2025-11-21
In July 2025, Ghana launched the “No-Fees-Stress” policy, guaranteeing full payment of academic fees for all first-year students enrolled in public tertiary institutions.
Sub-Saharan Africa
Access
Financing
Inclusion
Over the last decades, Ghana has promoted access and inclusion in education through key policies, including the Free Compulsory Universal Basic Education (FCUBE, 1995) and the Free Senior High School Policy (Free SHS, 2017). The new “No-Fees-Stress” policy aims to further expand access to higher education. The policy guarantees that the government fully covers all academic-related fees for first-year students at universities, technical institutions, colleges of education, and nursing training schools.
The policy complements existing financial support programs, including the Student Loan Plus Initiative, scholarships for underrepresented groups, and free education for students with disabilities. It emphasizes fairness and inclusion, ensuring that socio-economic background, gender, or disability no longer limit access to higher education.
Since the launch of the policy in July 2025, over 15,000 first-year students have already benefited from full coverage of their admission fees. The programme is set to open doors to higher education for thousands more in the upcoming academic year.
This new policy aligns with Ghana’s constitutional mandate to guarantee equal educational opportunities for all citizens. According to the Higher Education Policy Observatory, access and inclusion in higher education are key priorities for Ghana’s Government, both in its national plan for higher education (the Tertiary Education Policy), and its broader Education Strategic Plan 2018-2030.
