Ghanaian students in UK to protest over stipend, fee delays

Mounting financial pressure among Ghanaian students in the United Kingdom has triggered plans for a mass protest over unpaid tuition fees and stipends.

The demonstration, slated for April 17, 2026, will take place at the Ghana High Commission in London, with organisers drawn mainly from the UK-based PhD cohort. The group says the situation has reached a breaking point after prolonged delays in payments under the government scholarship scheme.

According to the students, many have gone months without receiving their legally mandated allowances, leaving them in severe financial distress. “For the past 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 impact, they noted, extends beyond finances, affecting both academic continuity and immigration status. Some students have reportedly been withdrawn from their programmes due to unpaid fees, while others risk losing their legal residency after falling out of student status.

In several cases, access to academic resources has already been restricted. “Currently, several students have been blocked from accessing their university learning portals due to non-payment of tuition fees,” the group stated, adding that some universities have escalated the issue to debt collection agencies.

The students also highlighted administrative bottlenecks, particularly delays in issuing renewal letters required for enrolment. Without these documents, many have been unable to register for the ongoing academic year. “Eight months into the academic year, no renewal letters have been issued, making it impossible for continuing students to register and engage in their studies,” the statement added.

Organisers further raised concerns about funding gaps within the scholarship programme. While GH¢256 million is said to have been allocated, they claim only about GH¢37 million is being considered for disbursement, leaving significant arrears. PhD students alone are estimated to be owed around GH¢56 million in tuition and stipends.

They say attempts to resolve the issue through engagement with the Ghana Scholarship Authority and the Ghana High Commission have yielded no concrete results. Meanwhile, the human impact continues to deepen, with some students reportedly relying on food banks to survive.

The planned protest will begin at Belgrave Square and extend to the Palace of Westminster and the BBC, as organisers seek to draw attention from both policymakers and the international media.

“We note that these actions could cause the government embarrassment, but they have become necessary, given that students on GSA scholarships in the UK are now destitute, with no help in sight,” the statement said.

The group cautioned that further action could follow if the situation remains unresolved, including a possible second protest on May 31. However, they indicated that the April 17 demonstration may be suspended if outstanding payments are made and proof provided ahead of the date.