Scholarships, Bursaries and Student Loans in Ghana

Students Loan Trust Fund (SLTF)

The Students Loan Trust Fund is Ghana's main state-backed loan scheme for tertiary students. You qualify if you are a Ghanaian citizen living and studying in Ghana on a programme and at an institution accredited by the National Accreditation Board, and SLTF states that only needy applicants are considered, per the SLTF's qualification requirements . The application portal will tell you which documents (Ghana Card, admission letter, contact details) it asks for. SLTF's FAQ also states the loan is for undergraduates, not graduate students.

Weekend and evening programme students can apply, but sandwich programme students cannot, per SLTF's eligibility FAQ . Your loan amount is set by SLTF's needs assessment, not by a flat rate, and SLTF revises the range between cycles, so confirm the current amount on the SLTF portal before you build a budget around it, per SLTF's loan page . Check with SLTF how your loan will be paid out before you apply, its published FAQ still lists e-zwich as the disbursement channel.

Apply through the SLTF website once you have your admission letter or student ID, eligibility ties to a confirmed place on an accredited programme.

GETFund Local Scholarship Programme

The Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) runs a Local Scholarship Programme for undergraduate, masters, and PhD students at public tertiary institutions. You apply through the GETFund scholarship portal , register an account, pick the correct category, undergraduate or postgraduate, masters or PhD where relevant, and upload your supporting documents before the window closes. The 2025/26 cycle closed applications on 20 February 2026, plan to apply as soon as the following cycle opens rather than waiting near a deadline.

GETFund scholarships weigh need and academic merit, and cover students already admitted to accredited public institutions rather than funding admission itself. Keep your admission letter, transcripts, and identification ready before the portal opens.

Other funding routes

• University-specific bursaries and work-study opportunities, listed on each university's financial aid or student affairs office page.

• District Assembly Common Fund scholarships, administered locally through your district assembly for students from that district.

• Corporate and bank scholarships from institutions such as banks, telecom foundations, and mining companies operating in your region, usually tied to specific fields such as engineering, mining, or STEM.

• Religious and denominational scholarships tied to church-affiliated private universities such as Presbyterian, Methodist, Catholic, and Pentecost universities.

How to combine funding

Most students combine an SLTF loan for fees and upkeep with a partial scholarship or bursary rather than relying on one source. Apply to SLTF early in the admission cycle since disbursement can take weeks, and treat GETFund and other scholarships as applications you submit in parallel, not instead of a loan application.

Repayment

SLTF loans are repayable after you graduate and start earning, typically through payroll deductions once you hold formal employment. Confirm current repayment terms directly on the SLTF portal before you borrow, since the fund periodically revises repayment periods and terms.