Pakistani applicants lose UK study offers as visa rules tighten

Universities in the United Kingdom are withdrawing admission offers to international students from countries including Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nigeria, according to analysis of Home Office data and figures from the higher education sector. The moves are designed to keep institutions below stricter UK visa refusal thresholds that could cost them the right to recruit overseas students.

Key facts

• The compliance threshold has been tightened: institutions where more than 5% of prospective overseas students have visa applications rejected now risk losing the right to recruit them, down from 10%.
• In the first half of 2026, 10.5% of UK study visa applications were withdrawn, up from 2.3% a year earlier and 0.4% in 2023.
• Withdrawals reached 40.9% for Pakistani applicants in the first six months of 2026, against 3% a year earlier. For Bangladeshi applicants the rate rose from 7.1% to 23.5%, and India's from 1.2% to 5.2%.
• Around 15 UK universities are believed to have suspended recruitment from Pakistan entirely this year.
• The Home Office doubled the number of study visa refusals in the first half of 2026 compared with the same period of 2025.

What is happening to study offers?

Universities say the rise in withdrawn applications largely reflects their own decision to revoke admission offers before students apply for visas. Because international students can only apply for a study visa after receiving a university offer, a revoked offer means the application is withdrawn.

Data from visa-processing company Enroly suggests refusal rates at nearly half of universities exceed the 5% threshold. Sir David Bell, vice-chancellor of the University of Sunderland, said the unexpected rise in refusals had pushed universities to act in advance by cutting recruitment from countries facing tougher scrutiny.

Which students are affected?

The increase in refusals has been concentrated among nationalities the government suspects of using student visas as a route to claim asylum. Withdrawal rates rose sharply for applicants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and India, and offers to students from countries including Bangladesh, Pakistan and Nigeria are being pulled.

Professor Steven McGuire, deputy vice-chancellor of the University of East Anglia, said his institution began withdrawing offers from some countries late last year after refusals increased sharply, describing some decisions as "arbitrary and ill-informed".

Why are visas being refused?

Universities have cited cases in which applicants were refused because they had previously considered studying in other countries, or because they could not name course modules that did not exist for their research degrees. Jamie Arrowsmith, director of Universities UK International, said visa processing had become "markedly less predictable" and that many refusals rested on flawed and subjective reasoning, forcing universities to withdraw offers at scale to avoid breaching compliance thresholds.

The UK Home Office said international students make a positive contribution to the country, but that universities must recruit responsibly to protect the integrity of the immigration system. It said it would support institutions seeking to improve their recruitment practices.

What this means for travellers

Students from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nigeria and similar markets planning UK study should be aware that an offer of admission can be withdrawn before any visa application is submitted. James Miller, vice-chancellor of the University of the West of Scotland, warned that overseas student numbers could fall by more than 20% at many institutions this year. Vanessa Wilson, chief executive of University Alliance, warned the pressure could lead to restructuring, job losses and course and campus closures.

Applicants should confirm their offer is still valid with the university before making travel or visa plans, and check current UK study visa requirements before booking.