Palestinian students who secured university places and scholarships in Ireland are being refused study visas or left unable to complete immigration requirements as the new academic year begins. Ireland’s Department of Justice recorded 103 refused Palestinian long-stay study visa applications and 39 issued up to August 21, an approval rate of 27.5 percent among decisions made, compared with 83.8 percent in 2025.
Students face requirements Gaza’s systems cannot easily meet
Mahmoud Aldaya, 24, completed his degree at Gaza University while studying remotely amid scarce electricity, displacement and continuing attacks. He won a scholarship at the University of Limerick and received a letter supporting his application to leave Gaza, but Ireland refused his visa in August. He remains in Gaza City.
Students and their lawyers say applications can require certified bank statements, educational records, proof of finances and explanations for interruptions to study during the war. Appeals can also require original documents to be sent by post, although Gaza has no internationally recognised postal service operating there.
A student from Khan Younis who received a scholarship for an Irish master’s programme said her refusal raised questions about her finances and supporting documents. She later raised additional money with help from people in Ireland. Some refusal letters also questioned whether applicants would return home after their studies.
The barriers extend beyond Ireland
Palestinian students with places at universities in Europe and North America are also facing visa delays and refusals, according to government figures and advocacy groups. In Canada, applicants may need biometric data, but travel from Gaza to fingerprinting and photography facilities has become nearly impossible. The Palestinian Students and Scholars at Risk Network in Canada said more than 130 students admitted to Canadian graduate programmes had faced biometric delays.
The United States has stopped issuing almost all visas to people travelling on Palestinian Authority-issued or endorsed documents since January 1, including student visas, with limited exceptions, according to the US Department of State. In Belgium, 13 students with scholarships and visas reportedly remained unable to leave Gaza. For additional context, see “Palestinian killed in Jerusalem while Qusra families remain under siege”.
Italy evacuated 72 Palestinian university students from Gaza in May through its university corridors programme. Universities seeking to bring more students for the new academic year are now having to find funding independently for scholarships, travel and living costs rather than relying on the same centrally coordinated framework.
Legal challenge and damaged education system
Students represented by Phoenix Law have brought a High Court challenge against the Irish visa refusals. Their lawyers argue that ordinary immigration requirements can be extraordinarily difficult to satisfy from inside Gaza, including obtaining authenticated banking documents and academic records.
The wider education system has also been heavily damaged. The United Nations said approximately 97 percent of Gaza’s school buildings had been damaged or destroyed by November 2025, while dozens of university buildings had been completely destroyed. Students say interruptions to education caused by the war are then being treated as gaps requiring explanation in visa applications.
What happens next
The Irish student interviewed expects an evacuation of students in September and hopes her visa is issued in time. The High Court challenge remains the stated legal route for contesting the refusals.
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