Concerns over the misuse of higher education as an immigration pathway have been reignited as leaked figures expose a significant concentration of asylum claims among foreign students,

with a substantial portion linked to just six educational establishments.

According to undisclosed statistics from a confidential Home Office database covering the period up to March 2023, a staggering 6,136 asylum cases were initiated by foreign students—a more than fourfold surge compared to the previous year.

Of particular note is the revelation that over a third of these asylum seekers were sponsored by only six educational entities, raising eyebrows about the potential exploitation of the education system for immigration purposes.

Leading the list is Study Group UK, which sponsored visas for 804 foreign students who later sought asylum. Notably, the bulk of these claims—642 from Bangladeshis and 156 from Pakistanis—underscore a noteworthy trend.

Following closely, Portsmouth University emerged as the second-highest sponsor of asylum-seeking student visa holders, with 395 cases reported. De Montfort University, the University of Hertfordshire, Coventry University, and the University for the Creative Arts rounded out the list with significant numbers of sponsored asylum seekers.

Criticism of the role played by higher education institutions in facilitating large numbers of foreign students entering the UK has been mounting, with former Home Secretary Suella Braverman decrying the emphasis on immigration over education.

In response to growing concerns, Home Secretary James Cleverly announced a review of the "graduate visa" scheme, permitting post-study work opportunities for up to two years. However, the results of this review are still pending. Photo by David Hallam-Jones, Wikimedia commons.

While the official scrutiny persists, recent Home Office data highlights a noteworthy increase in sponsored study visas and extensions under the graduate route, indicating ongoing challenges in managing immigration within the education sector.

In defense, universities assert their adherence to stringent government standards for recruiting international students and emphasize their commitment to visa compliance. However, the concentration of asylum claims among a handful of institutions underscores the complexity of balancing educational opportunities with immigration controls.