A four-year bachelor’s, an HND or an MPhil from Ghana each lead to a different starting point in France. Admission, English proof, the budget in cedis, Campus France Ghana, VFS Accra and the 2027 calendar, from official sources.
Can you do a master’s in France with a Ghanaian degree?
Yes. The question is not whether your degree counts, but at which year it lets you start.
Nuffic, the Dutch agency that documents foreign education systems, notes that a Ghanaian bachelor’s usually takes four years and an HND three. French master’s programmes are generally two years after a three-year bachelor’s, so a four-year degree can justify a shorter direct entry, as at AI2.
| Your Ghanaian qualification | Where you can start at AI2 | Duration and tuition | What admissions looks at |
|---|---|---|---|
| HND in computing, electrical, electronic or a related field | BSc final year (B3) | One year plus a company placement. €9,900, with AI2 scholarships possible (excellence, early application) | An assessment of your diploma and units, with your course list |
| Bachelor’s (BSc, BTech, BA) in computing, mathematics, engineering or science | MSc Year 1 | Two years. Year 1 €12,500, from €10,500 after the scholarship | Your degree certificate, transcript and online interview |
| Related four-year degree with strong technical content | MSc direct entry into Year 2 | 18 months: 12 taught, then a 6-month internship. €13,000, or €11,300 when it is your first year of enrolment | Academic review of your syllabus; Python and SQL at interview |
| MSc or MPhil in a related field, or an accredited four-year engineering degree from a Washington Accord signatory country | Fast-Track, February 2027 only | 11 months: 5 on campus, 6 in a company in France. €12,500, or €11,000 for applications before 15 November 2026 | A technical check on Python, statistics and SQL |
Does your class of degree matter?
Nuffic notes that taught master’s programmes in Ghana usually ask for at least second-class honours (lower division). AI2 publishes no minimum class or CGPA: selection rests on a file review and an online interview in English, with a Python and SQL check for the MSc. Your record also feeds the merit criterion of the AI2 scholarship, so a strong transcript still pays off.
Documents to request from your registrar now
AI2 asks for your passport, degree certificates and transcripts, a CV, a one-page statement of purpose and proof of English, plus your course list or syllabus for direct entry or the final-year BSc. The Campus France Ghana visa checklist later asks for the original and a copy of your last degree and transcript, so order official copies once. Also check that your institution appears on the accredited list of the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC).
Holding an HND? The one-year route to a final-year BSc
Nuffic notes that HND top-up programmes in Ghana take two or three years. AI2’s BSc final year takes one: it accepts applicants with two years of higher education, and AI2 names Ghana among the countries whose HND holders can apply, subject to an assessment of the diploma.
Two final-year options
Cost in cedis
Then the master’s
Read the full top-up degree after an HND in France guide for the units admissions looks at and how the year is organised.
English requirements: what AI2 states
Every AI2 programme is taught in English and no French is required. AI2’s admission page asks for English at B2 level, shown by IELTS 6.0, TOEFL iBT 72 or an equivalent. A medium-of-instruction certificate may support a waiver, and admissions decides case by case which evidence it accepts. For the Fast-Track, the test is waived if your degree was taught in English. Your interview is held in English in any case.
Ghanaian universities teach in English, so ask your registrar for a medium-of-instruction letter with your transcripts, and add any recent IELTS or TOEFL score. For cases where no test is needed, see studying in France without IELTS.
How much does a master’s in France cost in Ghana cedis?
Conversions use the Bank of Ghana interbank mid rate of GHS 12.9938 to the euro on 27 October 2026 (buying 12.9873, selling 13.0002), rounded to the nearest hundred cedis. The cedi moves daily: the euro amounts are the ones on your admission letter.
| AI2 programme | Tuition in euros | In cedis (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| BSc final year (HND route) (AI2 scholarship possible) | €9,900 | about GHS 128,600 |
| MSc Year 1, after the scholarship | from €10,500 | about GHS 136,400 |
| MSc Year 2, continuing student | €13,000 | about GHS 168,900 |
| MSc direct entry (18 months), first year of enrolment | €11,300 | about GHS 146,800 |
| Fast-Track, applications before 15 November 2026 | €11,000 | about GHS 142,900 |
A first-year budget, all in
AI2 estimates living costs in the Paris region at about €900 to €1,700 a month, rent included, which is GHS 11,700 to 22,100 a month. Over twelve months, with tuition after the scholarship:
| Scenario (12 months) | In euros | In cedis (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| HND holder, BSc final year €9,900 plus living costs | €20,700 to €30,300 | GHS 269,000 to 393,700 |
| Graduate, MSc Year 1 from €10,500 plus living costs | €21,300 to €30,900 | GHS 276,800 to 401,500 |
| Costs paid in Ghana before you fly | Études en France GHS 700, VFS appointment GHS 301, visa fee worth €50 paid in cedis | about GHS 1,650 |
The blocked account rule in Ghana
Here Ghana differs from most countries. Campus France Ghana’s official student visa checklist says the embassy accepts only a bank statement for a personal escrow (blocked) account opened in Ghana in the applicant’s name, holding enough to pay for the whole stay, with a letter from the bank stating that the money is blocked for the stay and can be wired to a bank account in France. Any other financial document is treated as missing; scholarship holders show a certificate stating amount and duration.
The checklist, dated 2024, still quotes €615 a month, while Service-Public, the French administration’s information site, now sets €877.50 a month (verified 1 August 2026). Plan on the higher figure, €10,530 or about GHS 136,800 for twelve months on top of tuition, and confirm with Campus France Ghana before opening the account. Our proof of funds guide explains the national rule in detail.
Every international applicant is assessed automatically for the conditional AI2 scholarship. Fees are listed on AI2 tuition fees 2027.
The official procedure: Campus France Ghana, then VFS Accra
Campus France lists Ghana among the countries covered by the Études en France procedure. Campus France Ghana applies it to non-European students residing in Ghana who have been admitted to a French higher education institution, including admissions obtained outside the platform, such as a direct offer from AI2.
- 1Receive your admission letterIt states programme, intake, tuition and scholarship; after the deposit AI2 sends the enrolment certificate and visa documents.
- 2Open your Études en France fileEnter your details, latest education and the programme you were admitted to, and upload your documents. The embassy’s consular section sees this file, so keep it accurate.
- 3Pay GHS 700Pay the Institut français du Ghana account at Société Générale Ghana, description EEF/SURNAME/EEF NUMBER. Depositor details must be the applicant’s, even when a relative pays.
- 4Upload the receipt and attend the interviewUploading the receipt opens the interview booking. Campus France Ghana describes 25 to 30 minutes on your education, your choice of programme and your career goals.
- 5Complete France-Visas and book VFSFill in the long-stay form on France-Visas, then book the VFS Global centre at One Airport Square, Accra, paying GHS 301 by mobile money or bank deposit to validate the slot.
- 6Attend with the full checklistThe visa fee is the value of €50, in cedis and cash only. The French Embassy in Ghana says you can apply up to six months before departure; allow for busy periods.
What the Ghana visa checklist asks for
| Document | Requirement | Practical note |
|---|---|---|
| Passport | Original and copy, two blank pages, valid at least three months beyond the visa you request | Renew first if it expires during your programme year |
| Forms and attestation | Signed France-Visas form, two ICAO photos, birth certificate copy, Études en France attestation slip | Keep the GHS 700 receipt with it |
| Admission letter | Proof of registration at a higher education institution | Only students admitted through the Études en France catalogue are exempt |
| Academic records | Original and copy of your last degree and your transcript | The same documents AI2 reviewed |
| Financial means | Blocked account statement and bank letter, or a scholarship certificate | See the amount note above |
| Accommodation | Proof for at least three months: a booking, a host’s undertaking or an explanatory letter | Private hosts add their ID and proof of address |
Campus France Ghana has offices in Accra (Alliance Française d’Accra) and Kumasi (KNUST, Caseley Hayford Building). Our France student visa from Ghana guide follows the file from the VFS appointment to your arrival.
Timeline for the February, May and September 2027 intakes
Campus France Ghana’s catalogue deadlines (15 December 2026 and 8 January 2027) apply to programmes listed on Études en France, not to a direct AI2 offer. AI2’s visa guidance recommends applying five to six months before the intake and preparing the visa file three to five months before.
| Intake | AI2 dates | Ghana steps to fit in |
|---|---|---|
| February 2027 | Fast-Track early price until 15 November 2026; priority deadline and complete visa file 30 November 2026; enrolment and deposit 15 December 2026 | Open the Études en France file the week your letter arrives and fund the blocked account in parallel. Tight: if both cannot be ready by December, choose May or September. |
| May 2027 | Dates sent on request by admissions | Apply to AI2 by November or December 2026; Campus France and the blocked account from December; VFS from January to February 2027. |
| September 2027 | Dates sent on request by admissions | Apply by March or April 2027; Campus France in April and May; VFS from May, no earlier than six months before departure. |
Work rights during and after your master’s
Service-Public states that a non-European student may work up to 964 hours a year, 60% of the legal annual working time, without a separate authorisation. Exceeding it can cost you your residence permit, and a job never counts in your proof of funds.
Every MSc route includes a six-month company placement. On the two-year MSc, Year 2 can be work-study: the employer requests the work authorisation and its training fund (OPCO) pays AI2, so you pay no tuition for that period. Direct entry and the Fast-Track use internships. Most work-study employers operate in French; AI2 offers optional French classes.
After graduation: stay, work or go home
- Job-search or business-creation card: Service-Public describes a one-year, non-renewable card for graduates holding a student card who obtained, in the last twelve months, a diploma at least equivalent to a master’s. AI2’s MSc prepares a level 7 RNCP title (EQF 7); the préfecture reviews the diploma you present. Apply in the two months before your student card expires.
- Moving to a work permit: with a job offer you change status, as explained in our guide to working in France after graduation.
- Back in Ghana: GTEC’s Credential Evaluation Service assesses qualifications obtained abroad; the listed fee for a foreign certificate is GHS 307.
Where AI2 fits for a Ghanaian graduate
AI2, the Applied Institute of Artificial Intelligence, teaches 100% in English at the Hub Nikola Tesla in Écouen, 22 minutes from Paris Gare du Nord by Transilien line H. Its three MSc programmes cover data science, cybersecurity and IoT. Each final year awards the AI2 diploma and prepares a professional certification recognised by the French State and registered in the RNCP at level 7: RNCP39978 « Architecte des systèmes d’information dans les processus industriels » and RNCP40554 « Architecte Internet des objets (IoT) », both certified by DATAKOO, AI2’s parent company.
Year 1 covers Python, machine learning and cloud; Year 2 NLP, computer vision, generative AI and MLOps. See the MSc Applied AI and Data Science page. Admissions replies within two working days.
Frequently asked questions
Can I do a master’s in France with a Second Class Lower?
AI2 publishes no minimum class of degree or CGPA. It decides on a file review and an online interview in English, and your academic record also counts toward the merit criterion of its scholarship.
Can HND holders from Ghana apply for a master’s in France?
At AI2, an HND leads first to the one-year BSc final year, subject to an assessment of your diploma and units. Once you validate that year, you hold the bachelor’s-level title that MSc Year 1 asks for.
Do I need IELTS to study a master’s in France from Ghana?
AI2 asks for B2 English, shown by IELTS 6.0, TOEFL iBT 72 or an equivalent. A medium-of-instruction certificate from your Ghanaian university may support a waiver, decided case by case by admissions.
Is Ghana an Études en France country?
Yes. Campus France lists Ghana, and Campus France Ghana asks residents admitted to a French institution, including direct admissions, to complete an Études en France file, pay GHS 700 and attend an interview before the visa.
How much money must be in the blocked account?
The Campus France Ghana checklist asks for funds for the whole stay and still quotes €615 a month, while Service-Public sets €877.50 a month since August 2026. Plan on €10,530 for twelve months, about GHS 136,800, and confirm with Campus France Ghana.
Where do I submit my French student visa application in Ghana?
At the VFS Global centre at One Airport Square, Accra, after booking online and paying GHS 301 to validate the appointment. The visa fee, worth €50, is paid in cedis and in cash.
Is there a French Embassy scholarship for Ghanaian master’s students in 2026/2027?
Campus France Ghana states that the French Embassy Scholarship Programme will not be launched for the 2026/2027 academic year. AI2 assesses every international applicant automatically for its conditional scholarship.
Can I stay in France after my master’s?
Service-Public describes a one-year job-search or business-creation card for graduates with a master’s-level diploma obtained in France in the last twelve months.
Sources consulted on 28 October 2026: Campus France: Études en France countries · Campus France Ghana: visa application for admissions outside Études en France · Campus France Ghana: official student visa checklist (PDF) · Campus France Ghana: proof of financial means · Campus France Ghana: 2027/2028 applications · Campus France Ghana: French Embassy scholarship for master students · Embassy of France in Ghana: applying for a visa · Bank of Ghana: daily interbank FX rates, 27 October 2026 · Service-Public: student visa resources (verified 1 August 2026) · Service-Public: work for non-European students (verified 7 October 2025) · Service-Public: job-search or business-creation card (verified 1 June 2026) · Nuffic: higher education in Ghana · Ghana Tertiary Education Commission · GTEC Credential Evaluation Service
Send your degree or HND transcript: AI2’s academic team reviews it, interviews you online and confirms your entry year, tuition and any scholarship in writing.
