Scholarships for Girls in Science and Engineering in Ghana

FAWE-Mastercard Foundation STEM bursary

The Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE) and the Mastercard Foundation fund 200 scholarships for the 2024/25 academic year, split 80 percent for female students and 20 percent for male students, for Higher National Diploma (HND) and other two-year STEM programs at technical universities, according to Graphic Online .

The bursary covers six partner institutions: Takoradi Technical University, Cape Coast Technical University, Ho Technical University, Bolgatanga Technical University, Tamale Technical University and Dr Hilla Limann Technical University. You need admission to a STEM course at one of these universities before you apply for the bursary itself, since it tops up an existing offer rather than replacing the admission process.

Recipients get tuition, learning materials and mentoring covered. FAWE pairs scholars with women already working in science and technology fields for guidance through their studies. Application windows open most years after WASSCE results are released, so ask your target technical university's financial aid or gender desk office when the next round opens.

Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at KNUST

Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi hosts a chapter of the wider Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program, which funds full undergraduate study for academically strong young Africans from low-income backgrounds. Because KNUST specializes in science, engineering and technology, most scholars there study STEM subjects, and the Mastercard Foundation names closing the STEM gender gap in Africa as a program priority.

The scholarship covers tuition, accommodation, books and living costs, plus mentorship and leadership training alongside your degree. Selection runs through KNUST's own scholarships office, not a general online portal, so check the university's financial aid pages directly once you have applied for or received admission.

Programs that build the pipeline

Mastercard Foundation also runs Leaders in Teaching, which trains science and maths teachers in Ghana and Rwanda to raise the quality of STEM instruction girls get in secondary school. It does not fund university students directly, but it affects whether you arrive at Senior High School exams with the grounding needed to qualify for the scholarships above, so ask your school whether it takes part.

Women make up a smaller share of engineering and technical university enrolment in Ghana than men, which is the imbalance these dedicated bursaries and teacher-training programs target. Strong performance in science and maths at Senior High School remains the biggest single factor in qualifying for any of the funding described here, ahead of any individual application detail.

HND now, degree later

Ghana's technical universities let you convert a Higher National Diploma into a full bachelor's degree through top-up programs, so an HND-level STEM bursary is not a dead end. If you complete your diploma and want to continue into an engineering or applied science degree, ask your technical university's academic office about top-up entry requirements before your final HND year ends, since some programs set a minimum grade average to progress directly.

Budget for costs bursaries may not cover

Tuition-focused bursaries like the FAWE-Mastercard STEM bursary usually pay fees and materials but do not always include full accommodation or a living stipend, unlike a fully residential award such as the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program. Confirm exactly what your offer letter covers before you commit, and budget separately for transport, feeding and personal items so a gap in coverage does not interrupt your studies mid-year.

Details worth confirming before you apply

• The FAWE-Mastercard STEM bursary applies to HND-level programs at technical universities, while the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at KNUST funds full bachelor's degrees, so match your application to the course you actually hold admission for.

• Most bursaries require you to maintain a minimum academic standard to keep your funding, so check the renewal conditions stated in your award letter rather than assuming funding continues automatically.

• If you miss the WASSCE-linked application window, contact the university's financial aid office directly. Some institutions accept late applications while bursary funds remain unallocated, though this is not guaranteed.

• Keep copies of every document you submit, since technical universities process large volumes of bursary applications each intake and requests to resubmit lost paperwork are common.

What makes your application competitive

• Strong WASSCE grades in core and elective science subjects, since STEM bursaries prioritize demonstrated ability in maths, physics, chemistry or biology.

• A clear admission letter or offer to a STEM program at a partner university, ready before you apply for most bursaries.

• Evidence of financial need, such as a guardian's income statement or a letter from your school, where the scholarship form asks for it.

• A short personal statement connecting your interest in engineering or science to a specific goal, rather than a general wish to study abroad or gain a diploma.

How and when to apply

Confirm admission to a STEM program first, then contact the university's scholarships office directly rather than a third-party website, since neither FAWE nor Mastercard Foundation take applications outside official institutional channels. Technical university bursary cycles tend to open in the weeks after WASSCE results are released and close quickly, so prepare your documents (results slip, admission letter, ID, financial need evidence) ahead of the announcement rather than after it.

Where to check for new rounds

FAWE Ghana and the Ghana Education Service publicize new STEM scholarship rounds through partner schools and the six technical universities named above. Numbers of places, partner institutions and the male/female split can change between intakes, so confirm current terms with your school's guidance counsellor or the university's financial aid office rather than relying on an old announcement.