Let them study!

The European Students’ Union (ESU) and Aontas na Mac Léinn in Éirinn (AMLÉ)’s  statement on the refusal of student visas for Palestinian students

The European Students’ Union (ESU) and Aontas na Mac Léinn in Éirinn (AMLÉ) stand in solidarity with Palestinian students from Gaza who have secured places at Higher Education Institutions across Ireland, but whose student visa applications have been refused.

Students from Palestine have already overcome extraordinary barriers simply to reach the point of being offered a place in higher education. They have demonstrated resilience, academic excellence and an unwavering commitment to continuing their education despite living through unimaginable circumstances. 

For students coming from a context of devastation and destruction, the opportunity to study in safety is a vital pathway towards security, dignity and hope.

It is therefore deeply concerning that students who have earned places at Higher Education Institutions in Ireland are facing such strict procedural requirements that fail to adequately account for the realities of living through a humanitarian crisis.

Ireland has long championed the values of human rights, international solidarity and the right to education. These principles must extend to students whose circumstances make accessing education exceptionally difficult. Administrative and visa procedures must not become barriers that prevent students fleeing conflict from accessing opportunities they have already worked so hard to secure.

ESU and AMLÉ call for:

• urgent intervention and coordination by the Minister for Justice and the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to ensure that Palestinian students who have secured places through recognised channels can begin their studies in the Republic of Ireland this academic year;
• visa procedures that reflect the exceptional circumstances faced by students affected by conflict, ensuring that administrative requirements do not create unnecessary barriers to accessing higher education;
• the establishment of a centralised, national Sanctuary Scholarship Fund by the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science and the Minister for Foreign Affairs to support students fleeing conflict zones and political persecution;
• safe, structured and sustainable educational pathways for students at risk, ensuring they can access and continue higher education in Ireland in safety and dignity;

At a time when so much has already been taken from these students, access to education should represent hope, not another obstacle.

Education should never become another casualty of genocide. Every student must have the right to pursue their education in safety, dignity and freedom.

While recognising the privilege of accessing education in safety, we have a responsibility to open the doors of our universities to students whose circumstances prevent them from doing so.

ESU and AMLÉ stand in full solidarity with Palestinian students and reiterate their commitment to defending the universal right to education.