The UK government has signalled that tighter international student visa
restrictions could be introduced if evidence emerges that postgraduate research
routes are being misused. The warning from the Home Office comes after new data
revealed a dramatic rise in overseas enrolments on Master of Research MRes
programmes at several universities.
Figures from the Higher Education Statistics Agency show that 6,085
non-UK domiciled students were enrolled on MRes courses in the 2024 to 2025
academic year. This marks a sharp increase from 2,485 in 2023 to 2024,
representing a growth of 135 per cent in just one year. The expansion has drawn
attention because it coincides with recent changes to international student
visa restrictions that limited dependents for most postgraduate taught
students.
In 2024, the government introduced a ban preventing most international
students from bringing family members to the UK. The exemption applied only to
postgraduate research programmes. Since MRes courses are classified as research
degrees, they were not included in the crackdown.
The timing has raised questions about whether some universities may have
expanded MRes offerings in response to the new international student visa
restrictions. In previous years, enrolment numbers on such programmes had
remained relatively stable. The sudden surge after the policy shift has
prompted closer scrutiny.
A representative from the Home Office said that the department will not
hesitate to take further action if there is clear evidence of abuse. As part of
its larger efforts to lower net migration numbers, the government has already
made it harder for people to move to other countries in recent years.
Universities Report Sharp Increases
The data show that only a few institutions have seen most of the growth.
The number of international MRes students at the University of Gloucestershire
went from five in 2023 to 2024 to 730 in 2024 to 2025. The University of
Greater Manchester, which used to be called the University of Bolton, grew from
50 students to 915 in the same time frame.
The University of Wolverhampton recorded a jump from five to 770
students, while the University of Lancashire grew from 140 to 850. These
figures have intensified debate about whether the programmes are expanding
primarily for academic reasons or as a response to international student visa
restrictions.
Andrew Bird, Wolverhampton's Pro Vice Chancellor for recruitment and
admissions, said that all international students were carefully managed to make
sure they followed immigration rules and kept their academic integrity. He said
that the rise was part of a planned strategy for the whole world.
Representatives from the University of Lancashire also said that their
MRes programs focus on research that deals with problems in health, business,
and society. They said they weren't going to add more courses because of
immigration policy and that the number of international students overall had
gone down.
New Programmes and Entry Standards
Different information gathered through freedom of information requests
shows that some universities are still adding to their research programs. The
University of Hertfordshire started a group of MRes programs for the 2025–2026
school year. In the first year, 581 international students signed up.
There are two-year programs that lead to degrees in digital management
and AI in business. The full cost of tuition for international students in the
digital management program is £23,000, with 70% due in the first year.
York St John University also saw a lot of growth, going from one MRes
student in 2023–2024 to 387 in 2025–2026. To get into its business MRes
program, you need at least a 2:2 honors degree. For international students, the
tuition is 11,800 pounds.
Some sources have raised doubts about how academically strict admissions
practices are. There are reports that a Nepalese education agency is promoting
UK MRes programs, saying that students with low academic qualifications and no
English language test scores would be accepted. It is still not clear if the
agency has official partnerships with certain colleges.
Government Response and Future Outlook
The Home Office has reiterated that safeguarding the integrity of the
immigration system is a priority. Officials have warned that if evidence shows
misuse of the research route to bypass international student visa restrictions,
further action will follow.
Universities, meanwhile, insist that their MRes programmes are
academically rigorous and aligned with long term research and industry needs.
They argue that international recruitment remains essential to institutional
finances and global competitiveness.
As scrutiny intensifies, the debate over international student visa
restrictions is likely to continue. The coming months may determine whether the
current growth in research enrolments is viewed as legitimate expansion or a
loophole that prompts another policy intervention.
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