UK Urged to Act as Gaza Students Struggle to Reach Universities

Forty Gaza Scholars at Risk of Missing UK University Entry Due to Conflict

Amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza, the futures of forty outstanding students remain uncertain. These individuals have secured full scholarships to some of the United Kingdom’s most prestigious universities for the upcoming academic year, yet face immense challenges in obtaining visas due to the war. With time rapidly running out, campaigners are urging the British government to act swiftly to ensure their safe passage. The stories of several affected students reflect not only the urgency of the situation but also the resilience and determination of those who continue to pursue education in the face of adversity.

Among them is Abdallah, a 27-year-old Chevening scholar, who has been admitted to Queen Mary University of London for an MSc in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence. Just two weeks after receiving his medical license in 2023, the war broke out. Abdallah chose to remain in Gaza, volunteering in hospitals even as his own family endured suffering. While he acknowledged the importance of medical care, he felt it alone could not heal a traumatised society. This led him to pursue innovation through data science. Noting the scale of Gaza’s mental health crisis and the collapse of its health infrastructure, he expressed hope that training in artificial intelligence would allow him to return and build data-driven systems that prioritise mental wellbeing. His motivation, he said, stemmed from both desperation and hope.

Israa, a 31-year-old Palestinian doctor, received a Medical Research Council scholarship to pursue a PhD in Sexual and Reproductive Health at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, where she previously completed a master’s degree in International Public Health. Describing her UK education as transformative, she explained that it deepened her commitment to serving vulnerable communities. Choosing to return to Gaza, she began supporting women, girls, adolescents, and displaced people. However, the war broke out shortly thereafter. Although her PhD was originally scheduled to begin in October 2024, it has now been deferred to October this year.

Israa has called for the urgent evacuation of UK scholars and professionals from Gaza, emphasising that her plea is about more than personal safety, it is about preserving a future dedicated to equity and justice. Identifying herself not only as a doctor but also as a survivor, a wife, and an advocate, she expressed deep concern about Gaza’s unpredictability, where survival cannot be guaranteed from one week to the next. She warned that losing her scholarship would be a devastating setback and called for accelerated intervention. Similarly, Khulud, a 28-year-old Chevening scholar, has secured admission to University College London to pursue a master’s degree in Dental Health. After earning her dental degree from the University of Palestine in 2020, she worked in clinical practice and trained others. In response to the war, she and her brother opened a clinic providing free dental, medical, paediatric, nutritional, and psychosocial services to over 20,000 displaced individuals.

Khulud explained that these experiences helped her cope with hardship, offering her a sense of purpose through service. Describing the situation in Gaza as catastrophic, she highlighted continuous attacks, widespread displacement, and severe shortages of necessities. She also expressed uncertainty about her survival, admitting she was unsure whether she would still be alive by 2026. Furthermore, she stressed that losing her scholarship would be emotionally and academically devastating. The opportunity, she said, may not arise again, and more importantly, it would deny Gaza a committed health professional determined to return and rebuild.

Majd, a 24-year-old mechanical engineer, echoed similar concerns. Awarded a full scholarship to study Advanced Manufacturing Systems and Technology at the University of Liverpool, he spoke of the extreme difficulties of living in Gaza during the war. Displaced and cut off from basic services such as electricity and internet, he described each day as one of fear and uncertainty. With most industrial facilities destroyed, engineering work had become nearly impossible.

Majd believed that studying in the UK, renowned for its world-class education, would equip him with the advanced technical skills necessary to contribute meaningfully to Gaza’s reconstruction. His goal was to create job opportunities, empower youth, and help rebuild essential infrastructure for long-term stability. While acknowledging the UK’s visa policies, he urged for compassion and flexibility in light of extraordinary circumstances, stressing that education would play a key role in Gaza’s recovery.

Abeer, 28, who has been accepted for an MA in Data and Health Science at the University of St Andrews, also shared a deeply personal account. After her home was destroyed in winter 2023, her family took refuge in a UNRWA school, which was shelled within three days. Her brother, Mohamed, was severely injured, his legs trapped under rubble, and the family had to carry him to Khan Younis, where they lived in a tent. Tragically, Mohamed succumbed to his injuries, and Abeer described this loss as shattering. She recalled feeling lifeless, but her older brother reminded her of her dream to study in the UK and encouraged her to persist.

Having witnessed the urgent need for improved healthcare in Gaza, Abeer believed that the specialised modules offered at St Andrews would enable her to make a meaningful difference to public health back home. Samah, a 25-year-old medical laboratory specialist at al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza, has been accepted to study for an MSc in Genomic Medicine at the University of Oxford. She described working on the frontlines since the war began, often under life-threatening conditions. Hospitals, she said, were overwhelmed by casualties, and most laboratory equipment had been destroyed in targeted attacks. Despite the devastation, she and her colleagues continued to care for patients.

Samah also noted that many families, out of desperation, were forced to burn hazardous materials for cooking, exposing themselves to toxic substances. This led her to realise the potential long-term genetic and biological effects of such exposure and inspired her to pursue advanced studies in medical genetics and cancer research. She said the opportunity to study at Oxford was not merely academic; it was a mission to bring hope and healing to her devastated community. A UK government spokesperson confirmed that officials were aware of the students’ situation and that the support request was under consideration. However, they acknowledged that the conditions on the ground in Gaza presented significant challenges. The hopes of these students are not just tied to personal ambition but to the broader goal of rebuilding a shattered society, one scholarship and one future at a time.

Editor’s Note:

The case of forty Gaza students awarded full scholarships to UK universities is a stark reminder of how war not only destroys infrastructure but also disrupts futures. These individuals, many of whom are doctors, engineers, and public health professionals, have already demonstrated resilience and commitment to rebuilding their war-torn communities. Now, their ability to pursue higher education is under threat due to visa barriers and the unsafe conditions in Gaza. This serious situation raises an important question: how should countries respond when education and conflict come together? These students are not asking for special treatment. They are simply asking for urgent help to reach the universities they have worked hard to get into. Their goal is to return and help rebuild Gaza.

Skoobuzz asserts that as time is running out, the British government must decide quickly. Helping these students reach safety and continue their studies is not just the right thing to do; it is also a chance to support a group of young people who want to bring hope and healing to a place that has suffered so much.