Management of the University of Ghana (UG) has clarified that the reported over 25 percent increase in academic fees for the 2025/2026 academic year is largely due to third-party charges imposed by student leadership, and not a decision taken by university authorities.
The clarification follows concerns raised by students over what they perceive as a sharp rise in academic fees, after a provisional fee schedule showed significant increases affecting both fresh and continuing students across all colleges.
According to the university, the increments are mainly attributable to levies introduced by the Students’ Representative Council (SRC) and the Graduate Students’ Association of Ghana (GRASAG) to fund student programmes and activities. Management has therefore advised students to direct their concerns to their respective student leadership bodies.
Speaking on the issue, Pro Vice-Chancellor Professor Gordon Awandare explained that the university has limited control over third-party fees included in the overall academic charges.
“What is being reported as fee increases relates to third-party fees imposed by student leadership. These fees were approved through their own governance structures and communicated to students more than two weeks ago.
University management did not impose them. If students have issues, they should take them up with their SRC or GRASAG leadership,” he stated.
Professor Awandare further noted that the core academic fees charged by the University of Ghana remain relatively modest when viewed against prevailing economic conditions.
“When you consider that students pay about GHS2,000 for an entire academic year at Ghana’s premier university, it is difficult to describe the fees as excessive. Utilities and operational costs have risen significantly, yet university fees have largely remained unchanged since 2022. Even students acknowledge that the previous fee levels were no longer realistic, which is why their leadership adjusted their fee components to reflect current costs,” he explained.
Management insists that the adjustments reflect economic realities rather than any unilateral decision by the university.
