A Gaza PhD student and her family have finally been evacuated to the UK after a Foreign Office U-turn, following months of being blocked despite her having a fully funded university scholarship.

Manar al-Houbi, who won a scholarship to study for a PhD at the University of Glasgow, has reached Jordan with her family and is expected to travel to the UK shortly. Her evacuation comes after the government reversed its stance on allowing dependants to travel with students from Gaza on a “case-by-case” basis.

Earlier this year, al-Houbi’s family was denied permission to enter the UK despite her visa and scholarship covering living costs. At the time, strict immigration rules prevented most international students from bringing dependants.

Her case became public in October, prompting renewed pressure on the government. Shortly afterwards, ministers announced a policy shift allowing some families to evacuate together. Al-Houbi’s family is understood to be the only one from Gaza to have benefited so far.

Other students remain stranded. Several told how they were encouraged to evacuate alone, leaving partners and children behind in Gaza, where conditions continue to deteriorate amid flooding, food shortages and disease.

One PhD student said he has lived with constant guilt since arriving in the UK alone, while his wife and children remain trapped with no clear timeline for evacuation. Others have refused to leave Gaza without their families, risking losing their university places altogether.

The UK’s Gaza evacuation scheme is due to expire at the end of December, with students describing delays, poor communication and deep uncertainty over whether it will be extended.

Families say they are being forced into impossible choices between education and staying together, warning that without urgent action, many students may never be able to take up their places in the UK.