Britain sees surge in denied study permits as international enrollment requests drop

Government data reveals that the number of student visas issued by the United Kingdom has plummeted to its lowest post-pandemic level, with refusal rates soaring to a decade-high, according to figures published by the UK Home Office on May 21.

n

Between January and March 2026, the UK Home Office granted 35,625 sponsored study-related visas, marking the lowest first-quarter total since 2020, with this figure representing a decline of nearly one-third compared with the same period in 2025.

n

This decline is even more pronounced when compared to the peak recorded in 2023, with the current figure being 60 per cent lower, and applications also decreased across all of the UK’s top 10 student source countries.

n

Over the 12 months ending in March 2026, a total of 409,954 study visas were granted, which was 3 per cent lower than the previous year and 34 per cent below the level recorded in the year ending March 2023.

n

Despite the overall drop in applications, visa refusals rose sharply, with the number of rejected applications increasing by 56 per cent year-on-year to 5,499 during the first quarter of 2026.

n

Although the total number of refusals was only slightly higher than in 2023, the decline in applications pushed refusal rates significantly higher, with about 13 per cent of all study visa applications being rejected between January and March.

n

This rejection rate is double the proportion recorded in 2025 and the highest rate since 2015, with international students also reporting longer visa processing times since January, particularly those from Pakistan.

n

The tougher environment for international students coincided with changes to the UK’s graduate visa scheme introduced in January, which now allows international graduates to remain in the country for 18 months after completing their studies, down from the previous two-year period.

n

While countries such as India, Nepal, and China recorded only slight increases in refusal rates, other nations experienced much steeper rises, with visa refusals for Nigerian applicants quadrupling during the period.

n

Rejection rates for applicants from Pakistan and Sri Lanka tripled, with data showing that only 1 per cent of applicants from China and the United States were denied visas, and refusal rates standing at 4 per cent for Nepal and 7 per cent for India.

n

However, the rate climbed to 21 per cent for Nigeria and 39 per cent for Pakistan, highlighting significant disparities in refusal rates among different countries, with some UK universities halting recruitment efforts in countries with high refusal rates in response to stricter visa compliance requirements.

n

Separate Home Office figures also revealed a sharp decline in visas issued to master’s students, with about 21,700 entry clearance visas granted to master’s applicants in the first quarter of 2026, down 35 per cent from 33,300 during the same period in 2025.

n

This decline pushed one of the UK higher education sector’s most valuable sources of international revenue to its lowest level in six years, with the drop in master’s student visas having significant implications for the sector.