The United Kingdom has recorded a sharp rise in student visa rejections alongside a significant decline in international study applications, according to new figures released by the UK Home Office.
Data published on May 21 revealed that only 35,625 sponsored study visas were issued between January and March 2026 — the lowest first-quarter figure since 2020.
The number represents a nearly 33 per cent drop compared to the same period in 2025 and a 60 per cent decline from the peak recorded in 2023. Applications also fell across all of the UK’s top 10 countries of origin for international students.
In the 12 months ending March 2026, the UK granted a total of 409,954 study visas, reflecting a 3 per cent decrease from the previous year and a 34 per cent reduction compared to the year ending March 2023.
Despite the decline in applications, visa refusal rates increased sharply. During the first quarter of 2026, rejected applications rose by 56 per cent year-on-year to 5,499 cases.
Although the number of refusals was only slightly above 2023 levels, the lower volume of applications pushed rejection rates to their highest level in a decade. Between January and March, around 13 per cent of study visa applications were denied — double the rate recorded in 2025 and the highest since 2015.
International students have also reported longer visa processing delays since January, with applicants from Pakistan said to be among the hardest hit.
The stricter visa environment followed recent changes to the UK’s graduate visa policy. Under the revised rules introduced in January, international students can now remain in the UK for 18 months after graduation instead of the previous two-year period.
While refusal rates for applicants from countries such as India, Nepal, and China rose only slightly, some nations experienced far steeper increases.
Visa rejections for Nigerian applicants reportedly quadrupled during the period, while refusal rates for applicants from Pakistan and Sri Lanka tripled.
Statistics showed that just 1 per cent of applicants from China and the United States were denied visas. Refusal rates stood at 4 per cent for Nepal and 7 per cent for India. However, rejection rates climbed to 21 per cent for Nigeria and 39 per cent for Pakistan.
In anticipation of stricter visa compliance measures, some UK universities have reportedly reduced or suspended recruitment activities in countries with high rejection rates.
Separate Home Office data also indicated a major decline in visas issued to master’s degree students. About 21,700 entry clearance visas were granted to master’s applicants in the first quarter of 2026, down 35 per cent from 33,300 during the same period in 2025.
The drop has pushed one of the UK higher education sector’s most important sources of international revenue to its lowest level in six years.
