The UK government plans to tighten student visa rules and may stop universities from recruiting international students if they fail new compliance targets, with Nigeria among countries facing extra scrutiny.

Under changes announced by the Home Office, universities risk losing their licence to sponsor foreign students if more than 5% of visa applications are refused, down from 10%. Institutions must also ensure at least 95% of international students enrol and 90% complete their courses, up from 90% and 85% respectively.


From summer 2027, a traffic light rating system will publicly rank universities on recruitment practices. Institutions rated red will face caps on student numbers and must fund a 12-month action plan. Those that do not improve could lose the right to recruit international students altogether.

The Home Office said the reforms aim to curb visa abuse and high asylum claims linked to the student route. A “visa brake” has already been imposed on nationals of Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar and Sudan following a surge in asylum claims.

Nigerian Students Affected 
Nigeria is one of the countries named for additional checks. Visa applications from Nigeria, Pakistan and Sri Lanka will face more scrutiny, including social media checks and financial background investigations.

The measures follow earlier restrictions introduced in January 2024 that stopped most international students from bringing dependants, except those on postgraduate research courses or government-funded scholarships.

Officials said the new rules do not amount to a blanket ban on Nigerian students. Students applying to universities with strong compliance records are unlikely to see disruption.


The policy could make it harder for Nigerian students to gain admission to UK universities with high visa refusal or dropout rates. Universities are expected to tighten admissions checks and documentation requirements to protect their sponsor licences.

The UK also cut the Graduate Route post-study work visa from two years to 18 months and added tighter conditions for switching to work visas.

A Home Office spokesperson said the UK remains open to genuine international students but institutions must recruit responsibly.