To:
An Taoiseach, Mr Micheál Martin, TD
An Tánaiste, Simon Harris, TD
Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, Jim O'Callaghan TD
Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Helen McEntee TD
Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science James Lawless TD
Dear Taoiseach, Tánaiste, Ministers O'Callaghan, McEntee, and Lawless,
We, the undersigned, are writing as faculty and staff working in Irish higher education institutions to express our grave concern about the refusal of visa applications of students from Gaza who have received fully-funded places to study in Irish institutions in the 2026-27 academic year. We write to urge you and your respective government departments to take immediate coordinated action to review these refusals and to ensure that the students from Gaza who have been offered places to study in Ireland in the 2026-27 are provided with visas as soon as possible. This is a most urgent matter, given that students must be evacuated in August to begin their courses of study in September.
In light of the complete destruction of the higher education system in Gaza by Israeli military forces since October 2023, new funded pathways have been developed to allow students from Gaza to study in Irish higher education institutes. These operate in addition to the scholarships offered to Palestinian students under the Irish Aid Fellows programme. In Summer 2025 when students travelled from Gaza to take up funded places in higher education institute for the 2025-26 academic year, their arrival to Ireland was welcomed by Tánaiste Simon Harris who wished them success in their studies and paid tribute to the diplomatic and consular staff in the region who had helped facilitate the students' travel to Ireland.[1] For the 2026-27 academic year students from Gaza were again offered fully funded places to study in Ireland in various institutes of higher education, however visa applications from these students have been refused despite them having provided similar documentation and proof of funding as the 2025-26 cohort. While applicants have a right to appeal this is completely undermined by the condition that appeals must be in writing since there is not a functioning postal service in Gaza.
The apparently systemic destruction of educational infrastructure in Gaza - referred to as 'scholasticide' by United Nations experts - has resulted in the destruction of all universities and most schools in Gaza [2] while an estimated 800 educational staff are among the 73,066 Palestinians reported killed in Gaza since October 2023. [3, 4] According to the latest report from the United Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (July 13 to 19 2026), “the humanitarian situation in Gaza “remains critical” due to “military operations, insecurity and repeated displacement continuing to drive humanitarian needs, heighten protection risks and disrupt access to essential services”.[5] This report offers reliable, verified, and factual explanations as to why students may have gaps in their educational records, or why they are unable to provide documentation in its original form, which, we understand, are some of the reasons offered for visa refusal. It is vital that the visa system treats applicants equitably - this means that the particular and extraordinary circumstances of applicants living under occupation and military violence need to be taken into account if they are to have an equal opportunity to study in Ireland as other applicants.
One of the students whose application was rejected shared their devastation and shock at the news, illustrating their educational experience of recent times: “I was studying on my mobile phone using a flashlight. We were under famine. My family and I were displaced 7 times whilst I was studying, and our house was completely destroyed”. Despite these circumstances, the student achieved 94.4% in high school exams and secured a scholarship. Unfortunately, the students' educational journey is inextricably bound with their circumstances to which this personal statement and the UNOCHR reports testify.
The right to education is a fundamental human right recognised under international law. Holding the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, Ireland is in a unique position to show leadership and action its solidarity, its commitments under Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development [6], and its human rights responsibilities. Those of us who have the honour of knowing some of the current cohort of Palestinian students understand the enormous impact of their educational experience in Ireland on them and their families and communities. Studying in Ireland offers hope for the future, offers a pathway for students to achieve their educational potential and when they can return to Palestine to build a future for the generations to come.
Speaking at a reception for Palestinian students in Ireland held in July 2026, President Connolly honoured their "spirit, determination and perseverance", which stands as a reminder of the obligations we all share to take action:
"You challenge us in every way to reflect on what is happening with the normalisation of war and genocide […] You tell us, and I agree, that genocide is about the whole world, it is about humanity and how we are erasing humanity. We are indebted to you for your spirit and determination and perseverance, and also for highlighting that the obligation to take action rests with all of us”.
Faculty and staff in higher education institutions across Ireland have worked tirelessly with donors and students to develop funded pathways for Gazan students, so that talented students can continue their education in safety. They have also worked carefully to prepare documentation for their study visa applications in line with the processes applied in 2025 which resulted in visa approval and evacuations of over 70 students from Gaza. The students whose visas have been refused this year have successfully obtained offers to study at Irish higher education institutions on their own merits under the most challenging of circumstances imaginable, studying under conditions of extreme deprivation and the continual shadow of military violence. That they are now being denied the opportunity to travel to take up their places of study casts doubt on the government’s commitment to upholding the rights of the Palestinian people and addressing the severe humanitarian crisis in Gaza and across the Occupied Territories.
We urge you to take immediate steps to rectify this injustice,
[1] gov.ie/en/department-of-foreign-affairs/press-rele...
[2] ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2024/04/un-experts-dee...
[3] unrwa.org/resources/reports/unrwa-situation-report... &
[4] etf.europa.eu/sites/default/files/2026-02/ETF%20Ed...
[5] ochaopt.org/content/humanitarian-situation-report-...
[6] unsdg.un.org/2030-agenda/universal-values/leave-no...
Signed,
Thank you to the 900+ signatories of the Open Letter with regards to the Refusal of Visas to Students from Gaza. This letter was sent to An Taoiseach, An Tánaiste, Minister Jim O’Callaghan TD, Minister Helen McEntee TD, and Minister James Lawless TD.
Emails informing them of the open letter were sent to each of the five addressees on Friday, July 31st. Disappointingly, replies received from the Offices of the Taoiseach and the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade simply stated that the email would be passed on to Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, while the reply from the Tánaiste's office stated that the email would be passed on to the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade. To date, the office of the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science has not acknowledged receipt of the email. On the 06 August, Ellen Byrne, the Private Secretary to the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, acknowledged the email.
On 11 August 2026, Ellen Byrne responded on behalf of Minister O’Callaghan. In summary, the correspondence outlined that the Minister “is acutely aware of the grave humanitarian crisis in Gaza” and confirmed that the Department and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade work together “to ensure a coordinated national response to this situation”. With regards to Visa applications from Palestinians, Visa Division Officials in Minister O’Callaghan’s Department are “in regular contact” with the Embassy of Ireland in Tel Aviv where applications are examined. The Private Secretary outlined the visa application process, stating that “there are no special arrangements for Palestinian nationals in place, nor are there plans to introduce any”, referring to guidelines on the Department website (see https://www.irishimmigration.ie/)..) Finally, the correspondence stated that “reasons for a refusal are outlined in the decision letter issued to applicants”.
The evacuation date is set for 24 August. Palestinian students and their advocates on the ground are risking their lives to compile documents and/or make appeals despite ongoing military operations and genocide. This week is vital for the Palestinian students in getting their Visas approved and for those who have submitted appeals.
Please continue to support the students in the coming days. For example:
Write directly to the Minister and your local representatives and remind them that we are not asking for “special arrangements”, but for a consideration of the conditions and context. All of the students have supports and scholarships in place, so their reasons for travel are clearly evidenced.
Ring the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration and leave a personal message.
Engage with your union representatives and ask that Head Office issue statements of support, if they have not already done so.
Write to senior management at your HEI and ask them to continue to advocate for the Palestinian students.
Encourage others to sign the Open Letter (and to verify their signature when they do).
If you use a social media platform, or website, please continue to share the fact that Ireland is denying Palestinian students the chance to study here. As you know, public visibility and support is key in keeping pressure on our representatives.
Thank you all for your continued support and solidarity,
Kate McCarthy (SETU).