A growing number of UK universities have begun restricting or suspending student recruitment from Pakistan and Bangladesh amid heightened Home Office scrutiny and rising visa refusal rates, raising concerns for prospective applicants from both countries.
At least nine institutions, including the University of Chester, University of Wolverhampton, University of East London, Sunderland, Coventry, Hertfordshire, Glasgow Caledonian, Oxford Brookes, BPP University, and London Metropolitan University, have recently introduced temporary limits or pauses on applications. Many cite increased visa refusals, longer processing times and the need to comply with stricter government regulations.
The shift comes after the Home Office introduced tougher Basic Compliance Assessment (BCA) thresholds in September, requiring universities to keep visa refusal rates below 5%, down from the previous 10%. Current refusal rates for students from Pakistan and Bangladesh at 18% and 22% respectively, significantly exceeding the cap, placing many institutions at risk of losing their student sponsor licenses.
Efforts to Discourage Visa Overstay
The government has linked the changes to efforts to curb visa abuse and reduce net migration, which has fallen to its lowest level in four years. Border security minister Dame Angela Eagle warned earlier that the student route “must not be used as a backdoor” to long-term settlement, following a rise in asylum claims from individuals who originally entered the UK on study or work visas.
Universities say the tightened rules leave them with little room for error. Several lower-fee institutions that depend heavily on international enrolment have warned that even a small number of problematic cases could jeopardise their compliance status. Some universities placed on Home Office “action plans” have temporarily halted recruitment from Pakistan and Bangladesh while they strengthen verification procedures.
Education consultants in Pakistan say the growing list of suspensions has disrupted plans for genuine students whose applications were withdrawn late in the process. They also point to weaknesses in the recruitment chain, accusing some overseas agents of prioritising volume over quality and contributing to the high refusal rates now affecting entire markets.
With more UK institutions expected to tighten their intake criteria, thousands of prospective students from Pakistan and Bangladesh now face longer timelines, fewer options and heightened uncertainty as they attempt to secure study places for upcoming academic intakes.
