UK universities are shutting their doors to applicants from Pakistan and Bangladesh, citing soaring visa refusal rates and tightened Home Office requirements.
At least nine higher education institutions have imposed restrictions, leaving thousands of genuine students stranded and the international education sector under pressure.
Many UK universities have moved to halt or limit applications from students in Pakistan and Bangladesh, which Home Office officials classify as high-risk due to increased visa scrutiny.
The challenge is steep: Pakistan’s average student visa refusal rate reached 18% in the year to September 2025, while Bangladesh’s refusal rate stood even higher at 22%.
Together, both countries accounted for half of the 23,036 visa refusals recorded by the Home Office during the same period.
Asylum claims from Pakistani and Bangladeshi nationals have also increased, mostly among individuals who initially entered the UK on work or study visas.
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