The Ghana Scholarship Authority (GSA) has outlined the framework governing the award of national scholarships following public questions over scholarships granted to two minor beneficiaries during the 2025 scholarship cycle.
The Authority said much of the criticism stems from what it describes as a misunderstanding of how scholarship awards are made.
In a statement issued to address the controversy, the Authority explained that Ghana’s scholarship scheme does not operate exclusively under the “needy but brilliant” category.
Instead, it said scholarships are awarded under three recognised categories: Financial Need, National Priority and Merit-Based Selection.
According to the Authority, all applicants are assessed under the category for which they qualify.
“The narrative that scholarships are reserved solely for “needy but brilliant” students is incorrect. The Ghana Scholarship Authority operates a three-tier framework for the award of scholarships:
(a). Financial Need (Needy but Brilliant)
(b). National Priority – for programmes critical to Ghana’s development where specialized expertise is required.
(c). Merit-Based Selection – a competitive pathway for qualified Ghanaian students who meet standardized academic criteria regardless of economic background. It is therefore intellectually dishonest to create the impression that any beneficiary who does not fall within the “needy but brilliant” category is undeserving, the statement noted.
The Authority disclosed that out of the 5,000 local scholarships allocated for the current cycle, 2,000 have been specifically reserved for financially needy but academically brilliant students, while the remaining scholarships are awarded under merit and national priority considerations.
Addressing questions surrounding the two beneficiaries, the Authority said both are Ghanaian citizens by birth and parentage.
It referred to copies of their Ghanaian passports, which identify the holders as Ghanaian nationals and are visibly marked “Minor,” indicating that both beneficiaries are under the age of 18.
The Authority also rejected claims that scholarships must only be awarded for programmes unavailable in Ghana.
It argued that critics were relying on provisions contained in legislation that had not yet come into force when the scholarships were awarded.
“It is legally untenable to suggest that the Authority breached a framework that was not in existence at the time of the decision,” the statement said.
The Authority reiterated its commitment to transparency and announced plans to publish additional scholarship beneficiary lists covering previous years.
