"Fully-funded" is one of the most overused phrases in study-abroad marketing, and it causes real harm when students discover halfway through an application that a scholarship only covers tuition and not living costs. Below are established, genuinely fully-funded scholarship programmes that Ghanaian and other African students win every year — tuition, flights, accommodation or a living stipend, and usually health insurance. Deadlines and quotas shift annually, so always confirm current details on the official scholarship website before you invest weeks into an application.
1. Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program
One of the largest scholarship programmes for African students, delivered through partner universities across Africa, North America, and Europe (including institutions like the University of Ghana, University of Cape Town, and McGill). It covers full tuition, accommodation, travel, and a leadership development programme, with a strong emphasis on students returning to contribute to Africa's development. Because it is delivered through specific partner universities rather than a single central application, your first step should be identifying which partner institution offers your intended course.
2. Chevening Scholarships (UK)
Funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, Chevening funds one-year master's degrees at any UK university, covering tuition, a monthly stipend, travel, and an arrival allowance. It specifically looks for future leaders and influencers, so your application essays need concrete examples of leadership and networking, not just academic achievement. Ghana has a strong Chevening track record — the local British Council office runs information sessions worth attending before you apply.
3. Commonwealth Scholarships (UK)
Available to citizens of Commonwealth countries including Ghana, this covers master's and PhD study in the UK with full tuition, living allowance, and travel costs. Commonwealth Shared Scholarships (for master's) specifically target students who could not otherwise afford to study in the UK, and applications are usually made through the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in partnership with your chosen UK university, so check which universities are participating in the current cycle.
4. DAAD Scholarships (Germany)
The German Academic Exchange Service funds hundreds of master's and PhD scholarships for developing countries, covering a monthly stipend, health insurance, and travel allowance. Many DAAD programmes are development-related (public policy, engineering, agriculture), reflecting Germany's aid priorities, and having relevant work or volunteer experience tied to development in Ghana strengthens an application considerably.
5. Fulbright Foreign Student Program (USA)
The US government's flagship scholarship for master's and PhD study, covering tuition, a living stipend, health insurance, and airfare. Applications go through the US Embassy in Accra (via the Ghana Fulbright Program office), not directly to universities, and typically open around February for the following academic year. Strong Fulbright applicants show a clear plan to bring skills back to Ghana rather than staying permanently in the US.
6. Australia Awards
Funded by the Australian government for students from partner countries, Australia Awards covers tuition, living costs, and travel for master's study, with a strong focus on fields tied to national development priorities such as health, education, agriculture, and governance. Selection panels weigh your intended contribution to Ghana's development heavily, so your personal statement should connect your study plan directly to a real gap you've observed at home.
7. Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degrees (EU)
Rather than one scholarship, Erasmus Mundus is a catalogue of joint master's programmes delivered across two or more European universities, most with full scholarships covering tuition, travel, and a monthly stipend. Because you study in multiple countries during the same degree, it's an efficient way to build a genuinely international network and CV. Search the EMJMD catalogue directly by subject area rather than by "Erasmus" alone, since each programme has its own application deadline and requirements.
8. Chinese Government Scholarship (CSC)
China funds thousands of scholarships annually for African students at both bachelor's and postgraduate level, typically covering full tuition, accommodation, a monthly stipend, and basic medical insurance, applied for either directly through Chinese embassies or through partner universities. English-taught programmes are increasingly common, particularly in engineering, medicine, and business, but always confirm the language of instruction before accepting an offer.
9. Gates Cambridge Scholarship (UK)
Highly competitive but genuinely full-cost funding for postgraduate study at the University of Cambridge specifically, covering tuition, a maintenance allowance, and travel. It's aimed at students with outstanding academic records and a demonstrated commitment to improving the lives of others — your referees and research proposal (for research degrees) need to be exceptionally strong, since this is one of the most selective scholarships on this list.
10. MEXT Scholarship (Japan)
The Japanese government's scholarship for undergraduate, master's, and research students, applied for through the Japanese Embassy in Accra. It covers tuition, a living stipend, and round-trip airfare, and often includes a preparatory year of intensive Japanese language study before the degree begins, depending on your programme. It's an underused route for Ghanaian students and typically has less competition per seat than the UK or US equivalents.
How to Actually Win One
- •Apply to 4–6 scholarships in parallel rather than pinning everything on one — most Ghanaian scholarship winners we work with applied to several before succeeding
- •Match your story to what each scholarship actually funds — a development-focused scholarship wants a return-to-Ghana narrative; a research scholarship wants a rigorous proposal
- •Get your referees briefed early — strong recommendation letters take advisors 2–3 weeks to write properly, not two days
- •Track deadlines in one place — scholarship cycles for the same programme can open 10–14 months before the intake starts
Never pay an agent or "scholarship consultant" who guarantees you a scholarship for a fee. Every programme above is free to apply for directly through its official website or embassy.