Students say they can’t get out of Gaza despite acceptance to Canadian schools

Kamil Karamali on the uphill battle Palestinian students who have been accepted into post-grad programs in Canada are facing.

There are roughly 130 master’s degree and doctoral students in Gaza who have been accepted to over 25 Canadian post-secondary institutes but can’t get out of the war-torn enclave.

That’s according to the Palestinian Students and Scholars at Risk Network. The not-for-profit also said there are about 30 students in Egypt and three more elsewhere who have been able to leave Gaza, and submitted the appropriate paperwork, but are still waiting for the visa approval to study in Canada.

CTV News has seen the acceptance letters for some of the students. Here are their stories:

Shima’a Arafa

Shima’a Arafa, 24, said she was accepted to the Master of Science in Epidemiology program at the University of Alberta in March. It gave her a “glimmer of hope,” she added, toward fulfilling her dream to treat Gazans suffering from the scourge of infectious diseases spreading through the enclave.

“When I got accepted, I felt like – I can’t describe my happiness at that moment. It is my glimmer of hope for me to continue my higher education," said Arafa from Gaza in a Zoom interview with CTV News.

“Most universities here in Gaza have been destroyed, and my professors and most supervisors here have been killed. So, there is no good place to continue your education.”

“I want to create healthcare solutions, to solve the problem that we are facing right now ... to rebuild the healthcare system in Gaza.”

Arafa said she completed her degree in nursing science and had been working as a healthcare worker over the last two years helping injured Palestinians during the Israel-Hamas war.

Earlier this year, she braved wartime conditions to submit her university application.

“Because there is limited electricity or power, and there is no internet connection in my area, I had to walk just to have good internet connection under bombardments, under random airstrikes,” said Arafa.

Once she was accepted, she said the Canadian government required her to complete her biometrics before approving her study permit – which includes fingerprints and a photo – but she says there aren’t any offices or structures left in Gaza able to finish her visa processing.

“I feel so disappointed and anxious because I can’t sleep even at night because all my future depends on this moment and this step,” said Arafa.

Riman Rezeq

Riman Rezeq, 23, is hoping to pursue a future as a teacher in Gaza after being accepted to University of Alberta’s Master program in Education, specifically in Elementary Education – but she said she hasn’t been able to leave Gaza due to the same issue of not being able to obtain and submit her biometrics.

“We are facing a chicken and egg situation,” Rezeq said from Gaza while speaking to CTV News over video. “We cannot leave Gaza without a visa, and we cannot obtain a visa because we are unable to complete our biometric requirements. We are running in a closed circle.”

Rezeq now lives in a tent with her family and said she faced harsh conditions daily.

“After graduation, I was looking for opportunities to complete my studies outside Gaza because our universities were destroyed or turned into shelters,” said Rezeq. “I was displaced more than eight times, and the last one was the hardest. My family and I just ran away in order to survive and save our lives. We ran on foot for over five kilometres under airstrikes, and the experience itself was really terrifying.”

“I want to complete my studies to help my community,” she added. “Our sole purpose in coming to Canada is to pursue our studies and research as professional researchers, doctors, and teachers. We fully intend to return to Gaza after completing our education to rebuild our city again.”

Rezeq said she has attempted multiple times to complete her visa process without the biometrics but claims Canada won’t provide an exemption for Palestinians in Gaza.

“We were advised just to wait, but there is no actual solution,” she said. “We are currently stuck in an extremely difficult situation and facing serious and immediate risks to our safety and future. Time is of the essence, and we are urgently seeking an immediate response.”

Abdullah Hassan

Then there are stories like that of Abdullah Hassan, the 30-year-old who left Gaza more than three years ago. He says he completed his biometrics and medical exam and still has not been approved by Ottawa to study in Canada. He says the University of Toronto offered him a full scholarship to complete his doctorate in ecology and evolutionary biology.

“I submitted the study permit to IRCC ... on March 2025, and I completed the biometrics, medical exam and also the eligibility [requirements],” said Hassan to CTV News from his home in Jakarta, Indonesia over Zoom. “All of them passed and completed. And since then, until now, it’s just in process. So, there is no final decision until now. It’s [been] over nine months.”

Hassan said he’s “disappointed and frustrated” as he waits for an answer from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). He added he’s already missed the start of his fall semester and hopes to attend the spring semester beginning in January.

“I don’t understand why this is happening, there is no reasons,” said Hassan. “It’s happening for all Palestinians from Gaza. There are more than thirty students outside Gaza who did their biometrics and some of them waiting for more than 12 months.”

“We feel like there is some discrimination against Palestinian students.”

“My university and other Canadians told us that Canada needs and wants students like us ... to do the research and the advanced research, especially in science and technology, and we are happy as students to contribute and eventually, help build Gaza,” he added.

Biometrics issue

Earlier this month, the Palestinian Students and Scholars at Risk (PSSAR) among other advocacy groups held a press conference on Parliament Hill to call on the federal government to allow for exemptions to be made when processing study permits for students in Gaza.

“This is not solely about biometrics. The government is effectively blocking visas, even for those who are eligible and have complete applications,” said Nadia Abu Zahra, a professor at the University of Ottawa’s School of International Development and Global Studies at a Dec. 9 press conference.

Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab previously stated that students in Gaza need to follow the processes that all other international students have to undergo, without exceptions.

“The minister has responded with no consideration with the catastrophic circumstances these students are living through,” added Zahra. ”Already two students have been killed, over 20 injured and several have lost their admissions.”

“Minister Lena Metlege Diab has chosen to abandon these students.”

Some European countries, like France, have facilitated safe passage for students through government-coordinated efforts and by making some exceptions to visa application rules.

CTV News reached out to Minister Diab’s office and tried to speak with her in an interview for over a week but received only a statement from IRCC in response.

“All prospective international students must meet the requirements of Canada’s immigration system—including obtaining a letter of acceptance from a (Designated Learning Institution) and securing an approved study permit—before they can travel to Canada," said IRCC in a statement to CTV News.

“We understand that some students, including those with acceptance letters from Canadian institutions, have been experiencing increased processing times for their study permit applications. While an offer of admission is an important step, it does not automatically lead to a study permit.”