Funding higher education in Togo or abroad
Togo has no widespread national student loan comparable to those in northern countries; studies are funded by families, public grants, bank loans taken out by parents and sometimes student jobs or microloans.
The cost of higher education in Togo
Most Togolese students enrol at the University of Lomé or the University of Kara, where public tuition fees remain moderate. Housing, transport and computer equipment, however, weigh more heavily than the academic fees themselves.
No public student loan in Togo
As far as we know, the Togolese state does not offer repayable student loans on a large scale. Public support comes mainly through grants and allowances awarded on merit or social grounds, with amounts set each year.
State grants and aid in Togo
The ministry responsible for higher education awards grants and allowances to students at public universities, based on academic results and field of study. The timetable and amounts are announced at the start of each academic year.
Private institutions and grandes écoles in Togo
Private business, IT and health schools in Lomé charge considerably higher tuition fees. Some accept payment in instalments over the year, which in practice amounts to an interest-free credit granted by the institution to the family.
Loans taken out by parents in Togo
The most common solution is for a salaried parent to take out a personal loan from their bank. School loans in Togo work on the same principle for primary and secondary school fees and back-to-school costs.
Studying outside Togo
To study in France, Canada or Morocco, Togolese families often have to prove sufficient means or a monthly transfer. A Lomé bank can fund these costs through a loan to the parents, repayable in CFA francs.
FNFI products for young people
The National Fund for Inclusive Finance's AJSEF product targets young people with an income-generating activity. It does not fund studies, but it allows a student entrepreneur to develop a small business to cover their expenses.
Prepaid cards and online payments in Togo
To pay registration fees abroad or online certifications, students in Lomé use prepaid Visa cards topped up from T-Money or Flooz. The top-up limit, however, restricts large payments such as a full year of foreign tuition.
Ghanaian and Togolese students
Ghana has a public student loan scheme, presented on the page on the student loan in Ghana. This contrast shows that Togolese students depend more on family and grants than their English-speaking neighbours.
Student jobs and internships in Togo
Evening classes, jobs in Lomé call centres and paid internships help some students support themselves. ANVT volunteering schemes also provide a first paid experience after graduation for young people entering the labour market.
After graduation in Togo
An unemployed young graduate finds few bank credit offers. The page on credit for jobless people in Togo presents the integration and financing schemes available at this stage of a young person's career.
Caution with online offers in Togo
Social media accounts promise grants or loans for studying abroad in exchange for application fees. Official grants are never conditional on paying a sum upfront by mobile transfer, so such requests should be treated as scams.
Planning how to pay for studies in Togo
- Estimate the full annual budget: enrolment, housing, transport, a computer and living costs in Lomé or Kara.
- Submit a grant or public aid application within the deadlines set by the ministry.
- Ask the institution whether tuition fees can be paid in instalments.
- If needed, have a salaried parent request a personal loan simulation from their bank.
- For studies abroad, prepare the proof of funds required by the consulate and the host institution.
Expense items for a Togolese student
| Item | Benchmark | What makes it vary |
|---|---|---|
| Public university enrolment fees | Moderate, set by decree, indicative | Level and institution |
| Private school tuition | Considerably higher | Field of study and reputation |
| Housing and transport | Largest expense item | City and distance from campus |
| Loan to parents | Bank rate at most 14% a year | Salary and term |
Supporting documents for funding studies
- National identity card of the student and of the borrowing parent
- Enrolment certificate or letter of admission
- Academic transcripts for a grant application
- Parent's payslips for a bank loan
- Tuition fee estimate from the institution
Frequent mistakes by families and students
- Paying fees to a fake intermediary who promises a scholarship to study in Europe or Canada.
- Borrowing over a term longer than the course of study, while other children will also need schooling.
- Leaving living and housing costs out of the budget and counting only the enrolment fees.
- Missing the deadline for public grant applications, which the Ministry of Higher Education sets each year.
Funding studies in Togo: your questions
Is there a state-guaranteed student loan in Togo?
We have not identified any widespread public student loan in Togo. Public aid mainly takes the form of grants and allowances. Families therefore rely on bank loans taken by parents, instalment payments and their own savings.
Will a Togolese bank lend directly to a student?
Rarely, because the student has no domiciled income. Banks prefer to lend to the salaried parent or to require a guarantor. Some may run occasional offers, which should be checked directly at a branch.
How can you pay for studies in France from Lomé?
Families combine savings, a bank loan to a parent and sometimes help from relatives in the diaspora. The proof of funds required for the visa should be gathered early, bearing in mind the fixed exchange rate between the CFA franc and the euro.
Does the FNFI pay for studies?
No, FNFI products, including AJSEF, finance income-generating activities. A student who runs a small business can, however, use them to grow that income and contribute towards the cost of their studies.