Over 1,425 international students who secured admission to universities in the United Kingdom were denied entry at UK airports between 2021 and 2023, according to data obtained from the UK Home Office.
Among those affected, 161 were Nigerians, representing 11.3% of the total, while Indian students topped the list with 644 cases, accounting for 45% of the denied entries.
The data, covering the period from October 2021 to October 2023, highlights a troubling trend for international students, particularly from Nigeria, India, Ghana, and Bangladesh. Ghana followed Nigeria with 92 students (6.46%) denied entry, and Bangladesh with 90 students (6.32%).
The UK Home Office did not specify the exact reasons for the removals but noted common issues such as students’ inability to satisfy Border Force officers during airport checks, the presentation of forged documents, and deficiencies in English language proficiency. These denials come despite students having already secured admission and visas to study in the UK.
The data does not include international students who were deported by the Home Office for other reasons, such as working beyond the permitted 20 hours per week or academic malpractice.
The treatment of these students has drawn criticism, particularly from immigration lawyer Dele Olawanle, who has condemned the actions of Border Force officers. In a social media post, Olawanle argued that these officers have overstepped their roles by questioning students on academic matters, a task typically reserved for university officials. He described instances where students had their visas cancelled after failing to adequately answer questions about their courses, despite having been previously vetted and accepted by their universities.
A Nigerian data analyst, Nelly Okechukwu, also shared his experience, recounting how a Border Force officer quizzed him about a course he had completed over a decade earlier. He narrowly escaped having his entry denied.
The report comes amid a surge in the number of Nigerian students enrolling in UK universities, with the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) data indicating that Nigerian student numbers rose from 44,195 in the 2021/2022 academic year to 72,355 in the 2022/2023 academic year. Nigerian students and their dependents contributed an estimated £1.9 billion to the UK economy in the 2021/2022 academic session, underscoring the significant economic impact of international students.
