Study Abroad in Ghana

  Ghana

• Accra: 
Accra

Durations of Program: 5-8 weeks, 3-6 months and 7-12 months
Dates: year: mid September- mid July 2008; semester: mid September- early January, early January- mid July; summer: late June- early August

Description: Discover Ghana

Spend your summer in Accra, Ghana's bustling seaside capital of three million. During your six-week stay, you will have numerous opportunities to learn about Ghanaian history, culture, and people through a unique blend of homestay, community service projects, and travel.

After your arrival at Kotoka International Airport, you will join your host family and have a welcome orientation. Your first week in Ghana will find you touring the sites of Accra and its surroundings, including museums, parks, the state legislature, state house, University of Ghana, industrial plants, and cultural centers.

For the next two weeks, you will participate in diverse community service projects within the region in places such as day care centers, orphanages, SOS homes, YMCA, YWCA, OIC, VWCA, and institutions for the physically challenged. Next, spend eight days in a local high school experiencing everyday school activities and meeting Ghanaian teenagers.

You will then join other exchange students for a countrywide tour of Ghana, including such sites as slave castles, parks, water falls, forest reserves, gold mines, cocoa farms, research centers, Kente weaving sites, and lakes. All tour transportation, entrance fees, and tour guides are included in the cost of tuition. Return to your host family for a re-entry orientation and farewell prior to your return to the US.

This incredible summer program truly offers something for everyone and promises to be a once-in-a-lifetime glimpse into life in Ghana. With so much to do, what will be most memorable for you?

Academic Programs
Consider spending an academic semester or year in Ghana! YFU Students to Ghana will have an amazing experience attending a Ghanaian high school which will focus on a rigorous coursework of study. As with the summer program, semester and year students will have the opportunity on this program, too, to do community service or volunteer work. This program is also offered as a 13th Year Abroad option. Participants up to 21 years of age may apply.

Highlights: Nestled in the Gulf of Guinea along the West Coast of Africa, Ghana boasts miles of beautiful beaches and is bordered by Cote d'Ivoire, Togo, and Burkina Faso. The countryside is made up of forested hills, cascading waterfalls, dense rainforests, cocoa farms, and captivating villages and towns. Breezy moderate temperatures and clear sunshine characterize the tropical climate much of the year.

Formerly known as Gold Coast, Ghana gained independence in 1957, becoming the first black African colony to do so. The stunning forts and castles along the coastline date back to the 15th Century and over 30 of these historic structures are designated as World Heritage Monuments. Built and occupied at different times by traders and adventurers from throughout Europe to safeguard trading posts, these buildings offer a dark chapter in Ghanaian history when they were used as dungeons in the slave trade.

For the people of Ghana, ancestral traditions remain an important part of daily life. Customary leaders have historically had authority over tribal and family matters and customary lands continue to be an important heritage. Known the world over for its local fashion, Ghana is home of authentic Kente cloth, the trademark of the Ashanti people. Be prepared to practice your bargaining skills as shops in the main towns are filled with jewelry, leather goods, and baskets while the markets are excellent places to buy handicrafts, drums, and every type of souvenir.

Cost in US$: Inquire for more information

Participants Travel to Ghana in Groups

Typically Participants Work Independently

Application Process Involves:

• In-Person Interview Required
• Letters of Reference
• Physical Exam/Health Records
• Transcript
• Written Application

Post Services Include:

• Alumni Network

Youth For Understanding USA's Mission Statement: Youth For Understanding (YFU) prepares young people for their responsibilities and opportunities in a changing, interdependent world.

Year Founded: YFU in 1951