By: Emmanuel Mbowa
Freetown, 25th August 2025 Ahead of the 2025/2026 academic year which begins in less than a week, Sierra Leonean students on government-sponsored programs in the Russian Federation have expressed deep dissatisfaction over unpaid stipends for the 2024/2025 academic year.
In a press release issued by the National Union of Sierra Leone Students (NUSS) in the Russian Federation the student representatives say they are unable to pay for basic essentials including food and utilities.
“Students are stranded without financial support, unable to pay for essential needs such as medical insurance, hostel fees, visa renewals, and basic amenities including food and utilities.”
Under the bilateral agreement between the Sierra Leonean and Russian governments, Russia covers tuition fees while Sierra Leone is responsible for accommodation costs, insurance, visa renewals, feeding, clothing, and other expenses. These stipends are expected to be disbursed in August, ahead of the academic year’s start in September.
“Each year, the government disburses $1,800 USD to every student, but this has not been paid since the 2024/2025 academic year began,” explained Emmanuel Kalie Kamara, Secretary General of NUSS in the Russian Federation. “We’ve faced the same issue of delayed stipends before. Even last year’s payments only came through in August 2024.”
Last year, some students were forced to defer their programs, while others skipped classes to find jobs to cover their expenses. With Russia currently at war and facing international sanctions, students are unable to receive financial support from home. “We are facing severe hardship due to our inability to meet daily and annual financial obligations,” they lamented. “We have exhausted all avenues of diplomacy and dialogue regarding the arrival of the 2024/2025 stipend, yet it remains unpaid.”
Since international students are not permitted to work, they have appealed for the immediate release of outstanding stipends ahead of the new academic year.
“We call for the immediate payment of all outstanding stipends for the 2024/2025 academic year. We also call for urgent intervention by the Government of Sierra Leone to ensure stipends for the 2025/2026 academic year are disbursed before the new term begins and to permanently resolve this recurring crisis.”
In response to these growing concerns, the Embassy of the Republic of Sierra Leone in Moscow has urged students to remain patient while the Ministries of Technical and Higher Education and Finance work to address the issue. The embassy assured students that updates on the payment of stipends would be communicated as developments unfold.
Almost every year, Sierra Leonean students in Russia raise similar concerns about delayed stipends, an issue they believe the government must resolve once and for all. Without these funds, they say, they cannot endure the long-standing challenges of studying abroad.
Truth media contacted the Ministry of Technical and Higher Education, but no response has been received.
