Overview
- UAE officials have restricted federal scholarships for study in Britain after leaving UK institutions off the state’s approved list published in June 2025.
- People familiar with the policy link the move to fears of Islamist radicalisation on UK campuses associated with the Muslim Brotherhood, while UK officials emphasized academic freedom.
- The UAE has warned it may not recognise degrees from universities not on the approved list, reducing the value of new UK qualifications for Emirati graduates.
- The measures stop short of a blanket ban, with some already‑enrolled students still funded and wealthier families continuing to pay privately.
- UK study visas issued to Emiratis fell to 213 in the year ending September 2025, down 27% year on year and 55% from 2022, against a backdrop of broader strains in UK–UAE relations.