'Islamist radicalisation': UAE restricts scholarships for students to study in UK

The United Arab Emirates has taken a decisive measurement to bounds authorities backing for emirati students who privation to survey astatine British universities, reflecting rising tensions implicit the UK’s stance connected the Islamist Muslim Brotherhood.

The determination signals deeper strains successful a historically adjacent narration and raises questions astir the aboriginal of UK-UAE acquisition ties.

According to The Financial Times report, the UAE’s Ministry of Higher Education published a revised database of planetary universities eligible for authorities scholarships successful June 2025. While institutions successful the United States, Australia, France, and Israel were included, British universities were notably absent.Officials told UK representatives that the exclusion was intentional, not an oversight. Sources acquainted with the discussions explained that Abu Dhabi’s superior interest was preventing Emirati students from vulnerability to what it views arsenic imaginable Islamist radicalisation connected UK campuses. A idiosyncratic with nonstop cognition said, “They don’t privation their kids to beryllium radicalised connected campus.” UK officials responded by emphasising the value of world freedom.

Officials with cognition of the argumentation besides told The Times UK that national backing was being constricted for citizens hoping to survey successful the UK, but that the authorities was not imposing a broad prohibition connected enrolments. Wealthier families tin inactive nonstop their children to British universities if they screen the costs themselves, portion authorities backing continues to beryllium disposable for students studying successful different countries.The determination comes aft national backing for Emiratis pursuing UK studies had already declined anterior to June.

Students who had already enrolled successful British universities proceed to person support, but the caller rules mean that Emirati students starting courses successful the UK volition look constricted oregon nary authorities funding.

The interaction has been tangible. In the twelvemonth ending September 2025, lone 213 Emirati students were granted visas to survey astatine UK universities, marking a 27 percent alteration from the erstwhile twelvemonth and a 55 percent diminution from 2022.Beyond assistance restrictions, the UAE has besides stated that qualifications from universities not connected the approved list, including astir British institutions, volition not beryllium recognised domestically. This diminishes the worth of UK degrees for Emirati students seeking employment oregon further survey successful the UAE.

The UAE’s determination is intimately tied to its long-standing concerns astir Islamist movements, peculiarly the Muslim Brotherhood.

Since the Arab uprisings of 2011, Abu Dhabi has imposed strict controls connected home Islamist enactment and sought to bounds governmental Islam regionally. Under President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan, the UAE has repeatedly questioned the UK’s determination not to proscribe the Brotherhood.Official UK information shows that during the 2023-24 world year, 70 students astatine UK universities were referred for imaginable information successful the government’s Prevent deradicalisation programme for signs of “Islamist radicalisation,” astir treble the erstwhile year, retired of a full higher acquisition colonisation of astir 3 cardinal students.

While 1 UK world downplayed the standard of Islamist enactment connected campuses, they noted that events specified arsenic the Israel-Gaza struggle person contributed to heightened tensions and protests connected campus.The UK government’s 2015 reappraisal concluded that the Muslim Brotherhood had not been linked to violent activities successful oregon against Britain. Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s medication stated past twelvemonth that the substance remained nether “close review.” Separately, Nigel Farage, person of the Reform UK party, has pledged to prohibition the Muslim Brotherhood if helium becomes premier minister. The UAE authorities funded Farage’s sojourn to the state successful 2025.

The assistance restrictions are portion of wider strains successful UK-UAE relations. Past disagreements person included Abu Dhabi-backed attempts to get The Daily Telegraph successful November 2023, allegations of UAE enactment for paramilitary groups successful Sudan, which the UAE denies, and a ineligible quality successful the English Premier League involving Emirati-owned Manchester City shot club.Despite these tensions, the UK continues to grow its acquisition footprint successful the UAE. Several British universities, including the University of Manchester and Heriot-Watt University successful Edinburgh, run campuses successful Dubai. Nevertheless, the exclusion of UK institutions from authorities scholarships highlights the challenges faced by Emirati students seeking to survey successful the UK.