Russian student numbers in UK plummet as hostility distances British universities from Moscow

The number of Russian admissions for study in the UK has hit a record low, with an increasingly hostile climate towards Russians and higher visa refusal rates contributing to this decline.

According to newly released Home Office statistics, only 1,275 Russian applicants were granted study or study-related visas between March 2024 and March 2025, a 20% reduction from the year before.

While international admissions on the whole are dropping, the plummet in admissions from Russia is comparatively greater.

Maia Chankseliani, Associate Professor of Comparative and International Education at the University of Oxford, suggested this is undoubtedly the result of the political climate.

Although there are no official restrictions on Russian admissions to UK universities, the perception of hostility towards Russia has led to a de facto ban on the practice

“The climate is hard to ignore,” she commented, before adding: “Some students may worry about being viewed with suspicion […] and those impressions tend to spread.”

Although there are no official restrictions on Russian admissions to UK universities, the perception of hostility towards Russia has led to a de facto ban on the practice.

As the Russo-Ukrainian war rages on, the UK’s academic sector has seemingly picked its side, with higher education partnerships with Ukraine having increased substantially in recent years.

This mirrors wider British policy in support of Ukraine, including the acceptance of 223,400 Ukrainians into the UK via a series of safe and legal routes set up for Ukrainians.

Further, reports of Russophobia as a result of the war have increased, with Russian students across Europe being subject to widespread discrimination.

If I say something bad about Russia, I will have problems there – if I say something good about Russia, I will have problems here

Russian student at University of Exeter

Kremlin ministries have even called for students to return home amid the intolerance, declaring they can “continue their studies at leading universities of the Russian Federation”. There have also been reports of students being rejected from UK universities “in response to the recent events and situation in Ukraine”.

One Russian student at the University of Exeter told Politico: “If I say something bad about Russia, I will have problems there – if I say something good about Russia, I will have problems here.”

Pro-Ukrainian policies, reaffirmed commitments to “stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes”, campus protests (such as those seen at the University of Warwick), and spikes in Russophobia have created a deeply unwelcoming environment for Russian students.

While it is difficult to predict when peace will be struck between Russia and Ukraine – with a second round of peace talks ending without an agreement of ceasefire last week –  it is clear that UK higher education institutions will welcome the peace in hopes of a resurgence in Russian admissions amid the sector’s financial crisis.