PSSAR supports exceptional Palestinian students and scholars by helping them access fully funded, research-based graduate opportunities in Canada. We are a non-profit, volunteer-led initiative that facilitates academic placements through a network of partner institutions and professors. We do not provide direct scholarships or immigration services—but we do help students get there.
Helping exceptional Palestinian students access fully funded graduate research opportunities in Canada.
We work with recent graduates—especially from Gaza and the West Bank—to match them with professors and institutions seeking strong academic talent. While PSSAR does not fund scholarships directly, we guide applicants through every step of the process.
What we offer
Who is this for?
Palestinian students or early-career scholars with strong academic records (typically within 4 years of graduation). Priority is given to applicants from Gaza.
Partnering with Canadian faculty to host high-achieving Palestinian graduate students and scholars.
We invite professors and institutions across Canada to open positions in their labs or research groups for qualified Palestinian candidates. By partnering with us, you can help bridge opportunity gaps while advancing academic equity and global collaboration.
We support professors with:
Why get involved?
Many Palestinian students possess outstanding potential but face barriers to accessing global academic networks. As a professor, you can play a vital role in opening those doors by offering funded placements in your research program.
The Twin Labs Program is designed to facilitate direct, faculty-level and research-lab-level partnerships between Palestinian scholars and their Canadian counterparts. These structured, long-term collaborations are rooted in academic equality and shared scholarly goals—empowering co-creation in research, teaching, and mentorship.
Collaborations may include (but not limited to):
Each partnership is tailored to the goals, capacities, and contexts of participating scholars. This initiative affirms that Palestinian academic knowledge is essential to global inquiry and academic justice.
PSSAR Care is a student-focused mental-health support and referral service designed to be safe, private, and culturally responsive. It offers a space where you can talk about what’s happening in your life and get clear, practical next steps for healing and growth.
What we can help with:
Alaa Alhyari is a Care Practitioner with experience in mental health support devoted to supporting people in Gaza through care, understanding, and faith-based guidance. She provides 1:1 counseling, leads Social and Emotional Learning (SEL), and delivers family mental-health awareness workshops for parents and caregivers. Her work is rooted in compassion, cultural understanding, and the belief that every person has the strength to heal and grow even in the most challenging times.
PSSAR Assist is the support system dedicated to ensuring that students and scholars successfully transition, settle, and thrive in Canada once their academic placement is secured. While PSSAR Match focuses on academic admission, PSSAR Assist provides essential services to overcome non-academic barriers.
The program includes services such as financial support to cover the cost of visa fees and university application fees, weekly webinars, pre- and post-landing support, and mental health support through PSSAR Care.
Scholars and graduate students who were matched by PSSAR.
Scholars and graduate students who secured their admissions independently of PSSAR but require PSSAR services.