Studying in Ghana as a Francophone Student: Language Requirements and Preparatory Options
By Muntasir • Published Jan 18, 2024 • Updated Sep 20, 2026 • Admissions & Applications
Ghanaian universities teach in English, so a Francophone applicant with a Baccalaureat instead of WASSCE needs both a qualification equivalency check and proof of English ability. The University of Ghana runs a Certificate in English Proficiency program specifically for applicants from non-English-speaking countries who need to build language skills before starting a degree.
🎓 Ghana's Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) reviews foreign qualifications like the Baccalaureat for equivalency to WASSCE
📩 University of Ghana's English Proficiency Certificate accepts applicants with a baccalaureate-level qualification, no separate English test required to enter
The program runs across two semesters and covers five courses at intermediate level
Passing it gives you a certificate you can use to apply for a full degree program afterward
Ghanaian universities generally check English through WASSCE-equivalent credits or Cambridge/IB English grades rather than TOEFL or IELTS scores
Why language comes up for Francophone applicants
Ghana's official language of instruction is English, and its universities set entry requirements around English-medium secondary qualifications like WASSCE. A student who completed the Baccalaureat in a Francophone West African country, Cote d'Ivoire, Senegal, Burkina Faso, Togo, Mali, Guinea, Benin and others, arrives with a strong academic record but without the WASSCE credit in English that Ghanaian admissions offices are built around. Two separate things need sorting before you can enroll: whether your Baccalaureat is recognised as equivalent to WASSCE, and whether your English is strong enough for lectures, coursework and exams delivered entirely in English.
Getting your Baccalaureat recognised
Ghana's Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC), the merged body that absorbed the National Accreditation Board and the National Council for Tertiary Education, is the authority Ghanaian universities defer to when assessing whether a foreign secondary or tertiary qualification meets local entry standards. Before applying, confirm with your target university's admissions office whether they run their own foreign qualification assessment internally or require a GTEC equivalency decision first, practice varies by institution. Either way, keep certified copies of your Baccalaureat certificate and full transcript ready, since equivalency assessments are usually document-based rather than exam-based.
How Ghanaian universities check English ability
Public university admissions pages, including the University of Ghana's international undergraduate requirements , do not list a TOEFL or IELTS score as a standard entry requirement. Instead, English proficiency is assumed through the qualification pathway itself: WASSCE applicants need a credit pass in English, Cambridge A/O Level applicants need a pass in English among their five subjects, and International Baccalaureate applicants need a minimum grade in English Language or Literature. A Francophone Baccalaureat holder does not fit neatly into any of these three tracks, which is where a dedicated English proficiency route becomes useful rather than optional.
University of Ghana's Certificate in English Proficiency
The University of Ghana's Language Centre runs a Certificate in English Proficiency program built for applicants from non-English-speaking countries. You can apply with a baccalaureate-level qualification, and the program does not require you to already hold a separate English test score to be admitted into it, the certificate itself is the proof of ability you build. The curriculum runs across two semesters and comprises five courses pitched at intermediate level, moving you from foundational to stronger academic English over the course of the program. Completion earns you a University of Ghana certificate confirming your English proficiency, which you then use when you apply for a full undergraduate or graduate program at Ghanaian universities that require it.
Other preparatory options to consider
Some private universities and international schools in Accra and Kumasi run shorter English bridging or foundation courses aimed at francophone regional students, check directly with each institution since offerings and intake dates vary.
Regional exchange programs between Anglophone and Francophone West African universities occasionally include a language immersion term, worth asking your home university's international office about before you commit to a standalone program.
Private language schools in Accra offer general English courses, useful for day-to-day fluency but not a substitute for a university-recognised proficiency certificate when it comes to admissions.
Planning your timeline
Treat the English proficiency step as part of your total study timeline, not an afterthought squeezed in before term starts. A two-semester program means roughly a full academic year between your Baccalaureat and the start of a degree program, so factor this into visa planning, funding applications and any deadlines tied to scholarships that expect enrolment within a set window after secondary school. Contact your target university's international programmes office early to confirm which of your documents they need translated, certified or assessed by GTEC before your English proficiency application can even be processed.
Practical steps to get started
Get certified copies of your Baccalaureat certificate and transcript, translated into English if the university requires it.
Check with your target university whether GTEC equivalency assessment is required before or alongside your program application.
Apply to a Certificate in English Proficiency program, such as the University of Ghana's, if you do not already hold a qualifying English-medium secondary credential.
Use your completed proficiency certificate to apply for your intended degree program once you finish the language course.