High School Fellowship Program
The Yale Women’s Leadership Initiative (WLI) invites high school students to join our 9-week Fellowship Program, a dynamic leadership development experience led by Yale undergraduates. Fellows will explore women’s leadership across fields through interactive workshops, mentorship, and conversations with guest speakers ranging from academics and activists to professionals in STEM, business, law, and public service.
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Throughout the program, fellows will build essential skills—like résumé writing, public speaking, and project design—while developing a community-focused initiative that reflects their personal growth and leadership vision. Select projects will even be showcased at the annual WLI Conference.
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Sessions are held weekly on Saturdays from 11AM–12PM, with an average commitment of one additional hour per week for assignments. The Fellowship is offered at no cost beyond the application fee, making it accessible to motivated students who are ready to take the next step in their leadership journey. Application fee is $10 through PayPal for international students and Zelle for US students.
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Apply below by November 9th, 2025 at 11:59PM EST! Please email maria.cuevasmateo@yale.edu or samantha.fan@yale.edu if you have any questions!
2026 High School Essay Contest
The Yale Women's Leadership Initiative Essay Contest is open to current high school students in the U.S. and internationally from grades 9-12. Please submit your work via the "Apply" button below.
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Please answer this prompt in 500-1000 words: “Women leaders in our communities often create change not just through their actions, but through the inspiration they give to others. Choose a woman leader from your community who has made a difference. What lessons from her leadership do you hope to carry forward, and how would you apply those lessons in your own future goals or leadership journey?")
Submissions must be in Times New Roman, point 12 font, in PDF format, with a file name of LastName_FirstName_WLIContest.
The deadline for submissions is 1/2/2026 at 11:59 pm EST. Winners will be announced on our Instagram @yalewli and published on our Yale WLI website.
Winners and families are invited to attend our flagship annual Yale Women’s Leadership Initiative Conference on Yale University's campus (tentatively in February 2026) and receive networking opportunities with members of the Yale community, including faculty, alumni, speakers, and students. Winners will receive prizes of $200, $100, and $50 for first, second, and third place. Winners may also include honorable mentions and finalists. Winners will be required to provide their own transportation to and from Yale’s campus for the conference. Please email maria.cuevasmateo@yale.edu or samantha.fan@yale.edu if you have any questions!