According to the Financial Times, at least nine universities have paused applications from what they describe as “high-risk” countries as they now aim to enrol only “genuine” students.

The University of Wolverhampton has halted undergraduate admissions from both countries, while Sunderland and Coventry have also suspended recruitment.

London Metropolitan University confirmed it has stopped taking applications from Bangladesh, noting that the country made up 60% of its visa refusals.

Meanwhile, the University of Chester has paused admissions from Pakistan until autumn 2026 after a sudden rise in visa rejections.

The University of Hertfordshire has similarly suspended recruitment from both Pakistan and Bangladesh until 2026, blaming long visa processing delays.

The move comes after new rules tightened the Basic Compliance Assessment (BCA) standards universities must meet to keep their sponsorship licences.

From September, institutions must keep visa refusal rates below 5%, down from the previous 10% threshold.

Official data shows refusal rates for Bangladeshi and Pakistani student visas at 22% and 18%, respectively, well above the new limit.

Combined, applicants from the two countries accounted for half of the 23,036 student visa refusals over the past year.

Asylum claims from citizens of both countries have also increased, with many initially entering the UK on study or work visas.

Border security minister Dame Angela Eagle warned that the visa system “must not become a backdoor” to settling in Britain.