SYTO - Student & Youth Travel Organisation

This programme is aimed at students from Commonwealth countries. It enables Ghanaian students to visit another country, to work and travel in that country. Countries participating in the programme include Canada , USA , UK and Ireland . SYTO arranges holiday visas for university students for a period of (up to?) three months during their summer holiday. The students gain work experience in positions of temporary employment such as waiter/waitress, cleaner. With money earned from this work the students are then able to travel and tour around the host country. This is an opportunity for new experiences and to gain knowledge of and insight into a foreign country and its culture.

A holiday work visa will be arranged for you before you go abroad. SYTO ensures that all jobs for students in foreign countries are confirmed before the student accepts the position and leaves Ghana . SYTO also organises an orientation course on arrival in the host country where participants are able to meet and interact with students from other countries. In addition to this, SYTO has partners within all participating countries for support services for the students.

For our summer 2007 programme, students from the under-listed universities will participate on the work UK programme.

1. University of Ghana, Legon, Accra
2. Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi
3. University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast
4. Valley View University, Accra
5. Central University College, Accra
6. University for Development Studies, Tamale
7. University of Education - Winneba Main campus
8. Western University College formerly Tarkwa School of Mines
9. University of Education - Mampong Campus
10. University of Education – Kumasi campus
11. Methodist University College of Ghana
12. Islamic University College
13. Wisconsin University College

In all its activities, SYTO is represented in most of the universities through a students club known as the SWAP CLUB. The SWAP CLUB is officially registered with the Dean of students' offices and has the endorsement of the university authorities. Membership to the SWAP CLUB is accessible to all bona fide students of the university.

SYTO will organise screening selection interviews for interested students from all participating universities in Ghana. Please note that as part of the selection criteria, priority will be given to members of the SWAP CLUBS on all campuses.

SCREENING SELECTION for the programme for year 2007, shall take place from October 2006. The exact dates for the screening interviews for each university will be communicated through the SWAP CLUBS.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE FOR THE PROGRAMME?
The programme is designed for UNDERGRADUATE students in the universities in Ghana. In some cases graduate students are allowed to participate. Students eligible for participating in the programme should have at least ONE YEAR or at most two years to complete their university DEGREE. (Students who are pursuing a three-year degree course should be in their second year AND students who are pursuing a four-degree course should be in the third year).

Please note that there is an AGE LIMIT of 30 years for prospective applicants. Students who are over 30 years are not qualified to participate in this programme.

The Work aspect of this programme is to enable students to take up temporary employment to earn some pocket money to offset cost of travel in the USA. Please note that it is not a money making experience, although you will earn some cash!!!

For the USA, SYTO may secure pre-arranged jobs and pre-arranged accommodation such as working at a theme park in the USA. However, students are also encouraged to browse the website for more information on jobs. It helps you to know about jobs in the US. Any such arranged jobs by the students should be communicated directly to the Programme Manager before the end of February 2007. Any students who opts to search for a job by himself but is not able to secure one before the end of February may be withdrawn from the programme. Typical job positions that students have taken include house-keeping, Bartender, maintenance grounds keeper, amusement park attendants, busser, Host/hostess, cashier, doorman, cook, driver (bringing your driver’s license will be useful), light labour, etc, etc.

For Ireland and the United Kingdom, SYTO DOES NOT offer pre-arranged jobs for students. Therefore students have the free hand to determine where they want to live and work in the UK and Ireland. This notwithstanding students are free to contact our partners in the UK and Ireland Respectively for advise on how to get a job or accommodation.

Work and travel UK programme is designed for university students from commonwealth countries such as Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Ghana etc, with the exception of the USA, which is not a commonwealth country but has students participating in the programme.

There are approximately 10,000 students who participate in this programme every year. Students will therefore have the opportunity of meeting other international students from the above-mentioned countries which fosters friendship, experience different cultures, participate in group travel to places of tourist interest in Britain and many more.

The work aspect of this programme is to enable students earn some pocket money to offset cost of travel in Britain. As a result, participating students would be issued with a special type of visa known as the WORKING HOLIDAY MAKER VISA. This type of work visa allows the student to take up TEMPORARY employment in Britain. Please note that work is incidental to travel! You will not make a lot of money during your trip but there will be other positive factors: new friends, new experiences, new culture and above all, increased self-confidence.

The programme date runs from May 2007 – 31st October 2007.

SYTO is the official sponsor for the work and travel UK programme for participating Ghanaian students. SYTO will therefore provide students with the administrative support to procure working-holiday visas for students and also provide them with the travel support services in Ghana.

BRITISH UNIVERSITIES NORTH AMERICAN CLUB(BUNAC), is the sponsoring organisation in Britain. BUNAC will provide students with all the administrative and logistic support services upon arrival in Britain. Visit for more information.

Work and Travel IRELAND programme is designed for students in the university who are genuinely interested to achieve the educational objectives of international exchange.

There are many students from the USA, Canada, South Africa, Argentina and Jamaica who participate in the Work in Ireland programme each year. Dublin, the capital city of Ireland is a thriving city with a large population of people under 26 years of age.

The work aspect of the programme is to enable students to earn some pocket money to offset cost of living expenses and cost of travel within the country. The type of jobs that students will be doing will be the usual summer holiday jobs that Irish students do during the vacation. Students will be allowed to take up solely temporary jobs. Please note that work is incidental to travel. You will not make a lot of money on this programme but there are many other positive benefits to be derived from the programme such as: new friends, experiencing a new culture, foreign work experience though not course related and above all increased self confidence.

SYTO is the official sponsor for the work and travel Ireland programme for participants from Ghana. SYTO will therefore provide students with the logistic administrative support to procure the appropriate visas for the programme.

Our cooperator abroad, USIT, will be responsible for providing the students with all the administrative and logistic support services upon arrival in Dublin.
Visit for more information

Work and Travel USA programme is designed for students in universities who are genuinely interested to achieve the educational objectives of international cultural exchange.

Each year, there are over 20,000 participating students from all over the world including Ghana. You will have the unique opportunity to experience the culture of American people through temporary employment opportunities in the USA. You will also meet other students from different countries who will be living and working with you.

The work aspect of this programme enables students earn some pocket money to offset cost of living expenses and cost of travel in the USA.

This programme offers students two (2) options: either with pre-arranged jobs and accommodation before arrival in the USA or the students finding their own jobs and accommodation. To enable participating students to work, they would be issued with a special type of visa known as J-1 VISA.

The Work and Travel USA programme will provide students with the officially required document to obtain an American Social Security Number (SS#) and therefore to be legally remunerated by the employer under the same conditions as any legal U.S. resident. Note that, the SS# can only be obtained upon arrival in the US. Applying for the SS# usually takes a couple of weeks depending on the application procedure of each State. Be prepared to go through a few battle and hustle.

Prior to applying for a J-1 Visa for the programme, students would be expected to pay a SEVIS fee that has just been introduced by the US Government. The fee currently stands at $100 and can only be paid by the student personally through the internet. Further details will be made available after students have been selected for the programme.

Students are authorized to work from JUNE 1, 2007 - OCTOBER 2007.

SYTO is the official sponsor of the Work and Travel USA programme for participating Ghanaian students. SYTO will therefore provide students with the administrative support services to facilitate the procurement of J-1 VISAS from the US Embassy and also provide all other travel support services whilst in Ghana.

has been designated by the United States Information Agency (USIA) as Programme sponsor and as such is authorized to issue the certificate of eligibility (DS-2019 form) required to obtain the J-1 visa. Participants are to note that the DS-2019 does not guarantee the issuance of J-1 visa.

CHI is the sponsoring organisation for the Work and Travel USA programme. CHI will provide students with all the administrative and logistic support services upon arrival in the USA. Visit for more information.

Student Youth and Travel Organisation (SYTO) in partnership with Student Work Abroad Programme (SWAP) has designed Work and Travel Canada programme for university students who want to experience working holiday in Canada. Every year participants from many countries converge in Canada to participate in this programme with their Canadian counterparts.
SWAP main goal as your sponsor is to provide you with advice, assistance and various services while you are participating in this cultural exchange.
CANADA WORK VISA
An open authorization is the work visa which permits you to be legally employed in Canada. For the duration of your authorization, you may work anywhere in Canada and for any employer. However, the following restrictions apply:

Unfortunately, your Open Employment Authorization cannot be extended.

The programme date runs from May 2007–31st October 2007.
SYTO is the official sponsor for the work and travel UK programme for participating Ghanaian students. SYTO will therefore provide students with the administrative support to procure working-holiday visas for students and also provide them with the travel support services in Ghana.
TRAVEL CUTS is the sponsoring organization in Canada. TRAVEL CUTS will provide students with all the administrative and logistic support services upon arrival in Canada. Visit for more information.

You can SYTO at the following addresses:

SYTO HEAD OFFICE
OPPOSITE UNDP OFFICES
RING ROAD EAST
OSU – ACCRA

Tel No: 769487 / 769157 Ext. 108
Email: outbound@sytoghana.com

SYTO OFFICE – KUMASI
SECOND FLOOR SSNIT BUILDING
PREMPEH II STREET
ADUM, KUMASI
TEL NO: 0243 145229

SYTO OFFICE – TAMALE
UNIGLOBE M&J
OPPOSITE GOIL FILLING STATION
NEAR FORMER RIVOLI CINEMA
TAMALE
TEL NO: 071-23163