The University of Lincoln has joined a growing number of universities across the United Kingdom (UK) calling for the government to reconsider its recently imposed visa restrictions on international students, according to a report by the BBC.
These restrictions, which came into effect at the beginning of 2024, prevent some students from bringing their families with them to the UK.
The UK government said the new rules were part of measures to curb immigration.
As a result, Lincoln University said it had seen a 51% drop in allocations from international students since the changes were applied.
Student Raha Fazlollahei, from Iran, said it was “really heartbreaking” to be so far away from her family, but said it was also an opportunity to be independent.
The university, like most, said it relied on international student fee income to compensate for the freeze on home tuition fees.
It said international student applications fell from 2,995 in 2023-24 to 1,460 in 2024-25.
Nationally, Home Office figures showed the 393,125 visas that were granted in 2024 represented a 14% drop on the figures from 2023, but that it was still 46% higher than in 2019.
“Removal of the dependents visa has made the UK a less attractive study destination overall in a competitive global marketplace for student recruitment, particularly for international masters students,” the university said.
“We support sector calls for a more evidence-based approach to international students in national immigration policy, which recognises the need to manage true migration without jeopardising the economic and societal benefits of the UK’s standing as a global study destination.”
Cost implications for Nigerians
Godswill James, from Nigeria, is studying IT and said although the changes “had impacted”, there were other contributing factors, such as initial course fee deposits and the cost.
It is costing him between £25,000 and £30,000.
Fellow student Sibghatullah Karimi, from Afghanistan, believed those figures represented a “big challenge” to some countries.
He said: “The students from Asian and African countries, their currency difference is too high, so if we convert that currency, it would be in the millions.”
It is estimated one in seven at the university are international students.
The government has been contacted for comment, but has previously said international students “will always be welcome but the net migration levels seen in recent years have been completely unacceptable, and we have committed to reducing those numbers substantially”.
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