UK Universities Withdraw Admission Given to Nigerians, Reasons Emerge
- UK universities pulled back admission offers to international students from Nigeria, Pakistan and Bangladesh as student visa refusals doubled in early 2026
- The withdrawal rate for Nigerian applicants jumped from 4.5% to 22.7% in the first half of 2026, according to an analysis of Home Office data
- About 15 universities suspended recruitment from Pakistan, with refusal rates at nearly half of all universities exceeding a key licence threshold
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Universities across the United Kingdom are withdrawing admission offers from international students, including applicants from Nigeria, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, in response to a sharp rise in student visa refusals that has put institutions at risk of losing their licences to recruit overseas students.
An analysis of Home Office data by the Financial Times found that the share of study visa applications from Nigerian students that were withdrawn climbed from 4.5 per cent in the first half of 2025 to 22.7 per cent in the same period of 2026. Pakistani applicants saw the steepest jump, from three per cent to 40.9 per cent, while the rate for Bangladeshi students rose from 7.1 per cent to 23.5 per cent. Across all nationalities, withdrawn applications reached 10.5 per cent in the first six months of 2026, compared with 2.3 per cent during the same period a year earlier.
Source: Getty Images
Why UK universities are pulling offers
According to Vanguard, universities said the withdrawals were driven by a doubling of visa refusals in the first half of 2026, combined with a rule that puts institutions at risk of losing their international recruitment licences if more than five per cent of applicants holding offers have their visa rejected. Data from visa-processing firm Enroly showed that refusal rates at nearly half of all UK universities already exceed that threshold.
Sir David Bell, vice-chancellor of the University of Sunderland, said the "unexpected spike in visa refusals has prompted pre-emptive action in several universities," adding that this involved "pulling back from international markets where a tougher approach is being taken to visa applications." About 15 universities are believed to have suspended recruitment from Pakistan this year.
The Punch also reported that Professor Steven McGuire, deputy vice-chancellor of the University of East Anglia, said his institution began withdrawing offers from certain countries late last year after refusals rose sharply. Jamie Arrowsmith, director of Universities UK International, said: "Visa processing has become markedly less predictable."
Financial pressure on universities
The situation is adding to serious financial strain across the higher education sector. Some analysts warned that many institutions could see overseas student numbers fall by more than 20 per cent in 2026, making job cuts "inevitable" unless government policy changes. Universities also raised concerns about the reasons cited in some rejections, including cases involving students who had previously looked at studying in other countries.
The Home Office acknowledged that international students "make a positive contribution" to Britain, but said recruitment "must not be at the expense of recruiting responsibly, in turn protecting the integrity of our immigration system." It added that it was offering universities "support where needed to improve recruitment practices."
Source: Getty Images
How to apply for UK Commonwealth fellowship
Legit.ng earlier reported that the UK announced the opening of the 2026/27 Commonwealth Fellowship Programme, targeting mid-career professionals and university academics from Nigeria and other Commonwealth countries.
About 40 fully funded fellowships are available across two strands, covering six development themes, with an application deadline of August 25, 2026.
Successful fellows will receive return airfare, visa fee reimbursement, and a monthly stipend of up to £2,753, depending on their host location in the UK.
Source: Legit.ng
