Ghanaian PhD students in the United Kingdom have announced plans to stage a demonstration on Friday, April 17, 2026, at the Ghana High Commission in London, citing prolonged delays in the payment of stipends and tuition fees.
The protest, organised by the leadership of the PhD cohort, follows what the students describe as months of neglect by the Ghana Scholarship Authority (GSA), formerly known as the Ghana Scholarship Secretariat.
In a statement dated April 6, 2026, the group said many students have gone months without receiving their stipends, leaving them in severe financial hardship.
“For several months, students have not received their statutory stipends, with most now owed between 15 and 40 months of living allowances,” the statement said.
The students also raised concerns about unpaid tuition fees, which they say have led to some being withdrawn from their universities, while others face the risk of deportation.
“Several students have been denied access to university learning portals due to non-payment of fees, while hundreds have been reported to debt collection agencies,” the statement added.
They described their living conditions as increasingly dire, with some students forced to rely on food banks to survive.
“The situation has become so severe that some sponsored students in the UK are living in deplorable conditions and depending on food banks,” the group noted.
The students further criticised authorities for allegedly continuing to award new scholarships to others while neglecting those already studying in the UK.
“To make matters worse, the Scholarship Authority continues to award non-bilateral scholarships to new students while those already at various stages of their studies in the UK are left unattended,” the statement said.
A key concern raised was the delay in issuing renewal letters required for re-enrolment, which, according to the group, have not been provided for over 15 months.
“These letters are a prerequisite for registration, yet eight months into the academic year, none have been issued,” the statement explained.
The students noted that a previously planned protest was called off after officials at the Ghana High Commission in London assured them the issues would be resolved by mid-February. However, they say those assurances have not been fulfilled.
“Unfortunately, all five concerns presented remain unresolved,” the group said.
They also expressed concern over delays in the release of scholarship funds, claiming that only a fraction of allocated resources has been disbursed.
“We have observed that the GH¢256 million allocated remains largely undisbursed, with only GH¢37 million proposed. Meanwhile, the Authority owes about GH¢56 million to PhD students alone,” the statement added.
The students plan to gather at Belgrave Square before proceeding to the UK Parliament and the BBC to engage policymakers and the media.
They emphasised that the protest is a lawful exercise of their rights and warned that further action could follow if their concerns are not addressed.
“We reiterate that this protest will only be called off if the government urgently releases funds to the Scholarship Authority and evidence of payment is seen before April 17, 2026,” the statement stressed.
Read the full statement below
