Ghana 2027 · Accra, Ghana
Ghana 2027 Internship Program
Social Innovation and Entrepreneurial Leadership in Africa
A three-week internship in Accra with a three-day virtual component on the front end, built around a real deliverable for a vetted host organization.
- Applications open
- Friday, October 16, 2026
- Applications close
- Friday, April 2, 2027
- Arrive in Accra
- Saturday, July 10, 2027
- Depart Accra
- Saturday, July 31, 2027
Applications open Friday, October 16, 2026
Interns with their host organizations
Innovation and enterprise hubs
Cultural immersion in Accra
Program Overview
About the Program
2027 Theme
Social Innovation and Entrepreneurial Leadership in Africa
A three-week in-country internship in Accra, Ghana, with a three-day virtual component on the front end. Participants deliver real work inside a vetted host organization while building a practical understanding of how social innovation and entrepreneurial leadership operate in an African market.
Placements include fintech and technology, agribusiness, healthcare, creative industries and social enterprise. Monday to Thursday and Friday mornings are spent on site with your host company. Friday afternoons are given to a community service project, and weekends to guided cultural excursions and community engagement.
Who can apply
Age
Applicants must be 18 or older by the program start date.
Academic level
Undergraduate level or above.
Where you study
Open to students from US universities. No partner-university affiliation is required.
Format and Dates
Program Format and 2027 Dates
Virtual component
Monday to Wednesday, July 5 to 7, 2027, worked remotely before travel, following a mandatory orientation and company meet and greet.
In country in Accra
Saturday, July 10 to Saturday, July 31, 2027, on site with your host organization and immersed in the city.
How the 2027 cycle runs
Tuesday, June 29, 2027
Virtual pre-departure orientation
A mandatory live session covering program structure, health and safety, travel logistics, cultural context and professional expectations.
Thursday, July 1, 2027
Virtual company meet and greet
A mandatory introduction to your host organization and supervisor, including an early look at your project brief.
Monday to Wednesday, July 5 to 7, 2027
Virtual component (remote)
Three remote working days. You scope your deliverable with your supervisor, complete the preparatory curriculum and begin background research before you fly.
Saturday, July 10, 2027
Arrive in Accra
Arrival in Accra with airport pickup, accommodation check-in and a group welcome dinner.
Monday, July 12 to Friday, July 30, 2027
In-country internship
Three weeks on site with your host organization, with weekly community-engaged learning, guided cultural immersion and regular coordinator check-ins.
Friday, July 30, 2027
Closing ceremony
Final presentations, closing ceremony and farewell dinner.
Saturday, July 31, 2027
Departure
Check-out and group transfer to the airport.
August 2027, date to be confirmed
Post-program virtual reflection
A remote debrief session plus credit and scholarship documentation support once you are home.
A full day-by-day schedule is shared with accepted participants during pre-departure orientation.
Why Ghana
Regional hub for finance and entrepreneurship
Accra is a leading West African center for startups, finance and growing tech ecosystems.
Strong democratic governance and youthful population
Stable institutions and a young workforce create high-impact internship opportunities.
Hospitality and cultural vibrancy
Warm communities, music and festivals enrich learning and cultural immersion.
Opportunities in fintech, agribusiness and creative industries
Wide-ranging placements across sectors where Ghana is rapidly innovating.
Where You Work
Industries and Placements
Placements are drawn from our network of vetted host organizations in Accra and matched to your academic background, career interests and each organization’s capacity to supervise meaningful work. Select a sector to see the kind of placements it offers.
These sectors are examples, not a complete list. Placements in other fields may be possible depending on your interests and host availability.
Fintech and Technology
Digital payments, lending platforms, data and software teams building for African markets.
Example placements
Product and user research
Map an onboarding funnel for a mobile money product and recommend fixes for the biggest drop-off points.
Data and analytics
Build a reporting dashboard from transaction data so the team can track adoption week to week.
Go-to-market support
Research an adjacent West African market and draft an entry brief for the leadership team.
Placement examples are illustrative. Your exact scope is agreed with your host supervisor during the virtual component.
Schedule
Sample Week
A typical in-country week. Exact timings are set with your host organization.
Monday to Thursday
Approximately 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
On-site internship work with your host company, including project work and supervisor check-ins.
Friday morning
On-site internship work with your host company.
Friday afternoon
Community service project (community-engaged learning).
Saturday and Sunday
Guided cultural excursions, community engagement, or personal time.
Learning Design
Curriculum and Contact Hours
Total contact hours
157.5
The program is deliverable-driven, with approximately 157.5 total contact hours across the virtual and in-country components. Hilltop provides a syllabus outline and a contact-hour record to support academic credit and scholarship applications.
Deliverable-driven placement
Every participant works to a scoped deliverable agreed with their host supervisor, so the work has a defined output rather than open-ended shadowing.
Virtual component
Orientation, the company meet and greet and three remote working days front-load context, scoping and background research before travel.
Project supervision
Your host-company supervisor directs the work on your project, and a Hilltop on-ground coordinator supports progress and check-ins throughout.
Community-engaged learning
A weekly community service project connects the professional placement to the communities around it.
Guided cultural immersion
Scheduled excursions with a dedicated guide place your work in Ghana’s historical, civic and creative context.
Reflection and documentation
A post-program virtual reflection plus a syllabus outline, contact-hour log and supervisor evaluation to support credit and scholarship applications.
Explore
Cultural Highlights
Cultural programming is not an add-on. It is integral to the learning experience. These immersions connect your professional placement to Ghana’s history, civic institutions, and creative economies.
Traditional Music and Dance
Cultural performances and heritage
Accra Arts Centre
Arts, crafts and cultural heritage
Makola Market
Markets and shopping for souvenirs
The Black Star Gate
Independence Square and national heritage
Kakum National Park
Nature, wildlife and canopy walks
Creative Hubs
Art galleries and design spaces
Accra Skyline and Business Districts
Urban growth and enterprise
Historical Sites
Colonial landmarks and Ghanaian history
Coverage
What's Included
Included in the program fee
- Deliverable-based internship placement and company matching with a vetted host organization in Accra
- Dedicated host-company supervisor and on-ground Hilltop coordinator support
- Accommodation (same-sex, twin-share rooms at Hilltop-vetted partner hotels) with daily breakfast
- Airport pickup and group transportation to scheduled activities
- Transport credit for travel to internship sites
- Welcome and farewell dinners plus select meals as specified
- Virtual pre-departure orientation and virtual company meet and greet
- Weekly community-engaged learning and guided cultural immersion
- Scheduled cultural excursions and entrance fees with a dedicated guide
- Mandatory international insurance
- Post-program virtual reflection and credit-documentation support
Not included
- International flights to and from Ghana
- Visa fees and costs
- Meals not specified in the program
- Personal spending money and self-arranged tours or excursions
- Vaccinations and any required medical tests
Investment
Cost, Deposit and Payment Terms
Program fee
$4,500
per participant
Deposit
$500
due on acceptance, secures your place
- Applications are reviewed and applicants are notified within four weeks.
- The $500 deposit counts toward the total program fee.
Payment terms
$500 deposit on acceptance
The deposit secures your place and is credited against the total fee. Instructions to pay your deposit will be sent to you by email.
Balance due Wednesday, May 26, 2027
The remaining balance must be paid in full no later than 45 days before the program start date of Saturday, July 10, 2027.
Flexible installment plans
Payments can be spread across installments between acceptance and the balance due date.
All payments completed before arrival
No outstanding balance may remain at the point of travel.
Scholarships and Aid
Funding Your Internship
Many students fund their Hilltop internship through scholarships, grants and their university's financial aid. The national scholarships below support study and internships abroad. Eligibility rules and deadlines change each year, so please check each funder's website for the latest details, and speak to your study abroad or financial aid office early, as many awards require an advisor's approval.
Academic credit: Several of these scholarships, including Gilman and the Fund for Education Abroad, require your internship to be credit-bearing. Academic credit is arranged through your own university, not through Hilltop. Talk to your study abroad office or academic advisor about earning credit before you apply. Hilltop will provide program documentation, including a syllabus outline and contact hours, to support your credit and scholarship applications.
Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship
For U.S. citizens studying at undergraduate level who receive a Federal Pell Grant. Programs must be credit-bearing. Deadline for summer 2027 programs: February 25, 2027.
Fund for Education Abroad (FEA)
For U.S. undergraduates with financial need who are abroad for at least 14 days, earning academic credit, and have not studied abroad before. Applications for summer 2027 open in fall 2026. Applications open in November 2026 and are due in early February 2027.
Phi Kappa Phi Study Abroad Grants
$1,000 grants for undergraduates with a GPA of 3.75 or above whose university has an active Phi Kappa Phi chapter. Membership is not required. The application deadline is usually in March.
Go Overseas Study and Intern Abroad Scholarship
A $500 scholarship open to students of any nationality taking part in a study or intern abroad program.
Your own university
Many universities offer study abroad scholarships, departmental travel grants and research funding, and federal financial aid can often be applied to credit-bearing programs abroad. Ask your study abroad and financial aid offices what is available to you.
Paying in installments: Hilltop offers a payment plan. A $500 deposit secures your place on acceptance, and the balance can be paid in installments, with the final payment due by Wednesday, May 26, 2027.
Policy
Cancellation and Refund Policy
On or before Sunday, April 11, 2027
A $250 processing fee is retained and all other payments are refunded.
April 12 to May 26, 2027
50% of the program fee ($2,250) is retained.
From May 27, 2027
No refund is available.
- All cancellations must be submitted in writing.
- Certain suppliers may have different cancellation terms, and participants are charged accordingly.
Coverage
Insurance
Mandatory international insurance is included in the program fee for every participant, for the full duration of the in-country component.
Comprehensive medical coverage for accident and illness, in-patient and out-patient
Emergency medical evacuation and repatriation
24/7 global medical and security assistance
Mental-health support
Security evacuation coverage
Political and natural-disaster evacuation coverage
Safety and Risk Management
Hilltop maintains a comprehensive risk management infrastructure aligned with the Forum on Education Abroad Standards and ISO 31030. Local teams, trusted partners, and continuous in-country monitoring stand behind every program.
Safe, comfortable accommodation
Pre-vetted hotels near placement sites
Where You Stay
Accommodation and Local Support
Interns stay at Hilltop-vetted partner hotels, selected for safety, comfort, and proximity to placement sites. Rooms are same-sex, twin-share by default, with daily breakfast included.
A dedicated on-ground coordinator is present in Accra to check in on intern well-being, liaise with the hotel, and facilitate orientations and safety briefings throughout the program.
Before You Travel
Pre-Departure Requirements
Valid passport
Must be valid for at least 6 months beyond the program end date, with blank visa pages.
Ghana visa
Required for most nationalities; participants arrange their own visa (Hilltop can provide an invitation/support letter).
Yellow Fever vaccination
Required for entry to Ghana; proof of vaccination (carte jaune) needed. Other vaccines may be recommended.
Flights
Participants book their own international flights to and from Accra.
Insurance
Mandatory international insurance is included.
Packing and pre-departure kit
Hilltop provides a pre-departure kit with packing, health, safety, and cultural guidance.
Orientation
Mandatory virtual pre-departure orientation and company meet and greet before travel.
Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Applications Not Yet Open
Apply to Ghana 2027
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis and applicants are notified within four weeks. Places are limited, so applying early is strongly advised.
Application deadline
Friday, April 2, 2027
170 days until applications close
What you'll need
- Your CV or resume, as a PDF, Word document or image, up to 10MB
- Your current school, level of study and field of study
- Emergency contact details: name, relationship to you, phone and email
- Written answers to a few short questions, including a 250 to 300 word outline of the internship project you would design
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Your CV and application details are received securely and used only for application review.
Get in Touch
Questions?
We'd love to help you decide if this program is a good fit.
Reach our team anytime and we will get back to you as soon as possible.