Study Public Health at NYU Accra in Ghana

As a public health student, the Accra program really gave you a lot of options both academic wise and through internship placements that you can't get at a lot of other sites. However, you don't need to be just a public health major. The Accra site has an amazing range of courses to choose from with professors who are the best in their fields in Ghana. Outside of the classroom, Accra is an incredible city where you can find endless adventure. Whether you love the arts, music, nightlife, food, the list goes on, you can find it in Accra. And if you love to travel and explore, there's eco spots throughout the country that you can get to by bus (just make sure to get the proper directions from the staff first). If you want to really get out of your comfort zone and try something you may not have before, Accra is a great place to do that! The program is very small so you'll become close friends with your fellow students, but I would encourage anyone thinking about going to Accra to be willingly to branch out. Take a class at the University of Ghana, go out into the city, find a local spot that you love and make friends there too! The Accra site is a great program overall and it's set in an amazing place with amazing people who will stay in your heart forever.

Like other reviewers, I was really nervous to go. But I'm a public health and history major, so it was the best place to be. I had an internship at the West Africa AIDS Foundation and the NYU professors are great, but really the best part of the experience was the Accra staff. The CRAs, administrative staff, and the security guards both at the academic center and the dorms are some of the most wonderful people. It was so nice to develop closer relationships with them because we saw them every day. There's a sense of community I had been missing in New York. The food is also awesome, you'll never have better pineapple or plantains than there! And NYU took us on some fun trips to make sure we were seeing more of Ghana than just the city.
The biggest downside I would say, (besides the painfully slow wifi) is the difficult adjustment to the way (in my experience, at least) men felt they could treat us. We were occasionally followed or had our arms grabbed, but the security guards were fantastic at making us feel safe on campus.

I was very nervous about going to Accra. Since it is such a different culture than in NYC, I was apprehensive about how I was going to fit in. I didn't really know anyone when I went there and was in a foreign country. Yikes! It turns out, though, that everyone was feeling the same way. Almost no one knew each other from before so it was ok. I met my roommate during orientation but that's it. Our house ended up having dinners together every single night and we would sit there for about 2 hours just talking about our lives and opinions. Sometimes, it got very heated because we had some girls who had such differing opinions. This was great, though, to see the differences that we had in the house of 7 girls. We all got super close and ended up sharing so much about ourselves to each other. This house was a great bonding experience for us because we were all forced into this house with people we never met and we had to all hang out together. We were always in the living room because it had the best wifi so it was hard to get work done but it all got done somehow. I still talk to and hang out with the friends that I met there and I'm so happy of the placement of our house.
Besides the housing situation, I loved the people that I met in Ghana. They are always so friendly and open and willing to talk to you. I was taking Twi at UG-Legon. Ghana is so different than other countries because the locals really love when you try to speak to them in Twi. They get so excited and happy, where it has been my experience in other countries-especially Europe-where they don't like people who can't speak their language fluently. The Ghanaians that I met were so willing to show us around and lead us to great local eateries and establishments that we would have never found otherwise. One thing to note is that the girls won't really speak to us but mainly the men; they are more open and friendly. The girls are less friendly because they are more intimidated by us.
I also traveled outside of Ghana and went to a small island called Sao Tome for spring break. This was a great experience for me and my 2 friends. Since they mainly speak Portuguese and French, we were getting along okay. My friend and I speak French a little and my other friend speaks Spanish and was able to translate mostly in Portuguese. This island was so beautiful and we were able to explore it with the guidance of a local man who worked at the hotel. He was very friendly and open to showing us all around.
Overall, the experience was amazing and I encountered so many new people and situations that I never would have before. I am so glad that I was able to go on this experience and would definitely recommend it for anyone who is hesitant about it.

My experience at NYU Accra was one that I will never forget. While, at times, living in Accra was not easy, the staff at NYU Global Programs worked tirelessly to ensure that the study abroad experience was enjoyable. NYU Accra is one of the most unique study abroad sites, as our living situation is very unique. The program is very small so we live in houses, rather than dorms, which fostered a larger sense of community among students and staff. The girls who were in my house became, and are still, some of my best friends. We also have a meal plan or sorts, in which we our fridges are stocked bi-weekly with breakfast/lunch items and dinner is provided for us every night. Generally, we were constantly supported by the staff; they taught us everything we needed to know, from how to navigate a completely different social dynamic to how to get around in a geographical terrain that was foreign to us. They supported us in all of our academic pursuits, both in the classroom and in experiential learning settings, like our internships. We went on various field trips throughout the semester that were all extremely well planned and executed. The trips were all so worthwhile, as I was able to learn so much about Ghanaian culture through them. I think overall, though, my general experience of the lively and amazing city of Accra was due to the people I met and engaged with outside of NYU. Taking courses at the University of Ghana, including The Rights and Protection of Women and Children and Traditional Drumming, was a huge part of finding community beyond NYU. For anyone interested in studying abroad at NYU Accra, I would say, above all, try to make the most out of your experience by really getting to know the city and the country. You will not regret it. NYU Accra changed my life. I am stronger than I have ever been. I am now much more open to new things. I learned more about myself in the four months I spent in Ghana than in the accumulation of all my years at NYU.

Having never traveled to any African country before, I immediately jumped at the chance to spend a semester in Ghana through NYU. Every expectation I had for the program was blown out of the water. NYU's Office of Global Programs did a fantastic job of ensuring we were ready for our departure by hosting orientations, events, and connecting us with students who previously studied abroad in Ghana. Additionally, my travel nurse at the NYU Health Center answered all of my questions regarding vaccines and malaria medication.
The NYU Accra staff was equally incredible; everyone was approachable, knowledgeable, and helpful. Their investment in our experiences and well-being was obvious, as they often solicited feedback, checked in with us, and went above & beyond in ensuring that we had all the resources we needed for a successful semester. Provisions included nightly dinner Monday–Friday, a fully-stocked fridge and pantry, cleaning services for our houses (which were beautiful), and van service to the University of Ghana, among others.
We lived in 4 identical houses on a compound, which was monitored by a very kind security staff. The girls I lived with became my best friends in the program and some of my best friends at college in general. The houses are spacious, air-conditioned, and equipped with Wi-Fi.
Because NYU Accra is a smaller program (10-25 students a semester), NYU organizes several trips throughout the semester, including visits to Cape Coast, a rural village, and Kumasi. These trips are meticulously planned and executed beautifully. They included several excursions, many of which were to notable locations like Kakum National Park or Elmina Castle. Other visits, such as the homestay in a rural village, were experiences unique to NYU Accra because of the local staff's connections and outreach.
Academically, I really enjoyed my semester abroad. The NYU Accra academic center is a short walk from our housing facility, so getting to class was never an issue. I took 3 courses through NYU, but my favorite class was my Traditional African Drumming class at the University of Ghana. I also really enjoyed Globalization and the Developing World. My internship at a junior high school was a beneficial experience as well.
I was also able to visit São Tomé over spring break – as I was based in Accra, the flight was only about 2 hours. Many of my other friends went to Europe because of Ghana's proximity to several European countries. Other trips I took included Mole National Park and Wli Falls. Accra is also a particularly fun city on weekends – the nightlife is great! Another unique aspect of NYU Accra is the connection to local seamstresses, who can make any custom article of clothing you may want. Fabric can be purchased from them or at any of the numerous markets throughout Ghana.
I would advise bringing some American gift items for any hosts or other people you may meet. Do not bother bringing much insect repellent – the repellent sold in Ghana works much better than what I brought from the States. Make sure to pack and wear sunscreen. Most importantly, take advantage of every opportunity you're given, and seek out more on your own! There is so much to do and see – don't miss any of it.

Ghana will always remain my initial impression of Africa- I'm sure glad I chose to go there as my first African experience.
NYU has a very established study abroad program there that you can do for one spring or fall term, or an entire academic year.

Accra is a lively and fun city, with a huge expat community and many friendly people. It's also extremely safe from my experience, I was fine taking taxis on my own at 1 or 2 in the morning. It's easy to communicate since pretty much everyone speaks English.
It is Africa at the end of the day, so get used to power outages, water outages, and filling up buckets for showers. Bring medications for yeast infections, ringworm, etc with you even though you will find most medicine there at a really cheap price.
Overall, Ghana is my favorite country I've been to in Africa (out of 3 countries total- have also been to Ethiopia and Ivory Coast) and I also found it the easiest to navigate. It's a cash economy, as one would think, make sure your negotiation skills are up to par!
I learned Twi at NYU as well as took an intl nutrition course and a globalization in the global south course... was very impressed with all of my courses because it was well put in the African context.
Please make Ghana your first destination within Africa if you're struggling to decide where to go! I guarantee you won't be disappointed :)