Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, further to written statement UIN HCWS144, what plans her Department has to help support the dependents of eligible students from Gaza travelling to UK universities.

On 24 June the Government confirmed its support for high achieving students from Gaza to take up fully funded scholarships at UK universities for the 2026/27 academic year.

This will build on support already provided by the government in the current academic year, through which we have enabled over 100 students from Gaza to pursue their studies. The Government will continue to prioritise students who hold fully funded and verifiable scholarships, and who meet the requirements of the Immigration Rules.

Departures from Gaza remain highly complex and are dependent on factors outside the UK Government’s control. However, we will continue to work with relevant authorities to facilitate departures and onward travel in a third country to ensure the students, and the dependants of those students who meet the relevant requirements of the Immigration Rules, can leave Gaza and undertake biometric checks before coming to the UK.