Kenyans studying in Germany under the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) scholarship now face the risk of deportation after the Kenyan government failed to continue funding their program.
The funding halt has led to the premature termination of their scholarships, leaving them in financial distress.
According to a letter addressed to the Kenyan government (National Research Fund) by one of the affected scholars, 13 doctoral students—10 in their third year and three in their second year—have been impacted.
Initially, the scholarships were planned to run for 45 months, meaning the students still require an additional nine to 21 months to complete their PhD degrees, starting from October 2025.
Kenyans Living in Germany Risk Being Deported
One of the affected students expressed their frustration in a letter shared by Adani Whistle Blower, Nelson Amenya:
“I am writing to you as one of the Kenyan government scholarship holders whose funding was terminated due to the government’s failure to pay DAAD in Germany, leaving us in a dire situation. Our studies have been disrupted, and we now face uncertainty about our academic futures. We have tried writing to the government without success.”
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Also, in the letter addressed to the NRF, the students decry that without urgent intervention from the government, they risk not only dropping out of their PhD programs but also losing their legal status in Germany.
Many of them hold residence permits tied to the scholarship, meaning that once their permits expire in September 2025, they could face deportation.
About the DAAD Scholarship
The affected students are now appealing to the Kenyan government to reinstate the funding to allow them to complete their studies and avoid displacement.
“We therefore appeal to NRF to find a way to continue supporting us for the remaining period of our studies. As you can imagine, completing a doctoral programme while simultaneously seeking alternative funding sources presents a significant challenge,” read part of the letter.
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The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) is a program that supports over 100,000 German and international students and researchers worldwide each year.
DAAD scholarships are primarily targeted at graduates, doctoral students, and postdoctoral researchers. These scholarships are awarded for study and research visits to universities and non-university research institutions in Germany.
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