Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls

About the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls

The Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls, often called OWLAG, is an all-girls boarding school in Henley-on-Klip, Gauteng. Its story began in 2000, at a meeting between Oprah Winfrey and former President Nelson Mandela about gender disparity in education. Work on the campus started in 2002, with Mandela and the then Minister of Education, Professor Kader Asmal, involved in the project. The school opened in January 2007 for girls from severely disadvantaged backgrounds, and Winfrey reportedly invested over $100 million in the campus.

Big changes are now under way. In July 2026, Winfrey announced that the academy would end operations in its current form by late 2027. Two more senior classes are set to graduate. Lower-grade pupils will transfer to other leading South African schools, and reports say Winfrey will cover their tuition in full through to graduation. The Henley-on-Klip property will go back to the Gauteng Department of Education, in line with the original partnership agreement.

How the academy supports students

The academy's purpose goes beyond exam results. It sets out to develop young women as future leaders, with a strong focus on academics and on subjects such as science and mathematics. The school reports that 528 girls have graduated so far, and that 90% of its students go on to college. Its alumnae have attended universities such as Spelman, Oxford and Stanford. Entry has been highly competitive: the academy says more than 6,000 girls apply each year and that only 1% win a place, with about 60 learners in an average class.

A new nationwide scholarship model will follow. Winfrey's representative said that the new approach will allow double the number of girls to access education. In her statement, Winfrey said her dream was never simply to build a school, but to invest in the potential of young women. We have not found a published application process for this new model, or its eligibility rules. Families should therefore rely on official announcements and avoid paying anyone who claims to offer a shortcut.

What to know before applying

Does the scholarship carry a work-back obligation? We found no sign of one. The programme supports school-level education and does not act as a recruitment scheme for an employer. Even so, we could not confirm the terms of the future scholarship, so read any agreement carefully when details appear.

For now, the academy's notice about Grade 8 for 2027 says that its selection process is under way and that it is not taking new applications. It directs queries to Duja Consulting, on 012 460 9824 or scholarship@duja.co.za. Parents and learners should check the official website for updates. In the meantime, look at other high school scholarships on this site, and keep your daughter's school reports and identity documents in order, so that she can apply quickly when a suitable call opens.