Government-sponsored Ghanaian PhD students studying in the United Kingdom are facing deportation and withdrawal from their programmes due to unpaid tuition fees and stipends, some of which have been in arrears for up to 48 months.
In a statement released on November 9, the Ghanaian PhD cohort in the UK said that at least 10 students have already been excluded or withdrawn from their universities, with more awaiting potential Home Office deportation notices. Several students have reportedly been evicted from their accommodation or are facing legal action for unpaid rent.
Stipends, which range between £1,023 and £1,200 per month, have not been paid for extended periods, with some students receiving no payments since the start of their programmes. Currently, around 110 students sponsored by the Ghana Scholarships Secretariat (GSS) are enrolled in PhD programmes across UK universities, and 36 of them urgently require renewal letters to continue their studies.
