The Ashinaga Africa Initiative (AAI) is an international leadership program that cultivates the next generation of leaders to contribute to the development of sub-Saharan Africa.  

AAI Scholars have lost one or both parents and are committed to returning to sub-Saharan Africa to initiate change, innovation, and development. The AAI provides access to full financial support to study at university abroad (equivalent to an undergraduate degree), including tuition, room, travel costs and other necessary fees. The programme has three stages. 

• Table of Content
• About Ashinaga Africa Initiative
• Ashinaga Africa Initiative Young Leaders Scholarship
• Aim and Benefits of Ashinaga Africa Initiative Young Leaders Scholarship
• Requirements for Ashinaga Africa Initiative Young Leaders Scholarship Qualification
• Interview date, Process and Venue for Ashinaga Africa Initiative Young Leaders Scholarship
• Documents Required for Application
• Application Deadline
• How to Apply

About Ashinaga Africa Initiative

The Ashinaga Africa Initiative began in 2014. Its mission is to contribute to Sub-Saharan Africa’s expanding role in global development through increasing access to higher education abroad. We support orphaned students who are committed to returning home and initiating change, by providing access to full financial support to study at a university abroad (equivalent to an undergraduate degree). Ashinaga support covers tuition, accommodation, travel costs, and other necessary fees.... read more ... continue reading

Ashinaga Africa Initiative Young Leaders Scholarship

Aim and Benefits of Ashinaga Africa Initiative Young Leaders Scholarship

The AAI helps students access full financial support to study abroad. The support covers the first possible qualification that can be earned, and the costs of a foundation or preparatory course will also be covered if required. Ashinaga has regional offices to support students during studies in Japan, the U.K., the U.S.A., France and Brazil. Scholars will participate in a mandatory internship in their home country or Sub-Saharan Africa and join Ashinaga’s leadership development programmes. The AAI does not?accept applications from students who wish to study for a second degree or master’s degree. 

Requirements for Ashinaga Africa Initiative Young Leaders Scholarship Qualification

The application is open to those who:

• Have lost one or both parents.
• Have completed secondary school and received the results of their national Secondary School examination (technical and vocational degrees not accepted) within the last two years (any date after 2nd August 2021, including all of 2022?and 2023) or will have completed Secondary School and received final exam results before February 9th, 2024.
• Have citizenship and have completed/are completing high school in one of the following countries: Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde, CAR, Cameroon, Chad, Comoros, Côte d’Ivoire, Djibouti, DRC, Ethiopia, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea Conakry, Kenya, Kingdom of Eswatini, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Republic of Congo, Rwanda, São Tomé and Príncipe, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Seychelles, Sudan, Tanzania, The Gambia, Togo, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
• Were born after 1st September 2001.
• Do not have the means to attend university abroad without external financial support.
• Are proficient in English, French or Portuguese.
• Are regularly ranked in the top 10% of their class during their last 2 or 3 years of secondary school. 
• Are able to participate in the two Ashinaga preparatory programs, over the course of one year, before attending university.
• Are committed to return home, or to Sub-Saharan Africa, and contribute to society in Sub-Saharan Africa after graduating from university.
• Have no dependents who could interfere with academic progress.
• Have a good enough health condition to be able to study abroad.

Ashinaga does not discriminate by gender, race, ethnic background, culture, disability, sexual orientation, religion or any other factors during its recruitment process. 

Interview date, Process and Venue for Ashinaga Africa Initiative Young Leaders Scholarship

Ashinaga will select students from each Sub-Saharan African country to participate in a Study Camp in Uganda or Senegal from July to December 2024. Anglophone students will normally attend the Camp in Uganda, with Francophone students attending the Camp in Senegal. During the Study Camp, students are assisted in their academic preparation, university applications (to either Japan, the U.K., the U.S.A., or Europe), career planning and leadership development. After completing the Study Camp, the students will progress to a second camp called Preparation Camp. This happens between April and June 2025. Students prepare for the social, cultural, and academic differences they will discover abroad. Students will then proceed to university in August or September of 2025. All of the costs during both camps are fully covered by Ashinaga.

Students who wish to join our Japanese language track, in which they study in the Japanese language at a university in Japan, will follow a similar schedule, however, they will focus on intensive Japanese language learning throughout the Study Camp. After the Study Camp, they will move to Japan to spend one or two years at a language school prior to starting their university studies.

After Graduation 

Scholars have the responsibility to return to their home countries or Sub-Saharan Africa within four years after graduating and contribute to the country/region while living there for at least one year. They will have to contact Ashinaga during this period to provide information about their activity and residency. 

Documents Required for Application

• Registration  
  • Photo or scan of at least one of the following documents; Passport, National ID Card or Birth Certificate 
  • Photo or scan of your most recent Secondary School Term Report/Transcript 
  • Photo or scan of your final Secondary School Examination Results Certificate (if applicable)**  

**For students receiving their examination results in February 2023, we will ask you to send your examination certificate as soon as possible after you have received it.    

Note: All documents must be submitted in French or English if possible. Use the Gregorian (Western) calendar to fill in the application. 

Application Deadline

How to Apply

In order to apply for the AAI online, you will have to register through this portal. Once registered, you will use your account to access and submit your application.

We strongly encourage you to apply online using this portal. However, if this is not possible, you can also apply using our paper application form.

Please read the AAI 2024 Applicant Guidebook for full details about the programme and for support with your application.

This application process is free, and anyone asking for payment at any stage is doing so against the will of Ashinaga.

How to Apply

There are two stages to the Ashinaga Africa Initiative application process;  

1. Applicant Registration: all applicants must first confirm their eligibility by registering for the programme. Only students who register for the programme and are deemed eligible will receive the application form by email. Each decision about an applicant’s eligibility is based on the criteria outlined above and their academic record. Our expectations for the academic record of an applicant reflects the academic level we expect students to have in order thrive as part of our intensive leadership programme.

1. Application: all students who register for the program will receive an email with a link to the application form within 1 month of their registration if they are eligible for the program.  

We strongly recommend applying online.  

Step 1

Create a new account using the 'Register' button at the top of this page.

Step 2

You will receive an e-mail (please check spam/junk box) with instructions to begin your registration. 

Step  3

Complete your Eligibility Profile to confirm you are eligible for the Ashinaga Africa Initiative.

Step 4

Follow the instructions to complete the applicant registration form.

For more details visit: AAI website.