Study Abroad: UK student visas up by 18% in first half of 2025, but annual numbers less than last year

United Kingdom Study Visa: The United Kingdom granted significantly more student visas in the first half of 2025 compared to the same period last year, according to newly released UK Home Office data, with the number of UK student visas issued between January to June 2025 rising by 18%. However, the overall trend for the 12 months ending June 2025 reveals that the total number of sponsored student visas fell by 18%, landing at 4,31,725.

The count, however, was still 52% higher than pre-pandemic levels in 2019. Of the total, 4,13,921 were issued to main applicants while about 17,804 were for dependents, such as spouses or children.

The decline in UK student visa grants is largely attributed to a major policy shift. The UK government announced last year that from January 2024 only students enrolled in research programmes would be allowed to bring in dependents to the country. This led to an 81% decline in dependent visas. Previously, students in taught master’s courses were also allowed to bring their families to the UK.

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UK Study Visa: Where students came from

China, India, USA, Nigeria and Pakistan were the top five source countries to send students to the UK. China, India and Nigeria continued to send the largest number of students to the country collectively accounting for 66% of all student visas. China and India continue to dominate with almost equal numbers of student visas, each making up about 24% of the total. Pakistan follows third with 9% UK study visas granted to main applicants.

However, these countries saw a dip in the numbers as well. Chinese students received around 99,919 (24%) study visas in the year ending June 2025, about 7% fewer than the previous year. Indian student visas fell to 98,014 – an 11% drop; and Nigeria saw the steepest fall at around 25%. Pakistan and the United States showed small increases of 9% and 7%, respectively.

“The decrease in visas issued from 2024 was due to fewer dependants following a policy change…, whereby only research-based postgraduate students are allowed to bring dependants (partners and children) to the UK,” said the Home Office, adding: “Policy changes are one of a number of factors that affect visa application volumes.”

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UK student visa extensions

According to the UK Home Office data, in the year ending June 2025, 35,181 main applicants were allowed to extend their stay to study in UK. This allowed them to continue their courses or move onto a sponsored study route. The figure is nearly the same as in the year ending June 2024, when 34,879 extensions were granted.

Over the same period, 5,985 dependents were also granted extensions alongside a main applicant on a sponsored study route – a 9% drop compared to last year.

Indian students are also staying longer in the UK to pursue further studies with about 6,260 visas – second highest after China – getting extensions in the year ending June 2025.

However, the release mentions that study extension grants are usually the highest in the third and fourth quarters of the year, as that is when academic courses start.

Most international students in the UK are enrolled in postgraduate programmes, especially the one-year master’s degree. Over 60% of all study visas granted in the past five years were for master’s courses.

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Indian students showed the highest preference for this route, with about 81% studying at the master’s level, while 59% of Chinese students are pursuing postgraduate courses.