How State failed PhD students in Germany after funding collapse
National
By
Lewis Nyaundi
| Apr 05, 2026
More than 20 Kenyan doctoral students studying in Germany could face deportation after the government failed to remit millions of shillings required under a joint scholarship programme with the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD).
Official correspondence between DAAD, the National Research Fund (NRF) and the Ministry of Education shows that the programme, which currently supports 24 PhD students, has effectively collapsed after Kenya stopped paying its share of student funding in 2024.
The students, enrolled at various German universities, now risk losing both their funding and their legal residence status in Germany. Their future remains uncertain as the programme’s September 30 deadline approaches.
Appearing before the National Assembly Committee on Education, Shaukat Abdulrazak, Principal Secretary for the State Department of Science, Research and Innovation in the Ministry of Education, revealed that a delegation from the German Ambassador to Kenya had expressed scepticism about entering into similar agreements with the Kenyan Government in the future.
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In a letter dated February 18, 2025, DAAD formally notified Kenyan scholars that the joint scholarship programme was being terminated after Kenya failed to meet its financial obligations.
“Unfortunately, we have bad news to share with you. Our Kenyan cooperation partner, being financially responsible for a considerable amount of your funding, has stopped payment for our joint scholarship programme,” the letter reads.
“We already have a huge sum outstanding. Much to our regret, DAAD is not in a position to compensate the missing share. As a result, it is no longer possible for DAAD to continue the joint scholarship programme,” the letter confirms, adding that affected scholars’ funding will end when their current scholarship certificates expire.
The letter acknowledges the serious consequences for students. “We very much regret this situation and are aware of the difficulties you may face due to the end of the scholarship. We hope you can find alternative funding options to complete your doctorate in Germany.”
The termination has triggered panic among scholars, whose residence permits in Germany are tied to proof of financial support.
One student, Lincoln Githenya, wrote to the Principal Secretary for Higher Education seeking urgent intervention. In an email copied to the NRF and received by the agency on August 11, 2025, the student described the situation as devastating.
“The termination of funding has placed me in a difficult financial position, and without the scholarship, I risk being unable to finish my studies,” Githenya wrote.
Documents indicate that Kenyan authorities were aware of the crisis months before the scholarships were terminated. In a letter dated February 19, 2025, NRF Chief Executive Prof Dickson Andala informed the Ministry of Education about the programme’s termination, emphasising the need for urgent action.
Financial records show that Kenya had accumulated unpaid obligations exceeding Sh151 million. The programme required the Kenyan government to fund approximately 80 per cent of scholars’ stipends and allowances, with DAAD administering the scheme. While the programme required roughly Sh130 million annually, the NRF received only Sh32 million during the 2023/2024 financial year.
The Kenya-Germany postgraduate training initiative has been active since 2017, producing more than 120 doctoral graduates who have contributed to research and academic development in the country.
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