London (Web Desk): Nine universities in the United Kingdom have temporarily suspended admissions for Pakistani and Bangladeshi students due to strict visa regulations and rising student visa refusal rates.
Under the new Basic Compliance Assessment, universities are required to maintain a student visa refusal rate of less than 5%. However, in recent times, the refusal rate for Pakistani students has reached 18%, and for Bangladeshi students, it has risen to 22%.
The universities that have temporarily halted admissions include the University of Wolverhampton, University of Chester, Coventry University, Sunderland University, University of Hertfordshire, and London Metropolitan University.
Thousands of Pakistani and Bangladeshi students are facing significant uncertainty and concern following these new policies. However, university officials have stated that these measures are temporary and that the policy may be reviewed once the situation improves.
During this period, the UK has also introduced an e-visa system for Pakistani students and workers and removed the requirement for a sticker in passports.