This article contains an analysis of the total cost needed to run masters and a PhD program in Ghana in the year 2020.
Before making a decision on which institution to enrol as an undergraduate and graduate student, the tuition fee is a major factor to consider apart from other factors such as location, courses available, public or private ownership, extracurricular activities etc. Your budget plays a great role. Postgraduate programmes are usually on the high side in terms of fees, hence the pursuance of funding or scholarships.
Ghana, West African country is a small, vibrant, colourful country of over 28 million people can boast of about 18 institutions both public and private-owned who all confer degrees. As a result of her rapid growth, Ghanaian universities are gradually gaining international momentum for establishing and maintaining a prosperous academic environment that promotes innovation and research. The oldest and most prestigious institution is the University of Ghana, which was founded in 1948.
You will also find some specialist higher education institutions, such as the National Film and Television Institute, and the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration.
Here’s why you should consider Ghana for your graduate programme
- Accra, Ghana’s capital city has continuously grown into a recognized economic hub in Africa.
- Affordability – Tuition fees in Ghana are relatively low compared to some Western countries, and a favourable exchange rate will make the cost of living cheap for many international students.
- Ghanaian universities offer over 150 postgraduate courses including STEM courses
- There are countless scholarships available in Ghana for both local and international students
MASTERS FEES AND FUNDING IN GHANA
Virtually all universities in Ghana are internationally accredited and globally competitive, providing postgraduate students with excellent opportunities. The most popular fields of study for Masters students in Ghana are Science, Law, Business, education and Social Sciences. The majority of Masters programmes are usually combined coursework and a research dissertation with a maximum of two years to finish. For an MBA, students must have at least two years of work experience before enrolling.
Just as any requisite for application, applying for a Masters in Ghana required a non-refundable application fee which is usually US$110.00
Universities in Ghana set their own tuition rates, so exact fees and policies vary from institution to institution but on the average, a postgraduate student can pay between GHS 20,000 and GHS 64,000 per year. For instance, in the University of Ghana, Non-Business postgraduate Programmes pay a total of GHS 4,573.50 per semester while international students such as foreign, Ecowas nationals and other Africans for the same course would pay $7,400 for the year ($3,700 per sandwich semester).
Most institutions in Ghana provide bursaries and scholarships for both eligible citizens and foreign students. Some could be peculiar to Africans or spread across all Nationals. Some of the scholarships for students in Ghana include
- GEAAA Prof. Nicolas Kumapley scholarship fund 2020– This scholarship is open to both postgraduate and undergraduate students and it is worth the US $200 TO US $500
- UNICAF Scholarship for Ghanaian students– these opportunities have a value that includes a full-tuition waiver and coverage of other expenses such as prescribed textbooks, accommodation ad living allowances. The bursary is open to masters’ students
- Vodafone Ghana Foundation Scholarship in STEM– this scholarship is open to female master students studying in Ghana
- Catholic University of the Sacred Heart Africa Scholars program– this scholarship comes in the form of a fee reduction for postgraduate degree programs
- UOW Sydney Business School Bursary Scheme– this bursary offers a 20% reduction of the tuition per trimester of the study applied. It is available for master’s students
- P4hpt PhD and Masters Scholarship for African Students– The scholarship is open to PhD and Masters’ program.
- Gbowee Peace Foundation Scholarship for Women 2020– University of Dundee- this is a master’s scholarship program that is available for all fields of study for up to 20,000 pounds.
- WACCI, University of Ghana PHD training scholarship– this scholarship is for those pursuing PhD degree and covers airfare, local travel and welfare of supervisory visits to students carrying out research in their home countries as well as allowances for both the University of Ghana and in-country supervision.
- Valley View University international scholarship in Ghana– this private university in Ghana provide scholarship for students in all levels of study including post-graduate diploma
The above-mentioned scholarship list is inexhaustive. We recommend you visit the section for Ghana’s student scholarships for more details. Note that the requirements for this course vary by organization or school; hence it is important you read carefully and choose the platform that suits what you have. You can also visit the website for requirements, bursary amount, duration and other details.
There are also international scholarships such as Edinburgh Global Online Distance Learning Scholarships, Fulbright scholarship, Commonwealth scholarship for Masters and PhD study in specific universities in Ghana.
PHD FEES AND FUNDING IN GHANA
For PhD programmes, in Ghana, it is very possible to gain admission for PhD right without earning a master’s degree, if such a student can show through previous academic records that he or she is capable. The University of Ghana is a vivid example. If students can prove their worth by their performances in level 600 courses upon gaining admission, such student would immediately progress into the four year PhD programme.
In Ghana, a PhD takes typically four years to complete for a full-time student, like other African and European universities. Majority of the PhD programmes are conferred in public universities and they vary from management, public administration, linguistics, music, French etc. This could be as a result of the rigour that comes with studying and earning a PhD degree. On average, a postgraduate student in Ghana can pay between GHS 20,000 and GHS 64,000 per year depending on the course and research endeavour. Due to the enormous financial commitment present while in school especially when writing a thesis, there are countless international and local scholarships, grants and funding opportunities to assist students in their research. A very popular research grant is DAAD. The above-mentioned list is also applicable to PhD students. It is also worthy of note that there are distant learning and online support for some Doctorate programmes available in Ghana which means from the comfort of your home or region, you can take online classes as a doctoral student within and outside Ghana. The University of Ghana, Accra Institute of Technology are two of the universities that offer this opportunity
COST OF LIVING AS A POSTGRADUATE STUDENT IN GHANA
Cost of living as a student is relatively cheap in Ghana and it is common for universities to offer a hall of residence for the duration of your studies which are less than private accommodation. However, you should check your preferred universities to know if they offer accommodation. On average, a student can budget for between GHS 2,500 and GHS 7,500 per semester for halls of residence. Compared to other countries, especially outside Africa, there is easy access to electricity, food, transportation and other utilities. Some scholarships schemes provide cover with this cost too
Before we go, kindly note that school fees in Ghana are paid in dollars, so convert the average fees to dollars before making your payment. Good luck!
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