UK Postgrad Intake Slumps, Sri Lankan Students Hit Hard with 36% Drop

New figures from the UK’s Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) highlight a notable change in international student patterns. While fewer overseas students are coming to the UK to study, enrolments in UK programs offered abroad are on the rise.

HESA reports that the UK welcomed 685,565 international students in 2024/25, marking a 6% decrease compared with the previous academic year.

Data from the UK Home Office shows that in the year ending September 2025, 439,924 study visas were granted to sponsored applicants, roughly the same as the prior year but down 31% from the peak recorded in September 2023. Of these, 419,558 were main applicants—a 7% increase from 2024—while 20,366 were dependants, reflecting a 57% drop from the previous year.

This decline coincides with preparations for the international student levy, set to take effect in August 2028. Under this scheme, English universities will charge a flat fee of £925 per international student annually, with only the first 220 students at each institution exempt from the levy.

Among international students, Sri Lankan postgraduate enrolments experienced a steep drop. Overall, international postgraduate registrations fell by 10% in 2024/25. Sri Lanka recorded the second-largest decline among source countries, with postgraduate enrolments down 36% year-on-year, while Nigeria experienced the largest drop at 39%.

Experts attribute this downturn to stricter UK immigration and student visa policies, particularly the reduced ability for dependants to accompany international students, implemented in 2023. Sri Lankan students, who historically brought a high number of family members, were disproportionately affected.

Advisors note that the tightened dependant rules have deterred many Sri Lankans from enrolling in traditional taught postgraduate programs. As a result, some students are delaying their studies, switching to research-focused courses, or choosing alternative study destinations such as Canada, Australia, and Scandinavian countries.