Families of some Gaza students granted permission to join them in UK

Partners and children of some Gazan students coming to study in the UK will now be able to join them, the government has confirmed.

A government spokesperson said that applications for dependents to move to the UK would now be considered on a “case-by-case basis.”

This marks a reversal of the original policy, which only supported the evacuation of the students themselves.

The change follows complaints from several PhD and master’s students who said they might have to abandon their studies in the UK because they needed to care for their children.

Under the new policy, dependents must prove they can cover their living costs. Visas will only be available to the families of students enrolled in government-funded courses, such as Chevening scholarships, or those studying for PhDs and other research-based higher degrees.

They will need to apply for partners and children to get a student dependant visa, and meet immigration requirements, which include being able to cover living costs of up to £6,120 outside London or £7,605 in London.

“Students coming from Gaza to the UK have suffered an appalling ordeal after two years of conflict,” a government spokesperson said.

“They have endured unimaginable hardship but can now begin to rebuild their lives through studying in our world-class universities.

“That is why we are supporting the evacuation of dependants of students on scholarships who are eligible to study here under the immigration rules, on a case-by-case basis.”

One Gazan student, Manar al-Houbi, previously told the BBC it was “impossible” for her to leave her three young children and husband behind in Gaza to take up her PhD place at the University of Glasgow.

She now says she is “deeply relieved” by the policy change and hopes to be evacuated with her family “very soon.”

While most students have already begun their courses, the BBC reports that six students due to start master’s degrees in Glasgow will now not be leaving Gaza, having missed the start of their courses.