The Students Loan Trust Fund (SLTF) is providing bridge financing to newly admitted first-year students of public universities and public technical universities who require immediate financial support to secure their admissions under the Government’s No Academic Fees Policy.

According to a press statement issued on Monday, the intervention is aimed at preventing eligible students from losing their admission because they are unable to meet institutional fee-payment deadlines as the 2026/2027 academic year begins.

SLTF indicated that public tertiary institutions typically require newly admitted students to pay a portion of their fees by a specified deadline to confirm their admissions. However, funding under the No Academic Fees Policy is released after institutions submit admission data and students’ details are validated, a process which requires additional time.

To bridge this gap, the SLTF said it will, upon application by an eligible student, advance the required fee deposit directly to the relevant tertiary institution to secure the student's admission.

The amount advanced will subsequently be reconciled against the financial support due to the student under the No Academic Fees Policy, meaning the intervention is intended to bring forward the benefit students would otherwise receive after the validation and payment process is completed.

The Fund said the initiative forms part of the Government's broader No-Fees-Stress agenda, which seeks to ensure that financial difficulties do not prevent qualified students from accessing tertiary education.

The SLTF expressed appreciation to the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC), Vice-Chancellors Ghana, Vice-Chancellors of Technical Universities, Ghana, and the leadership of public tertiary institutions for their cooperation.

It said the institutions' decision to extend fee-payment deadlines has helped facilitate the implementation of the intervention and provide additional time for eligible students to secure financial support.

The Fund has therefore urged all newly admitted first-year students who need immediate assistance to apply promptly through the No-Fees-Stress Portal to secure their admission and begin the academic year without the burden of immediate fee-payment challenges.

Applications can be made through the No-Fees-Stress Portal.

For further information, students may contact Esenam Akosua Dzansi, APR, Head of Public Relations and Corporate Affairs at the SLTF, on +233 24 383 7583 or erdzansi@sltf.gov.gh.