The University of Limerick (UL) has launched a humanitarian appeal to help bring displaced Palestinian students to the university to continue their education.
In a letter sent to alumni and seen by Gript, UL said it was participating in the Gaza Scholarship Initiative for Displaced Students, “which matches students forced to flee their homes with Irish universities that can offer them refuge, education, and hope.”
The letter from Professor Ronni Michelle Greenwood, the Associate Vice President for Student Engagement at UL, read: “The situation in Gaza is devastating – daily life is marked by siege, loss, and fear. These young people have seen their futures torn apart.
“We now have the chance to change that story. By welcoming them into our community, UL can provide not only access to education, but also secure accommodation and the means to live with dignity.
“We are asking you – our alumni – to help provide this lifeline, 100% of your donation will directly support these students’ living costs, including essentials such as food, accommodation, and clothing. Your gift will offer more than financial aid; it will be a powerful message that they are not alone, that they are seen, and that our University stands with them.”
It added: “Every contribution, no matter the size, helps the students rebuild their lives and pursue their dreams in safety. “Thank you for showing what it means to be part of a community grounded in comparison, education, and global solidarity. Together, we can turn despair into possibility.”
The University of Limerick confirmed the legitimacy of the humanitarian appeal, but did not offer further comment. One alumni of the University who received the appeal via email, meanwhile told Gript: “It’s disgraceful that the college is asking students to fund these people. I graduated in 2021, and am currently finishing a two year masters, all paid for, no grant. If the Government wants to take these students, then they should fund them [instead of] relying on “alumni” philanthropists.”
Last week, the first group of Palestinian students arrived here to study in Irish universities. A total of 52 students have been offered scholarships to study here.
Earlier in August, a group of college students protested outside the Department of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday, calling on the Government to facilitate the evacuation of students from Gaza to study in Irish universities. Some students from Palestine have availed of supports from certain Irish universities, called “sanctuary scholarships,” which can often include a monthly stipend and waived fees. Students rallying in the demonstration claimed that students from Gaza had been “cruelly stranded by the Government that invited them here in the first place.”
The Government’s Ireland-Palestine Scholarship Programme has been publicised through the Representative Office of Ireland in Palestine, which says it is accepting applications under the Ireland-Palestine Scholarship Programme (IPSP) for the 2026-2027 academic year from applicants living in the occupied Palestinian territory. 30 full scholarships are being offered for one-year Master’s-level programmes in Ireland.
On its website, it says: “The IPSP is part of the Ireland Fellows global scholarship programme run by the Government of Ireland. It provides opportunities for candidates to choose from a wide variety of courses at 19 higher education institutions in Ireland. Ireland Fellows Programme awards are fully funded. The award includes the payment of academic fees; visa application fees; medical and travel insurance; economy flights to and from Ireland; the Irish residence permit fee; and a monthly living stipend.”
Allowances include a settling-in allowance towards items needed on arrival in Ireland; a completion and departure allowance at the end of the study period; a monthly living stipend of €700 (subject to review); and student accommodation arranged and paid for trimesters 1 and 2 (normally September to May), and in trimester 3 a monthly accommodation stipend of €800-€1000 depending on location in Ireland (subject to review).
Speaking at the end of July in response to a Parliamentary Question, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Simon Harris, said: “Since the beginning of the crisis in Gaza, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has supported 153 persons to leave Gaza and travel to Ireland, including a small number of students. On 17 July, 9 Palestinian students arrived in Ireland from Gaza; these students will take up scholarships for the 2025/26 academic year under the Government’s Ireland Palestine Scholarship Programme which is supported through Irish Aid. The students will be supported by the Irish Council of International Students (ICOS), the Managing Agency for the Ireland Fellows Programme, in anticipation of their courses starting in September.”
Mr Harris confirmed at the time that whilst the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Irish Embassies and Consulates worldwide were limited in the assistance we can provide to non-Irish citizens, they were “actively exploring further options for the provision of assistance to individuals in Gaza who wish to travel to Ireland. “
“This includes students who have been granted scholarships by Higher Level Institutions in Ireland for the upcoming academic year. Where a visa is required to enter Ireland, the relevant visa application will be reviewed in accordance with Irish legislation.
“It should be noted that exit from Gaza is dependent on receipt of permission from the relevant local authorities, both in Israel and in certain circumstances neighbouring jurisdictions. Such permissions are outside the control of the Government of Ireland.
“With regard to resourcing, my Department’s consular response to the crisis in Gaza has involved officials working in Headquarters in Dublin, as well as Ireland’s Embassies and Consulates in the Middle East region, including the Embassy of Ireland, Israel, and the Representative Office of Ireland, Ramallah. Resourcing of all missions is kept under review by the Human Resources Division and where necessary additional resources are assigned.”