UK study visa applications start to drop following post-study work rights restriction

By Minh Nga July 15, 2025 | 03:00 pm PT

The Britain's national flag flies next to the Elizabeth Tower, commonly known as Big Ben, on national day of reflection to mark the two year anniversary of the United Kingdom going into national lockdown, in London, Britain, March 23, 2022. Photo by Reuters

The number of U.K. study visa applications fell for the first time this year in June after the government announced in May that it would shorten post-study work rights for international students.

Interest from prospective international students had been ahead of 2024 for the first five months of the year, with 18,500 sponsored study visa requests filed in May, about 19% higher than the same month last year.

Between January and May, 76,400 prospective international students applied, a 29% increase compared to the first five months of 2024, surpassing levels from both 2023 and 2022.

However, data from the Home Office reveals a drop in June, with 27,900 applications for sponsored study visas, down 1.1% compared to the same period last year.

This decline follows the announcement in May that the post-study graduate visa, a major attraction for international students, would be shortened from two years to 18 months.

Looking at the 12 months ending in June 2025, the total of 424,900 study visa applications was down 7% on the year ending 2024, the Home Office said.

Additionally, only 7,900 family members applied for visas as dependents of students in the first half of 2025, a decrease of 28.8% compared to the same period in 2024.

This decline follows the U.K. government's ban, effective from January 2024, on master's students bringing dependents, a restriction previously only applied to undergraduates.

Lisa Randall, head of higher education at consulting firm RSM U.K., told Times Higher Education that the year-on-year decline of 7% in applications could be linked to "changing delivery models," such as the expansion of the Turing scheme in February, which allows students to access international placements through U.K.-affiliated campuses abroad without the need to travel to the U.K., thus reducing visa requirements.

She also mentioned that U.K. and international universities are partnering to offer U.K.-accredited degrees via joint degree programs and offshore campuses, enabling students to earn a U.K. degree without leaving their home country. This shift aligns with ongoing efforts in U.K. higher education to streamline operations and focus on high-demand courses.

In 2023/24, there were 732,285 international students studying at U.K. higher education institutions, making up 23% of the total student population. Of these, 75,490 students were from the EU. The total represents a 4% decrease from the record high in 2022/23.

India sent the most students to the U.K. in 2023/24 with 107,500 entrants, followed by China with 98,400, according to official government data.