How many people are coming to Britain on student visas?
In the few short years since Brexit, numerous rule changes have impacted the number and type of students coming to the UK.
In January 2023, Sami and his two children arrived from India as dependents of his wife, who was accepted to study on a master’s course in London.
They were among the 657,000 people granted student and dependant visas in the year to June 2023, the highest number in figures collected since 2006.
Nearly 200,000 of those – 28% of the total – were from India, making it the top nationality, followed by Nigeria and China. Together, these three nationalities accounted for two thirds of all student visas granted.
Sami – which is not his real name – claims that agents in India helped to create fake financial documents to secure the family’s visa approval, and that these were used in their application to the Home Office.
Sami also says his wife never intended to study.
While many of the students who arrive in the UK have legitimate documentation, it is impossible to know exactly how many do not – the Home Office collects figures on detected cases but does not publish them, while Sami’s case was allegedly undetected.
The number of student visas granted has since fallen by a third from its 2023 peak, to 436,000 in the latest figures for the year ending June 2025, though remains higher than the average 305,000 per year from 2012 to 2021.
In 2023, there were 154,000 visas granted for the dependents of students, for example partners and children – more than one dependant for every three main student visas granted. By 2025, the number of had fallen to 18,000.
This was largely driven by rule changes introduced by the Conservatives in January 2024, limiting students’ ability to bring dependents with them to the UK – meaning this option would now be closed to Sami’s family.
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Sami says he wants to stay in the UK
New rules to prevent visa switching
Sami says he paid all his savings to agents in India who told him that he and his wife would easily be able to switch their visas when they arrived and pursue their dream of settling in the UK.
Indeed, from around 2019, the practice of visa switching became increasingly common with students more likely to move to a work or other visa either before their course finished or at the end of their studies. They were also more likely to stay in the UK for longer.
A quarter of international students who first came to study in 2019 were still in the UK five years later in 2024 with valid leave to remain – the highest proportion since the Home Office began keeping records in 2008.
Similarly, students who arrived in 2021 were far more likely to remain in the UK at the end of three years than their predecessors, increasing from around 34% from 2011 to 2018, to 59% by 2021.
And those who were still in the UK after three years were for the first time more likely to be working than still studying.
The Home Office says the increase can be explained by a larger number of students at master’s level transitioning to the graduate and other work routes.
Attempts by Sami and his family to switch visa have so far been unsuccessful, as their original visas were cancelled when his wife failed to register on her master’s course.
Rules brought in by Rishi Sunak’s government from July 2023 now prevent people from arriving on student visas switching to work ones before completing their studies.
Universities supported closing this “loophole”, says Jamie Arrowsmith, director of Universities UK International, as it was “not in the university’s interest if individuals come on a study visa and then leave their courses after three months”.
The government now plans to reduce the time that graduates can stay on to work after their studies from two years to 18 months.
Stricter rules are also in place from this month around visa refusal and course completion rates that universities must meet, with penalties for universities and sponsors that fail to meet targets.
“Effectively, the government is tightening regulation that already exists. That will be challenging for universities, and it will take time, but ultimately those changes are going to be implemented, and we’ve been working closely with government,” Mr Arrowsmith told Sky News.
Sami’s wife cooked dinners out of a cupboard in the one bedroom the family lived in
Asylum claims
Sami and his family have applied for asylum and are currently awaiting a decision on their case, in the hope of securing valid leave to remain in the UK.
Sami has told us he wants to be able to work in the UK, but as he is currently without a valid visa or asylum, he’s not legally allowed to.
The family were assessed as destitute by social services and received support from council and charities.
The number of asylum claims from people who originally arrived on student visas has increased more than those on other visa types in recent years, with 14,800 asylum claims in the year ending June 2025, though down from a peak of 16,500 in the year to June 2023.
For every 50 student visas granted between 2021 and 2025, one person applied for asylum who had originally held a student visa.
There isn’t data available on the proportion of those claims that were successful.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has said she wants to “clamp down” on people claiming asylum at the end of their study visa, and the government is actively contacting international students to warn them not to overstay their visa.
In the year to June 2025, 10,441 people were returned voluntarily, or forcibly removed, who had previously applied for asylum, though not all of those would have applied for asylum within that year.
Universities rely on international fees
Fee income from international students has been an important part of universities’ funding models since 2018/19, says Mr Arrowsmith, as successive governments have chosen not to increase student funding in line with inflation.
This has meant that universities have had to make up the shortfall in other ways, which has been mostly through international student fee income.
Foreign students’ fees contributed 23% of universities total income in 2023/24, at £12.1bn, increasing from 16% of university income in 2018/19.
“We have seen a decline in the last two years of the number of international students coming to the UK, and that does pose challenges for finances of UK universities,” Mr Arrowsmith said.
“Ultimately what we need is a more sustainable funding settlement for our universities”.
The Data and Forensics team is a multi-skilled unit dedicated to providing transparent journalism from Sky News. We gather, analyse and visualise data to tell data-driven stories. We combine traditional reporting skills with advanced analysis of satellite images, social media and other open source information. Through multimedia storytelling we aim to better explain the world while also showing how our journalism is done.
Sir Keir Starmer will host the first meeting of his new-look cabinet today, as the race to replace Angela Rayner as Labour’s deputy leader gets under way.
Left-wing MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy has become the first to throw her hat into the ring, after former transport secretary Louise Haigh – who resigned last November – ruled herself out.
Politics Hub: Follow latest ahead of PM’s cabinet meeting
Ms Haigh said she would prefer to stay on the backbenches where she can “speak plainly and campaign boldly”.
Ms Ribeiro-Addy has the backing of the Socialist Campaign Group (SCG), which met in Westminster on Monday night to coalesce around one candidate following criticism of the contest’s rules.
Hopefuls wishing to enter the race only have until Thursday to secure the backing of 80 of their colleagues, which some backbenchers perceived as a “stitch-up” to prevent MPs on the left from standing.
In a post on X last night, Ms Ribeiro-Addy said she looked forward to explaining her candidacy “over the three short and undemocratic days we have to do so”.
The Clapham and Brixton Hill MP has been backed by former Corbynite Richard Burgon, who said she “would ensure Labour members’ voices are heard at the top of our party – and not sidelined by yet more stitch-ups”.
Brian Leisham, the MP for Alloa and Grangemouth, echoed that praise, writing on X: “The party needs a strong voice from the left as deputy leader. Someone who will represent the politics and opinions of the rank and file grassroots members who want to see us govern by real Labour values.”
Ms Ribeiro-Addy was sacked as trade envoy for rebelling against the government over welfare cuts in July.
Bell Ribeiro-Addy. Pic: House of Commons
MPs keen for non-London candidates
Many Labour MPs have said they want a woman to take over from Ms Rayner, who resigned last week after admitting to underpaying stamp duty on a new flat.
However, they have also said they want someone from outside London to counteract the number of MPs from the capital in government – including Sir Keir’s new deputy prime minister, David Lammy.
Read more:
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This might also make things tricky for Dame Emily Thornberry, a fellow London MP who has been approaching colleagues about standing.
In a WhatsApp message seen by Sky News, the chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee said the government has made “too many mistakes” on issues like welfare reform and Gaza, and Number 10 “aren’t listening” to the concerns of backbenchers.
Emily Thornberry
But Patrick Hurley, the MP for Southport in Merseyside, told Sky News he would like a deputy leader who is “geographically closer to home”.
Lewis Atkinson, the MP for Sunderland Central, said on X that, given the geographical distribution of the current cabinet, he will also be looking to support “a non-London woman”.
Backbench MPs Callum Anderson and Connor Naismith have expressed a similar view, as have the likes of Labour peer Harriet Harman and Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham.
‘We need strong voices pushing for renewal’
Northern female MPs being encouraged to stand include the former transport secretary Ms Haigh as well as former Leader of the House of Commons, Lucy Powell, who was sacked in the cabinet reshuffle last week.
Ms Powell, the MP for Manchester Central, is understood to be “taking soundings” after being approached by colleagues.
Ms Haigh, who was forced to resign after it emerged she pleaded guilty to a criminal offence, said she was “deeply grateful” for the encouragement she had received from colleagues but would not stand.
In a statement to Sky News, she said: “Labour was elected in 2024 to rebuild Britain – not simply to steady the ship, but to remake it completely.
“We need strong voices pushing for that renewal: on the economy, on workers’ rights, and on climate change. For me, that means remaining on the backbenches for now, where I can speak plainly and campaign boldly.”
Louise Haigh has ruled herself out
Could top ministers enter race?
The deputy leader of Labour is an elected position voted on by members.
Ms Rayner quit the role, along with her government positions as deputy prime minister and housing secretary, after she was found to have breached the ministerial code for failing to get correct tax advice.
It is not clear if a Starmer loyalist will put themselves forward.
Many cabinet ministers have ruled themselves out, including Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy and Health Secretary Wes Streeting.
Sky News understands Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson, from Sunderland, is on the brink of entering the race.
Housing minister Alison McGovern, who represents Birkenhead near Liverpool, has also not ruled herself out.
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The rise and fall of Angela Rayner
Either of these could end up being Downing Street’s preferred choice and would also be popular among MPs who not only want a northern woman, but someone who will work constructively with government rather than oppose it.
However, if a minister enters the race and loses, that would be a huge blow to Sir Keir’s authority, as the result would widely be seen as a referendum on his leadership and policies.
As one backbench MP put it: “The question is who is willing to be humiliated on behalf of Keir Starmer, so far nobody.”
The NHS has for the first time published league tables ranking every trust in England.
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has said each trust will be ranked quarterly on the standards of its services, from urgent and emergency care to elective operations and mental health support.
The tables see trusts categorised in four segments, with the first reflecting the best performers and the fourth showing the worst.
Those doing the best will be rewarded with greater freedoms and investment, while those underperforming will receive targeted support.
To allow for fair comparisons, the trusts ware grouped into acute, non-acute and ambulance trusts.
Use the tools below to see how yours rank:
This will help end the postcode lottery, says Streeting
The move is part of the government’s 10-year plan to reform the health service.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting said: “We must be honest about the state of the NHS to fix it.
“Patients know when local services aren’t up to scratch, and they want to see an end to the postcode lottery – that’s what this government is doing.
“We’re combining the extra £26bn investment each year with tough reforms to get value for money, with every pound helping to cut waiting times for patients.”
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From next year, the NHS will introduce a new wave of Foundation Trusts, giving the best performers more freedom to shape services around local needs, and those in the middle will be encouraged to learn from the top trusts.
Meanwhile, those with lower scores will receive enhanced support – and senior leaders will be held accountable with performance-linked pay.
Where trusts are persistently failing, senior managers could see their pay docked, the DHSC has said.
The best NHS leaders will be offered higher pay to taken on the toughest jobs at challenged services, it added.
Sir Jim Mackey, chief executive of NHS England, said: “Letting patients and the public access more data will help to drive improvement even faster by supporting them to identify where they should demand even better from their NHS.”
It will also put “more power in their hands to make informed decisions on their choice of provider”, he said.
By summer 2026, the tables will expand to cover integrated care boards, which are the NHS organisations responsible for planning health services for locals.
Parents in England will receive redesigned Ofsted report cards from November as part of wide-ranging changes to the way schools are inspected.
The reforms were initiated following a difficult period for Ofsted, after the death of headteacher Ruth Perry last year.
Ms Perry took her own life after her Reading primary school was downgraded from “outstanding” to “inadequate”, prompting criticism of the inspection system. But some – including Ms Perry’s sister – have criticised the new system.
The new reports will use a colour-coded, five-point grading scale, giving families more detail on areas such as attendance, behaviour, and inclusion.
Ofsted says the system will provide “greater nuance” than its previous one-word judgments. The grades will range from “urgent improvement” and “needs attention” up to “expected standard”, “strong standard”, and the top mark of “exceptional”.
Additional monitoring inspections will be carried out in schools and colleges that fall below the expected standard, with Ofsted insisting this will ensure action is taken quickly to raise performance.
In early years settings, inspections will take place every four years instead of every six, with a sharper focus on the quality of education and care.
Inspectors will also assess how well schools support children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), and those known to social care, with inclusion given its own grade.
Contextual factors will also contribute to the judgements that are made, including the number of children who are eligible for free school meals, and any other socio-economic factors which influence the outcomes for children.
To ease pressure on staff, an extra inspector will be added to school inspection teams.
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Is new Ofsted system ‘dangerous’?
His Majesty’s chief inspector, Sir Martyn Oliver, said the changes were designed to “reset relationships” with teachers while maintaining public confidence.
“Children deserve the best possible education; their parents deserve the best possible information, and education professionals deserve to have their work fairly assessed,” he said.
“Our new report cards will give parents a clearer understanding of the strengths and areas for improvement at the places where their children learn.
“We will work with professionals in schools, early years and further education to help them showcase the best of what they do and help them identify where they can improve.”
New system ‘makes things much worse’, says critic
But the new inspection framework has been criticised by some.
A coalition made up of school leaders, former inspectors, trade unions and Ms Perry’s sister, Professor Julia Waters, is calling for the government to delay the changes.
In an open letter, they said: “Today’s announcement is deeply disappointing and extremely worrying, as it is clear Ofsted have failed to learn the lessons from the death of headteacher Ruth Perry.
“The proven life-threatening risks associated with a grades-based schools accountability system, based on public shaming and the fear of high stakes consequences, have not changed.”
They are calling for the roll-out to be halted because of “continuing concerns about the reliability, accuracy, and consistency of inspection results” and “the dangerous, negative impact of a punitive, grades-based inspection system on the welfare of the workforce”.
Daniel Kebede, general secretary of the National Education Union, said: “Sir Martyn Oliver has failed. He was asked to bring in a system that reduced pressure.
“Removing the single word judgement was meant to be a powerful revolution, but this makes things much worse. More of the same. More pressure. More ranking and competition. More labels.”
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However, a YouGov survey commissioned by Ofsted found nearly seven in 10 parents preferred the new format to the current reports, while nine in 10 said they were easier to understand.
Jason Elsom, chief executive of Parentkind, the UK’s largest parent charity, said: “For the first time, parental engagement is given clear priority: no school will be able to achieve top marks unless it demonstrates that it has got this right. This is a significant step forward.”
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