UAE Halts Student Scholarships to UK, Flags Risk of Islamic Radicalisation on Campuses

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has moved to sharply restrict government-backed scholarships for its citizens seeking to study at universities in the United Kingdom, amid growing concerns in Abu Dhabi that Islamist networks operating within British academic institutions could radicalise Emirati students.

The decision follows longstanding frustration within the UAE over the UK government’s refusal to formally ban the Muslim Brotherhood, an organisation designated as a terrorist group by the UAE and several other Middle Eastern states. Emirati officials believe that the Brotherhood’s ideological presence in parts of the British education ecosystem poses a direct risk to students studying abroad.

While reductions in scholarship funding were quietly implemented in June last year, the move came into sharper public focus following detailed reports published last week by the Financial Times and The Times, two leading British newspapers.

According to those reports, the UAE Ministry of Higher Education recently released an updated list of foreign universities eligible for official degree recognition and government subsidies. Notably absent from the list were universities from the United Kingdom, despite Britain hosting many of the world’s top-ranked academic institutions.

Instead, the list featured universities from the United States, Australia, France, and Israel. Sources familiar with the discussions told the Financial Times that the exclusion of British universities was deliberate. When British officials sought clarification, Emirati authorities reportedly confirmed that the omission was intentional rather than administrative oversight.

“They don’t want their kids to be radicalised on campus,” a source directly involved in the talks said. British officials, in response, stressed the importance of academic freedom and institutional autonomy within the UK’s higher education system.

Why Has the UAE Cut Funding for Students Studying in the UK?

According to the Financial Times, Emirati concerns centre primarily on the perceived influence of Islamist ideologies—particularly those linked to the Muslim Brotherhood—within British universities. The Brotherhood has long been viewed by the UAE as an existential threat to its political and social order.

Abu Dhabi has repeatedly urged European governments to designate the group as a terrorist organisation. However, the United Kingdom has resisted such pressure. A comprehensive UK government review conducted in 2015, following warnings from Saudi Arabia, concluded that while the Brotherhood’s ideology conflicted with British values, there was insufficient evidence to link the group directly to terrorist activity within or against the UK.

The issue has gained renewed attention in the aftermath of the Israel–Hamas war and the October 7, 2023 terror attack on Israel, events that intensified political activism and protests across university campuses in Britain and elsewhere.

A UK-based academic told the Financial Times that the conflict had a “destabilising impact” on campus environments, though he downplayed claims of widespread Islamist radicalisation. Official data cited by the paper shows that during the 2023–24 academic year, 70 students out of nearly three million in higher education were flagged for potential referral to the UK’s Prevent deradicalisation programme for signs of Islamist extremism—almost double the number recorded the previous year.

The UAE’s stance reflects its broader domestic and regional policy framework. According to The Times, Abu Dhabi’s authoritarian yet relatively secular governance model views the Muslim Brotherhood as a direct ideological threat. The UAE supported Egypt’s 2013 military coup that ousted President Mohamed Morsi, a Brotherhood-affiliated leader, and has since imprisoned dozens of suspected members.

Regionally, the UAE has backed political and military factions in Libya and Sudan that it believes oppose the Brotherhood’s influence.

What Is the Muslim Brotherhood?

The Muslim Brotherhood, formally known as Ikhwan al-Muslimun, is a transnational Sunni Islamist movement founded in 1928 in Ismailia, Egypt, by Islamic scholar Hassan al-Banna. The organisation emerged in response to Western colonialism, the collapse of the Ottoman Caliphate, and the spread of secular political systems in the Muslim world.

Its core ideology views Islam as a comprehensive system governing political, social, and personal life. The Brotherhood promotes gradual reform through political participation, education, and social welfare, encapsulated in its famous slogan: “Islam is the solution.”

According to the US-based Brookings Institution, the group remained relatively marginal until the 1967 Six-Day War, after which the decline of secular pan-Arab nationalism created fertile ground for political Islam. While the Brotherhood officially renounced internal violence in the 1970s, splinter groups and affiliates—most notably Hamas—have engaged in armed conflict.

The Brotherhood briefly governed Egypt between 2011 and 2013 following the Arab Spring, with Mohamed Morsi elected president. His removal in a military coup led to mass arrests, executions, and the group’s designation as a terrorist organisation in Egypt.

As of January 2026, the Brotherhood faces bans or terrorist designations in countries including Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Russia, and Jordan. Despite this, it continues to exert influence through affiliates in Tunisia and Morocco, as well as exile networks often backed by Qatar and Turkey, according to BBC and Al Jazeera reports.

UK Universities Hit by UAE Scholarship Restrictions

The Times reports that Emirati officials have been warning Western governments for years about what they see as the Brotherhood’s efforts to spread Islamist ideology across Europe. This pressure contributed to the UK government launching an inquiry in 2014 under then-Prime Minister David Cameron.

The inquiry, led by diplomat John Jenkins, criticised aspects of the Brotherhood’s worldview but ultimately stopped short of recommending an outright ban.

Importantly, the UAE has not imposed a blanket ban on studying in Britain. Wealthier families may still send their children to UK universities using private funds. However, government-backed scholarships—often covering tuition, living costs, travel, and health insurance—are now largely unavailable for British institutions.

The impact is already visible. According to the Financial Times, the number of UAE nationals granted UK student visas fell by 27% by September 2025 and by 55% compared with 2022 levels. While existing students may continue receiving support, new applications for UK-bound funding have largely been rejected since June.

UK Degrees Lose Official Value in the UAE

Compounding the issue, the UAE has announced that degrees from universities not included on its approved list will no longer be formally recognised. This significantly diminishes the value of UK qualifications for Emiratis returning home, even if they self-finance their studies.

The education dispute is the latest flashpoint in a relationship strained by multiple issues, including the Premier League’s financial case against Emirati-owned Manchester City, controversy over an Abu Dhabi-backed bid to acquire The Daily Telegraph, and allegations—denied by the UAE—of support for paramilitary forces in Sudan.

Ironically, the tensions come as British universities continue to expand their presence in the Gulf. Institutions such as Heriot-Watt University and the University of Manchester now operate campuses in Dubai.

Domestic UK politics have also intersected with the issue. The Financial Times reported that the UAE funded a visit by British politician Nigel Farage, who has pledged to ban the Muslim Brotherhood should he become prime minister.

Despite the diplomatic friction, officials on both sides have sought to downplay long-term damage. A UAE official told the Financial Times that bilateral relations remain strong, while Downing Street reiterated that “all forms of extremism have absolutely no place in our society” and emphasised the UK’s commitment to campus safety and student welfare.

Nevertheless, behind the diplomatic language lies a clear policy shift: the UAE has effectively withdrawn scholarship support for students wishing to study in the UK, driven by fears that exposure to Muslim Brotherhood-linked ideologies could lead to radicalisation.