London: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has begun restricting state-funded students from enrolling in British universities over concerns that campuses are being influenced by extremist Islamist groups, a UK media report said on Friday.

According to The Times, UAE authorities have limited federal funding for students seeking to study in the UK amid fears over the alleged influence of the Muslim Brotherhood, which is designated as a terrorist organisation by the UAE. The Gulf nation has also urged European countries to ban the group over what it describes as extremist activities.

Quoting officials familiar with the decision, the newspaper said the move is aimed at discouraging students from engaging with the group while studying abroad. A Middle East expert cited by the daily described the measure as a warning to students, though he played down claims that British universities were heavily infiltrated by the organisation.

The report said the UAE has not imposed a blanket ban on studying in the UK, and privately funded students will still be able to enrol in British universities. However, government-funded scholarships are expected to be redirected towards institutions in other countries.

The number of UAE students in the UK rose sharply from 2017 to 2024, doubling to around 8,500, a trend that could be affected by the latest decision.

UAE government scholarships, administered through its Ministries of Education and Foreign Affairs, typically cover tuition fees, living expenses, travel and health insurance for high-performing students pursuing priority disciplines.

The UAE, along with several countries in the region, has taken a hardline stance against the Muslim Brotherhood, viewing it as a threat to its relatively secular and socially liberal system, the report said.

In the UK, a 2014 inquiry launched under then prime minister David Cameron concluded that while the group's ideology ran counter to British values, there was insufficient evidence to proscribe it. In France, President Emmanuel Macron ordered officials in May last year to prepare proposals to counter the group's influence.