Several universities in the United Kingdom have temporarily stopped or limited admissions for students from Pakistan and Bangladesh. This decision comes after the UK Home Office introduced stricter rules for student visas and reported a rise in asylum claims from applicants of these countries.
Universities such as Chester, Wolverhampton, East London, Sunderland, Coventry and a few others have said that they are facing higher visa refusal rates.
They also pointed out that visa processing has become slower, making it difficult for them to meet the new requirements. According to the updated rules, universities must keep their visa rejection rate below 5 percent if they want to continue recruiting international students without restrictions.
Education consultants are concerned that these new rules will create serious problems for many UK universities, especially those that rely heavily on foreign students for financial stability.
They believe that sudden restrictions could reduce the number of international applicants and affect the universities’ overall income. Some consultants also argue that the UK system needs stronger checks before applications are submitted, so universities do not face the burden later.
On the other hand, several recruitment agencies blame poor screening measures used by some overseas representatives. They claim that weak verification at the agent level leads to applicants who are not fully prepared or do not meet visa standards, resulting in higher refusal rates.
The UK government defends its new policies, saying that stricter rules are necessary to stop people from misusing the student visa pathway. Officials say the goal is to protect the credibility of the UK’s immigration system and ensure that visas are granted only to genuine students.
For now, students from Pakistan and Bangladesh may face delays or limited options as universities adjust to the new guidelines and try to improve their compliance standards.
