UG students kick against over 25% fee hikes for 2025/26 academic year

Students at the University of Ghana have expressed strong dissatisfaction following the announcement of significant increases in academic fees for the 2025/26 academic year, with hikes of more than 25 per cent recorded across all colleges.

The newly-released fee structure shows that both fresh and continuing students will pay substantially more in the upcoming academic year, sparking concerns among students and parents about the growing financial burden of tertiary education.

According to a report by metrotvonline.com on January 2, 2026, Level 100 students in the College of Humanities will see their academic fees rise by 34 per cent, from GH¢2,319 in the 2024/25 academic year to GH¢3,110 in 2025/26. Continuing students in the same college will pay GH¢2,253, representing a 27 per cent increase from the previous GH¢1,777.

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At the University of Ghana School of Law, which operates under the College of Humanities, undergraduate freshers will pay GH¢3,226, up from GH¢2,435—an increase of 33 per cent. Continuing law students will also be affected, with fees rising from GH¢1,890 to GH¢2,396.

Students in other colleges, including Health Sciences, Basic and Applied Sciences, and Education, are similarly affected, with fee increases ranging between 25 and 35 per cent.

The situation has been compounded by sharp increases in third-party fees. For fresh students, these fees have more than doubled, rising from GH¢255 in the 2024/25 academic year to GH¢767 in 2025/26. Continuing students will pay GH¢455, up from GH¢255.

“The third-party charges include mandatory levies such as the SRC Hostel Development Levy of GH¢300, a GH¢100 contribution towards the university’s 75th Anniversary Legacy Project, and other student welfare-related dues,” the report said.

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Additionally, Level 100 and diploma students are required to pay GH¢312 for a Telecel data package, while continuing students may opt into a Telecel data and airtime package costing GH¢10.22 per month.

Students say the increases have come without prior notice or a detailed explanation from university management, a situation they describe as unfair and troubling.

Many fear the new fees could make it difficult for some students to continue their education.

Student groups are now calling on the university authorities to provide clear justification for the increases and to engage stakeholders more transparently, warning that the rising cost of education could exclude financially vulnerable students.

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