Student visas issued
International student visas granted to study at UK higher education institutions.
429.3m
+2.5% vs 2024
As of 2025
Historical trend
Trend summary
The UK issued 368,011 student visas in the year to September 2024, down 14% from 427,875 in 2023.
Trend
- Student visa grants rose from around 200,000 per year in the early 2010s to a peak of 427,875 in 2022–23.
- The 14% decline in 2024 follows the January 2024 ban on most international students bringing dependants, and general tightening of student visa conditions.
- India has been the largest source country for student visas since 2022, overtaking China.
Context
- Home Office student visa statistics cover visas for courses at degree level or above at licensed sponsors; they exclude short-term study visas.
- Dependant visas associated with student main applicants are published separately by the Home Office.
Commentary contains no editorial judgement — describes direction, magnitude, and official projections only.
About this indicator
- Source
- Home Office
- Update frequency
- Annual
- Last updated
- 22 June 2026
- Licence
- OGL v3
- Direction
- ↑ Rising
Statistics
- Latest
- 429.3m
- Period high
- 429.3m
- Period low
- 418.9m
- Period average
- 424.1m