deadline on the sponsor's official portal before you start your application.

Visit official site

Frequently asked questions

Who can apply for the African Young Women Leaders Fellowship Program Fully-Funded to New York or a Regional Country Office?+

Applicants must be eligible African nationals applying at the Fellowship level, meet the academic and English-language requirements set by Various, and be able to relocate to the host country for the duration of the programme.

Is the African Young Women Leaders Fellowship Program Fully-Funded to New York or a Regional Country Office fully funded?+

Funding model: Fully Funded. Where listed as fully funded, the award typically covers tuition, monthly stipend, health insurance and round-trip airfare. Always confirm the latest funding breakdown on the sponsor's official page.

When is the application deadline?+

The application deadline is Annual – check official site. Submit at least one week early — sponsor portals frequently slow or fail in the final 24 hours, and late submissions are not accepted under any circumstances.

What documents do I need to apply?+

At minimum: passport bio page, academic transcripts, CV, personal statement, two to three references, and an English-language test score (IELTS, TOEFL or Duolingo). Research-led Masters and PhD applications also require a research proposal and a writing sample.

How can I improve my chance of winning?+

Apply early, tailor every essay to the specific sponsor (do not recycle a generic statement), secure at least one reference who knows your work in detail, and apply to two or three additional scholarships in parallel — never rely on a single application.

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