List of UK universities that paused recruitment
This table lists only universities named in mainstream news reports. Several pauses were announced “until autumn 2026” or “until September 2026”, so some may now have been lifted or extended. Always check the university's own country page or ask its admissions team before you apply.
| University | Countries affected | What was reported | Reported | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Chester | Pakistan | Suspended recruitment, citing a “recent and unexpected rise in visa refusals”; pause reported to run until autumn 2026 | Dec 2025 | Dawn (reporting FT), The Daily Star |
| University of Wolverhampton | Pakistan, Bangladesh | Stopped accepting undergraduate applications | Dec 2025 | Dawn (reporting FT), The Daily Star |
| University of East London | Pakistan | Paused recruitment | Dec 2025 | Dawn (reporting FT), TBS News |
| University of Sunderland | Pakistan, Bangladesh | Suspended recruitment, saying it was “necessary to maintain the integrity of the student visa system” | Dec 2025 | The Daily Star, Dhaka Tribune |
| Coventry University | Pakistan, Bangladesh | Suspended recruitment | Dec 2025 | The Daily Star, TBS News |
| University of Hertfordshire | Pakistan, Bangladesh | Paused recruitment, reported to run until September 2026 | Dec 2025 | The Daily Star, TBS News |
| Oxford Brookes University | Pakistan, Bangladesh | Paused January 2026 undergraduate recruitment | Dec 2025 | Dawn (reporting FT), TBS News |
| Glasgow Caledonian University | Pakistan, Bangladesh | Made temporary intake changes; some pauses were later reported as lifted | Dec 2025 | Dawn (reporting FT), TBS News |
| BPP University | Pakistan (reported) | Temporarily halted recruitment | Dec 2025 | Dawn (reporting FT), TBS News |
| London Metropolitan University | Bangladesh | Stopped recruiting; Bangladesh reportedly accounted for 60% of its visa refusals | 2025 | The Daily Star, The PIE News |
| University of Derby | Pakistan, Bangladesh | Paused new recruitment until at least autumn 2026; students already holding a CAS could continue, other applications cancelled with full refunds | Mar 2026 | The PIE News |
Why are UK universities restricting students from Bangladesh and Pakistan?
From September 2025 the Home Office cut the maximum visa refusal rate a university may have under its Basic Compliance Assessment from 10% to 5%. In the year to September 2025, student visa refusal rates were around 22% for Bangladesh and 18% for Pakistan, and applicants from these two countries made up about half of the 23,036 student visa refusals.
Since 1 June 2026 the rules are even tighter. Universities must also keep enrolment at 95% or above and course completion at 85% (90% from June 2027), and each university now gets a red-amber-green rating based on its weakest score, to be published from 2027. A university that falls into the red risks losing its licence to sponsor any international student. Faced with that risk, many universities have chosen to stop or limit recruitment from countries with high refusal rates, rather than risk their whole international programme.
The impact is already visible: ICEF Monitor reports that UK study visa grants to Pakistani nationals in Q2 2026 were down around 90% on a year earlier, and that refusal rates were especially high for India, Nigeria, Bangladesh and Ghana.
Sources: Dawn (reporting FT), Prothom Alo, ICEF Monitor, ICEF Monitor (Sept 2026)
Home Office “visa brake”: Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar and Sudan
In March 2026 the Home Office introduced a pause on study visa applications from Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar and Sudan, citing high levels of asylum claims from students of those nationalities. Unlike the university pauses above, this is a government measure. Students from these countries can currently only access UK degrees through online or transnational (TNE) routes, and nine universities, including King's College London, Cardiff University and the University of St Andrews, have joined a scholarship initiative offering those pathways.
Source: The PIE News
Buckinghamshire New University's sponsor licence suspended
On 30 September 2026 the Home Office suspended Buckinghamshire New University's student sponsor licence. The Home Office did not publicly give the reason. Current sponsored students can continue while their permission remains valid; the university has 20 working days to respond before the licence could be revoked. New international applicants should wait for an outcome before relying on an offer. Full details on UK sponsor licence suspensions.
Source: Times Higher Education
Other restrictions you may hear about
Education agents in Bangladesh and Pakistan also report many partial restrictions: universities that accept only postgraduate students, only certain courses, or only applicants from certain regions (for example, restrictions on applicants from Sylhet). These rules are often shared privately with agents and change at short notice, so they are not listed here. The safest step is to ask the university directly, in writing, whether it is currently accepting applicants from your country, region and course level.
What should students from Bangladesh and Pakistan do now?
- Don't panic: most UK universities are still recruiting. The list above is a minority of the UK's 160+ universities.
- Check before you pay. Confirm on the university's website or by email that it is accepting your nationality, region and level for your intake before paying any deposit.
- Make your application genuinely strong. Universities are screening harder before issuing a CAS: clean, well-explained bank statements; consistent academic history; a clear reason for your course choice; honest answers in credibility interviews.
- Consider postgraduate study. Several restrictions apply only to undergraduate applicants.
- Never use false documents or an agent who promises a guaranteed visa. A refusal for deception can follow you for years.
- Keep alternatives open: UK degrees delivered in your country (TNE), or destinations such as Canada, where master's and PhD students are now exempt from the study permit cap. See my study abroad guide.
Sabbir Khan's view
I have worked in Bangladeshi and South Asian student recruitment since 2014, and this is one of the most significant shifts I have seen. The pauses are not a judgement on Bangladeshi or Pakistani students, who include some of the most talented people I have worked with. They are a reaction to compliance rules where a small number of weak or dishonest applications can put a university's entire licence at risk.
The way forward is quality over volume: better counselling, honest agents, genuine students and courses matched to real careers. Institutions and partners who build that trust will be the first to reopen these markets. For more, see the latest study abroad news.
Frequently asked questions
Which UK universities stopped taking students from Bangladesh?
According to news reports since December 2025, universities that paused or restricted recruitment from Bangladesh include the University of Wolverhampton (undergraduate), University of Sunderland, Coventry University, University of Hertfordshire, Oxford Brookes University (January 2026 undergraduate), Glasgow Caledonian University (temporary), London Metropolitan University and the University of Derby. Status can change, so check with each university.
Which UK universities stopped recruiting from Pakistan?
Reported restrictions on Pakistan include the University of Chester, University of Wolverhampton (undergraduate), University of East London, University of Sunderland, Coventry University, University of Hertfordshire, Oxford Brookes University, Glasgow Caledonian University (temporary), BPP University and the University of Derby.
Why are UK universities not accepting Bangladeshi and Pakistani students?
Because the Home Office cut the maximum visa refusal rate universities can have from 10% to 5%, while refusal rates for Bangladeshi and Pakistani applicants were about 22% and 18%. Universities that breach the limits risk losing their licence to sponsor all international students.
Can Bangladeshi students still study in the UK in 2026?
Yes. Most UK universities are still recruiting from Bangladesh, often with stricter checks. Confirm that your chosen university is accepting your nationality, region and course level before paying a deposit, and prepare a strong, genuine application.
Which countries are under the UK study visa brake?
In March 2026 the Home Office paused study visa applications from Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar and Sudan. Students from these countries can currently access UK degrees only through online or transnational education routes.
Md Sabbir Khan is an International Partnerships Director based in London with 12+ years in international student recruitment across the UK, Canada, Australia, South Asia and MENA. More about Sabbir Khan · LinkedIn