“We rely on food banks”: Ghanaian student stranded in UK over unpaid fees

A Ghanaian postgraduate student at a UK university has appealed to authorities to urgently settle outstanding tuition fees, warning that delays are preventing him and colleagues from graduating despite completing their studies.

Noah Krah, a Master’s student in Construction Management at Loughborough University, told the Asaase Breakfast Show on Tuesday (9 June) that he fulfilled all academic requirements for his programme but has been unable to graduate due to unpaid fees under a government scholarship scheme.

Krah said his one-year programme began in September 2024 with an expected graduation date of December 2025. However, months after completing his coursework, his degree remains on hold.

“I have successfully completed all my academic requirements and was supposed to graduate in December 2025, but due to unpaid tuition fees, we have not been able to graduate,” he said.

He explained that affected students have engaged repeatedly with the Ghana Scholarship Authority (GSA) and the Ghana High Commission in the United Kingdom, but payments remain outstanding.

The situation persists despite a public announcement by the Scholarship Authority in April 2026 indicating that funds had been released to settle debts owed to UK institutions.

“Since that announcement, more than eight weeks have passed and our fees are still not paid,” Krah said, adding that students now face a final deadline of 7 July 2026, to graduate.

According to him, university authorities have refused to release certificates and transcripts until the debts are cleared, citing repeated delays in payments from the Ghanaian side.

“The university says the GSA has failed them several times, so until the fees are paid, they will not allow us to graduate,” he said.

Beyond academic setbacks, Krah described severe personal and financial hardship. Some students, he said, have had to rely on food banks and support from church communities to survive.

“Life has not been easy. Some of us depend on food banks and friends. We have not even received a penny of our stipend since we came,” he said.

He also warned that their immigration status is at risk, limiting their ability to work or remain in the UK legally.

In a recent attempt to seek redress, Krah and two colleagues visited the Ghana High Commission in London, where they waited several hours before meeting officials.

He said assurances given earlier — that fees would be prioritised in the first quarter of 2026 — have not materialised. Instead, students were asked to wait for another funding cycle.

“It was surprising to be told to wait for another quarter, even though we are already in June,” he said.

Krah further revealed discrepancies between officials, noting that while some indicated funds were still pending from Accra, others claimed money had been received but did not cover their cohort.

He appealed directly to the Ghanaian government to intervene urgently.

“We have sacrificed for this education and gone through a lot. All we need now is for our fees to be paid so we can receive our certificates and return home,” he said.

The case raises broader concerns about the administration of government scholarship schemes and the potential impact on Ghana’s international academic reputation.

“A scholarship is more than financial support — it is a promise between a nation and its students,” the programme host noted, calling on authorities to act swiftly.

Officials from the Ghana Scholarship Authority and the High Commission have yet to publicly respond to the students’ latest concerns.