BREAKING: UK Universities withdraw admission offers to Nigerians

Several universities in the United Kingdom have commenced a mass withdrawal of admission offers previously granted to Nigerian students due to an ongoing visa crackdown by the British government targeting international applicants.

Dawn Herald gathered from reports that 22.7 per cent of study visa applications from Nigeria were withdrawn in the first half of 2026, a rise from 4.5 per cent recorded during the same period in 2025.

The affected institutions, which also pulled offers for Pakistani applicants, are reportedly acting to avoid crossing the Home Office’s five per cent visa refusal threshold, an infraction that could lead to a total ban on recruiting international students.

Investigations reveal that the surge in study visa rejections by the Home Office is driven by suspicions that some applicants are using the academic route to file asylum claims. Based on records from visa processing firm Enroly revealed that nearly half of UK universities currently face refusal rates above the regulatory limit.

Reacting to the development, the Chief Executive of University Alliance, Vanessa Wilson, warned of the economic consequences the policy will have on the British tertiary education sector, stressing that it will inevitably lead to restructures, job losses, and the closure of courses and campuses.