Foreign student visa applications slump following stricter rules for dependants

Universities have raised concerns about their finances following a significant drop in international students applying for visas to study in the United Kingdom.

Data from the Home Office showed a 16% decrease in student visa applications made between July and September in 2024 compared to the previous year.

This considerable decline in applications comes after measures, introduced by the previous Conservative government, came into effect in January, banning international students from bringing dependants to the UK in most cases.

The drop in applications has been met with some praise from Conservative figures. Paul Holmes, the shadow immigration minister, said the changes “show the rules implemented by the previous Conservative Government […] continue to work and are bringing down unsustainable levels of legal migration”.

With figures suggesting the average university gets 20% of its total income from international fees […] these latest statistics have caused some to worry about the bleak financial prospects of many universities

However, these new statistics have also generated significant concern from others, with Universities UK pointing towards a challenging recruitment environment that could threaten the UK’s position as a top study destination.

With figures suggesting the average university gets 20% of its total income from international fees, which are charged on average at £22,000 a year, these latest statistics have caused some to worry about the bleak financial prospects of many universities.

Data from the Office for Students showed that 40% of universities in England were expected to run in a deficit even before these latest statistics were revealed.

Jo Grady, General Secretary of the University and College Union (UCU), has recently suggested that universities struggling financially should be bailed out, adding that the Labour government should “lift Tory visa restrictions as a first step towards stabilising universities”.

However, this idea, despite considerable public support, was flatly rejected by Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson, who stated that universities are expected to manage their own budgets as independent institutions.

Meanwhile, the government is planning a rise in tuition fees in response to the financial strain placed upon universities, with a rise in domestic tuition fees up to £10,500 a year expected within the next five years. Universities have also offered, in exchange, to work on reducing the numbers of international students they accept.