The Home Office has announced new measures that could see universities banned from recruiting international students if too many drop out, amid concerns over visa abuse. Under the reforms unveiled on Thursday, institutions must achieve a course completion rate of at least 90%, up from 85%, and an enrolment rate of 95%, up from 90%, to retain sponsorship rights.
A traffic light rating system will be introduced from summer 2027, with red-rated universities facing recruitment restrictions and required to fund a 12-month action plan. Those failing to improve could lose their sponsorship rights entirely, the Home Office said.
Minister for Migration and Citizenship Mike Tapp stated: “The UK will always welcome genuine international students… but our visa system must not be used as a backdoor to asylum and illegal working.” He noted that student asylum claims have fallen by 30% in the last year but added: “We must go further.”
Data shows 10,835 study visa holders claimed asylum in the year to March 2026, down from peak study visa grants of 498,626 in the year ending June 2023. The most common nationalities claiming asylum were Pakistani and Eritrean, with many arriving legally or irregularly.
Professor Malcolm Press of Universities UK warned that international students contribute £37 billion in export earnings, and that recent declines have led to cost-cutting and job losses. He called for “policy stability, transparent visa decision-making, and real-time data” to build a fair system.
