The Department of Justice has confirmed that 115 visa applications from Palestinian students have been refused, while only 50 were approved, in the processing cycle that closed at noon on 17 September. The figures – released to The University Times – cover both short-stay and long-stay study visas and include eight appeals still pending. By contrast, the 2025 cycle saw 122 approvals and just 22 refusals, prompting criticism from Irish universities and student unions. Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union staged a 20-hour protest at the Department’s Burgh Quay headquarters this week, chaining themselves to doors and blocking staff entrances. University international-office directors warn that late refusals leave little time to fill programme places or arrange remote study alternatives, potentially costing institutions millions in lost tuition and accommodation revenue. Higher-education stakeholders say the sharp uptick in refusals undermines Ireland’s strategy to diversify international enrolments beyond traditional markets and to promote the country as a destination committed to humanitarian values. Several tech multinationals that co-fund postgraduate scholarships for conflict-zone students have expressed concern that talent pipelines may dry up. From a mobility-compliance perspective, corporate sponsors hosting interns on Ireland’s Third-Level Graduate Programme should note that any change in humanitarian-admissions policy could foreshadow tighter scrutiny of other visa categories. Immigration lawyers advise affected students to consider transferring offers to campuses in Northern Ireland or mainland Europe, where late-cycle admissions remain open. The Department insists each application is judged on its merits and in line with security assessments, but advocacy groups are calling for an urgent policy review before the January intake. They argue that refusal rates of 70 percent risk breaching the Government’s own International Education Strategy goals.
Source: The University Times
