YSEALI Fellowships and Exchange Programs for Young ASEAN Leaders

What YSEALI Is

The Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative launched in Manila in December 2013 to build ties between young leaders in the region and the United States. It is run by the US State Department through yseali.state.gov and through US embassies across Southeast Asia, and it now covers several separate programs rather than a single fellowship.

Everything under YSEALI is funded by the US government for accepted participants, so you do not pay for the program itself. What differs between the tracks below is the format, length and level of experience expected.

1. YSEALI Academic Fellowship

This is a six-week fellowship hosted at US universities, with past host institutions including Arizona State University, Brown University, Temple University and the University of Texas at Austin. You study a track connected to your interests and background, work with faculty and community partners, then return home with a concrete project idea tied to what you learned.

2. YSEALI Professional Fellows Program

This track is for young professionals already working in relevant fields. As of the FY2026 cycle, placements run around four strategic themes: Economic Prosperity, Strategic Energy and Minerals, Liberty and Freedom, and Peace and Security.

Themes are set per cycle, so confirm the current list on yseali.state.gov or ysealipfp.org before applying. You spend a period working alongside a US host organization in your field, and many programs include a reciprocal visit where your US counterpart visits your home country.

3. Seeds for the Future

Running since 2017, this is a grants competition rather than a travel fellowship. It funds youth-led projects based in Southeast Asia with awards up to $15,000, so you do not need to travel to the US to take part. It suits applicants who already have a project idea and need funding and mentorship to build it out.

4. Regional Workshops and Exchanges

US embassies in ASEAN countries also run shorter regional workshops and exchanges for participants who are earlier in their leadership journey or applying for the first time. These are a lower-commitment entry point compared with the six-week Academic Fellowship or the Professional Fellows placements.

Who Can Apply

YSEALI programs are open to people aged 18 to 35 from all 10 ASEAN member states plus Timor-Leste. You need reasonable English proficiency for most tracks, since programs run in English, and most applications ask for a record of community involvement or leadership already, rather than only strong grades.

How Selection Works

You apply online through yseali.state.gov or through your local US Embassy's YSEALI page during each program's open application window. Selection is competitive: as of September 2020, YSEALI counted more than 5,000 fellowship alumni and over 150,000 members across its wider regional network, and acceptance for the flagship fellowships has run around 1 to 2 percent of applicants. Strengthen your application by being specific about a real project or issue you want to work on, rather than writing in general terms about wanting international experience.

Tips for a Strong Application

Be specific about a real issue or project you want to work on rather than writing broadly about wanting international exposure. Selection committees read hundreds of applications built around vague ambitions, so a concrete example of something you have already done in your community, even on a small scale, carries more weight than a long list of aspirations.

Ask for references from people who have actually worked with you on the kind of project or issue you describe in your application, not simply senior figures with an impressive title. A specific, detailed reference from someone close to your work reads as more credible than a generic letter from someone with limited direct knowledge of it.

Cost and Logistics

Accepted participants in the Academic Fellowship and Professional Fellows Program do not pay program fees, and the US government typically covers international travel, accommodation and a daily allowance for the program period. You are responsible for arriving with a valid passport and any visa documentation your US Embassy requests, so start that process as soon as you receive an acceptance, since visa appointment slots can take weeks to secure.

After Your Program

YSEALI expects fellows and professional fellows to stay connected to the network after their program ends, through alumni events, online communities and follow-on grant opportunities such as Seeds for the Future. Many participants use their fellowship period to build a specific project plan, then apply for Seeds for the Future funding once they return home to put that plan into action, so treat the fellowship and the grants competition as connected steps rather than separate one-off opportunities.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Do not submit a generic application that could apply to any exchange program.

Reviewers read for a specific connection between your background, your chosen track's focus area, and a concrete plan for what you want to build once you return home. A vague interest in leadership or culture, without a specific example or plan attached, rarely stands out among strong applicants.

Also avoid applying to multiple YSEALI tracks in the same cycle without checking the rules first, since some tracks limit how often or how many programs you can apply to within a set period. Confirm current rules on yseali.state.gov before submitting more than one application.

Regional Reach

YSEALI runs through US embassies in all 10 ASEAN countries plus Timor-Leste, so your first point of contact for questions about a specific program, deadline or eligibility detail is the embassy or consulate covering your country rather than the general yseali.state.gov site alone. Embassy staff can also point you toward smaller local events tied to YSEALI that do not always appear on the main national site.