Yale Young African Scholars

Mission

The mission of YYAS is to expose Africa’s brightest young leaders to various opportunities for pursuing tertiary education, and to equip them with the skills to serve their communities and the world. In line with Yale’s mission of educational accessibility, YYAS is free for all students.

Vision

The vision of YYAS is to mentor and support African secondary school students to become Africa’s next generation of leaders and engaged citizens. Participants in the YYAS program will emerge with an expanded knowledge base, friendships forged with peers from around the continent, and direct access to university student mentors who will help guide them through the university admissions and financial aid application processes.

YYAS 2026 Program Dates: 

• YYAS Online College Prep Workshop (6 days): 16 - 21 July 2026
• YYAS Residential Leadership Summit (Kenya; 9 days): 8 - 16 August 2026

History

The Yale Young African Scholars (YYAS) Program was conceived in 2013 by a group of African undergraduate and graduate students at Yale University. Their goal was to share their knowledge and experience of studying in the U.S. with some of the continent’s most talented secondary school students, and to help them prepare for the demanding university application process. Dr. Ian Shapiro, Sterling Professor of Political Science and Director of the MacMillan Center, as co-director of the Yale Africa Initiative, immediately embraced the project. The MacMillan Center’s support was instrumental in bringing YYAS to fruition. 

In 2014, YYAS held its pilot program in Ghana and Ethiopia. Over 1,200 students from 23 countries applied and 110 students were selected, representing 18 African countries and 79 secondary schools across Africa.

Building upon that early success, the following year YYAS held subsequent programs in Rwanda and Zimbabwe, bringing together 100 participants from 17 countries. Later in 2015, thanks to a generous gift from Higherlife Foundation, YYAS received funding for three years of sessions to be held in Ghana, Rwanda, and Zimbabwe, with 100 students per session each year.

In 2016, thanks to the gift from HLF, YYAS welcomed its first cohort of 300 with students from 25 African countries. As the years progressed, country representation increased steadily to reach 39 in 2020, which was the first year YYAS piloted an online version of the program in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

As of 2022, the program is funded primarily by the university in addition to several gifts that have supported students and educators attending YYAS in-person programs. In 2023, the program reintroduced residential programming for students and the educators conference with a small cohort of 50 participants. By 2025, the residential program has grown to serve 110 students from 36 countries. In addition to in-person programming, the online program has become a permanent commitment by the YYAS team and continues to serve roughly 240 students annually. In 2025, the YYAS program served students from 42 countries, the most diverse cohort yet.

The Yale Young African Scholars (YYAS) Alumni Network is fast growing and now reaches well over 2,600 students across the continent.