Scholarships and Student Funding in South Sudan

How South Sudanese students pay for university

South Sudan has not built a national student loan system comparable to Kenya's HELB or Nigeria's NELFUND. Most families cover tuition and living costs directly, and the government's own capacity to fund higher education stays limited by years of conflict and economic strain. Scholarships from foreign governments, international organizations, churches and local nonprofits fill much of the gap for students who cannot pay out of pocket.

Government-to-government scholarships

Foreign governments are a major funding channel. In May 2025, Ethiopia's government offered South Sudan 645 scholarships for bachelor's, master's and doctoral study in Addis Ababa and other Ethiopian regions, an agreement formalized between South Sudan's Ministry of Higher Education and the Ethiopian ambassador (Ministry of ICT and Postal Services, 2025 ).

Similar government-to-government offers arrive from other countries from time to time. Applications for these go through South Sudan's Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology, so check the ministry's announcements each academic year rather than assuming a fixed annual quota.

The US Embassy in South Sudan also runs the Fulbright Foreign Student Program, a partial-funding scholarship for graduate study in the United States, open to South Sudanese applicants who meet Fulbright's academic and English-language standards.

Local and NGO scholarships

A small number of nonprofits fund South Sudanese students directly. The PASS Scholarship Program , run by the Padoc Area Scholars Society, covers tuition, university fees, textbooks and senior research project costs, with extra help for transport, room, board and food for students with additional need. Entering students need a score of at least 75 percent (B-) on their national exam and proof of admission to an eligible institution.

Continuing students must hold a GPA of at least 2.8 on a 4.0 scale and show ongoing financial hardship. The program prioritizes female applicants and students from marginalized backgrounds, including those in refugee camps in neighboring countries.

Other nonprofits, including the Dann Foundation and Roots of South Sudan, run smaller scholarship and mentorship funds for South Sudanese students. Search each foundation's own site for current eligibility and deadlines, since these programs change their intake size from year to year.

University-level support

Public universities occasionally waive or reduce fees for specific groups, and some run limited bursary funds for students in financial distress. Ask your university's student affairs or admissions office directly about any internal bursary, since these are not always advertised publicly.

How to apply for a scholarship

• Start with your university's admissions or student affairs office. They hear about new scholarship offers first, including government-to-government ones.

• Check the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology's announcements for foreign government scholarship rounds.

• Prepare your CSE certificate, transcripts, a passport photo and proof of admission in advance. Most applications ask for the same core documents.

• Apply for more than one scholarship where eligibility allows. Government scholarships, NGO funds and university bursaries are not mutually exclusive unless a specific program says otherwise.

• Watch for scholarship pages that call themselves opportunities and ask for payment to process an application. Legitimate scholarships do not charge students to apply.