The number of Nigerian students entering UK universities has fallen sharply following tighter immigration rules, with a 60 per cent decline reported as British institutions struggle with falling international recruitment and mounting financial pressure.
An investigation by The Sunday Times found that 55 UK universities received £557 million less in international student fees in 2024-25 than they did two years earlier.
The newspaper linked much of the decline to tougher immigration rules, economic pressures in major overseas markets and increasing competition from universities in other countries. Nigeria recorded one of the biggest falls, with student numbers reported to have dropped by 60 per cent. India was down 25 per cent and China by 9 per cent.
However, more recent Home Office figures suggest Nigerian demand may be beginning to recover.
In the year ending March 2026, 28,405 sponsored study visas were granted to Nigerians, making Nigeria the third-largest source of international students receiving the visas after India and China. The figure was 33 per cent higher than a year earlier.
That means the longer-term fall from the earlier recruitment boom remains significant, but the latest visa figures show that the number of Nigerians choosing Britain is no longer moving in only one direction.
UK visa changes hit Nigerian postgraduate market
One of the biggest changes affecting Nigerian families came into force on 1 January 2024, when the UK restricted the ability of most international postgraduate students to bring partners and children with them.
Under current rules, students beginning postgraduate courses from that date can generally bring dependants only if they are studying for a PhD, another doctorate or a research-based higher degree. Government-sponsored students on qualifying courses are also covered by separate provisions.
The change particularly affected countries such as Nigeria, where many students had previously travelled to Britain for one-year taught master’s programmes accompanied by spouses and children.
Official Higher Education Statistics Agency figures had already recorded a 36 per cent fall in new Nigerian entrants in 2023-24, showing how quickly the market changed after the international student boom of previous years.
Across the UK, international student enrolment peaked at 758,865 in 2022-23 before falling to 685,565 in 2024-25, according to figures cited by The Sunday Times.
Universities compete harder for British students
The loss of some higher-paying international students is also changing competition within British higher education.
The Sunday Times investigation found that some highly selective universities have become more flexible when admitting UK undergraduate students, particularly through Clearing, the process used to fill courses that still have vacancies after the main admissions cycle.
In 2025, about 30 per cent of students entering higher-tariff universities had the equivalent of BBB grades at A-level or below, compared with 24 per cent in 2023. The number admitted with the equivalent of CCC grades also doubled over the same period.
But this does not mean Nigerian students can now automatically enter Russell Group or other leading universities with lower qualifications.
Entry requirements continue to vary by university, degree programme and applicant. International students must satisfy the academic requirements set by the institution and meet immigration conditions before they can obtain a Student visa.
Applicants should therefore check the official entry requirements for each programme rather than relying on reports that some universities have become more flexible.
UCAS also advises international applicants to check how their qualifications are treated by individual institutions. Some universities, for example, may accept qualifications such as Nigeria’s WAEC for particular purposes, including evidence of English ability, but policies differ between institutions.
Universities under growing financial pressure
The shift comes as universities face wider financial problems.
England’s higher education regulator, the Office for Students, said in May that 35.8 per cent of institutions reported deficits for 2024-25. It forecast that the proportion could rise to 42.7 per cent in 2025-26.
Nearly a quarter of institutions also reported restructuring costs during 2024-25, including voluntary redundancy programmes, with sector-wide restructuring costs reaching £218.2 million.
International students are financially important because they normally pay considerably higher tuition fees than British undergraduates.
From September, the standard tuition fee cap for many home undergraduates in England rises to £9,790 a year, while fees for international students can be several times higher and vary widely depending on the institution and course.
The financial pressure is not evenly distributed. Some leading universities continue to attract large numbers of international and domestic students, while institutions that relied heavily on overseas recruitment are facing greater difficulty.
Tougher rules for universities from June
UK universities are also facing stricter immigration compliance rules.
Since 1 June 2026, universities sponsoring international students must generally keep their Student visa refusal rate below 5 per cent and achieve an enrolment rate of at least 95 per cent to meet the core requirements of the government’s Basic Compliance Assessment.
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The tougher rules could make some institutions more cautious when issuing Confirmations of Acceptance for Studies, known as CAS, to overseas applicants whose visa applications they believe carry a greater risk of refusal.
Another change is approaching.
For most international graduates, including Nigerians, the UK’s Graduate visa currently lasts two years if they apply by 31 December 2026. Applications made from 1 January 2027 will normally receive an 18-month visa instead, although PhD and other doctoral graduates will continue to qualify for three years.
For Nigerian families considering Britain, the picture is therefore mixed.
UK universities still want international students, and the latest Home Office figures show Nigerian study visa grants recovering. But immigration rules are tighter, universities are under pressure to meet stricter compliance standards, and individual institutions remain responsible for deciding who qualifies for admission.
Prospective students should compare universities carefully, confirm course-specific academic requirements, calculate tuition and living costs and check the latest UK Student visa conditions before paying deposits or making major financial commitments.
