FY 2026 Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) Academic Fellows Program
This grant funds a U.S. organization to run 16 academic institutes in 2027 for 285 young Southeast Asian leaders, focusing on key themes and including academic residencies, field experiences, and forums in Washington, DC.
Funder: Bureau Of Educational and Cultural Affairs
Due Dates: May 29, 2026 (Full application deadline)
Funding Amounts: $6,500,000 total; one award; 18–24 month project period; no cost sharing required
Summary: Supports a single U.S. institution or nonprofit to design, manage, and implement 16 academic institutes for Southeast Asian undergraduate and recent graduate leaders on themes of economic prosperity, liberty and freedom, natural resources, and peace and security.
Key Information: Applicants may submit only one proposal; multiple submissions will be deemed ineligible.
Description
This opportunity will fund one cooperative agreement to administer the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) Academic Fellows Program (AFP) for FY 2026. The recipient will design, implement, and oversee 16 academic institutes—eight in spring 2027 and eight in fall 2027—serving approximately 285 undergraduate students and recent graduates from Southeast Asia. Each institute will focus on one of four themes: Economic Prosperity, Liberty and Freedom, Natural Resources, and Peace and Security.
Each institute will last approximately five weeks and include:
- A four-week academic residency at a U.S. college or university.
- A one-week integrated academic field experience, including time in Washington, DC.
- A YSEALI Fellows Forum in Washington, DC, for all Fellows at the end of each semester.
The award recipient will coordinate all aspects of program design, recruitment, subaward management (if applicable), participant logistics, and alumni engagement. Applicants may directly implement up to two institutes and must administer subawards for the remaining institutes; no academic institution may implement more than two institutes in one year.
The program aims to strengthen U.S.-ASEAN relations, promote U.S. values, and build the leadership capacity of young Southeast Asian leaders.
