The start of the academic year for 2026 has turned into a waiting game for thousands, as UK visa delays for international students have disrupted the January 2026 intake.
While universities across the UK had prepared for a winter enrollment, a bottleneck in processing at the Home Office has left many learners stranded in their home countries.
The UK visa delays, which the Home Office has attributed to “unavoidable mandatory checks,” have forced a growing number of students to miss their orientation weeks and initial lectures.
The Home Office has written to universities offering to extend the latest date of acceptance for students still waiting for visa decisions, as processing delays stretched into February.
Despite this, several institutions have already withdrawn Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) numbers to avoid breaching new compliance rules.
It was gathered that many foreign students have been prevented from enrolling in January even though universities had issued CAS numbers as early as September 2025.
Many applicants were unable to travel after missing course start dates while waiting for visa decisions.
In communications, the Home Office invited institutions to allow later enrolment dates to help clear a backlog of applications.
Speaking to the press, a Home Office spokesperson revealed that: “All visa applications are assessed on individual merit in line with immigration rules.
“Where further information or checks are required, decisions may take longer. This helps prevent abuse of the immigration system and non-genuine students, including individuals who attempt to use the student route to claim asylum in the United Kingdom.”
The delays come as universities adjust to tighter Basic Compliance Assessment rules, where higher visa refusal rates could risk sponsor licences. It was also gathered that some universities have paused recruitment from certain countries and sought legal advice over the impact of visa delays and refusals.
While Pakistan has been widely cited as facing delays, universities said students from other South Asian and African countries were also affected.
Syed Nooh, head of global insights and market development at the University of East Anglia, told the press that “several colleagues across the sector” had raised concerns that “up to 50% of students were still awaiting a decision” for the winter intake.
“At UEA, we issued almost all CAS numbers before Christmas to ensure students had ample time to submit their visa applications. Despite this proactive approach, a significant number of our students are still awaiting visa decisions,” Nooh said.
A representative from a Russell Group university also described the scale of the UK visa delays for foreign students as a “new” and “concerning” issue for the institution.
Katie Layt, director of partnerships and growth at Enroly, while speaking with the press said that platform data showed overall CAS processing was faster than last year, despite issues at individual institutions.
“The recent uptick in India and Nigeria processing times reflects seasonal patterns rather than systemic delays,” Layt said. “Both countries are still processing significantly faster than last January.”
