Key Takeaways
- Ghanaian PhD students in the UK are planning a two-day protest due to persistent delays in the payment of tuition fees and stipends by the Ghanaian government.
- The students, sponsored by the Ghana Scholarship Secretariat, are facing severe financial hardship, academic sanctions, and the risk of deportation.
- Despite £1.6 million being released by the Ghana Scholarship Secretariat last year, the amount was insufficient to clear accumulated tuition arrears and outstanding stipends.
- The students are calling on the Ministry of Education, the Ghana Scholarship Secretariat, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to intervene and release funds to clear tuition arrears and pay outstanding stipends.
Introduction to the Crisis
The Ghanaian PhD students studying in the United Kingdom are facing a severe crisis due to the persistent delays in the payment of their tuition fees and stipends by the Ghanaian government. The students, who are sponsored by the Ghana Scholarship Secretariat, have announced plans for a two-day protest to draw attention to their plight. The situation has become untenable, leaving many students facing severe financial hardship, academic sanctions, and the risk of deportation. The students were sponsored with assurances of full tuition coverage and monthly stipends ranging from £1,023 to £1,200, but many have gone for months, and in some cases, years, without receiving these payments.
Consequences of Non-Payment
The consequences of the non-payment of tuition fees and stipends are far-reaching and devastating. Several students report experiencing hunger, homelessness, and mental distress, while others have been compelled to suspend or completely withdraw from their studies. In 2025, it was reported that at least 15 Ghanaian PhD students in the UK had already been withdrawn from their programmes due to unpaid tuition fees. A further 30 students reportedly received no payment at all for the 2024/2025 academic year. The outstanding debts have prevented some students from accessing their university portals, submitting theses, graduating, or obtaining academic certificates. The students are facing a bleak future, and their academic careers are hanging in the balance.
A Case in Point
The case of Raphael Botchie, a Ghanaian PhD student at De Montfort University in Leicester, is a stark example of the consequences of the non-payment of tuition fees. Botchie was provisionally terminated from his programme due to non-payment of fees, and the university warned that if the outstanding fees were not settled by a certain deadline, the institution would complete the termination process. The university further cautioned that it would notify the UK Home Office that it was no longer sponsoring the student, a move that would lead to the cancellation of his visa and leave him with just 60 days to remain in the UK. Botchie’s case is not isolated, and the protesting students say that many of their colleagues are facing similar threats of visa cancellations through no fault of their own.
The Protest and Demands
The planned two-day protest is intended to compel the government to urgently release funds to clear tuition arrears and pay outstanding stipends. The students are warning that further delays could permanently damage the academic careers and well-being of affected students. The group has called on the Ministry of Education, the Ghana Scholarship Secretariat, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to intervene immediately to avert further withdrawals, deportations, and reputational damage to Ghana’s scholarship programme. The students are demanding that the government takes immediate action to address the crisis and ensure that they can continue their studies without fear of financial hardship or deportation.
The Way Forward
The Ghanaian government needs to take urgent action to address the crisis facing its PhD students in the UK. The government must release funds to clear tuition arrears and pay outstanding stipends to prevent further withdrawals, deportations, and reputational damage to Ghana’s scholarship programme. The Ministry of Education, the Ghana Scholarship Secretariat, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs must work together to find a solution to this crisis and ensure that the students can continue their studies without fear of financial hardship or deportation. The government must also take steps to prevent such a crisis from happening in the future by ensuring that the Ghana Scholarship Secretariat has sufficient funds to cover the tuition fees and stipends of its sponsored students. The future of Ghana’s PhD students in the UK hangs in the balance, and it is up to the government to take action to save their academic careers and well-being.
