UK universities restricts admission of students from Pakistan and Bangladesh

UK universities are shutting out applicants from Pakistan and Bangladesh as concerns grow over visa abuse and the impact of tougher Home Office rules.

At least nine institutions have now imposed recruitment restrictions on what they describe as “high-risk” countries, as they work to protect their student sponsor licenses.

The move comes after a sharp rise in asylum claims made by students who originally entered the UK on study or work visas. Faced with this trend, universities say they must tighten controls to meet new Home Office compliance thresholds.

Several institutions, including the University of Chester, have suspended recruitment from Pakistan until autumn 2026 after reporting an unexpected surge in visa refusals.

The University of Wolverhampton and the University of East London have also stopped accepting undergraduate applicants from Pakistan and Bangladesh. The University of Sunderland and Coventry have taken similar steps, saying the restrictions are necessary to maintain the integrity of the visa system.

This follows new rules introduced in September, which require universities to keep visa refusal rates below 5 per cent, half the previous limit.

But latest government figures show refusal rates for students from Pakistan and Bangladesh stand at 18 and 22 per cent, far above the new threshold. Together, applicants from the two countries account for nearly half of all student visa refusals in the past year.

The tightening of controls has placed particular pressure on lower-fee universities that rely heavily on international enrolments.

Some, like the University of Hertfordshire and Glasgow Caledonian University, have been placed under action plans requiring stricter compliance measures. Both have paused admissions from Pakistan and Bangladesh for certain intakes.

Other universities, including Oxford Brookes, BPP University, and London Metropolitan University, have also taken temporary steps to halt or limit recruitment from the two countries as they adjust to the new requirements.