The United Kingdom has introduced stricter UK student visa rules that could see universities banned from recruiting international students if they fail to meet tougher compliance standards, according to a report by TheCable.

The changes were announced by the UK Home Office on Thursday and are aimed at reducing what officials describe as rising abuse of study, work and tourist visas linked to asylum claims.

Under the revised policy, universities risk losing their licence to recruit foreign students if more than 5 per cent of their visa applications are refused. This is a tightening from the previous 10 per cent threshold.

Institutions will also face sanctions if international students fail to complete their studies or drop out in significant numbers. The updated benchmarks now require at least 95 per cent course enrolment and 90 per cent completion rates, up from 90 per cent and 85 per cent respectively.

The Home Office said it is monitoring both visa refusal patterns and institutional recruitment practices more closely, arguing that high drop-out rates may indicate students are entering the informal labour market rather than studying.

Officials linked the reforms to wider concerns over asylum claims, stating that foreign students account for a significant share of visa-related applications. The government also said asylum claims from students have fallen by around 30 per cent in the past year following tighter enforcement.

The policy comes months after the UK imposed temporary restrictions on student visas for nationals from countries including Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar and Sudan, citing unusually high asylum applications.

The Home Office has also contacted more than 300,000 students whose visas are nearing expiry, warning against unfounded asylum claims and stating that individuals without legal status will face removal.