Web Desk (MNN); Several universities in the United Kingdom have suspended or limited admissions for students from Pakistan and Bangladesh following tougher immigration regulations and growing concerns over alleged visa misuse, according to a report by the Financial Times.
At least nine higher education institutions have classified the two countries as “high-risk” for student visas and have tightened enrolment policies to protect their ability to sponsor international applicants. The move comes after a rise in asylum claims lodged by international students, prompting UK ministers to caution that the study route “must not be used as a backdoor” to settlement.
Among affected universities, the University of Chester has suspended recruitment from Pakistan until autumn 2026 due to a “recent and unexpected rise in visa refusals.” The University of Wolverhampton is not accepting undergraduate applications from Pakistan or Bangladesh, while the University of East London has halted recruitment from Pakistan entirely. Other institutions, including Sunderland, Coventry, Hertfordshire, Oxford Brookes, Glasgow Caledonian, and private provider BPP University, have also scaled back admissions from these countries as a risk mitigation measure.
The restrictions follow a regulatory overhaul in September, reducing the maximum visa refusal rate allowed for sponsoring institutions from 10% to 5%. However, refusal rates for Pakistani and Bangladeshi students are 18% and 22% respectively, exceeding the new limits. Together, applicants from both countries account for half of the 23,036 student visa refusals recorded by the Home Office in the year up to September 2025.
Asylum claims from these nationalities have also risen, many involving students who initially entered the UK on study or work visas. International higher education consultant Vincenzo Raimo told FT that the crackdown has created a “real dilemma” for lower-fee universities that rely heavily on international enrolments. Even a few problematic cases could jeopardise compliance with the stricter thresholds.
Education advisers have expressed frustration. Maryem Abbas, founder of Lahore-based Edvance Advisors, described the decisions as “heartbreaking” for genuine students whose applications are rejected at the final stage. She said weak oversight of recruitment agents contributed to the misuse of the student route, turning it into a “money-making business.”
Universities UK International stated that institutions will need to diversify international recruitment and strengthen application checks to retain sponsorship rights. While the new rules may be “challenging,” they are considered necessary to maintain confidence in the system.
A Home Office spokesperson told FT that the government “strongly values” international students but is tightening rules to ensure that those who come to the UK are genuine and that education providers uphold their responsibilities.
