“I had worked hard for it, but I also knew that there were many other deserving applicants,” says scholarship applicant.
Through an FOI obtained on 6 August 2026, The Glasgow Guardian can reveal that the University of Glasgow received 1075 eligible Dima Alhaj Scholarship applications for the 2026-27 academic year.
Awarding two acceptances annually, to one undergraduate applicant and one postgraduate taught applicant, 1073 applications were ultimately rejected.
The Dima Alhaj Scholarship is the only scholarship offered by the University that exclusively targets Palestinian nationals. In 2024, the scholarship was created in memory of WHO staff member and alumna Dima Abdellatif Alhaj. The scholarship covers waived tuition, an annual £9,010 towards study and living costs, accommodation, visa and Health Surcharge Costs, and the flight to Glasgow.
The limited space marks this year as one of the scholarship’s most competitive years for prospective students. The 2024-25 academic year received 43 eligible applications, whilst the following year received 160. The percentage increase from 2025-26 to 2026-27 scholarship applicants is 572%.
Noor Al Shana, a Digital Media and Information Studies and Music undergraduate applicant for this year’s Dima Alhaj Scholarship, describes the difficulties during the application process.
“When I applied for the Dima Alhaj Scholarship, the bombing was still extremely intense,” Noor says. “​​Getting an internet connection was very difficult, and I had to move from one place to another despite the ongoing bombing and attacks, just to find a connection and continue my application.”
Noor also describes the scholarship as hope, as “More than just an educational opportunity”. She adds, “For many of us, they represented a chance to survive.”
“I applied because I genuinely hoped that this opportunity would be mine. At the same time, I was very afraid of being rejected. I remember feeling that I deserved this chance and that I had worked hard for it, but I also knew that there were many other deserving applicants.”
Anas Qudaih, a Theoretical Physics undergraduate applicant, described the scholarship questions as “simple”. However, “this simplicity is what made it a complex experience”. Anas refers to the “challenging” 1,000-character limit for his answers.
The application process did not hinder his ambition, though. “I didn’t feel bad at all; on the contrary, I was excited to get to know myself better and develop my skills in concise speech and writing.”
Anas’ application featured his academic achievements, with high grades that “competed for the top ranks in the region”. He adds, “I graduated from high school with an average of 98.3%, which is among the highest in the Gaza Strip.”
Noor’s application also expressed her talents: “My distinction was not only academic,” she explains. “​​In the middle of the war, I became a voice for my people, trying to convey the truth and make the voices of those around me heard. At the same time, I tried to support my community amid hunger, suffering, and exhaustion. I provided medical care, organised awareness-raising sessions, and helped orphaned children, alongside my volunteering and media work.”
“I believe I deserved this scholarship because I stood out through achievements and experiences that many other students were not able to accomplish during the war,” she explains.
“For these reasons, I believed that I had experiences and achievements that made me worthy of this opportunity, even though I was ultimately not selected.”
A University of Glasgow spokesperson clarified that “the successful applicants were able to effectively display the following: Direct impact on their education and lives due to war/conflict, and if this led to internal displacement; No previous access to study within the UK or the EU; How their selected programme aligned with their academic and career aspirations; How their studies at UofG will enable them to positively contribute to their home country; [a discussion of] their previous academic and wider achievements; and how they would contribute to the UofG community both during and after their studies.”
Both Noor and Anas’ scholarship applications were unsuccessful. Despite the high success threshold, Noor notes that it “did not allow the difficult circumstances to stop [her] from serving the community and continuing to work towards the future”.
In 2022, the University of Glasgow was awarded University of Sanctuary status to “congratulate them on their positive initiatives, responsive action, and proactiveness to provide a welcoming environment” for refugees and forced migrants. The University distributes over £15m towards its international scholarships annually.
For Anas, the scholarship opportunity is “certainly one of the factors” that encouraged him to “prefer the University of Glasgow over other British universities”.
“There are many examples of Gazan students whom the university supported and helped to be evacuated. This is something the university deserves credit for. Unfortunately, I wasn’t among them, and I truly hope to be.”
Without the visa assistance and full tuition waiver, Anas and Noor are among many others who will have to find alternative methods of funding to have a chance of entering Higher Education in the UK.
“I did receive a partial scholarship from the university called the World Changers Scholarship (worth £10,000) due to the strength of my application and my academic excellence,” says Anas.
The University offers other avenues of financial support for Palestinian nationals, including The Sanctuary Scholarship for undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes, and The Humanitarian Scholarship for postgraduate taught students. Scholarships without application are also available and are automatically applied to those eligible, such as the World Changers Global Excellence Scholarship. For Anas, however, “this is not enough”.
“I have already lost three years of my life to the war, and it’s not right to waste any more of my youth.”
When asked if the University offers alternative support routes for unsuccessful applicants of the scholarship, an official University spokesperson commented: “The Sanctuary Team provides tailored advice to anyone who asks about alternative funding opportunities or guidance”.
