A ‘Let Them Study’ Standout was held today beside the main UCD Lake to protest the denial of visas to Palestinian students offered places at UCD. It was organised by academics and staff from UCD Academia for Palestine, together with UCD SU and UCD BDS. The protestors called on Jim O’Callaghan and the Department of Justice to grant the visas and asked UCD to pressure the government into doing so. The protest was held at 12 pm, the deadline for student visas to be approved for the 2026/2027 academic year.
Protestors read testimonies from students who have had their visas denied. Arranged was a display of 19 backpacks, each representing a UCD student who has not been able to take their place as a result of their visa denial.
While over 70 Gazan students successfully travelled to Ireland through university initiatives with the Department of Foreign Affairs since 2024, recent applications have faced a high rate of refusal. According to the ‘Universities of Sanctuary’, at least 31 of those denied entry received scholarships.
Students in Gaza face extreme difficulties obtaining standard documentation due to the collapse of state and university infrastructure. Students, including those with full scholarships covering tuition, accommodation, and living expenses, have been rejected on grounds such as insufficient finances, lack of obligation to return to Gaza, and gaps in educational records during the ongoing conflict.
Sando, a Gazan student who just recently completed her MSC in International Development at UCD, said, “Death does not simply disappear when you cross the border. For me, UCD became a part of learning how to expect a future. The students waiting in Gaza are part of that future. Today I am asking that their refusal be urgently put under reconsideration so that students who have already earned their place in university have the opportunity to continue their education. I ask UCD and everyone here not to let this issue disappear when this gathering ends. They are still allowed to envision a tomorrow.”
Speaking to the College Tribune, she described Gaza as “a place where you have no opportunities, you have nothing to look forward to. Whatever you build, you will find it demolished the next day. Whoever you love, you will lose them another day.” She explained that granting the student visas “would give them the chance to live and do what they have dreamt of doing and give back to their community when they go home.”
Sophie Gliott & Rachel Dignam