Nine British universities have stopped admitting students from Bangladesh and Pakistan after tougher Home Ministry rules came into effect. The rules make it clear that universities sponsoring students from these two countries, which have high visa refusal rates, risk losing their license to operate.
Generally, 18% of Pakistanis applying for UK visas are rejected. The figure is 22% for Bangladesh. Add to that, there is a view that many students from these countries see their study visa as a “back door” to permanent settlement in the UK. They claim asylum, citing fear of persecution if they return home. Such asylum claims are often found to be spurious.
The universities of Chester, Wolverhampton, and East London have already started restricting admissions, falling in line with the updated Basic Compliance Assessment (BCA) system. This requires universities to ensure that no more than 5 percent of their sponsored visa applications are refused. The earlier limit was 10 percent.
The British government has framed these changes as part of its broader effort to curb immigration. Minister for Border Security Dame Angela Eagle also confirmed this.
The new rules have created uncertainty for thousands of prospective students who were set to begin courses in the coming weeks. The Pakistani daily Express Tribune warned that UK universities could face losses if foreign students are replaced by British students who pay lower tuition fees. It also urged Pakistan’s government to act against education agents who forge documents to secure student visas for unqualified applicants.
Md Mustafizur Rahman, a senior consultant with Global Admission, told Prothom Alo that Bangladeshi students should use UK student visas responsibly rather than as a route to other destinations.
