Leading universities urge Shabana Mahmood to exempt exceptional students from visa ban
Leading universities have called on Shabana Mahmood to exempt elite students from some conflict-ridden countries from draconian visa bans.
Some 34 universities, represented by higher education associations such as the Russell Group and ResearchPlus, have written to the home secretary demanding the creation of a roster of Chevening scholars, a government-funded scheme that allows outstanding leaders from around the world to undertake a one-year master’s degree in the UK.
The Ministry of Home Affairs terminated study visas for students from Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar and Sudan in March after Ms Mahmood alleged misuse of visa channels. As a result, Chevening academics from these countries cannot come to the UK.
In a letter to Ms Mahmood, two associations representing the University of Cambridge, Durham, Manchester and Imperial College London, among others, said the visa ban on Chevening academics was “not fair or proportionate”, adding that applicants were “subject to rigorous government-led assessment”.
They responded to allegations of abuse of the system with the following words: “Our universities take their compliance responsibilities seriously and support appropriate measures to protect the integrity of student visas.
“The vast majority of applicants for international education are genuine and it is in all our interests for the system to remain reliable.”
They described the visa brake as a “blind measure” and added: “These [Chevening] “Candidates are selected through a global competitive process overseen by the UK government, which evaluates academic achievement, leadership potential and intention to return home following their studies.”
Professor Libby Hackett of The Russell Group and Professor Andrew Jones and Professor Sasha of Research Plus, representing the University of Oxford and the Open University respectively, described the Chevening program as a “highly competitive and well-respected scheme” that “plays a central role in advancing the UK’s international partnerships and national interests”.
The letter stated that approximately 22 of the program’s graduates became heads of state and 15 percent held important positions in the government. Independent he says.
Sasha Roseneil, co-chair of ResearchPlus and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sussex, said: “We risk turning away the leaders of tomorrow by imposing restrictions on outstanding academics who have passed the government’s own rigorous selection process.”
Foreign Minister Yvette Cooper reportedly appealed to Ms Mahmood to exempt Chevening students, and Ms Cooper was concerned about the impact of the decision on vulnerable women in Afghanistan and Sudan. Ms Mahmood reportedly refused to intervene.
According to data published by the Home Office this week, 10,835 people have sought asylum in the UK on an education visa by March 2026. Hundreds of thousands of people are granted student visas each year, with approximately 498,626 grants awarded in the peak year ending June 2023.
The number of students seeking asylum is decreasing due to the decline in study visas issued following restrictions on family members coming to the UK.
The nationals most frequently seeking asylum in the year to March 2026 were Pakistanis, the vast majority of whom arrived in the UK on legal visas, and Eritreans, most of whom arrived illegally. Iran and Afghanistan followed; The majority of these citizens also arrive through irregular means, such as small boat crossings.
The Chevening program offers more than 1,000 scholarships each year to promising students from around the world.
Libby Hackett, Chief Executive of Russell Group, said: “Chevening Scholars have shown themselves to be exceptionally talented individuals who use their UK education to make an invaluable contribution to their home country. We must make every effort to attract and support these students without creating further barriers to them.”
The Ministry of Internal Affairs was contacted for comment.
