Full admissions guide

AfricaWorks Alliance (AWA) is a continental infrastructure project turning unemployment into an innovation economy. We operate two parallel admissions tracks — a Career Track built around Big Tech certifications (Google, AWS, Microsoft, Meta, IBM) and a Founder Track built around the ACE venture-building engine.

Admissions are rolling across the Casablanca–Accra corridor, with regional cohorts launching quarterly. Every accepted candidate is matched to a physical or virtual hub from week one.

• Age: 18–35 at the time of application.
• Residency: Citizen or legal resident of an African Union member state.
• Education: Secondary-school completion minimum. No degree required for the Career Track. Founder Track applicants need either a working prototype or twelve months of relevant work.
• Language: Working proficiency in one of English, French, Arabic, Swahili, or Portuguese.
• Connectivity: Reliable access to a smartphone or laptop. Hubs provide infrastructure for candidates without home connectivity.
• Commitment: 15–25 hours/week for 12–24 weeks depending on track.

1. 1

   Jan 15 – Mar 31

   Applications open

   Rolling submissions across the corridor. Earlier applications are reviewed first.

2. 2

   Apr 1 – Apr 21

   Screening & assessments

   Asynchronous skills assessment plus a 30-minute video interview.

3. 3

   Apr 22 – May 5

   Final selection

   Cohort placements and scholarship decisions communicated.

4. 4

   May 18

   Orientation week

   Hub matching, peer pairing, and tooling setup.

5. 5

   May 25

   Cohort begins

   First sprint launches across all hubs simultaneously.

• Valid government-issued ID (passport or national ID).
• Up-to-date CV or LinkedIn URL.
• 200-word statement: why this track, why now.
• One reference (academic, employer, or community lead).
• Career Track only: Optional portfolio or transcript.
• Founder Track only: Prototype link, deck, or written venture brief.

AWA admissions are tuition-free for accepted candidates. Programme costs are underwritten by sponsors, AU partners, and the AWA Treasury.

Need-based stipends are available for candidates whose participation would otherwise be blocked by transport, connectivity, or income loss. Stipends are reviewed alongside the application — no separate form required.

1. Stage 1 — Eligibility check. Automated review against the criteria above. Decision within 72 hours.
2. Stage 2 — Skills assessment. 60-minute asynchronous task tailored to your track.
3. Stage 3 — Interview. 30-minute video conversation with a cohort lead.
4. Stage 4 — Cohort placement. Hub assignment, scholarship review, onboarding pack.

We aim to deliver a final decision within 21 days of submission. All applicants — accepted or not — receive structured written feedback.

We host monthly virtual open days and quarterly in-person sessions at every hub. Open days are the fastest way to ask admissions questions live, meet current cohort members, and tour a hub.

The 2026 calendar is published on the Hubs page. RSVP is free.