Shocking Drop: UK Study Visa Applications Fall by 27% in 2 Years

Key Highlights:

• New government rules banning dependents for master’s students.
• Total dependent study visa applications decreased from 23,800 in Jan-March 2022 to 6,700 in the same period in 2024.
• The Home Office suggests waiting until August or September for the impact of policy changes to be seen.

As per the UK study visa news, in the first quarter of 2024, applications from main applicants seeking to study in the UK dropped to 34,000, down from 46,900. This happened in the same period two years ago. The decline coincides with new government regulations that prohibit master’s students from bringing dependents. This leads to a significant decrease in total dependent UK study visa applications from 23,800 in January to March 2022 to just 6,700 in the same period this year. 

The Home Office suggests waiting until the peak in student applications for the next academic year, in August or September, to understand the impact of recent policy changes fully. However, some believe that the effects are already apparent, highlights the UK study visa news.

Concerns have been raised within the sector about how recent changes are dampening the enthusiasm of prospective international students to study in the UK. Diana Beech, CEO of London Higher, believes that the drop in applications in 2024 demonstrates the tangible impact of changes to the dependent visa and increased application fees. It has also impacted health surcharges and the ongoing graduate visa review on international students’ confidence in the UK.

Beech said, “We don’t know how many of the ‘brightest and best’ have been deterred from applying to the UK as a result, but it is now clear that the US has overtaken us as the top preferred study destination.”

Recent surveys support this trend, with a survey from IDP Connect showing the US as the top preferred study destination among more than 11,500 students from 117 countries, surpassing Australia, Canada, and the UK for the first time. Similar findings were reported in surveys earlier this year, with New Zealand, Germany, and the United States rising in popularity among students, highlights the UK study visa news.

Despite the government’s concerns about the number of dependents entering the country, London Higher sees no justification for further changes to the graduate route. Beech stated, “We now see no reason why there should be any additional changes imposed to the graduate route, so we hope to see a positive recommendation from the MAC on this in a few weeks’ time. We also hope this will be considered fairly by the government without pandering to popular politics.”

Conclusion

In a nutshell, the significant decline in UK study visa applications, particularly among main applicants and dependents, reflects the immediate impact of recent policy changes. The shift in preference towards the US as a study destination highlights the need for the UK government to carefully consider the implications of its policies on international student recruitment. Stay updated on the UK visa landscape with amber news.