Between 2021 and 2023, more than 1,425 international students who were accepted to UK universities were not allowed to enter the UK at airports, according to the UK Home Office.
Out of all the students affected, 161 were from Nigeria, making up 11.3% of the total. Indian students had the highest number of denials, with 644 cases, representing 45%.
This data, from October 2021 to October 2023, shows that students from Nigeria, India, Ghana, and Bangladesh faced significant issues. Ghana had 92 students (6.46%) denied entry, and Bangladesh had 90 students (6.32%).
The UK Home Office did not give specific reasons for these denials. However, common problems included students not convincing Border Force officers during airport checks, using fake documents, or lacking English skills. This happened even though the students had admission and visas to study in the UK.
The data does not include students who were deported for other reasons, like working more than 20 hours per week or cheating.
This treatment has faced criticism. Immigration lawyer Dele Olawanle has condemned Border Force officers. He said that these officers are overstepping by questioning students on academic topics, which should be the university’s role. He cited cases where students lost their visas because they couldn’t answer questions about their courses, despite being accepted by universities.
Nigerian data analyst Nelly Okechukwu also shared his story. A Border Force officer questioned him about a course he completed over ten years ago, and he almost got denied entry. According to sources.
This report comes as more Nigerian students are enrolling in UK universities. Data from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) showed that Nigerian student numbers jumped from 44,195 in 2021/2022 to 72,355 in 2022/2023. Nigerian students and their families contributed about £1.9 billion to the UK economy in the 2021/2022 academic year, highlighting the economic importance of international students.
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