British universities are canceling offers to prospective international students, particularly from Pakistan, Nigeria, and Bangladesh, in a bid to avoid a government ban on recruiting overseas applicants, the Financial Times reported.

The FT’s analysis of Home Office data shows that 10.5 percent of study visa applications were withdrawn in the first half of 2026. The figure stood at 2.3 percent in the same period of 2025 and 0.4 percent in 2023.

Foreign students can only apply for a visa once a university has made an offer, so revoking the offer automatically cancels the application. Universities told the paper that rescinded offers were the main reason for the rise.

Pakistan, Nigeria hit hardest

Withdrawals were steepest among applicants from countries the British government suspects of using student visas to file asylum claims.

According to the FT, 40.9 percent of Pakistani applications were withdrawn, up from 3 percent a year earlier. The share reached 22.7 percent for Nigeria, up from 4.5 percent, and 23.5 percent for Bangladesh, up from 7.1 percent. India saw a rise from 1.2 percent to 5.2 percent.

Higher education sector figures cited by the paper indicate that around 15 universities have halted recruitment from Pakistan altogether this year.

Tighter compliance threshold

Behind the retreat is a doubling of Home Office visa refusals compared with the first six months of last year, alongside new rules on university sponsorship. Institutions where more than 5 percent of applicants holding offers are refused visas now risk losing the right to recruit international students. The limit was previously 10 percent.

Data from Enroly, a firm that processes visa applications, suggests refusal rates at nearly half of universities exceed the 5 percent line, the FT reported.

Sector leaders criticize decisions

Jamie Arrowsmith, director of Universities UK International, acknowledged the need to protect public confidence in immigration controls but noted to the FT that “visa processing has become markedly less predictable.” He argued that many refusals rely on inconsistent and subjective reasoning, leaving universities no choice but to pull offers in large numbers.

The head of a Scottish university said the Home Office gave no real explanation beyond asylum concerns. He predicted overseas enrollment drops above 20 percent at many universities, making job cuts unavoidable without a policy change. The chief executive of University Alliance, a group of 20 professional and technical universities, further warned of restructuring, job losses, and course and campus closures.

The Home Office said international students make a positive contribution to Britain, but stressed that recruitment must be responsible in order to protect the integrity of the immigration system. It added that it was ready to support universities in improving their recruitment practices.