The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has formally requested that Ghanaian students and professionals be exempted from the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) and its associated fees when applying to study or work in the United Kingdom.

The appeal was made during a meeting with the British High Commissioner to Ghana, His Excellency Christian Rogg, at the Ministry on Tuesday, January 6, 2026.

The discussions focused on strengthening Ghana-UK relations and exploring deeper cooperation in areas such as security, trade, job creation, health, education, governance, and constitutional review.

Mr Ablakwa explained that English has long been the medium of instruction in Ghanaian schools, making the IELTS requirement unnecessary for students and professionals from the country.

“We called for Ghana to be exempted from the IELTS and the fees payable by Ghanaian students and professionals since English has long been the medium of instruction in Ghana,” he said.

The meeting is also part of Ghana’s ongoing efforts to elevate bilateral relations with the UK to a Strategic Partnership, with special focus on frameworks to protect and enhance conditions for Ghanaian health practitioners seeking employment abroad.