Dubai: British Consul General debunks the myth that the UK embassy is denying UAE student visa’s to study in the UK during the inauguration of the Education UK Exhibition ‘EDUKEX 2012’ that took place on Monday at Al Murooj Rotana Hotel in Dubai.
British Consul General Edward Hobart told Gulf News that there has been some changes in the procedures of applying for the visa but it does not mean that the visa’s are going to be denied. Students from the UAE are more than welcome to study in the UK in fact some British Universities are targeting students from Dubai in specific because of the diverse cultural backgrounds that they come from.
“What is interesting is that the Knowledge and Human Development authority in Dubai (KHDA) stated that universities in the UK contacted them stating that they specifically want students who were educated all through high school in Dubai. This is mainly because they are such good facilitators of the international community in their university since they were aware of different cultures as that is who they went to school with.” Said Hobart
According to data released by the British Council, the number of UAE students going to UK Universities has increased by 126 per cent since 2002. 3,145 UAE students were studying in the UK for 2011 academic year.
There are 50 university booths at the event to cater to the expected 1,500 visitors inquires and questions at the exhibition. Twin sisters Meera and Rotha Sahoo, 16-year-old Emiratii students came to the event looking for suitable university in the UK. “Our main aim is to find a safe location to study in. We are currently thinking to study in Exeter University because His Highness Dr Shaikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Ruler of Sharjah studied there. Shaikh Sultan also built a mosque in the university campus so we feel like it is a safe place to be as there is a piece of home in Exeter University.
