Gazan woman with government scholarship to UCC is refused visa to come to Cork

A young Gazan woman who was granted an Irish Government-backed scholarship in University College Cork has now been denied a visa to travel here.

Zainab Eid, a 30-year-old physiotherapist who previously worked for Medecins Sans Frontieres, is currently living in a tent in Gaza with her husband Mohammed and their four-year-old son Karim.

She had been accepted to study for a master’s degree in public health at UCC under the Ireland-Palestine Scholarship Programme (IPSP) and is due to begin her course on September 7.

However, a letter from the Irish embassy in Israel informed Ms Eid on Tuesday that her application for a visa has been refused.

She told The Echo she has been crying since she recieved the letter and hasn't slept.

“I was waiting for this opportunity to come to Cork. I fought for it for more than two years, so I was not expecting to be refused without clear causes,” Ms Eid said.

“Ireland is the best place in the world for education, especially UCC university.

“This is the worst day in my life. My eyes are swollen from crying all night.”

Among the reasons listed by the embassy for refusing Ms Eid’s application was a finding that documentation of her employment and educational history was insufficient. 

Douglas solicitor Susan Doyle, who is acting as Ms Eid’s lawyer, said it was “unreasonable and irrational” to expect people living in the rubble of Gaza to provide documents relating to work and education history.

“The ministry for health where Zainab worked is no longer functioning," she said. 

"The hospitals have been destroyed. We cannot prove her full past work experience.” 

Additionally, the embassy had cited “the possible risk of [Ms Eid] overstaying in the State”.

However, Ms Doyle said, her client had compelling reasons to return home – to her husband and young son.

Thomas Gould, Sinn Féin TD for Cork North Central, who had made representations on Ms Eid’s behalf, and he was “shocked” by the decision.

“Asking people to produce paperwork when Gaza has been annihilated and there’s hardly a building standing after a genocide is disgraceful,” he said.

“The Irish Government has a lot of talk about recognising the Palestinian state and raising it in Europe, but the proof is plain to see.” 

The Department of Justice said it does not comment on individual cases.

However, a spokesperson said that in 2026, “at least 27 study visas have been granted in respect of Palestinian nationals”.

“There has been no recent change to visa processing procedures, approval criteria or documentation requirements in any of the department's visa offices,” they said.