Gov’t to reimburse academic fees for 1st-year university students under ‘No-Fees-Stress’ policy

The Students Loan Trust Fund (SLTF) has announced plans to reimburse academic user fees for first-year students enrolled in accredited diploma or degree programmes at public tertiary institutions for the 2024/2025 academic year.

According to a press statement issued by the SLTF on May 12, the initiative, dubbed the No-Fees-Stress policy, will take effect from next month and is being rolled out per policy directives from the Ministry of Education.

The move reflects the John Mahama government’s ongoing commitment to expanding access to higher education and investing in the nation’s human capital, according to the Student Loan Trust Fund, which announced the decision.

The reimbursement is intended to cushion new students from the rising cost of tertiary education and to create a more inclusive academic environment where no qualified student is left behind due to financial constraints.

“In a significant step towards alleviating financial hardships faced by first-year students, the SLTF is set to reimburse academic user fees for first-year students pursuing accredited diploma or degree programmes in public tertiary institutions for the 2024/2025 academic year, under the No-Fees-Stress policy,” the statement read.

Eligible students are required to submit applications via the official No-Fees-Stress application portal: https://nofeesstress.sltf.gov.gh.

Each application will be validated against admission data from recognised public tertiary institutions to ensure transparency and efficiency.

The SLTF is encouraging all qualified students to apply as soon as possible in order to secure their reimbursement.

“We urge all first-year students to apply promptly to secure their reimbursement,” the statement concluded.