Visa restrictions which are poised to prevent Nigerians from bringing along dependents or close family members to the United Kingdom and the weakening of the naira, have been identified as chief among reasons Nigerians are seeking admissions elsewhere than the usual United Kingdom (UK).
According to the Official statistics released last week, the number of applicants from Nigeria has declined by a staggering 46 per cent, more than any other country in the period under review.
The reports, also noticed a notable decrease in applications from Nigerian students turning away from pursuing their undergraduate studies in the United Kingdom.
Although the report, highlighted that Nigerian students had the highest number of dependents brought in by international students as of September 2023, the Economic Times of India also reported a mirroring trend observed among Indian students who are increasingly losing interest in pursuing their undergraduate studies in the United Kingdom.
The report also noted that Indian student applications fell by 4 per cent compared to the previous year, amounting to 8,770 applications.
In comparative terms, Nigerian applications witnessed a sharp decline of 46 per cent, totaling 1,590 applications, more than any other country.
Data from the UK Universities and College Admissions Service (UCAS) on undergraduate student applicants for the 2024-25 academic year also revealed a 1% decline in UK applicants from a year earlier. However, the overall number of applicants remains well above pre-pandemic levels.
According to Dr. Jo Saxton, the chief executive at UCAS,
“Today’s data shows a decline in applications from mature students, which will be more keenly felt in some subjects such as nursing, we know that these applicants are more likely to apply later in the cycle,
“For any students who missed the deadline or are still undecided on their next steps into higher education, they can still apply until June 30, and afterwards directly to Clearing, and plenty of choices still remain. There is a wealth of support, guidance, and tips on the UCAS website to help anyone make informed choices about their futures,” she added.
Recall that three month ago, the PIE in a report, noted that a notable decline in interest in UK study programmes has been observed, with some platforms reporting a reduction of up to 40% in inquiries.
This shift is attributed to the visa restrictions and the depreciation of the Nigerian naira, which has made studying abroad more expensive.
The report also noted that , Italy, Finland, and Austria are among the European destinations gaining popularity among Nigerian students. While Australia and New Zealand are also attracting increasing numbers of Nigerian students.
A survey conducted by QS revealed that nearly 25% of international students indicated that they would be less likely to consider the UK as a study destination following the ban on postgraduate taught students bringing dependents.
However, Canada has emerged as a popular alternative for Nigerian students, with nearly 18,000 study permits issued to Nigerians in the first six months of 2023.
This represents a 44% increase compared to the whole of 2022.
The number of Nigerians studying in the US has also increased by 22.2%, with enrollment reaching 17,640 in the 2022/23 academic year.
Nigeria is the only African country among the top 10 countries with the highest number of students in America.
Reacting, from an Entrepreneur perspective, and how it affects the businesses Mr. Olamide Awoyemi, the chief executive officer of Trail Business Travel Education and Consulting told our correspondents that the policy will have a negative effect on the Education consulting business.
Olumide, who spoke from his base in the United Kingdom, noted that larger percent of Nigeria candidates schedule for the undergraduate, postgraduate and professional courses always considered the United kingdom, but the recent policy of the United Kingdom coupled with the foreign exchange challenge in Nigeria is posing a serious threat to the education and consulting business especially for professionals whose United Kingdom candidates constituted bulk of their clients.
In December 2023, the Rishi Sunak-led government announced a review of the Graduate Route visa, allowing graduates to stay and gain work experience in the UK for at least two years after completing their degree.
According to experts, potential changes to the UK’s visa policy may reduce the appeal of UK universities to overseas students.
