Financing for equity in higher education
1. Education resources to subnational governments
2. Education resources to institutions
3. Education resources to students
4. Support for students' living costs
Introduction
Key financing indicators (UIS Data)
In 2023, the gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education (both sexes) was 22%. The initial government funding per tertiary student as a percentage of GDP per capita was 55% in 2024.
Tuition-free status
While higher education used to be free up until the early 1990s, the 1997 Akosombo Accord introduced a cost-sharing model of funding higher education, where the government pays 70% of the costs, and the remaining 30% is covered by the university’s internal revenue generation, private donations and student fees. Tuition and Academic Facilities User Fees (AFUF) contribute approximately 9% to higher education financing, mainly supporting the production of teaching materials, facility maintenance, and the expansion of academic infrastructure. Tuition fees vary by institution and program.
Governance
The Ministry of Finance, through the Ministry of Education, is responsible for determining and approving funding allocations to higher education institutions. In public universities, these expenditures are categorized into staff compensation, administration, services and investment.
The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) coordinates and monitors the annual budget design and implementation in higher education institutions, while the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) was established to provide funding to supplement government budgetary allocations at all levels of education, particularly at the higher education level. Among other things, the Fund provides academic facilities and infrastructure to public institutions; contributes money to support student loan schemes; provides supplementary funding for needy students through the scholarship secretariat supports faculty development and research; and supports faculty development and research. The GETFund additionally engineered the creation and establishment of the Student Loan Trust Fund. In 2023, the GETFund contributed 8% to government expenditure in tertiary education.
1. Education resources to subnational governments
Higher education institutions are primarily financed directly by the central government.
2. Education resources to institutions
Funding for private universities in the absence of public institutions
Both public and private universities and colleges may receive state funding for the provision of student loans or scholarships.
Allocation and equity
The financing of public higher education institutions primarily relies on government allocations. These include direct budgetary allocations to the institutions based on criteria established by the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC), supplemented by allocations through the GETFUND for infrastructural development, scholarships and loans, and student payments through academic and residential user fees. Institutions also receive donations and grants from alumni, foundations, and other philanthropic sources. Public higher education institutions rely on a combination of funding sources, including government funding, grants, private donations, and student tuition fees.
3. Education resources to students
Admission for vulnerable groups
There is no national quota system for the admission of vulnerable groups in universities. A limit on the number of admitted students in public colleges was reintroduced in the 2022/23 academic year.
Scholarships, grants and loans for vulnerable groups
Student Loan Trust Fund
The Students' Loan Trust Fund was established in 2005 as an agency under the Ministry of Education to provide financial resources (mainly loans) to eligible tertiary education students. The Fund has been using means testing methodology from the 2011/12 academic year to objectively determine the financial need levels of eligible Ghanaian students. Student loans are provided to public universities (68%), technical universities (19%), and private universities (7%). The GETFund provides a major source of funding to the Trust Fund to cover both loan disbursement and operational expenses through its annual allocation. According to the 2011 Student Loan Trust Fund Act, loans are used for fees, boarding expenses, lodging, books, equipment and any other purposes that may be necessary for studies.
In 2025, the Fund was significantly reformed through the introduction of a Student Loan Plus package (a component of the 2025 No-Fees-Stress Initiative providing full fee coverage loans to students), 50% increased loan amounts, reduced interest rates, and a more streamlined application and disbursement process. In 2025, the government additionally launched the Free Tertiary Education for Persons with Disability initiative, which will be financed by the GETFund and integrated into a new universal disability scholarship under the Student Loan Trust Fund.
Ghana Scholarships Secretariat
The Ghana Scholarship Secretariat, initially established in 1960, is a government agency operating under the Office of the President that provides financial support to deserving students through local and foreign scholarship programs, which are financed through government funds, GETFund and donor support. These include national merit-based scholarships for high-performing students, foreign scholarships for Ghanaian students to pursue studies abroad, local tertiary scholarships which focus on reducing financial barriers, district-level scholarship programmes, dedicated scholarships support for students with disabilities or special learning needs, professional and continuing education grants , and teacher and health worker scholarships (particularly in underserved areas).
Local tertiary scholarships aim to reduce financial barriers to higher education students from low-income backgrounds, rural areas and marginalised communities. The scholarships apply to students enrolled in both public and private universities, and cover tuition fees (full or partial), academic facility user fees, examination fees, library and ICT expenses, and, in some cases, accommodation support. Scholarships are awarded based on merit, need, and district quota availability.
4. Support for students’ living costs
Transportation
There is no explicit support for student transportation through student loans or scholarships, although they may be used for ‘purposes that may be necessary for the student’s course of studies’.
Accommodation
Student loans cover the cost of boarding and lodging for students, as described in the 2011 Student Loan Trust Fund Act. Scholarships may partially or fully cover student residential/accommodation expenses in ‘some cases’, depending on the situation and district.
Textbooks
Student loans cover the costs of books and equipment, and other expenses that may be necessary for the student’s course of studies. Scholarships may also cover the costs of learning materials in some cases.
