The Government of Sierra Leone has established specific guidelines and requirements for Sierra Leonean scholarship students studying in Russia to receive their stipends for the 2023-2024 academic year.

In a press release, the government urged students to be patient as the mission in Turkey works to transfer funds to Moscow. Once the funds are confirmed, they will be disbursed to the students.

To ensure that the stipends are distributed appropriately, the government has outlined certain criteria that students must meet:

Current Passport: Students must provide a valid Sierra Leonean passport with an up-to-date Russian visa.

Academic Progress Report: An updated academic progress report is required.

University ID Card: The student’s university identification card must be submitted.

Dean’s Contact Information: The name and contact number of the Dean of Foreign Students at the university must be provided.

The government has assured students that the mission is working diligently to transfer the funds to Moscow and aims to disburse the stipends by Friday, August 23, 2024.

The government said it will only recognize the university that students were initially offered to study in upon their departure from Sierra Leone. However, students who have officially notified the Ministry of Higher and Technical Education and the Embassy in Moscow about any changes to their university of study will be exempted from this requirement.

The government explained that the requested information will be used to compile comprehensive progress reports for the Ministry of Higher and Technical Education, which will aid in facilitating and supporting payments for the next academic year’s stipends.