More than 40 students in Gaza have been offered full scholarships to study at UK universities. Still, they cannot take up their places this September because of the Home Office’s requirement to submit biometric data for visa applications. The only UK-authorised biometric registration centre in Gaza has been closed since October 2023, and, as the Guardian has reported, it has been “impossible” for them to travel to other centres in neighbouring countries, as Israel’s genocidal war continues.

Campaigners are calling on the government to grant these students a biometric deferral and help them reach a safe location where they can complete their visa applications and travel on to the UK.

Dr Nora Parr, a researcher at the University of Birmingham supporting the students, told the Guardian: “The students who studied, took TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) tests, wrote admissions essays and did virtual campus interviews under the most horrendous conditions imaginable, many from tent homes and makeshift wifi hubs, now must wait for a government decision.” She added: “This, combined with the government’s tough stance on immigration and absence of direct support for Palestine, has left these students in the most dire limbo.”

The students hold offers from around 30 universities, including Oxford, Cambridge, St Andrews, Edinburgh and UCL, to study a wide range of subjects, including dental public health, data science, AI, genomic medicine and more.

It has been reported by those in Gaza that some students have been killed while waiting for the government to act; others live in constant fear and danger. The UK government must act now to prevent further loss of life and ensure these students can claim the educational opportunities they have worked so hard for. Here’s how you can support the Gaza 40:

SIGN THE PETITION

Campaigners for the Gaza 40 are demanding that the Home Office take one of the following actions: Predetermine their visa applications, provide a biometric deferral and evacuate the students to a neighbouring country to complete the process, with a guaranteed visa and safe onward travel to the UK. You can find the petition here. 

EMAIL YOUR MP

It may feel pointless, but MPs must hear from their constituents. Let them know you are appalled by what is happening to the Gaza 40, and demand that they act. You can find guidance on how to contact your MP here.

PUT PRESSURE ON YOUR UNIVERSITY

If you attend, or are an alumnus of one of the universities offering scholarships to Palestinian students, urge them to actively campaign for the Gaza 40’s safe arrival. Offering scholarships is not enough if students cannot enter the UK. Put pressure on your student union, and email your university leadership to support these students and call on the government to act. You can also sign the open student letter here.

SPREAD THE WORD

Once you’ve signed the petition, emailed your MP and contacted your university, share this message widely on social media and with friends, family and colleagues to increase pressure on the government to act quickly. As Gaza 40 campaigners write: “Inaction is preventing talented Palestinian students and scholars from taking up their places in the UK. This is stifling a generation of leaders who need tools to rebuild their communities in Gaza. Government silence directly contradicts promises to use the nation’s soft power to reinforce diplomatic leadership, and years of research that shows education brings stability.”