Hyderabad: Hyderabad students planning to pursue higher education in the United Kingdom (UK) must verify their chosen university’s student sponsor licence before accepting an admission offer, paying a deposit or applying for a visa.

Students can check the UK government website to confirm whether an institution is authorised to sponsor international students.

Rating for UK universities

The UK government has strengthened its Basic Compliance Assessment (BCA) requirements for universities and introduced a new Red-Amber-Green (RAG) rating system.

To qualify for the highest green rating, universities must maintain a student visa refusal rate below 4 per cent, an enrolment rate of at least 96 per cent and a course completion rate of not less than 92 per cent.

For an Amber rating, the student visa refusal rate must be between 4 and 5 per cent, the enrolment rate at least 95 per cent and the course completion rate 90-92 per cent.

Lower standing will push universities into the red category.

Hyderabad students applying for UK visa decline

The impact of the rating is visible in the number of UK visa applicants from Hyderabad and other Indian cities.

According to recent Home Office figures, sponsored study visa applications from India dropped by 31 per cent in the first half of 2026 compared to the same period in 2025, while actual visa issuances plummeted by 36 per cent.

Similarly, visa rejections for Indian students doubled, and application withdrawals surged by 214 per cent.

Meanwhile, applications sharply decreased from Pakistan (-74%), Bangladesh (-38 percent ) and Nigeria (-12 percent). These sharp declines heighten growing anxiety among British universities, which rely heavily on international enrolments.

In view of the changing policies, students from Hyderabad and other Indian cities planning to study in the UK should carefully review university refund policies before paying tuition fees.

Students are also advised to avoid booking non-refundable flights or accommodation until their visas are granted and they have rechecked the sponsor register on the UK website (click here).