The University of Ghana is a public university at Legon in Accra, founded in 1948 as the University College of the Gold Coast.[1] Its own overview page lists 63,646 undergraduate and 9,509 graduate students, with 667 international students among them.[2] In the QS World University Rankings 2027 it is in the 851–900 band.[3]
International students pay fees in US dollars. In the 2026/27 provisional schedule of the College of Humanities, a first-year Bachelor of Arts costs US$4,354 for African nationals and US$5,135 for non-African nationals; a one-year M.A. costs US$7,968 for foreign nationals.[4] Teaching is in English; for school-leaver applicants the university checks English through the school results rather than a language test.[5]
Key facts
| Official name | University of Ghana |
| Location | Legon, Accra, Ghana (postal address P.O. Box LG 25, Legon-Accra); campuses: Main, City and Korle-Bu[2] |
| Type | Public university[6] |
| Founded | 1948 as the University College of the Gold Coast; University of Ghana by Act of Parliament (Act 79) on 1 October 1961[1] |
| Students | 63,646 undergraduate and 9,509 graduate students, of which 667 international (university overview page, no date given)[2] |
| Colleges | Basic and Applied Sciences; Education; Health Sciences; Humanities (plus a School of Graduate Studies)[2] |
| QS World University Rankings 2027 | 851–900 band[3] |
| THE World University Rankings 2027 | 801–1000 band[7] |
| Language of teaching | English[5] |
| Fees 2026/27, BA freshman (College of Humanities, provisional) | US$4,354 (African nationals) · US$5,135 (non-African nationals)[4] |
| Fees 2026/27, one-year M.A. (College of Humanities, provisional) | US$7,968 (foreign) · US$4,875 (West African) · US$6,112 (other African)[4] |
| Application fee, international undergraduates | US$55, non-refundable[8] |
| International admissions office | International House, Annie Jiagge Road, Accra[9] |
| Official website | ug.edu.gh |
Checked against the sources listed at the bottom of this page on 9 November 2026.
About the University of Ghana
The University of Ghana was founded in 1948 as the University College of the Gold Coast. It became the University of Ghana by Act of Parliament (Act 79) on 1 October 1961.[1] The main campus is at Legon in Accra; the university also lists a City Campus and the Korle-Bu Campus.[2]
Teaching is organised in four colleges: Basic and Applied Sciences, Education, Health Sciences and Humanities. A School of Graduate Studies is part of the central administration.[2] For a view of the wider Ghanaian system, see our Ghana guide.
Student numbers differ by source. The university’s overview page gives 63,646 undergraduates, 9,509 graduate students and 667 international students and shows no date.[2] Wikipedia reports 60,875 students as of July 2021.[6] Treat both as approximate.
How is the University of Ghana ranked?
In the QS World University Rankings 2027, published on 18 June 2026, the University of Ghana is in the 851–900 band worldwide. Two sources we read agree on this: a Ghanaian news report published on the day of release and an aggregator table of the 2027 edition.[3][10] The university itself says it is ranked among the top 13 universities in Africa and keeps its lead in Ghana and West Africa.[11]
In the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2027, released on 30 September 2026, the university is in the 801–1000 band among 2,297 ranked universities, according to the press report we read.[7]
Ranking bands change each year and differ by publisher, so treat one position as one view. See also the Ghana ranking table. How we compile rankings.
What can you study at the University of Ghana?
The university teaches in four colleges: Basic and Applied Sciences, Education, Health Sciences and Humanities.[2] Its 2026/27 fee schedule is published per college and shows the range of award types: bachelor’s degrees, a post-first-degree LL.B., one-year and two-year master’s degrees (M.A., M.Sc., M.Phil., MBA, LL.M.) and PhD programmes.[4]
We did not find a single official list of all programmes on the pages we read. Use the university’s admissions site to see what each college offers and what each programme requires.[9] Entry requirements differ by programme: for example, the MBBS (Medicine) needs Chemistry and two of Physics, Biology or Mathematics at A-Level.[5]
How much does the University of Ghana cost in 2026/27?
The university publishes its 2026/27 academic fees as separate PDF schedules for each college, for city campuses, sandwich programmes and UGBS special programmes. Fees differ for Ghanaian and international students.[12] We could read only the College of Humanities schedule, which is marked “provisional”. Its international section quotes US dollars:[4]
| Programme (College of Humanities) | African nationals | Non-African nationals |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor of Arts, level 100 freshman | US$4,354 | US$5,135 |
| Bachelor of Arts, level 200 freshman | US$4,284 | US$5,065 |
| English Proficiency programme (one year) | US$1,779 | US$1,779 |
| Postgraduate (College of Humanities) | Foreign | West African | Other African |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-year M.A. | US$7,968 | US$4,875 | US$6,112 |
| M.Phil. / two-year master’s, humanities, year one | US$7,918 | US$4,825 | US$6,062 |
The same schedule lists US$6,455 to US$6,919 per year for full-time PhD students, US$9,155 for the MBA and US$5,027 for the Economic Policy Management programme.[4] Fees for the Colleges of Basic and Applied Sciences, Health Sciences and Education are in their own PDFs, which we could not read, so check them before you budget.[12]
When do you pay?
The university requires at least 50% of academic fees before first-semester registration and 100% before second-semester registration. Residential fees are due in full before registration for the semester.[12] Bank details for international students are in a separate PDF on the fees page.[12]
How do you apply to the University of Ghana?
International undergraduate applicants apply through the university’s application portal. The steps are: pay the non-refundable application processing fee of US$55 (direct payment, bank transfer or card), scan the pay-in slip and your certificates or result slips as PDF files, and upload them to the application form. No application is processed without proof of payment.[8]
Accepted qualifications include Cambridge O/A Levels (three A-Level subjects and at least five O-Level passes including English and Mathematics), the IB Diploma (usually grade 4 in three Higher Level subjects plus English and Mathematics at Standard Level), American high school results and the WASSCE (credits in English, Core Mathematics and four electives, aggregate not above 24). Some programmes ask for more: Medicine needs grade 5 in HL Chemistry, and the LL.B. needs grade 6 in three HL subjects.[5]
Postgraduate requirements are published separately by the School of Graduate Studies; the undergraduate pages we read do not cover them.[5] We give no deadlines because they change every year. The international admissions office can be reached at the addresses given on the international admissions page.[9]
Which English level do you need?
Teaching is in English. For undergraduate applicants, the university assesses English through school results: a pass or credit in English at O-Level or WASSCE, grade 4 in English Language/Literature (SL) for the IB, or the stated grade in English for IGCSE. The undergraduate page does not name IELTS or TOEFL or minimum scores.[5]
For applicants who need to improve their English, the College of Humanities fee schedule lists a one-year English Proficiency programme for international students.[4] Language rules for graduate applicants are not on the pages we read; ask the School of Graduate Studies.[5]
Frequently Asked Questions
How much are fees at the University of Ghana for international students?
It depends on college, programme and nationality. In the 2026/27 provisional College of Humanities schedule, a first-year Bachelor of Arts costs US$4,354 for African nationals and US$5,135 for non-African nationals, and a one-year M.A. costs US$7,968 for foreign nationals.[4] Other colleges publish their own schedules.[12]
How is the University of Ghana ranked?
Do I need IELTS or TOEFL to apply to the University of Ghana?
The undergraduate admissions page does not ask for them. It checks English through school results such as O-Level, WASSCE or IB English.[5] Graduate rules are published separately.
How much does it cost to apply?
International undergraduate applicants pay a non-refundable processing fee of US$55.[8]
More about studying in Ghana
- Ghana: best universities
- Cost of Studying Abroad
- International Student Scholarships
- University Ranking Methodology
More university profiles in Ghana
- Ashesi University
- Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology
- University for Development Studies
- University of Cape Coast
Sources
[1] University of Ghana: History (page without a date)
[2] University of Ghana: Overview (page without a date)
[3] Pulse Ghana: University of Ghana named best university in Ghana and West Africa, in latest QS rankings for 2027 (article of 18 Jun 2026; QS publishes the ranking at topuniversities.com, which blocks automated access)
[4] University of Ghana: Provisional schedule of academic fees 2026/2027, College of Humanities (PDF) (provisional schedule for 2026/27)
[5] University of Ghana: International undergraduate requirements (page without a date)
[6] Wikipedia: University of Ghana (type and earlier student figure)
[7] Graphic Online: University of Ghana rises 114 places in THE World University Rankings 2027 (article dated 1 Oct 2026)
[8] University of Ghana: How to apply (undergraduate, international) (page without a date)
[9] University of Ghana: International admissions (page without a date)
[10] xuanxiao.org: QS World University Rankings 2027 table (aggregator, edition 2027 published 18 Jun 2026)
[11] University of Ghana: QS World University Rankings 2027 announcement (announcement dated 24 Jun 2026; gives no band)
[12] University of Ghana: Schedule of fees 2026/2027 (page without a date; fee PDFs uploaded Sep–Oct 2026)
Figures may change; check official sources before you decide. How we compile our data · Found an error? Tell us.