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In a major policy shift, nine British universities have suspended new admissions for students from Pakistan and Bangladesh, citing a surge in asylum applications and growing pressure to accept only “genuine” international students.
Foreign media reports confirm that several UK higher education institutions have labelled Pakistan and Bangladesh as “high-risk” countries, prompting an immediate halt in new student recruitment. The move follows a sharp rise in asylum claims filed by international students during their stay in the UK.
Universities affected include Wolverhampton, East London, Sunderland, Coventry, and others that have revised their intake policies. The University of Wolverhampton has stopped accepting undergraduate applicants from both countries, while the University of East London has completely suspended recruitment from Pakistan.
According to the reports, nearly 20% of Pakistani student visa applications are now being rejected, reflecting the tightening scrutiny.
UK Border Security Minister Dame Angela Eagle warned that the student visa route must not be
“used as a backdoor to settle in the UK,” emphasizing stricter checks and zero tolerance for misuse of study visas.
Officials from the Ministry of Border Security said asylum applications filed by Pakistani and Bangladeshi students had increased “significantly,” making tougher measures unavoidable.
An official stated,
“The misuse of asylum and immigration under the guise of study visas is unacceptable, and institutions must ensure compliance.”
