Accra: The Students Loan Trust Fund (SLTF) has announced the disbursement of academic fee support for an additional 29,687 first-year students under President John Dramani Mahama's 'No Fees Stress' initiative for the 2025/2026 academic year. This initiative aims to alleviate financial burdens for students entering public tertiary institutions in Ghana.
According to Ghana Web, the latest payment increases the total number of beneficiaries to 101,905 students, out of 170,425 validated records received from 163 public tertiary institutions nationwide. This significant support underscores the government's commitment to ensuring access to higher education without the stress of financial barriers.
In a statement signed by SLTF Chief Executive Officer, Saajida Shiraz, the Fund announced that the 'No Fees Stress Portal' has been updated. This allows students who were unable to validate their records during the 2024/25 window to complete their applications, provided they did not receive support previously. The portal modification is part of efforts to make the initiative more inclusive and accessible.
The deadline for validation of student records has been extended to May 31, 2026, with all disbursements expected to be concluded by the end of June 2026. The SLTF emphasized its commitment to completing fee disbursements within the stipulated timeframe and expressed appreciation for the cooperation of stakeholders in implementing this initiative.
The SLTF also advised students not to miss the extended deadline and encouraged all eligible first-year students to complete their applications promptly. This proactive approach is intended to ensure that no student misses out on the support due to administrative oversights.