The United Arab Emirates has removed the United Kingdom from its list of approved destinations for government-sponsored higher education amid Muslim Brotherhood concerns.
This move effectively halts UAE funding for Emirati students studying in the UK starting in the 2026 academic year.
While the UK has long been the most popular destination for Emirati scholars, the UAE Ministry of Education’s revised list now prioritizes institutions in the United States, Australia, France, and Israel.
According to reports emerging on Saturday, the government of the UAE raised concerns regarding the influence of the Muslim Brotherhood on British university campuses.
It was gathered that the removal of British institutions from the “approved” list was reportedly described by UAE officials as a deliberate choice rather than an administrative oversight.
While there hasn’t been an official confirmation as of press time, the heart of the issue is said to be the ideological divide between London and Abu Dhabi regarding the Muslim Brotherhood.
The UAE designated the group as a terrorist organization in 2014, whereas the UK government has consistently declined to proscribe the movement.
It was gathered that the UAE officials expressed fears that students could be exposed to extremist ideologies through campus-based Islamist groups.
Also, beyond the loss of grants, the UAE has indicated it may no longer recognize degrees from non-accredited institutions, potentially devaluing UK qualifications for Emirati citizens returning home.
Excluding British universities from UAE state scholarships “reflects growing friction between the two countries over the UK’s refusal to designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization,” a government source was quoted by media reports.
Also, official UK figures show that during the 2023-2024 academic year, 70 students at British universities were flagged for potential referral to the government’s Prevent Deradicalization program over signs of Islamist radicalization.
As a result of the UAE cutting down on scholarships, the number of UAE student visas for study in the UK fell to 213 in the year ending September 2025, a 27 per cent drop from the previous year and a 55 per cent decline compared with 2022.
Reacting to the development, Vice President JD Vance on his official X handle said: “Absolutely insane headline.”
“Some of our best Muslim allies in the Gulf think the Islamist indoctrination in certain parts of the West is too dangerous,” Vance said in a follow-up post.
Recall also that the United States President Donald Trump announced in November 2025 that the United States would begin a process to designate Muslim Brotherhood branches as terrorist organizations.
Trump stated: “The Muslim Brotherhood, founded in Egypt in 1928, has developed into a transnational network with chapters across the Middle East and beyond. Relevant here, its chapters in Lebanon, Jordan, and Egypt engage in or facilitate and support violence and destabilization campaigns that harm their own regions, United States citizens, and United States interests.”
