John AdoyiThe future of 185 Ghanaian students at the University of Memphis is hanging in the balance, as a $3.6 million tuition debt owed by the Government of Ghana remains unpaid.
The university has given a strict deadline of 9 August 2025 for the funds to be settled, or the students risk being expelled, evicted from university housing, and possibly deported.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelThe affected students, most of whom are pursuing degrees in science, engineering, and business, are recipients of Ghana government scholarships.
Their registration for the next semester has already been cancelled, and notices have been issued for them to vacate campus accommodation unless the situation is resolved.
In an interview with WMC Action News 5, University of Memphis President Dr Bill Hardgrave said the institution has been patient but can no longer operate
without receiving payment.
“These students are valuable members of our university community. But we cannot sustain this arrangement indefinitely. We’ve extended deadlines before, but this time 9 August is final,” Dr Hardgrave said.
He attributed the delay to a disruption in Ghana’s budget disbursement process following the change of government after the December 2024 general elections.
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A spokesperson for the affected students confirmed that course registrations for the autumn semester had already been dropped due to non-payment. He also revealed that students had been told to leave their dormitories by noon on 9 August.
The students now face not only the loss of their academic year, but also the threat of homelessness and potential legal consequences for overstaying their visas.
In a bid to mitigate the crisis, the university has directed concerned individuals and organisations to contribute to the Gary Shorb International Student Support Fund, a hardship relief fund set up to support international students facing emergencies. However, officials stressed that this would only offer temporary relief and is not a replacement for the government’s obligation.
Sources familiar with the matter say the delay in payment stems from the transitional period under Ghana’s new administration, which has yet to release scholarship funds.
Despite the growing urgency, the Ghana Scholarship Secretariat has not released any formal statement on the matter.
With less than a month to go, the students’ academic futures are slipping away. Without immediate intervention by the Ghanaian government to clear the $3.6 million debt, the University of Memphis will proceed with expelling the students and removing them from campus.
