Nearly 100 Ghanaian students at the University of Memphis in the United States are facing uncertainty over their education after the university ended its scholarship partnership with Ghana over outstanding tuition payments approaching $4 million.
The affected students, who benefited from the Ghana Scholarships Secretariat programme, have been barred from enrolling for the new academic term unless they secure alternative funding to settle their tuition obligations.
The development comes as the University of Memphis prepares to begin its fall semester, placing affected Ghanaian students under pressure to find financial support to remain enrolled.
The university has confirmed that Ghana still owes nearly $4 million in tuition fees under the scholarship arrangement. The debt had previously stood at $3.6 million in July 2025, with Ghana making two $1 million payments in August that year before the outstanding balance later increased again.
University of Memphis President, Bill Hardgrave had previously linked the payment difficulties to Ghana’s change in government and the resulting impact on the country’s budget. Despite expectations that the situation would be resolved, the outstanding obligations have remained unsettled.
The university says the students themselves now face responsibility for avoiding academic dismissal, complications with their immigration status and possible loss of accommodation and other support.
A statement from the University of Memphis said the students had, through no fault of their own, unexpectedly become responsible for securing their academic future, adding that the institution had communicated options that could allow them to complete their degrees on campus.
The financial dispute is particularly concerning given the academic performance of the beneficiaries. Earlier reporting on the programme indicated that the students were pursuing disciplines including science, engineering and business, while University of Memphis records cited in local reports put the Ghanaian students’ average cumulative GPA at 3.75.
The scholarship arrangement itself was established in 2023 following an initiative involving the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, who advocated for opportunities for Ghanaian students after his visit to the Memphis in May International Festival.
Under the agreement between Ghana’s Scholarships Secretariat and the University of Memphis, up to 70% of the scholarship opportunities were earmarked for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics programmes, with the remaining opportunities focused on graduate business programmes.
The payment difficulties have been attributed by Ghana’s Scholarships Secretariat to an ongoing audit and administrative processes involving state institutions responsible for processing and transferring the funds.
In July 2025, the Secretariat confirmed that the government had owed the university $3.6 million and had made an initial $400,000 payment while processing a further $1 million.
The latest development has heightened concerns over the welfare of the affected students, particularly those nearing the completion of their programmes.
The students could also face immigration complications if they are unable to maintain the full-time enrolment required under their international student status. The University of Memphis has therefore indicated that it is working with affected students to identify options that could enable them to remain and complete their studies.
For the affected Ghanaian students in Memphis, however, the immediate priority remains finding alternative funding or securing government intervention before the new academic term progresses, as the end of the partnership leaves their continued education dependent on resolving the outstanding financial obligations.
