Ghanaian doctoral students studying in the United Kingdom are preparing to take to the streets in London. On April 17, they will gather outside the Ghana High Commission to demand an end to what they call years of neglect by the Ghana Scholarship Authority.
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The students say many of them have not received a single stipend for between 15 and 40 months.
Tuition fees have also gone unpaid, leaving some facing withdrawal from their programmes and even threats of deportation by their universities.In a strongly worded statement released on April 6, the leadership of the UK-based Ghanaian PhD scholars described the situation as desperate.
They say repeated attempts to engage the Scholarship Authority have been ignored, forcing them to protest as a last resort.“What makes it even more painful,” the group noted, “is that while we are left struggling, the Authority continues to award fresh scholarships to new students heading to Canada, the United States, Germany and China.”Another major worry is the long delay in issuing renewal letters.
These documents are required for students to register for each new academic year. The students say they have waited more than 15 months for them. As a result, eight months into the current 2025/2026 academic year, many are still unable to formally enrol and continue their studies.
The financial hardship has taken a heavy toll. Some students have been forced to borrow money from friends and family just to eat and pay rent. Others have paused their research or fallen behind on deadlines, putting their entire PhD journey at risk.The protesters say they are not asking for special treatment — only for the government to honour its commitments to scholars already abroad.
They want immediate payment of all outstanding stipends and tuition, plus swift issuance of the renewal letters so they can get back to their studies without further disruption.With the protest now just days away, the students hope their voices will finally be heard in Accra.
For many, the demonstration is about more than money — it is about dignity, fairness, and the chance to complete the education that Ghana sent them overseas to pursue.