The Students Loan Trust Fund (SLTF) has officially completed the refund of academic fees for first-year students in public tertiary institutions for the 2024/2025 academic year. This announcement brings relief to thousands of students and parents across Ghana who were waiting for the refund process to be completed.
The announcement was made on December 30, 2025, under the government’s No Fees Stress Initiative. This initiative was introduced to reduce the financial pressure on fresh students who gain admission into public tertiary institutions such as universities, colleges of education, technical universities, and nursing training institutions.
What the Refund Is About
The refund covers academic facility user fees that were paid by first-year students at the beginning of the academic year. These fees are part of the charges students normally pay to support academic activities in their institutions. Under the No Fees Stress Initiative, eligible first-year students are expected to get these fees refunded after proper validation.
To qualify for the refund, students must have been:
- Admitted into a public tertiary institution
- Enrolled as a first-year student
- Properly validated by their institution
- Successfully submitted their application details to SLTF
The main aim of this policy is to make higher education more affordable and accessible, especially for students from low-income families.
Key Figures from SLTF
According to data released by SLTF, the refund exercise recorded impressive numbers:
- A total of 171,096 student records were submitted by public tertiary institutions across the country.
- Out of this number, 168,855 students completed their applications successfully.
- After the validation process, 152,698 students were fully approved and reimbursed.
These figures show that a large majority of eligible students benefited from the initiative, even though some applications could not be processed due to errors or incomplete information.
How to Check Your Refund Status
To ensure transparency and easy access to information, SLTF introduced an online tool known as the No Fees Stress (NFS) Status Checker. This platform allows students to confirm whether:
- Their details were validated
- Their refund has been approved or paid
Students can check their status by visiting the official SLTF portal using the link below: https://nofeesstress.sltf.gov.gh/applicationstatuschecker
Students are advised to enter their correct details, usually their Ghana Card number, to view their status.
SLTF’s Commitment to Students
SLTF has reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, accountability, and the proper use of public funds. The Fund emphasized that all processes were carried out carefully to ensure fairness and accuracy.
The management of SLTF also assured students and the general public that it will continue to support government policies aimed at improving access to higher education. According to the Fund, education remains a key pillar for national development, and every qualified student deserves the opportunity to learn without unnecessary financial stress.
In conclusion, the completion of the 2024/2025 academic fee refund marks a major milestone in Ghana’s education financing efforts and offers hope for even better support systems in the future.
