Over 100 Ghanaian PhD Students in UK Face Deportation Over Unpaid Scholarships
By Joyce Ayine
More than 100 Ghanaian PhD students in the United Kingdom are at risk of deportation and expulsion from their universities due to unpaid tuition fees and stipends under the Ghana Scholarships Secretariat (GSS). Some students have reportedly gone without payments for up to four years.
In a statement addressed to Ghana’s High Commissioner to the UK, Sabah Zita Benson, the students described their situation as “critical.” Some have already been evicted from their accommodation, barred from classes, or issued deportation notices by the UK Home Office.
The cohort revealed that monthly stipends of £1,023 to £1,200 have not been paid for months, leaving many unable to afford rent, food, or transport. “Some of our members are owed up to 48 months in stipends and have not received any payment since the start of their PhD programs,” the statement said.
About 10 students have been formally withdrawn from their universities over unpaid tuition, while others cannot register for the 2025/2026 academic year due to missing renewal letters and progression reviews from the GSS.
The students estimate that around £400,000 is needed to cover the ongoing academic year and described government efforts to clear arrears as “grossly insufficient.” They also reported that colleagues returning from research in Ghana have been denied re-entry to the UK because unpaid fees were reported to immigration authorities.
Appealing to President John Dramani Mahama and the High Commissioner, the students warned that the crisis could become a major humanitarian and diplomatic embarrassment.
“We believe students should not suffer for administrative lapses by public officials,” the statement said, urging urgent government action despite ongoing reforms to improve scholarship transparency.
