Millions of Syrian high school graduates and college students are unable to pursue their dream of a college degree. Thousands of schools have been destroyed, unfairly depriving Syrian students from their right to education. Millions of Syrian students are now refugees, with no access to a school. Millions more inside Syria are too afraid to go to school because of the targeting and bombing of school buildings.

While host countries and the UNHCR can provide primary education to Syrian children, the young Syrian men and women pursuing a higher education face a much more difficult task. With language, logistical, and financial barriers to overcome, these students are unable to continue their education without institutional assistance.

We are calling on Yale to increase recruitment of Syrian applicants and join the Syria Consortium to offer academic opportunities to Syrian students. The Syria Consortium, created by the International Institute of Education (IIE) has brought together 40 universities who commit to offer Syrian students and scholars a safe haven to continue their studies abroad.

Yale University accepts over 12,000 students every year and is committed to an admissions policy that does not consider a student's ability to pay in order to ensure "Yale is accessible to the most talented students around the world." Yale pledges to "strive to create a learning environment that incorporates the widest possible range of student backgrounds." With this in mind, we hope that Yale can be a leader to universities around the world by offering talented and qualified Syrian refugee students a second chance at getting their education.

We students, faculty members and members of the Yale community want to extend the opportunity to obtain a higher education at our University to Syrian students. No one should be denied access to pursuing their future regardless of barriers or background.