Overview
- British institutions were left off a revised UAE list of overseas universities eligible for state scholarships and official recognition published in June, with officials saying the omission was deliberate.
- Federal funding for Emiratis to study in Britain has been curtailed, and the UAE says degrees from non‑approved institutions will not be officially recognised.
- UK officials have pushed back by stressing academic freedom, noting that the Muslim Brotherhood question remains under close review.
- The shift coincides with a sharp drop in UK study visas for Emiratis, falling 27% to 213 in the year ending September 2025, according to official figures.
- The move is not a blanket ban, as some current students still receive support and wealthier families can self‑fund, though past Emirati enrolments in the UK had grown to about 8,500 by 2024.