Several universities in the United Kingdom have introduced temporary bans or strict limits on student admissions from Pakistan and Bangladesh, citing visa compliance pressures and rising concerns over immigration rules.
At least nine UK institutions have now imposed recruitment restrictions on what they describe as “high-risk” countries in an effort to safeguard their student sponsor licenses.
The decision follows an increase in asylum claims submitted by students who originally entered the UK on study or work visas. Institutions say they must tighten controls to meet tougher Home Office requirements.
Universities including the University of Chester have suspended recruitment from Pakistan until autumn 2026, after reporting a spike in visa refusals. Other institutions, such as the University of Wolverhampton and University of East London, have also stopped accepting undergraduate applicants from Pakistan and Bangladesh. Sunderland and Coventry have taken similar steps and say the move is necessary to protect visa sponsorship integrity.
The crackdown follows new rules introduced in September that require universities to keep visa refusal rates below 5%, down from the previous limit of 10%.
However, recent government data shows refusal rates for students from Pakistan (18%) and Bangladesh (22%), both well above the compliance threshold. Together, students from these countries represented nearly half of all visa refusals in the past year.
Lower-fee universities, which depend heavily on international enrollment, appear to be under the most pressure. University of Hertfordshire and Glasgow Caledonian University are now operating under strict action plans and have paused admissions from Pakistan and Bangladesh for select intakes.
Other institutions, including Oxford Brookes, BPP University, and London Metropolitan University, have taken temporary measures to halt or limit recruitment from the two countries while adjusting to the new Home Office standards.
