Universities will be banned from accepting foreign students if too many claim asylum in Britain.
The Home Office outlined plans to crack down on the “misuse and exploitation of student visas” in its immigration white paper in May.
It now says universities will be penalised if fewer than 95 per cent of international students accepted onto a course go on to start their studies, if fewer than 90 per cent finish, or if more than 5 per cent have their visas rejected.
Increasing numbers of students are making asylum claims at the end of their course, despite “nothing substantive” having changed in their home countries during their studies, according to The Times.
The Government has said student visas are being used as an “entry point” for getting to the UK to work “without any intention to complete the course”.
The worst-performing universities will be named and shamed by the Government under the rules to be unveiled in September, the newspaper reported.
They will face a limit on the number of new international students they can recruit until they have improved.
Institutions that fail to do so will be stripped of their ability to sponsor study visas.
Dame Angela Eagle, the border security minister, told The Times: “The UK will always welcome genuine visitors, workers and students, but we will not tolerate this kind of systematic abuse
“The rules must be respected and enforced, and we will not hesitate to impose even tighter visa controls where necessary.”
Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, said the changes amounted to “minor tinkering around the edges” and would “make little real difference”.
He told the newspaper: “Far too many foreign students are using the pretext of study as a route into the UK. Some courses are extremely low quality and have students who barely speak any English.
“A number of universities are essentially selling UK visas rather than selling an education. This abuse needs to be shut down.
“The last Conservative government rightly ended the farce of students being able to bring family in with them but a lot more real action is now needed.”
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