Some universities in the United Kingdom have withdrawn admission offers to Nigerian students amid stricter immigration rules and a sharp increase in student visa refusals by British authorities.
The development follows a rise in the proportion of UK study visa applications withdrawn in the first half of 2026, with Nigerian applicants among those affected.
According to a Financial Times report cited by Punch, 22.7 per cent of study visa applications from Nigerians were withdrawn between January and June 2026, compared with 4.5 per cent during the corresponding period in 2025.
The overall rate of withdrawn study visa applications rose to 10.5 per cent in the first half of 2026, up from 2.3 per cent in the same period last year and 0.4 per cent in 2023.
The increase has reportedly prompted universities to withdraw admission offers pre-emptively to avoid breaching new government compliance requirements that could prevent them from recruiting international students.
Under the tightened rules, institutions risk losing their permission to sponsor international students if their visa refusal rates exceed five per cent, a reduction from the previous 10 per cent threshold.
The crackdown has also affected applicants from other countries. The rate of withdrawn study visa applications from Pakistan rose to 40.9 per cent in the first half of 2026, while Bangladesh recorded 23.5 per cent. India’s rate increased to 5.2 per cent.
The report attributed the rising visa refusals partly to concerns among British authorities that some applicants were using student visas as a route to claim asylum.
Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sunderland, Sir David Bell, said the unexpected increase in visa refusals had forced some universities to take preventive measures.
“This has involved pulling back from international markets where a tougher approach is being taken to visa applications,” Bell said.
Similarly, Jamie Arrowsmith, director of Universities UK International, criticised the handling of some visa applications, arguing that inconsistent decisions had compelled universities to withdraw admission offers on a large scale.
The development has raised concerns about the financial stability of UK universities, many of which depend significantly on tuition fees paid by international students.
Vanessa Wilson, chief executive of University Alliance, warned that the situation could lead to institutional restructuring, job losses and the closure of courses and campuses.
The British government, however, has defended its tougher immigration measures, maintaining that universities must ensure responsible international student recruitment and protect the integrity of the country’s immigration system.
The policy shift poses fresh challenges for Nigerian students seeking admission to British universities, as institutions become more cautious about applicants whose visa applications could expose them to regulatory penalties.
