Sri Lankan students hit as UK universities halt recruitment over visa refusals

Students from Sri Lanka planning to study in the United Kingdom face growing uncertainty, with some British universities having stopped recruiting from the country entirely in recent months. Sri Lanka is one of seven nationalities that together account for more than 70% of all UK study visa refusals, newly published figures show.

Key facts

• Seven countries generate more than 70% of UK study visa refusals: India, Nigeria, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Ghana and Sri Lanka
• Refusal rates in these markets sit above the government's 5% threshold for classifying a market as high risk
• India's average refusal rate has reached 8% across the last three quarters
• Some universities have stopped recruitment entirely from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Ghana and Sri Lanka in recent months
• 16 countries are rated low risk with refusal rates below 1%, including China, the United States and Japan

What is happening with UK study visa refusal rates?

Refusal rates for UK study visas have remained high for the last three quarters with no sign of dropping. Refusals for different nationalities spiked at different points during that period, but the rolling 12-month average has climbed steadily.

There has been no rebalancing of rates over time, despite universities stepping up their compliance activity. Other markets also show refusal rates above 50%, including Kenya and Iran, but with much lower application volumes.

Which countries are classed as high risk?

The seven high-volume markets where refusal rates exceed the government's 5% threshold are India, Nigeria, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Ghana and Sri Lanka. India, the UK's largest student source market, is now included on that list with an average refusal rate of 8% over the last three quarters.

Refusals for Nigerian and Ghanaian nationals rose sharply in Q2 2026, reaching their highest levels in the past 12 months. University sources linked the surge to a backlog of applications that had been awaiting a decision for more than three months being refused at the same time, but this claim could not be verified.

How are UK universities responding?

Some institutions have stopped recruitment entirely from entire countries, including Pakistan, Bangladesh, Ghana and Sri Lanka, in recent months. Recruitment from high-risk markets now carries what the data describes as a clear warning to universities to proceed at their own risk.

Figures from HESA for 2024-25 show how heavily some universities depend on these seven markets: the University of West Scotland 95%, the University of East London 94%, the University of Hertfordshire 92%, Coventry University 84%, Ulster University 84% and the University of Sunderland 78%. Russell Group institutions were far less dependent, including University College London at 5% and the University of Manchester at 10%.

The University of Sunderland, which relied on risk markets for 78% of enrolments in 2024-25, has announced cuts of more than £40m to its annual budget in direct response to falling international student numbers.

Which countries are seen as low risk?

Sixteen countries hold refusal rates below 1%: China, the United States, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Thailand, Kuwait, South Korea, Canada, Taiwan, Japan, Indonesia, Singapore, Germany, France, Spain and Italy. In 2024/25, 67% of all enrolments from these countries went to Russell Group universities, which enrolled 38% of all new international entrants that year.

What this means for students from Sri Lanka

Because some universities have stopped recruitment entirely from Sri Lanka in recent months, prospective students should confirm whether their chosen institution is still enrolling students from the country before applying. Refusal rates for Sri Lankan applicants remain above the government's high-risk threshold, and the data shows no rebalancing so far.

No new policy change has been announced. The published figures cover refusals between Q3 2025 and Q2 2026, with the rolling 12-month refusal rate still trending upward.