Study in United States from Ghana: what it costs and what the visa asks for
A year as an undergraduate in United States costs a Ghanaian family about GH₵406,770 to GH₵697,320, tuition and living together. The visa asks for roughly GH₵639,210 for the first year. This page sets out the costs, English requirements, intakes and what happens after you graduate.
Last checked 26 October 2026. Rates read 26 Oct 2026. Planning figures, not offers.
What a year costs, in cedis
Tuition plus living costs at today's rate, $1 = GH₵11.62. Every university sets its own fee, so read these as planning bands.
| Level | Per year | Made up of |
|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate | GH₵406,770 to GH₵697,320 | Tuition $20,000 to $45,000 plus living $15,000 |
| Master's | GH₵406,770 to GH₵697,320 | Tuition $20,000 to $45,000 plus living $15,000 |
| Funds the visa asks for | about GH₵639,210 | $35,000 for living plus the first year's undergraduate tuition |
Show the data behind Figure 1
| Level | Lowest | Highest |
|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate | GH₵406,770 | GH₵697,320 |
| Master's | GH₵406,770 | GH₵697,320 |
Source: SchoolRegistry Pathways catalogue, rates read 26 Oct 2026.
What the cedi has done to a USD bill
A bill in USD is a cedi bill underneath. In 2012 one USD cost GH₵1.82. In 2021 it cost GH₵5.81, and today it costs GH₵11.62, which is 2.0 times the 2021 price. A first-year bill of 10,000 USD that needed GH₵58,100 in 2021 needs GH₵116,220 now. The dearest year on record here was 2024, at GH₵14.18; today's rate is 18% below that.
Show the data behind Figure 2
| Year | GHS per USD |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 1.82 |
| 2013 | 1.98 |
| 2014 | 2.90 |
| 2015 | 3.71 |
| 2016 | 3.91 |
| 2017 | 4.35 |
| 2018 | 4.59 |
| 2019 | 5.22 |
| 2020 | 5.60 |
| 2021 | 5.81 |
| 2022 | 8.27 |
| 2023 | 11.02 |
| 2024 | 14.18 |
| 2025 | 12.56 |
| Today | 11.62 |
Source: World Bank, official exchange rate (LCU per US$, period average), Ghana and United Kingdom; today's rate from the Pathways catalogue.
- English
- TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo; SAT for some undergraduate programmes
- Intakes
- August, January
- After graduation
- OPT: one year, three for STEM.
- Bringing family
- Possible on F-2, no work.
The visa and government fees, read from the official pages, are on our United States fees page.
We do not promise admission or a visa, to anyone.
What we do is put the right file in front of the right university and tell you honestly what the visa asks for before you spend. The visa decision belongs to the government. Pathways is free to your family: our partner schools pay us when a student we place enrols.
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Questions Ghanaian families ask about United States
- What does a year in United States cost a Ghanaian student?
- Tuition of $20,000 to $45,000 a year, plus about $15,000 to live, so GH₵406,770 to GH₵697,320 at today's rate.
- How much money must a Ghanaian show for a United States visa?
- Roughly GH₵639,210 for the first year, counting living costs and the first year's undergraduate tuition. The visa authority sets the official figure and changes it, so a counsellor confirms it before you pay anyone.
- Is an English test needed for United States?
- TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo; SAT for some undergraduate programmes.
- Can a Ghanaian student take family to United States?
- Possible on F-2, no work.
- What can a Ghanaian do after studying in United States?
- OPT: one year, three for STEM.
- Does Pathways cost families anything?
- No. Our partner schools pay SchoolRegistry when a student we place enrols, and that never changes which programme we recommend.
Source: World Bank, 2026.