UK to facilitate dozens of Gazan students with university scholarships

Britain has agreed to make special immigration arrangements to allow dozens of students from Gaza to begin fully funded studies at UK universities next month, the interior ministry confirmed on Tuesday.

The students, many of whom secured scholarships under government-backed and private programmes, will be permitted to undergo biometric checks in a third country before travelling onward to the UK. However, each departure will still require approval from Israeli authorities, as diplomatic tensions between London and Tel Aviv remain strained.

According to the BBC, around 40 Gazan students are eligible, including nine recipients of the UK’s Chevening Scholarship, a government-funded scheme that supports emerging leaders to pursue one-year master’s degrees. The interior ministry has also cleared plans to help approximately 30 others who have obtained places through alternative scholarship programmes.

Interior Minister Yvette Cooper has instructed officials to ensure that “no stone is left unturned” in facilitating the students’ safe passage. A ministry source acknowledged that the process remains “complex and challenging,” given the political and logistical obstacles involved.

The development comes a month after UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer pledged to recognise a Palestinian state if Israel fails to take steps towards a ceasefire with Hamas. Observers say the scholarship arrangements signal a wider British effort to support Palestinian civilians despite mounting diplomatic strains.