Drop in foreign students ‘pushing UK universities to financial ruin’

London Higher says economic impact is more significant than feared

The economic implications of a decline in the number of UK visas granted to international students have been underestimated and could push many universities to the “brink of financial ruin”, it has been claimed.

Monthly Home Office data suggest that the number of student visa applications from January to July 2024 was 16 per cent lower than in the same period in 2023. This follows quarterly government statistics showing that UK student visas issued in the 12 months to June 2024 were down 13 per cent on the previous year, fuelled by a fall in the number of applicants from India and Nigeria.