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Indian interest in UK universities declines amid stricter immigration rules
A key factor behind the declining student visa numbers is the UK government’s recent tightening of policies concerning dependant visas.
There is a significant drop in the number of Indian students applying to British universities due to tighter immigration rules. / Pexels
A significant drop has been recorded in the number of Indian students applying to British universities amid tighter immigration rules according to the latest data from the UK Home Office.
The data shows a 23 percent decrease in the issuance of sponsored study visas to Indian students, with 110,006 visas granted in the year ending June 2024. This marks a sharp decline of 32,687 visas compared to the previous year's total of 142,693.
This downturn follows a period of steady growth in the number of Indian students choosing the UK for higher education between 2019 and 2023. Indian students have traditionally been a dominant group among international students in the UK, particularly at the master’s level, where 81 percent of visas issued in the latest year were for postgraduate studies.
The decrease in interest is not confined to Indian students alone. The UK Home Office also reported a significant 46 percent drop in the number of visas granted to Nigerian students. Conversely, Pakistani nationals have now surpassed Nigerians to become the third-largest group of foreign students in the UK.
Meanwhile, Chinese nationals remain the second most common nationality after Indians to be granted sponsored study visas, with 107,236 visas issued, making up 25 percent of the total. However, a smaller proportion of these students are pursuing master’s degrees compared to their Indian counterparts, with only 59 percent at that level.
"Most of the increase in foreign students between 2019 and 2023 were from Indian and Nigerian nationals, but numbers for these nationalities have fallen in the latest year (by 23 percent and 46 percent respectively) with Pakistani nationals overtaking Nigerians as the third largest nationality in the latest year," stated the UK Home Office.
Sponsored study visas granted to the top 5 nationalities (main applicants), between the year ending June 2016 and the year ending June 2024. / UK Home OfficeWhat caused the decline?
A key factor behind the declining student visa numbers is the UK government’s recent tightening of policies concerning dependant visas. Since January 2024, only research-based postgraduate students are permitted to bring their partners and children to the UK.
This change has resulted in an 81 percent decrease in the number of dependent visas issued in the first half of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023, with only 11,675 visas granted.
Overall, the year ending June 2024 saw 94,253 visas issued to student dependants, representing a 39 percent reduction from the previous year. Despite the decline, the number of dependent visas is still nearly six times higher than in 2019.
Earlier, the Conservative Party government announced an increase in the annual salary required to bring a dependant to the UK, which took effect on Apr.11 as part of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s efforts to curb legal migration. However, the current administration, led by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, has temporarily paused plans to raise the minimum income requirement for sponsoring a family member on a family visa.
Currently, applicants must have an annual salary of GBP 29,000 (around US$36,046 at the current exchange rate) to qualify, reflecting a 55 percent increase from the previous threshold of GBP 18,600 (around US$23,119). The income threshold was initially set to rise further to GBP 38,700 (approximately US$49,293) by 2025.
This pause on raising the minimum income requirement is expected to benefit Indians planning to bring their families to the UK.
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