Scholarships for Ghanaian students to study abroad
Start with the universities' own need-based aid, because it funds most Ghanaian undergraduates abroad. Then check three outside routes that fund first degrees. The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program runs through its partner universities. The Ashinaga Africa Initiative is for students who have lost a parent. The Ghana Scholarships Authority runs government and bilateral awards.
Where does scholarship money for Ghanaian undergraduates come from?
Mostly from the universities themselves. If you are going abroad for a first degree, your largest source of funding is a university's own need-based aid. Next come a handful of named outside programmes, then government and bilateral awards run from Accra.
University aid is a scholarship under another name. A university that meets full need for international students covers the gap between its cost and what your family can pay. It does this mostly with grants you never repay. At Harvard, from 2025-26, families earning $100,000 or less with typical assets pay nothing.
Two of our guides explain this route in full: how US financial aid works, and the universities that meet full need for international students. Some universities also give merit scholarships to international students. Our guide to full-ride scholarships covers them.
What outside scholarships can Ghanaian undergraduates apply for?
Three kinds genuinely fund first degrees, and each has its own rules.
| Route | Who it is for | How you apply | Where you study |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program | Academically strong students with financial need and a record of leadership or service | Through each partner university's own application | Partner universities in Africa and beyond, including Ashesi and KNUST in Ghana |
| Ashinaga Africa Initiative | Students who have lost one or both parents, under 23 | Register with Ashinaga first, then apply if eligible | Universities abroad, after a year of preparatory programmes |
| Government and bilateral awards | Ghanaian citizens, by the criteria of each call | Through the Ghana Scholarships Authority or GETFund, by published call | Ghana or the partner country |
Search "scholarships for Ghanaian students" and you will find lists of dozens of awards. Many are for master's degrees, many are for other countries, and some have closed for good. The sections below tell you whether each of the three routes fits you.
How do I apply for the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program?
You apply to a partner university, not to the Mastercard Foundation. The Foundation funds scholars through its partners. Each partner runs its own application, sets its own deadlines and selects its own scholars.
The Foundation says it looks for strong academic results, financial need, and a record of leadership or community service. For undergraduates, you must be 29 or under when you apply.
Ashesi and KNUST are the partners in Ghana. Others are spread across Africa and beyond, and the list changes between phases of the programme. Start from the Foundation's "where to apply" page, not an old list. Some partners charge an application fee. The Foundation says it refunds that fee to students it selects.
Who is the Ashinaga Africa Initiative for?
It is for students from sub-Saharan Africa who have lost one or both parents. It funds a full undergraduate degree abroad, including tuition, accommodation and travel. You must meet all of these conditions:
- One or both of your parents have died.
- You are a citizen of a sub-Saharan African country and finished, or will finish, secondary school there.
- You are under 23 and have no dependants.
- You commit to return to sub-Saharan Africa after graduating and contribute there.
- You can take part in Ashinaga's two preparatory programmes in the year before university.
You apply in two stages. First you register. Ashinaga then emails the full application form to eligible students only. Take the commitment to return seriously: Ashinaga asks graduates to come back within four years of graduating and stay at least a year.
What scholarships does the Ghana government offer?
The Ghana Scholarships Authority runs them, working with GETFund. Act 1149 created the Authority to replace the Scholarships Secretariat. It offers local and foreign awards, for undergraduates and postgraduates, through published calls with fixed deadlines.
Many foreign awards for undergraduates are bilateral offers from other governments, and the Authority nominates the candidates. Hungary's Stipendium Hungaricum is an established example. For undergraduate places, the Authority's call has asked for a recent WASSCE aggregate between 6 and 15. You sit a national selection exam before nomination, and you also apply on the Stipendium Hungaricum's own portal.
Watch the Authority's website for calls. They open for short windows, and if you miss a closing date you usually wait a year.
Can I use Chevening or Commonwealth scholarships for a first degree?
No. Both are widely advertised in Ghana, but they fund postgraduate study. Chevening, for example, funds master's degrees in the UK. If you are applying for a first degree, set them aside and come back to them after you graduate.
How do I tell a real scholarship from a scam?
A real scholarship does not charge you to receive it. Be wary of any "scholarship" that asks for a processing fee, a visa fee paid to an agent, or your bank details before an offer. The Mastercard Foundation refunds application fees to the scholars it selects. It does not charge them.
Check every award on the funder's own website, not on a scholarship blog or a WhatsApp forward. If the funder's site does not mention the award, assume it does not exist.
When are the deadlines?
Each route sets its own, and several fall in the same months as your university applications. Here are dates from recent cycles. Use them to see the shape of the year, not as fixed dates.
- October to January
US university applications and aid forms. Early deadlines fall in November, most regular ones in January.
- Varies by university
Mastercard Foundation partner deadlines. Each partner sets its own, so check each partner's Scholars Program page.
- Mid-January
The Ghana Scholarships Authority's closing date for the Hungary programme in the 2026 cycle was 16 January 2026.
- February
The Authority held its national selection exam for the Hungary programme in February 2026.
Ashinaga publishes its own registration window each year. Put every date into one calendar the day you find it, because these deadlines rarely move.
Which scholarship should I apply for?
Apply for the ones you fit, alongside university aid. For most students, that means a list of universities that meet full need. Add whichever outside route matches you:
- Mastercard, if you have strong results and financial need.
- Ashinaga, if you have lost a parent.
- The Authority's calls, if you would study in Ghana or a partner country.
You can work out which routes fit you in an evening with the funders' own pages. If you want to talk it through first, send us a message on WhatsApp and tell us where you are in the process.
Questions people ask
How do I apply for the Mastercard Foundation scholarship?
Apply to a partner university, through its own process. There is no central application. Say you are interested in the Scholars Program where the university asks. In Ghana, the partners include Ashesi University and KNUST, and each partner sets its own deadlines and requirements.
Who can apply for the Ashinaga Africa Initiative?
Students who have lost one or both parents, are citizens of a sub-Saharan African country, finished secondary school there and are under 23. You must also commit to return and contribute to the region after you graduate. You register first to confirm you are eligible. Ashinaga funds study abroad after a year of preparatory programmes.
Does the Ghana government give scholarships to study abroad?
Yes, through the Ghana Scholarships Authority, which replaced the Scholarships Secretariat, and through GETFund. Many foreign awards for undergraduates are bilateral offers from other governments, such as Hungary's Stipendium Hungaricum. For that one, Ghanaian candidates sit a national selection exam before they are nominated.
Are there scholarships for Ghanaians to study in the USA?
Yes, and the largest is the US universities' own need-based aid. A small group of universities meets international students' full need. Outside scholarships for American undergraduate study are few, and several widely advertised awards, such as Chevening, are for master's study only.