“The decrease in visas issued from 2024 was due to fewer dependants following a policy change for courses starting on or after 1 January 2024, whereby only researched-based postgraduate students are allowed to bring dependants (partners and children) to the UK,” explains the Home Office.

In other words, while total visa grants are down over the last two years, that decline is largely attributable to the dramatic drop in grants for accompanying dependants, and to the corresponding pressure it placed on main applicant numbers from some key growth markets for the UK. As we see in the chart above, the grants to main applicants grew strongly in the early part of this decade, as COVID-era travel restrictions began to ease, and have returned to growth in the first half of this year.

Growth drivers

The top five sending markets for the UK account for roughly two thirds (66%) of all foreign enrolments in the country. The Home Office adds that, “Chinese students saw a notable fall in numbers around the COVID-19 pandemic but are now the most common nationality with 99,919 (24%) study visas granted in the year ending June 2025. Indian students were almost as numerous, with 98,014 (24%) visas granted. The third most common nationality was Pakistan with 37,013 (9%) study visas granted to main applicants.”