Scholarships for Ghanaian Students in Europe (2026)

Below: the best scholarships in one table, what “fully funded” really means, the strongest options by destination, who qualifies, and how to put together an application that actually competes.

Best scholarships for Ghanaian students

These are the scholarships open to Ghanaians for study in Europe and the UK. Award values and deadlines change every year — confirm each one on the official site before you apply.

Ghana is confirmed eligible for Stipendium Hungaricum, DAAD, Erasmus Mundus, Chevening, Commonwealth and the Government of Ireland scholarship. Ghana is NOT eligible for Poland’s NAWA Banach programme — its eligible-country list does not include Ghana. The Foreign Tertiary Scholarship is a Ghanaian government scheme funded by Government and GETFund.

We can help you build and submit any of these — see how our scholarship application service works.

Fully funded vs partial — know the difference

Not every “scholarship” pays for everything. Before you spend weeks on an application, check which type it is.

• Fully funded. Covers tuition and a monthly living stipend, and often accommodation, insurance and flights. You can realistically study with little or no family money. Stipendium Hungaricum, Chevening, Commonwealth and Erasmus Mundus fall here; the Government of Ireland scholarship pairs a €10,000 stipend with a full fee waiver.
• Partial. Covers some costs — a tuition discount, a one-off grant, or a stipend without tuition. You still need to fund the rest yourself. Some DAAD and university awards are partial, so read the coverage line carefully.

If you need study to cost as close to nothing as possible, start with our fully funded scholarships guide, then come back here for the Ghana-specific routes.

Scholarships by destination

Hungary — Stipendium Hungaricum

Stipendium Hungaricum is one of the most accessible fully funded routes into Europe for Ghanaians. The Hungarian government covers your tuition waiver, a monthly stipend, an accommodation contribution and medical insurance, across bachelor’s, master’s, one-tier master’s and PhD levels.

One Ghana-specific point: Ghana is an official sending partner, and you apply through the Ghana Scholarships Secretariat (info@scholarships.gov.gh), which nominates candidates — so you submit both to the Stipendium Hungaricum portal and to the Secretariat, and the Secretariat’s deadline usually falls a few days after the portal’s. Full eligibility and the two-step process are on our Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship page.

Germany — DAAD (and free public tuition)

Germany’s biggest draw is that public universities charge no tuition at all — even before any scholarship. On top of that, DAAD (the German Academic Exchange Service), through its Info Centre in Accra, funds Ghanaians through a range of programmes, mostly at master’s and PhD level (such as EPOS development-related master’s), typically with a monthly stipend and often insurance and travel.

Because German public tuition is already free, a DAAD stipend can turn an affordable degree into a genuinely funded one. Good news for Ghanaians: the official German Embassy Accra checklist shows no APS certificate is required for Ghana (unlike China, Vietnam and India) — though you should re-confirm before applying, as rules change. See the eligibility rules and programme list on our DAAD scholarships guide.

UK — Chevening and Commonwealth

As a Commonwealth member, Ghana is fully eligible for the two flagship UK government scholarships.

• Chevening funds a one-year taught master’s in full — tuition, a monthly stipend, return flights and visa/IHS costs. It looks for around two years of work experience, leadership potential and a clear plan to return to Ghana. Applications open around August and close early November.
• Commonwealth master’s and PhD scholarships cover tuition, return airfare and a living stipend. You usually need a 2:1 (Second Class Upper) and to apply through a nominating body such as the Ghana Scholarships Secretariat or FAWE Ghana.

One honest note on the UK: Ghana’s UK sponsored-study refusal rate ran at about 26% across late 2025 and early 2026 — among the UK’s highest — so a clean, well-evidenced application matters more than ever.

Ireland — Government of Ireland scholarship

The Government of Ireland International Education Scholarship (GOI-IES) gives a €10,000 stipend plus a full fee waiver for one year, with around 60 awards a year, for master’s or PhD study. Ghanaians qualify (you must be domiciled outside the EU/EEA/UK/Switzerland and hold an offer of admission). The 2026 call has closed; the next call is expected around January 2027.

Eligibility & how to win

The big scholarships look for different things, but the patterns repeat. To compete from Ghana, you’ll usually need:

1. Strong grades. Most awards expect a good degree classification — a Second Class Upper (CGPA around 3.0–3.5 on a 4.0 scale) is a common threshold; some accept a Second Lower with work experience.
2. The right level. Chevening, Commonwealth and most DAAD awards are for master’s and above; Stipendium Hungaricum also funds bachelor’s. Note that WASSCE alone is not enough for direct UK undergraduate entry — you’ll usually need a foundation year (or A-levels/IB), and Germany may require a Studienkolleg.
3. Work experience or leadership — Chevening in particular rewards around two years of professional experience, leadership potential and a clear plan to return home.
4. English evidence. English is Ghana’s official language and medium of instruction, so many programmes accept WASSCE English (credit, C6) or a Medium of Instruction (MOI) letter — often no IELTS if you studied two-plus years (undergraduate) or one-plus year (master’s) in English in Ghana. Some still require IELTS (roughly 6.0 UG / 6.5 PG). Check each one.
5. Verifiable documents. Authentic WAEC results (shared for online verification at waec.org), genuine transcripts and consistent details (name, date of birth, place of birth) across every document matter. The German Embassy warns that forged documents or fake language certificates mean immediate rejection and entry into a warning system that affects future applications.

How to actually win: apply early, follow the exact format, and write essays that answer the question asked — not a generic life story. Tie your course to a specific goal back in Ghana. One well-targeted application beats five rushed ones.

The GETFund / Ghana Scholarships Authority route

Ghana has its own public funding too. The Ghana Scholarships Authority (formerly the Ghana Scholarship Secretariat, now under Act 1149/2025, in the Office of the President) runs several schemes, the most relevant for studying abroad being the Foreign Tertiary Scholarship — undergraduate and postgraduate support for study abroad in strategic disciplines. It also administers or forwards bilateral awards, which is exactly why Stipendium Hungaricum and Commonwealth nominations for Ghanaians pass through it.

These schemes are funded by Government together with GETFund (the Ghana Education Trust Fund) and the Ministries of Finance and Foreign Affairs. Availability and disciplines change with each annual announcement, so verify the current call on scholarships.gov.gh before relying on it.

One honest note: government places are limited and competitive, and the international scholarships above (Stipendium Hungaricum, DAAD, Chevening, Commonwealth, GOI-IES) are often the more realistic funded routes for most Ghanaians — alongside family self-funding, where Germany’s free public tuition keeps the total cost lowest.

Deadlines to watch

Scholarship deadlines are fixed and unforgiving — miss one and you wait a full year. As a rough calendar (always confirm on the official site):

• Chevening — applications open around August, close around early November.
• Erasmus Mundus — most courses close mid-October to mid-January.
• Commonwealth — CSC online application typically around mid-October the prior year.
• Stipendium Hungaricum — portal usually opens late in the year, closes around mid-January, with the Ghana Scholarships Secretariat deadline a few days later.
• Government of Ireland (GOI-IES) — 2026 call closed 12 Mar 2026; next call around January 2027.
• DAAD — varies by programme; check each portal.

Start at least six to nine months ahead — references, transcripts and WAEC verification all take time.

How we help

World Study helps Ghanaian students find the scholarships they actually qualify for, build a competitive application, and submit it on time — honestly, with no false promises. We don’t guarantee awards (no one credibly can), but we do improve your odds by matching you to the right scheme, sharpening your essays and checking every document before it goes in.

Our core guidance is free; our optional scholarship application service is for students who want hands-on help with essays, references and submission.

Talk to an advisor on WhatsApp or take the free 2-minute eligibility check → to see which scholarships fit your grades and goals.