Ethiopia has significantly expanded its scholarship programme for South Sudanese students, increasing the number of slots from 150 to 645 for the 2024–2025 academic year. The move is seen as a major boost for educational cooperation between the two countries and a step toward strengthening regional integration.
The announcement was made during a high-level meeting in Juba between Ethiopian Ambassador Nebil Mahdi and South Sudan’s Minister of Higher Education, Madut Biar Yel. The expanded package will support South Sudanese students across a wide range of disciplines, including medicine, engineering, business, and vocational training.
According to the breakdown, 575 of the scholarships are for undergraduate studies, 67 for postgraduate programmes including medical specialisations, 3 for PhD studies, and 110 for technical and vocational education and training (TVET).
Ambassador Mahdi reaffirmed Ethiopia’s commitment to supporting human capital development in South Sudan. He also revealed plans to eliminate visa fees and cover resident permit costs for scholarship recipients, easing the financial burden on students and their families.
“We are not only offering more opportunities but also working to remove barriers that may prevent South Sudanese students from fully accessing these programmes,” Mahdi said.
Minister Biar welcomed the expansion, describing it as a timely opportunity for South Sudanese youth. However, he noted that delays in the release of national examination results have affected the scholarship application process. He promised to work closely with university heads to speed up the release of results to allow more students to benefit.
Beyond education, the two countries agreed to deepen academic cooperation through faculty exchanges, joint research projects, and institutional partnerships focused on shared development goals.
The increase in scholarship slots comes as Ethiopia continues to position itself as a regional education hub, while South Sudan looks to expand access to higher learning for its growing youth population. The initiative is expected to strengthen bilateral ties and contribute to long-term development in both nations.
