Ghanaian PhD students studying across the United Kingdom are urging Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to intervene as they battle what they describe as a worsening financial crisis linked to unpaid government scholarship funds.
For many of the students—most sponsored by GETFund and other government programmes—the past months have been marked by unpaid tuition, frozen university accounts, and growing debt.
The delays have left some at risk of academic suspension, while others have already been removed from their courses.
In a petition signed by roughly 110 scholars, the group appealed to the Prime Minister’s office to open diplomatic discussions with Ghana’s government.
They argue that the lack of funding is threatening their academic futures and placing significant emotional and financial pressure on them.
Several students say they are living through severe hardship. According to the group, some have struggled with housing insecurity, limited access to food, or the emotional strain of uncertain academic status.
Fifteen students have been withdrawn from their programmes because fees remain unpaid, and another 30 have received no support at all for the 2024/2025 academic year.
They noted that although the Ghana Scholarship Secretariat recently released £1.6 million to the High Commission in London, the sum is far below what is required.
Stipend arrears now range from five months to four years, creating difficulties with rent, legal disputes, and reliance on food assistance.
The students said some of their colleagues were deported after universities notified the UK Home Office of their withdrawal.
Others who completed their studies remain stuck in the UK because they cannot settle debts or afford flights home.
Despite multiple attempts to engage Ghanaian officials—including the High Commission, the Registrar of Scholarships, and the Education Ministry—the students say no lasting solution has emerged.
They estimate that £3.6 million is needed to settle the outstanding obligations for the PhD students alone, with many undergraduate and master’s students also believed to be struggling.
Their petition has been shared with a range of UK authorities and media organisations in hopes of drawing attention to the crisis.
