Several UK universities have suspended or restricted admissions for students from Bangladesh and Pakistan following the British government’s stricter immigration and compliance policies. The move comes amid concerns over visa misuse, including high refusal rates, asylum applications after arrival, changes in visa categories, and students failing to complete their courses.
Under updated compliance regulations, universities risk losing their sponsor licence if more than 5 percent of their student visa applications are rejected. Current refusal rates significantly exceed this threshold, standing at around 22 percent for Bangladeshi applicants and 18 percent for Pakistani applicants, according to reports.
As a result, at least nine universities—including the University of Chester, University of Wolverhampton, University of East London, London Metropolitan University, University of Sunderland, Coventry University, and the University of Hertfordshire—have either paused or tightened admissions for students from the two countries.
The decision has created uncertainty for many genuine students, some of whom are now stuck at the final stages of the admission process despite meeting academic requirements. Education stakeholders warn that the blanket restrictions could unfairly penalize legitimate applicants and harm the UK’s reputation as a global education destination.
