Ashinaga Africa Initiative annual scholarship

The Ashinaga Africa Initiative (AAI) scholarship is a program that cultivates the next generation of leaders to contribute to the development of sub-Saharan Africa by providing financial support to orphaned students at a university abroad – at an undergraduate level, who are committed to returning home and initiating change in sub-Saharan Africa expanding it’s role in global development. Ashinaga covers tuition, accommodation, travel costs, and other necessary fees.

Ashinaga Africa Initiative

The Ashinaga Africa Initiative 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 financial support for international university degrees, leadership training, and support to develop Scholars into compassionate change-makers. Selected candidates go on to study at world-class universities across Japan, Europe, the USA, and Brazil.

Eligibility

Eligible applicants must:

1. Have lost one or both parents.
2. Have citizenship and have completed or will complete secondary school in one of the following countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Comoros, Republic of Congo (Brazzaville), Democratic Republic of Congo (Kinshasa), Côte d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Gabon, Guinea, Equatorial Guinea, Madagascar, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Seychelles, Chad and Togo.
3. Have completed secondary school and received the results of their baccalaureate (technical and vocational degrees not accepted).
4. Be regularly ranked in the top 10% of their class during their last 2 or 3 years of secondary school and university, if applicable. (Students who received a grade below 14/20 on the baccalaureate have a lower chance of being accepted.).
5. Have no means to attend university abroad without external financial support.
6. Be proficient in French.
7. Be able to participate in the two Ashinaga preparatory programs, over the course of one year, before attending university. (The only exception is if the student has already received an offer of admission from a French university that applies the tuition fee exemption)
8. Be committed to return home, or to Sub-Saharan Africa, and contribute to society in Sub-Saharan Africa after graduating from university.
9. Have no dependents who could interfere with academic progress.
10. Have a good enough health condition to be able to study abroad.
11. Students wishing to study medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine or pharmacy are not eligible.
12. Applicants wishing to study engineering must have achieved particularly high grades in high school for this choice to be accepted.

How to apply

Applications for the AAI are only done online. If you have difficulties filling out our forms, please email us at admissions.fr@ashinaga.org.

Required documents

1. A passport sized photo.
2. A copy of your passport or identity card
3. A copy of your birth certificate/extract.
4. A copy of the death or disappearance certificate of the parents, or any alternative official document, bearing the name of the deceased, proving death or orphan status.
5. A copy of all school reports/transcripts from the last 2 years of high school (transcripts from the last quarter or semester, or annual transcripts).
6. A copy of the certificate of successful completion of the baccalaureate or any other proof of completion of secondary studies, and the transcript of the examination (with a detailed list of marks in each subject).
7. Proof of registration and grades obtained at the university to date, if applicable.
8. A letter of recommendation from a teacher. This letter should include their phone number and should contain information about your performance and character during high school. All letters of recommendation must have an official signature or stamp.
9. Optional: copies of certificates of extracurricular activities, training, employment or other commitment (if applicable).

Application deadline

Applications are currently closed but will re-open in July 2025.

Stay updated at the Ashinaga Africa Initiative website.