The Princeton in Africa Fellowships 2027/2028 for young African graduates.

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Application Deadline: October 26th, 2026 at 11:59 PM Eastern Daylight Time.

Applications are now open for the 2027/2028 Princeton in Africa Fellowships. Princeton in Africa (PiAf) is a nonprofit organization that offers year-long paid post-graduate fellowship opportunities with a variety of organizations working across the African continent. Fellowships are open to graduates of U.S.-accredited colleges & universities as well as colleges & universities based on the African continent.

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for the 2027-28 Princeton in Africa Fellowship, applicants must:

• Be young professionals or current undergraduates graduating by June 2027 at the time of application.*
• Hold a Bachelor’s, Master’s, or a Ph.D. from either:
• Have full professional proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing English as defined by the CEFR (Level C1 and above). Professional proficiency in French or Portuguese is preferred for some posts.
• Be no older than 35 years of age for the duration of the fellowship year (born on or after September 1, 1992).
• Hold a passport that is valid until at least 6 months after the end of the fellowship year.

*All applicants must not be enrolled in any graduate, doctoral, or equivalent advanced academic programs during their fellowship year.

The Nexus Program

Launched in 2023–24, the Princeton in Africa Nexus fellowship expands opportunities for talented young African leaders educated and residing on the African continent to participate in the Princeton in Africa fellowship. The program continues PiAf’s mission of promoting the exchange of skills, knowledge, leadership, and technical expertise across the fellowship community while strengthening organizations across Africa. All Nexus applicants must be citizens of an African country who are residing on the African continent and who are recent graduates or graduating seniors of a Bachelor’s, Master’s or PhD program at an African university.

Fellowship Package

Fellows should expect to cover:

• $350 nonrefundable program placement fee, paid upon acceptance of a fellowship post.
• Depending on the post, round-trip air travel to and from their fellowship post in their host country.
• Pre-departure medical expenses (e.g. immunizations, malaria prevention medications, personal medications). This also includes doctor or clinic costs associated with completing the mandatory medical clearance form. Applicants should visit their local health center for advice on necessary immunizations and preparations and to complete the medical clearance form.
• In some cases, costs associated with acquiring visas and work permits.
• Sundries and recreational travel.
• Partial cost of travel to mid-year Retreat.

Princeton in Africa/host organizations aim to cover:

• On the ground expenses, including housing and living stipend.*
• Certain visas/work permits.
• Medical, medical evacuation, and security evacuation insurance.
• Mid-year retreat in Africa with meals, housing, and activities (including partial travel grant for travel to and from the retreat location).

Fellowship packages vary post-to-post; details will be provided in the offer letter prior to a Fellow’s acceptance.

Application Timeline:

• Monday, Oct. 26th, 2026 at 11:59 PM Eastern Daylight Time: Application Deadline
• Early to Mid-December 2026: Applicants notified whether they are invited to interview
• January 6th-9th and January 12th, 2027: Virtual interviews
• February-May 2027: Selected candidates notified about potential posts. Placements ongoing.
• Late-May 2027: Fellowship placements finalized
• June 4th-6th, 2027: Mandatory virtual orientation for 2027-2028 Fellowship cohort
• June 8th-August 18th, 2027: Fellowships begin
• June 7th-August 17th, 2028: 12-month fellowships end

Applications will be reviewed throughout the months of November and December and those invited for interviews will be notified by mid-December 2026.

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the Princeton in Africa Fellowships