Scholarships, grants and fellowships for Ghanaian applicants 2027

Ghanaian applicants can apply for funded study, research, training and professional programmes in Ghana, Africa, Europe, North America and Asia. Your best match depends on your level, field, experience, English ability and need for tuition, travel, accommodation or living support.

Key facts

• Ghana applicants can apply for FAWE Ghana Mastercard Foundation Second Chance Bursary, which is hosted in Ghana and has an age limit of 25.
• UNESCO AfriMAB GRÓ-LRT Land Restoration Fellowship is open to professionals from all African countries, requires at least one year of experience, and is conducted in English.
• CyberSafe Foundation Fellowship for African Women in Cybersecurity is remote and requires African women applicants to reside in Africa, speak English and have at least three years of experience.
• UNESCO/Japan Young Researchers’ Fellowship Programme accepts Ghanaian applicants for research stays in Japan, provides up to USD 10,000 and does not require IELTS.
• Wageningen University & Research Masters Scholarship covers tuition, travel, living costs, visa costs and health insurance for a master’s programme in the Netherlands.
• Mastercard Foundation PhD Scholarship at University of Toronto and Mastercard Foundation Doctor of Public Health Scholarship provide comprehensive support for health and medicine doctoral study in Canada.
• Deadlines run from 10 September 2026 to 1 December 2026, with several closing times set by foreign time zones.

Which scholarships are designed specifically for Ghanaian applicants?

The clearest Ghana-only option is FAWE Ghana Mastercard Foundation Second Chance Bursary, provided by Forum for African Women Educationalists Ghana Chapter (FAWE Ghana). It is hosted in Ghana, accepts applicants at any level and covers any field. The published eligibility gives an age limit of 25. The bursary allocation reserves 80% for female applicants and 20% for male applicants, with 5-15% allocated to Persons with Disabilities, people with refugee status and internally displaced people.

This matters if you need to study in Ghana rather than relocate. It also matters if your circumstances fit one of the stated priority groups. Prepare evidence that directly supports the eligibility information requested on the official page. The deadline is 15 September 2026.

Most other options accept applicants from all African countries or all nationalities. Ghanaian nationality may satisfy the country condition, but it does not replace field, level, experience, language or host-institution requirements.

Which funded opportunities suit Ghanaian professionals?

Environmental professionals may find UNESCO AfriMAB GRÓ-LRT Land Restoration Fellowship a close match. It is offered by UNESCO for professionals from African biosphere reserves and focuses on environment and climate or natural sciences. The six-month programme is in Iceland, is not remote, and covers tuition, academic expenses, travel, health insurance and living costs through a stipend. Applicants must be no older than 40, have at least one year of experience and communicate in English.

This matters if your work connects to land restoration or biosphere reserves. Your application should link your professional record to the fellowship’s subject instead of describing unrelated duties. The deadline is 10 September 2026.

Women working in cybersecurity can consider CyberSafe Foundation Fellowship for African Women in Cybersecurity, offered by CyberSafe Foundation. It is open to African women in cybersecurity, requires at least three years of experience and runs remotely. Applicants must currently reside in an African country and speak English. The nine-month fellowship provides SANS training and a certification pathway without tuition charges.

This matters if you are a Ghana-based professional who needs to remain in Africa while studying. Do not interpret “any field” as permission to apply without cybersecurity experience. Applications close on 10 September 2026 at 12:00 WAT.

Professionals in economics, law, public policy or governance can assess ERA Cambridge AI Fellowship Opportunity for Professionals, provided by ERA. It is hosted in the United Kingdom and offers a stipend of GBP 10,000, visa support, meals during working hours and travel expense coverage. This matters if your Ghanaian work already fits one of those fields and you can explain a focused professional purpose. The deadline is 13 September 2026 at 23:59 Anywhere on Earth.

Which options suit Ghanaian students and researchers?

Ghanaian PhD researchers in social sciences can consider The Harvard Academy for International and Area Studies Fellowship, offered by The Harvard Academy for International and Area Studies. It is a two-year, in-residence appointment in the United States with an annual stipend of USD 80,000 and annual research support of USD 6,000. It is open to PhD and postdoctoral applicants, and submitted written work must be in English.

This matters if you have substantial written research in English and a social sciences project suited to in-residence work. All materials except recommendation letters must arrive by 18 September 2026 at 11:59 PM EDT. Recommendation letters must arrive by 28 September 2026 at 11:59 PM EDT, so give referees an earlier internal deadline.

Applicants in health and medicine should review Mastercard Foundation PhD Scholarship at University of Toronto and Mastercard Foundation Doctor of Public Health Scholarship, both associated with Mastercard Foundation. Each is for PhD-level study in Canada and offers support for tuition, travel, housing, food, books and other expenses for the duration of the professional programme. Each has seven awards.

These matter because they address the main cost categories that can prevent international doctoral study. Follow the official instructions for the chosen doctoral route rather than submitting one generic application. Both deadlines fall on 1 October 2026 at 23:59 EST, Toronto time.

The UNESCO/Japan option, UNESCO/Japan Young Researchers’ Fellowship Programme, is open to Ghanaian master’s and PhD applicants in fields including computer science and IT, education, environment and climate, public policy and governance, social sciences, arts and design and entrepreneurship. Selected applicants may receive up to USD 10,000 for an approved research stay.

This matters if you need support for travel, accommodation, insurance, living costs and approved research expenses without an IELTS requirement. The grant does not cover tuition, computers, publication costs or conferences unless a conference is clearly integral to the research project. You must show sufficient reading and writing ability in the language used for instruction or supervision. The deadline is midnight Paris time on 30 September 2026.

Which master’s scholarships can Ghanaian students apply for?

Wageningen University & Research Masters Scholarship, provided by Wageningen University & Research, is open to students from all African countries for master’s study in the Netherlands. It covers travel to and from the Netherlands, living costs for the 24-month programme, tuition, visa costs and health insurance. Applicants must meet the English language requirements before 1 December 2026.

This matters if you need a broad funding package for a two-year master’s degree. You must first submit a complete application for one of the relevant MSc programmes before the scholarship deadline. Check the official page for programme-specific academic and English requirements.

TU Delft Justus & Louise van Effen Excellence Scholarships, provided by TU Delft, is another Netherlands-based master’s option. It is open to all nationalities and covers full tuition for a TU Delft MSc programme, plus a contribution towards living expenses. An English language certificate must be uploaded. The programme lasts 24 months and has two awards.

This matters if your intended MSc field is available at TU Delft and you can provide the required certificate. The deadline is 1 December 2026 at 23:59 CET. Check the official page for the application sequence and programme-specific requirements.

Applicants considering study in Russia can review Leading Russian Universities Open Doors Scholarship, offered by leading Russian universities. It covers tuition and provides a monthly stipend for undergraduate, master’s, PhD and postdoctoral study across fields including mathematics, computer science, health and medicine, engineering, education and humanities. Universities offer programmes in Russian or English, depending on the institution.

This matters if you can identify a suitable institution and language of instruction before applying. Travel, food, accommodation, communication services and medical insurance are not covered. Registration closes on 1 November 2026, after which applicants cannot add to or edit account information or portfolios.

Which funded training programmes can Ghanaian professionals apply for?

UNU-MERIT Migration Management Diploma Training Programme, provided by UNU-MERIT, is open to Ghanaian professionals for a three-month migration management diploma programme in the Netherlands. The scholarship covers flights, accommodation, visa fees, meals, daily living expenses, health insurance and field-trip costs.

This matters if your professional work relates to migration management or you need a fully supported short-term programme. The deadline is 1 October 2026 at 23:59 CEST. Check the official page for the complete eligibility and document list.

Public administration professionals can assess World Bank GovTech AI Training Programme, provided by World Bank. It is open to applicants from developing countries and focuses on governance and public policy. The bootcamp takes place in South Korea from 7 to 11 December 2026 and covers international travel and accommodation for two selected team members. Sessions are in English with interpretation support.

This matters if you are applying as part of a team and your work fits governance or public administration. The funding is described for two selected team members, not as a general individual scholarship. The application deadline is 2 October 2026.

What language and document requirements should Ghanaian applicants check?

English is the working language for several options, which suits many Ghanaian applicants educated or employed in English. There is no single language rule. UNESCO AfriMAB GRÓ-LRT Land Restoration Fellowship requires applicants to speak, read and write English, while FrieslandCampina Global Traineeship Internship Opportunity requires fluent English for all disciplines. The Harvard Academy for International and Area Studies Fellowship requires submitted written work to be in English.

Some programmes require a certificate. TU Delft Justus & Louise van Effen Excellence Scholarships requires an English language certificate, and Wageningen University & Research Masters Scholarship requires applicants to meet the university’s English language requirements before its deadline. UNESCO/Japan Young Researchers’ Fellowship Programme does not require IELTS, but it still requires sufficient reading and writing ability in the proposed host institution’s language of instruction or supervision.

Prepare only documents requested by the official page. The published information specifically identifies written work for The Harvard Academy for International and Area Studies Fellowship, an English certificate for TU Delft Justus & Louise van Effen Excellence Scholarships, and recommendation letters plus a host supporting statement for MS International Federation McDonald Fellowship Opportunity. The latter is a two-year health and medicine fellowship for applicants from developing countries, with EUR 55,000 per year paid to the host institution and one return flight covered.

A common rejection risk is treating a funding description as a document checklist. Funding may cover travel or accommodation while the application still requires academic, professional, reference or host materials. Where the full list is not specified, check the official page instead of guessing.

How should Ghanaian applicants manage international deadlines?

Record the deadline exactly as published, including the time zone. Relevant closing times include 12:00 WAT for CyberSafe Foundation Fellowship for African Women in Cybersecurity, 16:00 UK time for Medical Research Council Early Independence Fellowship, 11:59 PM EDT for The Harvard Academy for International and Area Studies Fellowship, 23:59 EST for Mastercard Foundation PhD Scholarship at University of Toronto and Mastercard Foundation Doctor of Public Health Scholarship, midnight Paris time for UNESCO/Japan Young Researchers’ Fellowship Programme, and 23:59 CET for TU Delft Justus & Louise van Effen Excellence Scholarships. Do not assume that an evening deadline uses Ghana time.

Set an earlier personal deadline for references, host confirmations and language certificates. This is especially necessary for MS International Federation McDonald Fellowship Opportunity, where the form, reference letters and host supporting statement are all due by 1 December 2026. For The Harvard Academy for International and Area Studies Fellowship, recommendation letters have a later published deadline than the rest of the application, but waiting until then creates avoidable risk.

Check whether the programme is remote before planning travel. CyberSafe Foundation Fellowship for African Women in Cybersecurity is remote, while UNESCO AfriMAB GRÓ-LRT Land Restoration Fellowship, UNESCO/Japan Young Researchers’ Fellowship Programme, Wageningen University & Research Masters Scholarship and TU Delft Justus & Louise van Effen Excellence Scholarships are not. For non-remote programmes, confirm passport, visa and host-institution instructions on the official page.

Frequently asked questions about scholarships for Ghanaian applicants

Which scholarships accept Ghanaian applicants without IELTS?

UNESCO/Japan Young Researchers’ Fellowship Programme states that IELTS is not required. It still requires sufficient proficiency in reading and writing in the language of instruction or supervision at the proposed host institution in Japan. Other programmes have different language rules.

Which fully funded scholarship is available in Ghana?

FAWE Ghana Mastercard Foundation Second Chance Bursary is hosted in Ghana and offers fully funded bursaries for young people from Ghana. It accepts applicants at any level and in any field, with an age limit of 25 and stated allocations for female applicants, male applicants, Persons with Disabilities, refugees and internally displaced people.

Which Ghanaian applicants can apply for funded study in the Netherlands?

Ghanaian applicants can consider Wageningen University & Research Masters Scholarship for a master’s programme and UNU-MERIT Migration Management Diploma Training Programme for migration management training. Wageningen University & Research Masters Scholarship covers tuition, travel, living costs, visa costs and health insurance, while UNU-MERIT Migration Management Diploma Training Programme covers flights, accommodation, visa fees, meals, daily expenses, health insurance and field-trip costs.

What should Ghanaian health researchers apply for in Canada?

PhD applicants in health and medicine can review Mastercard Foundation PhD Scholarship at University of Toronto and Mastercard Foundation Doctor of Public Health Scholarship. Both provide support for tuition, travel, housing, food, books and other expenses, and both close on 1 October 2026 at 23:59 EST, Toronto time.

Can Ghanaian professionals apply for remote fellowships?

Yes. CyberSafe Foundation Fellowship for African Women in Cybersecurity is a remote cybersecurity fellowship for African women with at least three years of experience who currently reside in Africa and speak English. The NGO Whisperer® Global Fellowship Programme Opportunity is also remote and open to professionals of all nationalities, but check the official page for its complete requirements.

What should you do next?

Select options that match your level, field and experience. Then check the country rule, host location, language condition, age or experience threshold and remote status on the official page.

Build a document checklist and mark every deadline with its time zone. Set earlier dates for references, language certificates and host documents. Submit a complete application before the closing time and keep confirmation of submission for your records.