In a significant policy shift, multiple universities across the United Kingdom have suspended or heavily restricted admissions for students from Pakistan and Bangladesh. This move, reported by the Financial Times, comes as a direct response to stricter UK immigration rules and mounting worries about potential misuse of the student visa system.
Universities Take Action: A "High-Risk" Classification
The report reveals that at least nine higher education institutions have now labeled Pakistan and Bangladesh as "high-risk" nations for student visas. To safeguard their licenses to sponsor international students, these universities have tightened their enrollment policies. This crackdown follows two key developments: a notable increase in asylum claims from international students and a regulatory change in September that lowered the maximum permitted visa refusal rate for sponsoring institutions from 10% to just 5%.
The University of Chester has suspended recruitment from Pakistan until the autumn of 2026, pointing to a sudden and sharp rise in visa refusals. Similarly, the University of Wolverhampton has stopped accepting undergraduate applications from both Pakistan and Bangladesh. The University of East London has implemented a complete pause on recruitment from Pakistan.
Other institutions joining this restrictive wave include the University of Sunderland, Coventry University, the University of Hertfordshire, Oxford Brookes University, Glasgow Caledonian University, and the private BPP University. All have curtailed admissions as a risk-mitigation measure.
The Stark Numbers Behind the Decision
The data underscores the scale of the issue. Current student visa refusal rates for Pakistani and Bangladeshi applicants stand at a staggering 18% and 22% respectively. These figures far exceed the new 5% compliance threshold set by UK authorities. Applicants from these two countries alone were responsible for half of the 23,036 student visa refusals recorded by the UK Home Office in the year ending September 2025.
Compounding the problem is a parallel rise in asylum claims from nationals of both countries, often involving individuals who first entered the UK on study or work visas. UK ministers have explicitly warned that the study route "must not be used as a backdoor" to permanent settlement.
Consequences and Concerns for Genuine Students
International education consultant Vincenzo Raimo highlighted the "real dilemma" this creates for universities that rely on overseas student fees, particularly those with lower tuition. He warned that even a small number of problematic cases could push an institution over the tightened refusal rate limit, jeopardizing its entire international sponsorship license.
The measures have drawn concern from education advisers in Pakistan. Maryem Abbas, founder of Lahore-based Edvance Advisors, described the university decisions as "heart-breaking" for genuine students who face last-minute application rejections. She attributed part of the problem to weak oversight of recruitment agents, which she said has allowed the student visa pathway to be turned into a "moneymaking business" rather than a genuine educational route.
This development marks a challenging period for aspiring students from Pakistan and Bangladesh, placing greater scrutiny on application integrity and the role of educational agents in the recruitment process.
