The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has restricted government funding for its citizens seeking to study at British universities, marking the latest development in a widening diplomatic rift between Abu Dhabi and London. The decision is linked to long-standing political differences, particularly over the United Kingdom’s refusal to ban the Islamist organisation Muslim Brotherhood, according to the reports.
In a recent policy move, Abu Dhabi removed British universities from a list of global institutions eligible for UAE government scholarships. This effectively cuts off public funding for new UAE students planning to pursue higher education in the UK, although those already enrolled will continue to receive financial support. The decision has raised concerns among students and academics about the future value and recognition of UK degrees within the UAE, while also signalling a clear deterioration in relations between two long-standing allies. In June last year, the UAE Ministry of Higher Education published a revised list of international universities whose degrees are officially recognised and eligible for government scholarships. The stated objective of the reform was to ensure that public funding is directed only towards the world’s leading institutions. Universities in countries such as the United States, Australia, France and Israel were included. Notably absent from the list, however, were universities based in the United Kingdom.
Subsequent media reports suggest that the exclusion of British universities stems from concerns in Abu Dhabi about the potential for Islamist radicalisation on UK university campuses. Britain has historically been one of the most popular destinations for UAE students studying abroad, largely due to the availability of generous state-funded scholarships. However, according to the report, federal funding for new UAE students intending to study in the UK had already been quietly curtailed prior to the publication of the revised list last June.
When British officials sought clarification on the omission, UAE authorities reportedly made it clear that the move was intentional. Officials emphasised that the exclusion was not an administrative error or oversight. “The UAE does not want its children to be radicalised on campuses,” official sources were quoted as saying, underlining the country’s firm stance on the issue.
Official figures from the UK government lend some context to these concerns. During the 2023–24 academic year, 70 students at British universities were referred to the government’s ‘Prevent’ counter-terrorism programme after displaying signs of Islamist extremism. While this figure remains small in comparison to the UK’s total student population of roughly three million, it represents nearly double the number of referrals recorded in the previous academic year. Under President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi has repeatedly criticised the UK for not outlawing the Muslim Brotherhood. A British government review conducted in 2015 concluded that the group did not have links to terrorist activities in or against the UK. Nevertheless, the government led by Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated last year that the issue remains under close scrutiny. Adding a further political dimension, Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, has pledged to ban the Muslim Brotherhood should he come to power. According to the reports, the UAE government funded Farage’s visit to the Emirates last year, underscoring Abu Dhabi’s interest in shaping the debate around Islamist movements within British politics.
