Russia offers thousands of funded university spots to African students as ties deepen

Russia allocated over 5,000 state-funded university places to African students for 2025, after receiving upwards of 40,000 applications—the highest numbers coming from Sudan, Guinea, Ghana and Chad—and noted a surge in demand for Russian language instruction. Officials say the scholarship program is a cheap tool for gaining allies as Moscow seeks to rebuild Soviet-style relations across Africa while facing Western sanctions since its 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

The cultural diplomacy agency Rossotrudnichestvo announced plans to open new "Russian Houses" in Egypt, Zambia, Tanzania, South Africa and Ethiopia, linking language courses to scholarship opportunities. Observers point to the low tuition and living costs in Russia, as well as tightening U.S. visa policies, as drivers of the shift. However, human-rights groups allege some African students are pressured into Russian military contracts or war-related labor, raising concerns about the program’s soft-power goals. Scholars such as Irina Filatova and Yevgeny Primakov emphasize the anti-colonial image Russia projects to attract African partners.