By: Immanuel Shilongo – Projects & Compliance Manager (Eswatini, Botswana and Namibia)
Established in 2009 as part of founder Dr Allan Gray’s vision to make a sustainable, long-term contribution to Namibia, the Foundation forms part of the global Allan and Gill Gray Philanthropies network. The Fellowship Programme targets academically talented young people who are transitioning from secondary school to university. Unlike traditional bursary programmes that focus primarily on academic achievement, the Fellowship seeks individuals who demonstrate curiosity, resilience, leadership potential and an entrepreneurial mindset.
Successful applicants receive far more than tuition support. The Fellowship covers university tuition, accommodation, meals, textbooks, tutoring, a travel allowance, medical aid costs and a monthly stipend. Beyond the financial package, fellows are paired with an individually assigned Foundation staff member and a business mentor, and gain access to the Foundation’s online entrepreneurial curriculum, a community of like-minded peers, business incubation support, and access to business and venture funding to help launch their own enterprises. Positioning entrepreneurship as a driver of job creation and economic empowerment in Namibia.
To qualify, applicants must be Namibian citizens younger than 21 in the year of application and must have achieved at least 60% in Mathematics and an overall average of at least 70% in their Grade 11 results or hold equivalent AS-Level results or be first year students. Furthermore, applicants must intend to study towards a Commerce, Science (excluding Medicine, Veterinary Science and Dentistry), Engineering, Law, Humanities or Arts degree at one of ten partner South African universities: University of the Witwatersrand, University of Johannesburg, University of Cape Town, Nelson Mandela University, Rhodes University, University of the Western Cape, Stellenbosch University, University of Pretoria, University of the Free State, University of KwaZulu-Natal (University of KwaZulu-Natal). Applying to the above universities is the responsibility of the prospective fellow.
Shortlisted candidates will be invited to interviews between August and September 2026, with successful interviewees progressing to an entrepreneurial camp in September 2026. Applications opened on 2 February 2026 and are set to close on 31 July 2026 at 17:00, with the Foundation warning that no late submissions will be accepted. Prospective fellows are encouraged to apply online or hand-deliver their documents to the Foundation’s Windhoek office.
The Fellowship programme forms the backbone of the Foundation’s contribution to Namibia’s national development agenda building a pipeline of young entrepreneurs from high school through university and into the economy and supporting the country’s drive toward inclusive growth and long-term sustainability.
Are you, or do you know a Grade 12 learner or first-year university student who is interested in entrepreneurship, resilient and wants to make a meaningful impact in our country? Then this is your first step to making an impact that matters.
Apply now online: www.agof-ebn.org or
Hand deliver: 13 Jan Jonker Road, Am Weinberg Estate, Klein Windhoek
Telephone: +264 61 258 214
