UAE Restricts State-Funded Scholarships for Study in the UK Citing Islamist Radicalisation Concerns
Abu Dhabi removes British universities from approved scholarship list amid tensions over the Muslim Brotherhood
The United Arab Emirates government has moved to curb state-funded scholarships for Emirati students to study at universities in the United Kingdom, citing concerns about the risk of Islamist radicalisation on British campuses.
The decision, reported by senior education and diplomatic sources, reflects growing unease in Abu Dhabi over the influence of groups such as the Muslim Brotherhood, which the UAE designates as a terrorist organisation but which remains legal and active in Britain.
UK institutions have therefore been excluded from the list of overseas universities eligible for federal scholarship support for Emirati citizens.
Under the revised policy, Emiratis wishing to pursue higher education in the UK will no longer receive federal scholarship funding, although private financing remains possible.
Officials say that the step is part of broader reforms to the UAE’s scholarship eligibility criteria and a response to concerns about ideological influences encountered abroad.
The UAE continues to fund study in other countries, including the United States, Australia, France and Israel, which remain on the approved list for state-sponsored education.
The shift has contributed to a decline in Emirati student enrolment at British universities, with visa figures showing a notable drop in recent years.
In the year ending September 2025, the number of students from the UAE granted visas to study in the UK fell by nearly thirty per cent from the prior year and by more than half compared with 2022, according to official data.
Alongside concerns about Islamic political movements, bilateral tensions have grown over the UK’s refusal to proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist group, a point of dispute between the two governments.
UK officials have emphasised the strength of academic freedom and student safety in British higher education, while acknowledging the importance of strong bilateral relations.
Wealthier Emirati families continue to send students to the UK at their own expense, and some Emirati military personnel still receive state support for overseas education under existing arrangements.
Nonetheless, the scholarship restriction is seen as a significant development in educational and diplomatic ties between the UAE and the UK, with potential implications for future cooperation and exchange.
The decision, reported by senior education and diplomatic sources, reflects growing unease in Abu Dhabi over the influence of groups such as the Muslim Brotherhood, which the UAE designates as a terrorist organisation but which remains legal and active in Britain.
UK institutions have therefore been excluded from the list of overseas universities eligible for federal scholarship support for Emirati citizens.
Under the revised policy, Emiratis wishing to pursue higher education in the UK will no longer receive federal scholarship funding, although private financing remains possible.
Officials say that the step is part of broader reforms to the UAE’s scholarship eligibility criteria and a response to concerns about ideological influences encountered abroad.
The UAE continues to fund study in other countries, including the United States, Australia, France and Israel, which remain on the approved list for state-sponsored education.
The shift has contributed to a decline in Emirati student enrolment at British universities, with visa figures showing a notable drop in recent years.
In the year ending September 2025, the number of students from the UAE granted visas to study in the UK fell by nearly thirty per cent from the prior year and by more than half compared with 2022, according to official data.
Alongside concerns about Islamic political movements, bilateral tensions have grown over the UK’s refusal to proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist group, a point of dispute between the two governments.
UK officials have emphasised the strength of academic freedom and student safety in British higher education, while acknowledging the importance of strong bilateral relations.
Wealthier Emirati families continue to send students to the UK at their own expense, and some Emirati military personnel still receive state support for overseas education under existing arrangements.
Nonetheless, the scholarship restriction is seen as a significant development in educational and diplomatic ties between the UAE and the UK, with potential implications for future cooperation and exchange.
