Business Standard ·
UK study visas fall 16%: New rules, fewer dependants and what's changed
Stricter dependant rules and immigration curbs are reshaping the UK study route as applications fall for a second year.
The United Kingdom recorded a 16 per cent fall in applications for sponsored study visas in the year to August 2026, with the decline coming as tighter immigration rules continue to reshape the route for international students.
According to provisional Home Office data published last week, the country received 360,700 applications from main study visa applicants in the 12 months to August 2026. This was 16 per cent lower than the corresponding period a year earlier.
Applications from student dependants fell even more sharply, dropping 22 per cent to 17,000.
UK study visa applications: What the latest data shows
The latest figures cover applications made between September 1, 2025 and August 31, 2026.
Together, applications from main students and their dependants stood at about 377,700 during the period.