Mortar Board Dreams: Visa Refusal, Racism and the Shrinking Space for Higher Education Abroad

For many, wearing a mortar board and university gown symbolises the fulfilment of a lifelong dream – the achievement of a prestigious international degree. Today, however, the world appears to be heading in a different direction, one where access to higher education is increasingly caught in the crossfire of political agendas.

From the United Kingdom to the United States, international students are facing mounting challenges, visa refusal, limited job opportunities, a lack of sponsorship and even racially-motivated barriers. 

These difficulties are not confined to lesser-known institutions; even the most renowned universities are not immune to this pressure.

Anti-immigrant rhetoric in the UK

Recently, the UK government placed a White Paper in the parliament to reduce net migration. In the proposed White Paper, lawmakers purposefully targeted foreign students and advocated for restrictive policies. The policies revealed a deeper concern about who is considered deserving of educational opportunity and social mobility. 

While the UK prime minister and his administration are not overly harsh like the Donald Trump administration in the US, their approach towards international students has been increasingly restrictive. Former British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak implemented policies that directly targeted international students, including barring them from bringing dependents and significantly raising the immigration Health Surcharge (IHS).

Current British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, too, has continued in a similar vein, with measures such as increasing visa fees and proposing a reduction in the duration of Post Study Work (PSW) visa from two years to 18 months in the proposed White Paper.

Additionally, the government has made claims suggesting students from regions like Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Nigeria are among the highest applicants for refugee status, further contributing to a narrative of suspicion and exclusion (a disclosure by the home office in March). 

If we look at the Home Office data in 2024, 40,000 people who had asylum visas had legally entered the UK. That means they have a visa. Among them, 40% (16,000) held student visas.

In 2004, a total of 393,000 study visas were issued in the UK, compared to 498,068 in 2023. Among those, approximately 16,000 individuals on study visas applied for refugee status. 

The National Union of Students (NUS), which works with international students, found Starmer’s decision racist.

Responding to the government’s recent steps to reduce the duration of the post-study work visa and increase visa and immigration-related fees, Sai Shraddha. S. Viswanathan, President of the NUS, Scotland, strongly criticised the policies terming it ‘extremely racist’, arguing that these measures disproportionately affect international students, many of whom arrive in the UK with hopes and ambitions of building successful careers. 

She emphasised that shortening the post-study work period would make it significantly more difficult for students to secure employment. To keep the Graduate Route Visa, the NUS also launched a sign-in campaign.  

Additionally, the continuous rise in fees places an enormous financial burden on students, potentially preventing them from completing their studies or achieving their goals. As Viswanathan points out, government policies like these risk denying them both.

Education sector

The contribution of international students to the UK job market and the higher education sector is not only significant but also indispensable. Many universities in the UK remain financially viable largely due to the tuition fees paid by international students, as fees for domestic students are capped. Beyond their economic contributions, international graduates also play a key role in the country’s workforce filling critical skill gaps and driving innovation.

However, recent government restrictions on international student visas have led to a noticeable decline in enrolment, which has had a profound impact on the higher education sector. The financial strain has pushed many universities to make difficult decisions, including departmental closures and staff redundancies. 

Examples of this trend include Middlesex University, which is in the process of shutting down its entire Theatre Study Department; Cardiff University, which has significantly scaled back its Nursing programme, and Plymouth University, which is following suit with similar cutbacks.      

These developments reflect a growing crisis within the UK’s higher education landscape, where departments are shrinking and staff are facing diversity and research output but also weaken the broader economic and cultural contributions that international students bring to the UK. 

A survey conducted by Universities UK has revealed an alarming trend in the financial health of UK higher education institutions. The study shows that 19% of universities have already reduced their investment in research, with a further 79% indication they are considering additional cuts shortly.

While most institutions are attempting to safeguard funding for student hardship and bursaries are least likely to have faced reductions, many have already made significant changes to academic provisions. 

Half of all UK universities (49%) reported having closed courses to manage costs, a figure that has more than doubled from just 24% the previous year. Course consolidation has seen a sharp rise, increasing from 23% to 55%, while 46% of institutions have cut optional modules (up from 29%) in 2025. 

Alarmingly, 18% of universities have closed entire departments, compared to 9% the previous year (2024-2025). Looking ahead, 88% of institutions stated they may need to consider further course closure or consolidation over the next three years.

Commenting on the situation, Vivienne Stern MBE, Chief Executive of University UK, said, “The reality for most universities is that they have had to make serious cuts. Falling per-student funding, visa changes which have decreased international enrolments, and a longstanding failure of research grants to cover costs are creating huge pressures in all four nations of the UK to do their bit. That means increasing per-student funding; our nations of the UK to do their bit. That means increasing per-student funding; stabilising international student visa policy; and working with us to sort out the research funding system.”

This data underscores the critical need for urgent government intervention and long-term financial reform to preserve the quality, diversity and global competitiveness of UK higher education. 

Jobs

According to a survey conducted by the AGCAS International Task Group, 72% of university career professionals reported that Graduate Route visa holders are having their job applications refused by some UK employers.

Furthermore, 75% of career professionals observed that certain employers are unwilling to offer skilled worker visa sponsorship to international students and graduates. In addition, 70% noted recruitment pauses from employers, creating further barriers for those seeking employment after graduation. 

Alarmingly, half of the respondents attributed these recruitment trends to recent changes in the UK’s ‘Skilled Worker Visa’ requirements. The survey captured employer attitudes, level of understanding and recruitment behaviour concerning international graduates, as well as the lived experiences and concerns of the students themselves.

AGCAS issued a statement reflecting the seriousness of the situation: “Collectively, the responses paint a concerning picture of employer uncertainty and graduate anxiety, with many international students and graduates deliberately looking outside of the UK for their next opportunity.” 

This situation reflects a worrying shift in the UK’s appeal as a destination for international talent. Without intervention to stabilise visa policy and offer clearer guidance to employers, the country risks losing valuable global graduates who contribute significantly to its economy, innovation and diversity.

Similar patterns in the US

If we look closely, a similar pattern is grabbing the headlines in the United States, where higher education institutions are also facing unprecedented political pressure. Under the Donald Trump administration, one of the notable targets has been Harvard University – an institution recognised globally for its academic excellence. 

The American president has threatened to withhold federal funding to pressure universities into aligning with conservative ideology, specifically targeting Harvard by revoking its authority to recruit international students and freezing over USD 3 billion in federal grants and contracts that supported scientific and medical research. 

These actions followed Trump’s campaign rhetoric accusing universities of being “dominated by Marxist maniacs and lunatics”, with his administration implementing what critics called an ideological purge to address alleged anti-Semitism, racial discrimination, foreign influence, and “woke” ideologies in academia. 

The measures extended beyond education, harsh deportation policies and travel bans, affecting citizens from 12 countries including several African nations, all of which critics argue would deter talented international students and researchers while undermining civil rights protections and educational equity for the marginalised communities.

A comparison

Across the Atlantic, similar political rhetoric emerged with Starmer, on May 12 presenting a news immigration strategy, warning that Britain risked “becoming an island of strangers” a phrase many saw as echoing the infamous ‘River of Blood’ speech delivered by Enoch Powell in 1968. 

Starmer reinforced myths blaming migrants for issues such as low wages, housing shortages and pressure on public services. “The damage this has done to our country is incalculable,” he said. Drawing criticism for fuelling racist sentiment. Independent MP for Coventry South, Zarah Sultana, condemned the speech on X (formerly Twitter), stating, “That speech fuelled a decade of racism and division. Echoing it today is a disgrace. It adds to anti-migrant rhetoric that puts lives at risk, Shame on you Starmer.”

However, the broader difference between the UK’s and the US’s approaches lies in their education funding models. In the United States, the federal government invests in public education – although Trump has aimed to dismantle this. 

In contrast, UK universities are primarily dependent on tuition fees from students, especially international ones. While a few prestigious institutions dominate the UK education market, the rising cost of higher education has deterred many domestic students from pursuing university degrees.

The tightening of international student visa policies represents a serious concern. Political hostility towards universities, particularly those with liberal or progressive reputations, poses a substantial threat to academic freedom, global collaboration and the future of research. 

Global research encompasses not only scientific but also social research. Discouraging international talent and disrupting the free exchange of ideas weaken institutions that are essential for addressing the complex global challenges we face today. 

Pursuing an international degree is not a crime. Many students take out student loans or secure funding to chase their academic dreams. Those dreams are now being shattered by an ongoing soft political war.

Dipanjana Dasgupta Dey is a storyteller and media veteran. She recently graduated in Gender and Media from the University of Sussex after a decade in Indian journalism.

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