15/05/2025
ETHIOPIA EXPANDS SCHOLARSHIPS FOR SOUTH SUDANESE STUDENTS
Strengthening Bilateral Ties Through Education
In a significant step toward deepening educational cooperation between South Sudan and Ethiopia, the government of Ethiopia has announced a major expansion of its scholarship program for South Sudanese students.
This development was revealed during a high-level meeting between the Ethiopian Ambassador to South Sudan, His Excellency Nebil Mahdi, and South Sudan’s Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology, Hon. Madut Biar Yel, held at the Ministry’s headquarters in Juba, today Thursday 15th May, 2025.
The two leaders reaffirmed the strong bilateral ties between their countries, especially in the education sector, highlighting shared goals in empowering the youth and fostering regional integration through academic collaboration.
Central to their discussions was Ethiopia’s decision to increase the number of scholarships offered to South Sudanese students from 150 to an impressive 645 for the 2024/2025 academic year. These scholarships cover a wide range of academic fields, including undergraduate and postgraduate studies, as well as medicine and other specialized disciplines.
“This year, Ethiopia granted 645 scholarships for South Sudanese in different sectors—undergraduate, postgraduate, and medicine,” stated Ambassador Nebil Mahdi. “I reiterate my government’s commitment to continuing this engagement and facilitating the scholarship program to benefit more South Sudanese students.”
Minister Madut Biar expressed deep appreciation for Ethiopia’s unwavering support and acknowledged internal challenges that have affected the timely processing of student scholarship applications, particularly delays in examination results.
“I am going to meet with Vice Chancellors of various universities in South Sudan to discuss the root causes of delays in marking examinations,” he said. “It is crucial that we address this issue promptly so our students can meet international scholarship deadlines. We must ensure the ministry does its part on time to support our students’ aspirations.”
In a further gesture of goodwill, Ethiopia is also working to ease the mobility of South Sudanese students. Ambassador Nebil disclosed that the Ethiopian Ministry of Education has already covered the USD 150 resident permit fees for South Sudanese students studying in Ethiopia this year.
He added that efforts are underway to work with the Ethiopian Parliament to make the student visa free for South Sudanese in the future.
“This year, our Ministry of Education paid the $150 student resident permit fee,” Ambassador Nebil said. “We are now working with Parliament to make this support permanent under the Ethiopian Immigration Law, so that this issue won’t be a burden for South Sudanese students in the future.”
The meeting concluded with both governments pledging to strengthen educational ties and support the next generation of South Sudanese professionals. The scholarship expansion marks not only an investment in human capital but also a testament to the enduring friendship between the two nations.
As hundreds of South Sudanese students prepare to study in Ethiopia under this new arrangement, the partnership continues to build bridges of opportunity, unity, and shared prosperity in the East African region.
