Ghanaian PhD students in the United Kingdom have announced plans to stage a mass protest over prolonged delays in the payment of tuition fees and stipends by the Ghana Scholarship Authority.
In a statement dated 6 April 2026 and issued “for immediate release,” the executive body of the UK PhD cohort said the demonstration will take place on Friday, 17 April 2026, at the Ghana High Commission in London.
The group cited what it described as “deliberate neglect” of students sponsored by the Authority, formerly known as the Ghana Scholarship Secretariat.
According to the statement, affected students have gone several months without receiving their statutory stipends, with many reportedly owed between 15 and 40 months of unpaid living allowances. Tuition fees have also remained unsettled, leaving some students facing deportation after being withdrawn from their academic programmes by their universities.
The students further disclosed that a number of beneficiaries have been denied access to university learning portals due to non-payment of fees, while hundreds have been reported to debt collection agencies.
The situation, they said, has deteriorated to the point where some Ghanaian students are now living in “deplorable conditions” and relying on food banks for survival.
They also accused the Scholarship Authority of continuing to award new non-bilateral scholarships to students bound for countries such as Canada, the United States, Germany and China, while neglecting those already pursuing studies in the UK.
The statement highlighted additional administrative setbacks, including the failure to issue renewal letters required for continuing students to re-enrol. According to the group, these letters have not been issued for over 15 months, making it impossible for students to register for the 2025/2026 academic year—now eight months underway.
The students revealed that earlier attempts to resolve the matter through diplomatic engagement had failed. They said the Ghana High Commissioner had intervened earlier this year and urged them to suspend a planned protest, assuring them of swift action by mid-February.
However, the group said all five concerns presented at that meeting remain unresolved.
They further expressed concern over funding allocations, noting that although GH¢256 million was earmarked for scholarships in the first quarter of the year, the funds have not been released. Instead, they claim the Finance Minister has proposed disbursing only GH¢37 million—an amount they argue is inadequate.
According to the group, the Scholarship Authority currently owes about GH¢56 million to PhD students in the UK alone, covering both tuition arrears and unpaid stipends.
The planned protest will see students assemble at Belgrave Square at 8:30 BST, carrying placards and Ghanaian flags to draw attention to their plight. The demonstrators also intend to march to the UK Parliament to engage members of the British legislature and later picket at the British Broadcasting Corporation, where leaders of the group are expected to grant media interviews.
While acknowledging that the protest could embarrass the government, the students insisted the action is justified, citing worsening living conditions and the lack of response from authorities.
They stressed that the demonstration falls within their rights under Articles 10 and 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights and the UK Human Rights Act 1998.
The group also warned that it would take steps to protect participants and petition the Commonwealth Office in the event of any form of victimisation.
They further signalled plans for a second demonstration on 31 May 2026 if their concerns are not addressed by then—a date that coincides with an expected visit to the UK by President John Dramani Mahama.
The protest, they added, will only be called off if the government urgently releases funds to the Scholarship Authority and evidence of payment is made before 17 April 2026.
