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DAnia Alfaranji should enter her final year at the prestigious English boarding schoolLike many teenage girls, she imagines what her dorm room will look like and what clothes she might wear. The world should be full of possibilities.
Instead, she is living in a tent in the backyard of a building in al-Zawayda, in the southern Gaza, reduced to debris From air strikes. She collects firewood, waits impatiently Help trucks to deliver foodAnd hope to make it out of this Gaza Bandage alive.
To make life worse, she has been separated from her mother, Hayat Ghalyini, who lives in the UK – and has been forced to grow up very quickly.
When Dania was 14 years old War broke out on 7 October 2023. As a top student, she was awarded a full scholarship to study at Reddam House, an independent boarding school In Berkshire, the struggle has lasted six months.
But, now at the age of 16, he is unable to take his place due to the difference in the government’s withdrawal policy, which Some universities allow students to leave the strip but does not include high school and post-doctoral students and researchers.
Time stands still for his mother waiting for him in Trafford, Manchester.
Hayat explains, “I miss her. I can’t think of anything else.” Independent. “Everything – cars, electricity, water, roads – reminds me of her. I fall asleep thinking about her and dream just about touching her.”
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Hayat, a resident of Britain after marrying Dania’s stepfather in 2022, was separated from her daughter when the war broke out. Amid the chaos, Dania’s three older sisters, now in their 20s, made the difficult decision to ask their mother to move out of the house, in the hopes that they would be able to join her soon.
However, before the borders were locked in May 2024, evacuations had become expensive and relocation costs were between £5,000 and £10,000 per person – which the family could not afford. Some offer routes that operate illegally, offering exorbitant prices to get a name on the clearance list.
Scholarships provided through Horizons Academy for Gifted and Talented Young Students and funded through the Ensoli Inspired Scholars Program provided a “lifeline” to help Dania achieve her dream of becoming a student. palestinian Diplomat.
Yet she remains trapped there, while bombing has intensified, killing nearly 20,000 children in Gaza, according to Save the Children.
Home Office guidance published in September 2025 states that students on full scholarship will be flown to a third country to complete security checks and the visa process, which includes biometric requirements. However, it adds that although the guidance applies to Chevening scholars and those with full scholarships to the university, it “does not include independent schools”.
Without the support of the Home Office, Reddam House is unable to issue CAS (Certificate of Acceptance to Study) and Dania cannot travel to Egypt or Jordan to obtain her visa.
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“University students who moved to Britain less than a month ago did not have to pay anything because the government and the embassy were in charge of making the entire travel arrangements from Gaza until they reached their schools safely,” says Dania.
There are currently eight students like Daniya who were offered scholarships at REDDAM and are unable to take it up. Some students in Gaza have lost their places due to the crisis.
“They are no longer eligible to keep this scholarship because of how long they have waited,” says Dania. “That’s one of my biggest fears right now. I want to make the most of this scholarship and live abroad, hopefully near my mom.”
Following the ceasefire announcement earlier this month, Dania is hopeful that she will be able to lead a normal life.
“The ceasefire gives a small hope that travel procedures might become easier or faster or smoother, although no solution has yet been implemented for any travel route.”
Hayate is heartbroken that she can’t help her daughter through her most formative years.
“She had to learn to bake bread using wood, cook and clean, and go to the market with her sisters to buy essentials and provide for them. These are all things that a 16-year-old girl would not have had to do under normal circumstances,” she says.
“As time goes on, I’m afraid I won’t recognize my daughter.”
Hayat says the Foreign Office said it could not help because Dania is not a British citizen, despite her mother living in Britain. He asked them to help on humanitarian grounds but received no response.
Independent FCDO contacted for comment. The Home Office said it did not consider applications from those under 18.
A spokesperson for Reddam House said he could not comment on individual applications, but added: “While we celebrate the opportunities provided by these scholarships, we are aware of the extraordinary challenges faced by some of our incredibly deserving recipients.
“We are also committed to remaining flexible in our arrangements, which may include providing the option to defer their studies if appropriate, ensuring every student has the best possible chance to fully benefit from this opportunity.”
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Dr Nora Parr, an academic at the University of Birmingham and part of the UK Coalition for Gaza Students, is now working on a campaign to extend the University Student Scheme to independent schools and others including PhD students and researchers.
“At this time classes have started in most of the schools and some of the time it is too late,” she says. “Everyone wants to see these talented people in education. They want to advance themselves and rebuild their communities.”
Dr. Parr says that there needs to be a comprehensive change in the system for those living in conflict areas.
“We need a fully functional, thoughtful system, where people know what to do. Where they can expect to be treated appropriately and humanely, given the context they are coming from.”