Arts + Sciences
Unique Experiences
Learn about West Africa
outside of the classroom by living with a Ghanaian family or in on-campus housing, volunteering, interning, and observing day-to-day life.
Take classes
at the University of Ghana - ranked 7th best university in Africa - in humanities, basic and applied sciences, education, and health sciences.
Explore beyond Legon
with field trips and excursions around this equatorial region.
7.5
miles from Accra, Ghana’s capital city
53 K
students at University of Ghana
3
degrees north of the equator
Your Destination
Legon’s well-educated citizens welcome other international students with open arms to their quiet suburban town, just northeast of the city center in the Accra Metropolis District. The sprawling University of Ghana campus is ranked as the 1st in West Africa and 15th in Africa.
Students also enjoy access to a large shopping mall and several grocery stores, as well as restaurants and bars. Beyond campus, the equatorial region includes full of rainforests, wildlife parks, and beaches to explore.
CIEE wants all our students to feel welcomed, supported, and empowered to succeed while studying abroad. Local CIEE staff have provided details about conditions and cultural attitudes that students with specific identities might encounter in Legon.
The Culture
Excursions & Activities
- Travel to Cape Coast and Elmina to see slave castles and the starting point of the Ttransatlantic journey.
- Visit the Ashanti region to explore the traditional chieftaincy institution, history, and culture as well as the role women play in the making and unmaking of chiefs among the Ashanti people.
- Experience regional highlights like Aburi Botanical Gardens, Tetteh Quarshie Cocoa Farm, Boti Falls, Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum, Lake Volta, Tafi-Atome monkey sanctuary, and the W.E.B. Dubois Center.
- Get involved on- campus by joining a music, theater, or art group, or meeting up with Ghanaian students for soccer, running, swimming, field hockey, or tennis. Basketball and baseball are also getting popular.
- Take advantage of campus lectures, discussions, and receptions.
Projects
Volunteering. Get involved with local Ghanaians through service work. Volunteer at after-school programs such as the Play and Learn Foundation, an orphanage, an environmental NGO, an educational NGO, or similar organizations.
Community Service. Join other CIEE students for a group-service project, like painting, tree planting, mentoring kids at an orphanage and providing tutorials in basic Math and English, teaching IT skills, collecting donations, or building water filtration systems.
Community Engagement. Immerse yourself in the Ghanaian culture while giving back to your host community. In the past, students have volunteered at daycare centers, elementary and junior high schools, taught computer literacy, coached soccer, and mentored disadvantaged youth. CIEE Legon also undertakes community service every semester. Past projects have included painting, weeding, cleaning a special needs center, collecting donations of clothing items, and building a water filtering system for a village.
Peer Support. Have the support of a U-Pal – a CIEE-trained University of Ghana student who will help you get settled and connected in Legon socially and academically.
Internships. Gain important real-world experience and academic credit by pursuing an internship. Opportunities include shadowing doctors and nurses during ward rounds at the West Africa AIDS Foundation and International Health Care Center; teaching English or math and mentoring children at the Future Leaders Underprivileged Care Center; assisting with research and advocacy governance think tanks like the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition and Ghana Integrity Initiative, or working alongside entrepreneurs in various fields of business and social enterprises.
Have a look at some for-credit internship options:
Directed Independent Research
Receive supervision from local professors while you embark on independent research. Over the years, some areas that have been independently researched and successfully supervised are HIV/AIDs in collaboration with Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Reseach, Post-Colonial Ghanaian Literature, African Religion, Haitian History, Marine Biology, and Economics. At the end of the course, there is an opportunity to present your findings before a group of local experts.
Program Blogs
Exploring Ghanaian Cuisine!
When people asked what I was most excited about when preparing for my semester abroad I replied with "dance, music, and food!" In regards to food specifically, I was looking... keep reading
Arrival In Accra, Ghana: First Impressions and Observations
Who let me book a solo flight to Ghana?! This is what I thought in the days leading up to my departure. I viewed the trip ahead with much anticipation... keep reading
One Village, One History, One Craft
Vume is a small town in the Volta Region of Ghana , which is known for the art of clay pottery. When the craft was introduced, the people of Vume... keep reading
Housing & Meals
Housing
CIEE Legon offers various housing options, which include homestays or an on-campus residence hall. Housing options are located around the Legon campus, with convenient access to downtown Accra (roughly 45 minutes away) but are close to the CIEE Legon study center on campus (10 to 40 minutes away).
Standard Housing: Includes a single room at a homestay or a double room at an on-campus student hostel located under 45 minutes from CIEE Legon. Homestays boast a kitchen, living room, and bathroom shared with a host family. The residence hall offers double-occupancy rooms, shared kitchens, shared bathrooms, and shared reading rooms. To enable students in the residence hall to prepare their own meals, they will be provided with basic cooking utensils and a hot plate.
Meals
Homestay: Hosts provide breakfast and dinner during the week, and students get lunch on their own. Hosts provide all three meals on weekends.
International Students’ Hostel: Meals are not included. Students prepare meals in their dorms (facilities are limited) or eat on or off campus. Academic-year students have a three- to four-week break between semesters - they can remain in housing during this break, but must cover all meals and expenses.
Academics
This program welcomes students from all academic disciplines who want to continue their studies while learning about Ghana, its people, and the predominant language, Twi. Popular areas of study include political science, public health, biochemistry, economics, history, dance, and music.
Fall: Students join the University of Ghana (UG), the oldest, most diverse campus community and largest university in the country. UG welcomes more than 53,000 students from over 87 countries and about 1,250 faculty members from 22 countries. Programs include agriculture (featuring three research stations), consumer sciences, economics, computer science, engineering, performing arts, law, medicine, natural sciences, social sciences, business, nursing, public health, African studies, international relations, mathematics, journalism and communication, population studies, statistical research, social research, and economic research.
Courses are taught by faculty members from the University of Ghana.
Spring 2024: No courses will be available at the University of Ghana due to the All-African Games being hosted in Legon. All courses will be taught by faculty members from CIEE Legon.
Course Information
- Students should review their academic plan with their academic advisor before departure. Students will select their courses upon arrival.
- Spring 2024: No courses will be available at the University of Ghana due to the All-African Games being hosted in Legon. All courses will be taught by faculty members from CIEE Legon.
- For the 2023/2024 Academic year, Odd-numbered courses are offered in the Spring, and even-numbered courses are offered in the Fall term. This may switch in the following year, and if so, will be communicated.
- Second-year courses are numbered from 200-299.
- Third-year courses are numbered from 300-399.
- Fourth-year courses are numbered from 400-499.
- A list of University of Ghana (UG) courses is available on the UG website within the Student Handbook. Not all courses within UG Colleges or Schools are appropriate for program participants. Students are advised to be flexible in course selection and not necessarily expect to fulfill specific major requirements from their home institution, due to possible changes in the courses offered each term.
Academic Projects
Communication, Journalism, and Media
Health Professions and Related Programs
History, Philosophy, Religion
Social Sciences
Academic Projects
Communication, Journalism, and Media
History, Philosophy, Religion
Social Sciences
Spring 2024: No courses will be available at the University of Ghana due to the All-African Games being hosted in Legon. All courses will be taught by faculty members from CIEE Legon.
University of Ghana (UG)
College of Humanities
Business School
School of Law
School of Arts
School of Languages
School of Social Sciences
School of Performing Arts
College of Basic and Applied Sciences
School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences
School of Biological Sciences
School of Agriculture
School of Engineering Sciences
School of Veterinary Medicine
College of Health Sciences
School of Nursing
School of Pharmacy
School of Public Health
College of Education
School of Information and Communication Studies
School of Education and Leadership
Note: This course listing is for informational purposes only and does not constitute a contract between CIEE and any applicant, student, institution, or other party. The courses, as described, may be subject to change as a result of ongoing curricular revisions, assignment of lecturers and teaching staff, and program development. Courses may be canceled due to insufficient enrollment.
"(GI)" denotes courses that originated at CIEE's Global Institutes and that are offered at multiple CIEE sites.
Scholarships & Grants
CIEE offers scholarships and grants annually to help students like you make your study abroad dream a reality.
Students who apply to this program are eligible for the following scholarships and grants:
- Wollitzer Merit Scholarships in Area or Comparative Studies
- Ping Scholarships for Academic Excellence
- Global Access Initiative (GAIN) Grants
- Stohl International Undergraduate Research Scholarships
- CIEE Gilman Go Global Grant
- MSI Grant
To be considered, submit the CIEE Scholarships & Grants application within your CIEE program application.
Dates & Fees
You get more for every dollar when you study abroad with CIEE, because our high-quality programs include everything from excursions to insurance. There are no hidden charges, and no disappointing surprises when you arrive.
Program |
Application Due |
Start Date |
End Date |
Fees & Housing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Program Spring 2024 15 weeks | Application Due Deadline Passed | Start Date | End Date | Fees & Housing $19,850 |
| Program Fall 2024 14 weeks | Start Date * | End Date * | Fees & Housing $19,850 | |
| Program Fall 2023 14 weeks | Application Due Deadline Passed | Start Date | End Date | Fees & Housing $18,950 |
| Program Academic year 2023-2024 34 weeks | Application Due Deadline Passed | Start Date | End Date | Fees & Housing $37,805 |
*Dates for this program are provided as tentative dates. Please consult with your study abroad advisor to confirm dates before purchasing your flights.
To help you budget, keep in mind that students are responsible for the cost of international airfare, local transportation, books and supplies, visas, and personal expenses. In addition, your college or university may charge additional fees for study abroad, or may require you to receive a transcript via CIEE's School of Record, which carries an additional fee of $500.
Program Fees
CIEE offers the most student support of any provider in its program fee, including an airport greeting, full-time leadership and support, orientation, cultural activities, local excursions, pre-departure advising, and CIEE iNext travel protection with benefits.
Participation Confirmation = $300*
Educational Costs = $15,106**
Housing = $4,250
Insurance = $194
Total Fees = $19,850Estimated Costs
Students are responsible and manage costs related to travel, meals, books, and personal expenses. Below are estimates for consideration.
Meals not included in program fee = $510†
International Airfare = $1,550††
Local Transportation = $700
Books & Supplies = $150
Visa Fees = $240†††
Personal expenses = $240††††
Other = $500†††††
Total Costs = $3,890Financial Aid
CIEE offers the most grants and scholarships of any study abroad organization, including $8 million/year in travel grants, merit-based scholarships, institutional and MSI grants, and Gilman Go Global Grants.
*non-refundable
**direct cost of education charged uniformly to all students
†For students in homestays, families provide 2 meals a day and all weekend meals. For students in residence halls/hostels, you should budget approx. $340 per month for groceries if you plan on making your own meals, and more if you plan on eating out regularly.
††round-trip based on U.S. East Coast departure
†††Visa application in the US+non-citizen ID card
††††$100 emergency fund + cell phone expense + toiletries
†††††Yellow Fever Vaccination - All travelers must present a vaccination card upon entry to Ghana. Costs and insurance coverage may vary. CIEE recommends booking an appointment for the vaccine well in advance.
Program Fees
CIEE offers the most student support of any provider in its program fee, including an airport greeting, full-time leadership and support, orientation, cultural activities, local excursions, pre-departure advising, and CIEE iNext travel protection with benefits.
Participation Confirmation = $300*
Educational Costs = $15,106**
Housing = $4,250
Insurance = $194
Total Fees = $19,850Estimated Costs
Students are responsible and manage costs related to travel, meals, books, and personal expenses. Below are estimates for consideration.
Meals not included in program fee = $420†
International Airfare = $1,550††
Local Transportation = $700
Books & Supplies = $150
Visa Fees = $240†††
Personal expenses = $240††††
Other = $500†††††
Total Costs = $3,800Financial Aid
CIEE offers the most grants and scholarships of any study abroad organization, including $8 million/year in travel grants, merit-based scholarships, institutional and MSI grants, and Gilman Go Global Grants.
*non-refundable
**direct cost of education charged uniformly to all students
†For students in homestays, families provide 2 meals a day and all weekend meals. For students in residence halls/hostels, you should budget approx. $340 per month for groceries if you plan on making your own meals, and more if you plan on eating out regularly.
††round-trip based on U.S. East Coast departure
†††Visa application in the US+non-citizen ID card
††††$100 emergency fund + cell phone expense + toiletries
†††††Yellow Fever Vaccination - All travelers must present a vaccination card upon entry to Ghana. Costs and insurance coverage may vary. CIEE recommends booking an appointment for the vaccine well in advance, as supplies are limited AND Covid test to return to the US. Travellers are also required to produce a negative COVID test result within 72 hours before boarding a flight to leave Ghana.
Program Fees
CIEE offers the most student support of any provider in its program fee, including an airport greeting, full-time leadership and support, orientation, cultural activities, local excursions, pre-departure advising, and CIEE iNext travel protection with benefits.
Participation Confirmation = $300*
Educational Costs = $14,953**
Housing = $3,500***
Insurance = $197
Total Fees = $18,950Estimated Costs
Students are responsible and manage costs related to travel, meals, books, and personal expenses. Below are estimates for consideration.
Meals not included in program fee = $2,800†
International Airfare = $1,550††
Local Transportation = $700
Books & Supplies = $150
Visa Fees = $240†††
Personal expenses = $1,100
Other = $500††††
Total Costs = $7,040Financial Aid
CIEE offers the most grants and scholarships of any study abroad organization, including $8 million/year in travel grants, merit-based scholarships, institutional and MSI grants, and Gilman Go Global Grants.
*non-refundable
**direct cost of education charged uniformly to all students
***students placed in homestays will have breakfast and dinner provided during the week and three meals a day on weekends
†for students in dormitory; homestay students only need to budget for lunches during the week, estimated at $700 for one semester
††round-trip based on U.S. East Coast departure
†††Visa application in the US+non-citizen ID card
††††Yellow Fever Vaccination - All travelers must present a vaccination card upon entry to Ghana. Costs and insurance coverage may vary. CIEE recommends booking an appointment for the vaccine well in advance, as supplies are limited AND Covid test to return to the US. Travellers are also required to produce a negative COVID test result within 72 hours before boarding a flight to leave Ghana.
Program Fees
CIEE offers the most student support of any provider in its program fee, including an airport greeting, full-time leadership and support, orientation, cultural activities, local excursions, pre-departure advising, and CIEE iNext travel protection with benefits.
Participation Confirmation = $300*
Educational Costs = $29,558**
Housing = $7,750***
Insurance = $197
Total Fees = $37,805Estimated Costs
Students are responsible and manage costs related to travel, meals, books, and personal expenses. Below are estimates for consideration.
Meals not included in program fee = $3,310†
International Airfare = $1,550††
Local Transportation = $1,400
Books & Supplies = $300
Visa Fees = $240†††
Personal expenses = $1,340††††
Other = $500†††††
Expenses during break = $1,800††††††
Total Costs = $10,440Financial Aid
CIEE offers the most grants and scholarships of any study abroad organization, including $8 million/year in travel grants, merit-based scholarships, institutional and MSI grants, and Gilman Go Global Grants.
*non-refundable
**direct cost of education charged uniformly to all students
***students placed in homestays will have breakfast and dinner provided during the week and three meals a day on weekends
†For students in homestays, families provide 2 meals a day and all weekend meals. For students in residence halls/hostels, you should budget approx. $340 per month for groceries if you plan on making your own meals, and more if you plan on eating out regularly.
††round-trip based on U.S. East Coast departure
†††Visa application in the US+non-citizen ID card
††††$100 emergency fund + cell phone expense + toiletries
†††††Yellow Fever Vaccination - All travelers must present a vaccination card upon entry to Ghana. Costs and insurance coverage may vary. CIEE recommends booking an appointment for the vaccine well in advance, as supplies are limited AND Covid test to return to the US. Travellers are also required to produce a negative COVID test result within 72 hours before boarding a flight to leave Ghana.
††††††academic year students who wish to stay onsite are responsible for arranging their housing and meals during the semester break
What's Included
Tuition
Housing
Pre-departure Advising
Advising before you depart to set goals and answer questions
Optional on-site airport meet-and-greet
Orientation
Introduction to your program plus practical information about living in your host city
On-site Staff
Full-time program leadership and support in your city
Cultural and/or Co-curricular Activities
Excursions and/or Study Tours
Travel Protection
CIEE iNext travel protection
24/7 emergency on-site support
Our Staff
Amma Appiah
Center Director
Amma is a PhD Candidate at the Regional Institute of Populations Studies at University of Ghana. She has a Bachelors degree in English and a Masters in Population Studies all from University of Ghana.
Rachel Akata
Program Coordinator
Rachel is responsible for student life coordination at the center and assists the director with housing, internship, and volunteer placements.
Get Started
1
Start an Application
You're one step closer to an amazing study abroad experience!
2
Connect With Your Campus Study Abroad Office
Share your plans and confirm you're on track to meet all required steps to go abroad.
3
Contact Us
Send us an email if you still have questions or need information about applying to this program.
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