Ashesi was established as an independent, public benefit education institution operating on a not-for-profit basis. The university obtained accreditation from the National Accreditation Board (NAB) in September 2001 to operate under the mentorship of the University of Cape Coast (UCC), with degrees conferred by UCC. Ashesi began instruction on 4th March 2002. Ashesi University received a Presidential Charter from the President of Ghana, effective January 2018, making it an independent university that confers its own degrees.