By Ria Jain
Abu Dhabi has officially decided to restrict government funding for Emirati students who wish to study in universities of the United Kingdom. This decision stems from the long ongoing ideological difference over Muslim Brotherhood between the two countries. It has created more friction in their relationship and has also brought a major shift in their decades old educational synergy.
UAE’s Higher Education Ministry released their new policy consisting of the list of global institutes that are eligible for state scholarship. Herein top universities from Israel, France, Australia and the United States are included but British universities have noticeably been omitted. This omission was later confirmed by UAE as a deliberate strategical attempt at protecting the Emirati students from the alleged risk of Islamist radicalisation on the UK campuses.
The dispute goes back to the UK’s refusal to ban the Muslim Brotherhood, a UAE pronounced terrorist organisation. Although in 2015 the UK government concluded that the group had no links of terrorism in Britain, Abu Dhabi still remains unmoved. The following tensions are clearly visible in the 55% drop in UK study visas granted to Emirati students as of late September 2025. Furthermore, the UAE has also devalued British qualifications for their citizens by stating that degrees from institutions outside of the approved list will not be recognised.
This educational rift can be a part of a bigger picture as UAE has also failed in bidding for the purchase of The Daily Telegraph, allegations of their involvement in the Sudanese conflict and the Manchester City FC legal battle.
Although British universities still have their satellite campuses in Dubai, this withdrawal of funding suggests dismantled educational bridges and definitely a significant strategic division.