FY 2026 Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) Academic Fellows Program | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): FY 2026 YSEALI Academic Fellows Program (YSEALI AFP)

1) What is the FY 2026 YSEALI Academic Fellows Program (YSEALI AFP) grant opportunity?

This is a U.S. Department of State funding opportunity (Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, or ECA) to select one organization to design, manage, and carry out a large, multi-institute academic exchange program in the United States for emerging leaders from Southeast Asia.

2) What is the main goal of this program?

The overall goal is to deliver a structured set of academic institutes in the United States that combine classroom learning, leadership development, and practical exposure to U.S. institutions and communities.

3) What kind of award will be made (grant vs. cooperative agreement)?

The award will be made as a cooperative agreement. This means the selected recipient will run day-to-day program operations while coordinating closely with ECA on key elements, timelines, and program requirements.

4) How many awards does ECA plan to make under this announcement?

ECA plans to make one award under this announcement.

5) What is the opportunity number and CFDA number for this funding opportunity?

The opportunity number is DFOP0017934, and the CFDA number is 19.009.

6) What is the maximum funding amount (award ceiling)?

The award ceiling is $4,300,000.

7) When was the opportunity posted and what is the application deadline?

The opportunity was posted on March 13, 2026. The application deadline is May 11, 2026.

8) Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is open to U.S. public and private institutions of higher education (including community colleges, liberal arts colleges, and universities) and U.S. nonprofit organizations with IRS 501(c)(3) status, along with other eligible entities as described in the Notice of Funding Opportunity.

9) Is there a limit to how many proposals an applicant can submit?

Yes. The competition is limited to one proposal per applicant. If an organization submits multiple proposals, all submissions from that organization will be deemed ineligible and will not advance in the review process.

10) What activities will the selected recipient be responsible for?

The selected recipient will be responsible for designing, managing, and carrying out a multi-institute academic exchange program, including planning and overseeing the full portfolio of institutes to ensure consistent quality, coherent learning outcomes, and alignment with YSEALI themes. The recipient will also coordinate closely with ECA throughout implementation.

11) How many academic institutes are expected to be implemented, and when?

The selected recipient is expected to implement approximately eight institutes in 2027, split evenly across two cohorts: four institutes in spring 2027 and four institutes in fall 2027.

12) How many Fellows will the program serve?

Across all institutes, the program will serve about 185 Fellows.

13) Who are the Fellows?

Fellows are undergraduate students and recent graduates from Southeast Asia.

14) How many Fellows are expected per institute?

Each institute is expected to host roughly 22 to 24 Fellows.

15) What are the program themes for the institutes?

Each institute will be organized around one of four YSEALI themes: Economic Prosperity; Liberty and Freedom; Natural Resources; and Peace and Security.

16) How long is each institute and what is the basic structure?

Each institute runs for about five weeks and has two main parts: (1) an approximately four-week academic residency on a U.S. college or university campus, followed by (2) an approximately one-week integrated academic field experience that includes time in Washington, DC.

17) What happens during the academic residency portion?

The approximately four-week academic residency is hosted on a U.S. college or university campus and is the core academic component. It typically includes seminars, workshops, leadership activities, and engagement with faculty and local community partners.

18) What is the integrated academic field experience and why does it include Washington, DC?

The institute concludes with an approximately one-week integrated academic field experience that includes time in Washington, DC. This capstone-style segment is designed to connect institute themes to real-world institutions, policy environments, and professional networks, and to provide a shared national-level perspective beyond the host campus.

19) What are the YSEALI Fellows Forums, and how many may be held?

The recipient will coordinate with ECA to organize up to two YSEALI Fellows Forums in Washington, DC: one in the spring and one in the fall. These bring together all Fellows from the respective cycle.

20) What is the purpose of the YSEALI Fellows Forums?

The forums function as program-wide convenings that help Fellows build cross-theme networks, connect with speakers and organizations, and strengthen cohort identity across the eight institutes.

21) How can the prime recipient structure implementation (direct implementation vs. subawards)?

The solicitation allows flexibility. An applicant may choose to administer the entire program through subawards to host institutions and partners, or it may propose a hybrid approach in which it directly implements up to two institutes total (one in spring and one in fall) and uses subawards to manage the remaining six institutes.

22) Is there a limit on how many institutes a single academic institution can implement?

Yes. No academic institution may implement more than two institutes in a single calendar year. This is intended to prevent overconcentration and broaden institutional participation.

23) What is expected regarding consistency and quality across institutes?

The recipient is expected to plan and oversee the full portfolio of institutes to ensure consistent quality, coherent learning outcomes, and alignment with the YSEALI themes across all institutes.

24) What is the expected period of support and potential renewals?

ECA states its intent to fund the program for one base year initially, with the possibility of renewing for two additional consecutive fiscal years based on satisfactory performance and the availability of funds. After that, the program would be openly competed again.

25) What does it mean that ECA will coordinate closely with the recipient?

Because this is a cooperative agreement, the recipient manages day-to-day operations but coordinates closely with ECA on key elements, timelines, and program requirements.

26) In what year will the institutes themselves take place?

The institutes are expected to be implemented in 2027 (four in spring 2027 and four in fall 2027).

27) Where do the institutes take place?

The institutes take place in the United States, including an academic residency hosted on a U.S. college or university campus and an integrated academic field experience that includes Washington, DC.

28) What is the intended outcome for Fellows from participating in the institutes?

The program is designed to combine classroom learning, leadership development, and practical exposure to U.S. institutions and communities, with theme-based academic content and a capstone field experience that connects learning to real-world environments.