Hundreds of Sudanese Medical Students in Alexandria Face Uncertain Future

Alexandria, August 9, 2025 – Special Report (Sudanile)

At last, Sudanese medical students at Alexandria University and their families breathed a sigh of relief following the university council’s decision to grant Sudanese students a 70% discount on tuition fees, effective from the previous academic year.

Between 350 and 400 Sudanese students enrolled in the Faculty of Medicine at Alexandria University had faced unexpected financial and administrative challenges since the start of the 2024/2025 academic year. These difficulties arose from a sudden change in the tuition policy for international students, causing significant disruption and posing a real threat to their academic stability.

According to an official statement by the Cultural Attaché at the Embassy of the Republic of Sudan, Alexandria University’s recent decision covers all Sudanese students — whether holding Sudanese, Arab, or foreign high school certificates — with any financial differences from last year’s tuition payments to be carried over to the current academic year.

During August and September 2024, Sudanese students applied to the university based on earlier decisions stating that tuition fees would be reduced by 70%, in line with previous years. This would have meant paying no more than $2,400 out of a total of $8,000. However, when it came time to pay, the reality was different: Sudanese certificate holders were required to pay 50% of the fees, while holders of Arab or foreign certificates were charged the full amount.

The change was made directly by the faculty administration without prior announcement, and students only discovered it when they attempted to make payments — with no clear official explanation given.

Withholding of Results

Despite paying the first installment ($1,000 for Sudanese certificate holders, $2,000 for others), students were allowed to attend lectures and complete the first semester. However, the faculty decided to withhold the results of students who had not paid more than half the required amount.

Following interventions by the Medical Students’ Association and other student bodies, students were permitted to complete the second semester and take exams, but their results remained withheld. Indications suggest that this withholding policy will continue with the announcement of final-year results unless the remaining fees are paid.

Requests for leniency from students who arrived late in Egypt due to the war were rejected, and they were denied acceptance of “mitigating excuses” that would have allowed them to pass or fail in the summer term, despite submitting official documentation. This has caused delays in their academic progress.

Psychological Pressure and Threat of Expulsion

The situation has caused severe psychological stress for students, who faced two options: either burden their families in war-torn Sudan with unaffordable expenses or lose the academic year and attempt to transfer to another university in a new country — a process fraught with procedural and financial difficulties.

Inconsistent Policies Among Egyptian Universities

Students point out that most other public universities in Egypt apply the 70% tuition discount for Sudanese students. This has heightened their sense of confusion and frustration at Alexandria University’s policy, especially in the absence of a unified explanation or directive from higher authorities.

Students submitted numerous appeals and complaints to the faculty and university administrations, as well as to the Sudanese embassy in Cairo and the cultural attaché. The most they achieved was permission to continue studying — but with their results still withheld.

According to students, the university is expected to announce final results sometime next week. They hope the recent decision will resolve the crisis, but the withholding of results remains in effect for those who have not completed payment.

Core Demands

Students are urging the Sudanese embassy and Alexandria University to resolve the crisis through one of the following measures:

Reinstate last year’s 70% discount policy.

Release the withheld results and promote students to the second year while the problem is addressed.

Standardize policies across Egyptian public universities to ensure fair treatment of all Sudanese students.

This crisis highlights the scale of challenges facing Sudanese students abroad — especially in demanding fields like medicine, which require both psychological and academic stability. Students hope their voices will be heard by the relevant authorities and that their situation will be handled with the flexibility warranted by their country’s exceptional circumstances.

This report is published by the Sudanese Media Forum and its member institutions, prepared by Sudanile, as part of ongoing coverage of the impact of the Sudanese war on higher education and the future of students.