A total of 1,425 international students were denied entry at UK airports between October 2021 and October 2023, including 161 Nigerians, according to data from the UK Home Office.
Nigeria ranks second in the number of students turned away, following India, which has the largest number of affected students.
The data does not include students deported for visa violations or academic misconduct. Denial reasons often involve issues such as failing to convincingly answer Border Force officers’ questions, presenting forged documents, or language deficiencies.
Dele Olawanle, an immigration lawyer in the UK, criticized the Border Force’s actions, stating, “UK border officers have turned themselves into university officials at the point of entry by questioning students entering the UK to start their course on some aspects of the course they are going to start.”
He highlighted that some students had their visas canceled after providing incorrect answers.
Nelly Okechukwu, a data analyst, shared his experience of being questioned about a course he completed years ago, questioning the relevance and appropriateness of such inquiries.
For the 2021/2022 academic year, 679,970 foreign students were admitted to UK universities. Nigerian students had the highest number with 44,195 out of 68,320 African students, with this number increasing to 72,355 in the 2022/2023 academic year. *Students from India and Nigeria make up the largest populations of international students in the UK.*
Universities UK International stated that the number of students denied entry is minimal compared to the total number granted study visas.
The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission reported no complaints about entry refusals, while education consultants explained that rejections could stem from suspicions about the student’s intentions or visa validity.
Immigration lawyers emphasized that holding a visa does not guarantee entry, as customs and immigration officers have the authority to deny entry based on their assessment.
The recent decline in Nigerian students traveling to the UK is attributed to the ban on dependents of student visa holders and the devaluation of the naira affecting financial capabilities.
