Indian student enrollments at British universities have fallen, new figures show, before visa rules were tightened, international postgraduate enrollments fell sharply.A survey was conducted by British Universities International Liaison Association The research found that 70% of UK universities reported fewer international students taking courses in January 2026, with overall enrollments down 31% on the same period last year.Enrollment of Indian students has also declined, with 76% of universities reporting a decline in enrollment from India. A similar pattern was seen in South Asia, with 82% of universities reporting a drop in the number of students from Pakistan, an average drop of 75%, while 65% reported a drop in the number of students from Bangladesh. These markets are increasingly seen as higher risk under the changing visa framework.The findings suggest universities are already adjusting their recruitment strategies ahead of tougher compliance measures. About a third of institutions have restricted hiring in certain countries, while 58% have tightened credibility checks or interview thresholds. A similar proportion requested higher deposits or stricter financial requirements to reduce the risk of visa rejection.According to a press release from BUILA, starting in June, the UK government will introduce a traffic light system to assess universities’ compliance with visa rules. Institutions need to keep denial rates below 4% to maintain a “green” rating. Those placed in the “amber” category will not be allowed to increase international student numbers, raising concerns about future growth and competitiveness. About half of the universities surveyed expect to receive at least one non-green rating under the new system.Despite tighter internal controls, universities report that visa processing still faces challenges. Around 60% said they had seen higher than usual rejection rates from UK Visas and Immigration during the January entry period. Additionally, 41% of respondents noted delays and problems with interview scheduling, and more than a third expressed concerns about inconsistent or unclear reasons for rejections, even when applicants met expected criteria.The department warns these trends could deter genuine students and impact the UK’s global standing in higher education. Andrew Bird, chairman of BUILA, said: “The UK already has one of the toughest student visa compliance regimes in the world and our members fully support protecting its integrity. But the government keeps changing the goalposts.”He added: “If introduced as currently proposed, the new system could cause significant damage to the reputation of our world-leading higher education sector. It could prevent genuine students from applying.”BUILA urges the government to improve the proposed system, including using an “amber” rating as a warning rather than a trigger for restrictions, and to increase transparency in visa decisions, providing universities with clearer grounds for refusal and better early warning signs.
