A group of Ghanaian PhD candidates in the United Kingdom has petitioned UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to intervene in what they describe as a deepening financial crisis caused by long-standing delays in scholarship payments from the Ghanaian government.
The students—primarily beneficiaries of the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) and other state scholarship programmes—say they are struggling with mounting tuition arrears and rising living-cost pressures because the promised funds have not been released. Several universities have issued warnings, placed students on academic holds, or threatened withdrawal over unpaid fees.
In their petition, signed by approximately 110 students, the group urged the Prime Minister’s office to diplomatically engage the Ghanaian government to ensure overdue payments are released. They contend that the delays are severely affecting their academic progress, mental health, and ability to meet deadlines.
According to the group, the stalled funding has pushed many scholars into extreme hardship, including hunger, homelessness, and significant emotional distress. Some students have already abandoned their studies entirely.
They reported that 15 students have been withdrawn from their programmes due to unpaid fees, while another 30 have received no funding for the 2024/2025 academic year. Many are unable to access university portals, submit theses, or obtain certificates due to outstanding balances.
The students acknowledged a recent £1.6 million transfer from the Ghana Scholarship Secretariat to the Ghana High Commission in London, but said the amount is far from enough to clear accumulated tuition and stipend arrears.
Stipend payments, they noted, are overdue by between five and 48 months, causing evictions, rent-related legal actions, and increased dependence on food banks.
Some students, they added, have been deported after universities reported their withdrawal to the UK Home Office over non-payment of fees. Others who have completed their studies remain stranded in the UK, unable to return to Ghana because of debts or the inability to afford air travel.
Student leaders said they have repeatedly engaged Ghanaian authorities—including the High Commission, the Scholarships Secretariat, the Minister of Education, and other officials—but no lasting solution has been reached. They estimate that £3.6 million is required to clear arrears for the PhD cohort alone, warning that undergraduate and master’s students under the same scheme may be facing similar difficulties.
The group is appealing to Prime Minister Starmer to urge the Ghanaian government to release the necessary funds and to engage President John Dramani Mahama directly on the matter.
Copies of the petition have been sent to the Speakers of the British and Scottish Parliaments, the Mayor of London, and several major media organisations.
