The 2023 Open Doors Report, which was released today, indicates that a growing number of Ghanaian students are selecting the United States as their preferred destination for undergraduate and graduate studies. In the 2022–2023 academic year, there were approximately 6,400 Ghanaian students enrolled in US universities, a 31% increase over the previous year. The Institute of overseas Education (IIE) analyzes the number of overseas students attending US universities and publishes the Open Doors Report every year.
“U.S. colleges and universities offer world-class educational opportunities, and Ghanaian students in the United States are deepening the ties of friendship, family, and business between our countries. We are so happy to see Ghanaians seeking to learn, develop their skills, and return to Ghana to benefit their communities,” said U.S. Ambassador to Ghana Virginia Palmer.
Ghana is currently among the top 25 nations in the world for sending students to study in the US. In 2022–2023, 6,468 Ghanaians studied in the United States, setting a record and increasing by 31.6 percent, according to the 2023 Open Doors Report. With 4,140 graduate students enrolled nationwide—a 38 percent increase from the previous year—Ghana is now the 14th-largest sender of graduate students to the US. Over 700 postsecondary educational institutions across all 50 states awarded scholarships worth close to $9 million to Ghanaian students last year. In the most recent fiscal year, the U.S. Embassy processed a record number of student visa cases in an effort to help satisfy the increased demand.
With more than one million (1,057,188) international students in the academic year 2022-2023—a 12% rise over the previous year—the United States continues to be the most popular destination for students from abroad. Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) areas are studied by the majority of international students in the United States; in 2022–2023, math and computer science remained the most popular topics of study for international students.
More than 13,000 students, parents, and academic professionals attended the two largest EducationUSA college fairs ever conducted in Ghana this year, which were hosted by the U.S. Embassy in Ghana in Accra and Kumasi.
Through EducationUSA, the U.S. Department of State’s network of education advisers, the U.S. Embassy assists qualified individuals in becoming competitive applicants to U.S. colleges and universities. There are currently two EducationUSA Advising Centers in Ghana: one at the ACE Consult in Asokwa, Kumasi, and the other at the U.S. Embassy in Accra. EducationUSA Advisors work both in-person and virtually with students to help them become successful applicants by improving their understanding of the college or university application process. EducationUSA advisors in Accra and Kumasi have assisted thousands of Ghanaian students in applying to hundreds of recognized American universities during the past year.
