Partners and children of some Gazan PhD and master’s students coming to study in the United Kingdom (UK) will now be allowed to join them, the government has confirmed, reported BBC.

This marks a reversal of the earlier policy, which only supported the evacuation of the students themselves. Each application will be considered on a “case-by-case basis,” a government spokesperson said, adding that dependants must meet certain requirements, including proving they can cover living costs.

Visas are only available to dependants of students on government-funded courses, such as Chevening scholarships, or those studying for PhDs and other research-based higher degrees.

Support for families of scholars

Many students had earlier said they would not be able to travel to the UK to take up their university scholarships, as it meant leaving their children behind.

Those wishing to join their relatives in the UK will need to apply for a student dependant visa and meet the financial requirements, including evidence of sufficient funds, up to £6,120 ($8,074) for those studying outside London, or £7,605 for those studying in London.

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

The current evacuation support scheme runs until the end of the year, and it remains unclear what will replace it.