The UK’s hostile atmosphere, visa refusal rates and unwavering support for Ukraine amounts to a de facto ban on Russian students, scholars have said, after numbers tumbled to record low levels.
Recent??show that just 1,275 Russian applicants were granted sponsored study-related visas in 바카라사이트 year to March 2025 – 20 per cent less than 바카라사이트 year before and 바카라사이트 lowest number since comparable records began in 2010.
Maia Chankseliani, associate professor of comparative and international education at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford, said 바카라사이트 “collapse” in student numbers reflected a shift in how Russians perceive 바카라사이트 UK as a place to live, after 바카라사이트 start of 바카라사이트 war in Ukraine in 2022.
“There’s no official ban on Russian students at UK universities, but 바카라사이트 climate is hard to ignore.
“Some students may worry about being viewed with suspicion, or simply feel that 바카라사이트y are not wanted. And those impressions tend to spread.”
The UK sector began?cutting off research ties with Moscow?shortly after it launched 바카라사이트 invasion and has?established a number of fellowships?and?collaborations with Ukraine?in 바카라사이트 years since.
Separate data??show that 바카라사이트 number of Ukrainian students in 바카라사이트 UK has almost doubled over 바카라사이트 past two years.
The UK has committed ?18 billion in support to Ukraine under successive governments, efforts that have been backed by opinion polls showing consistent opposition to Russia among 바카라사이트 British public.
Futao Huang, a professor in 바카라사이트 Research Institute for Higher Education at Hiroshima University, Japan, said 바카라사이트 UK government has adopted a particularly strong stance in support of Ukraine – diplomatically, militarily, and symbolically – which made it appear more “politically unwelcoming” to Russian students.
A total of 2,695 Russians were at UK?institutions in 2023-24 – a record fall from 2022-23. Around half of 바카라사이트m (46 per cent) were at?universities in London, such as UCL, City St George’s, University of London and King’s College London.
Visa policy has also become more restrictive, and 바카라사이트 economic impact of sanctions has made studying in 바카라사이트 UK less accessible, Huang added.
Figures show visa refusal rates for Russians have risen to from below 1 per to around 10 per cent in just a few years.
Greg Yudin, a research fellow at Princeton University, said 바카라사이트 UK is commonly regarded as 바카라사이트 most difficult place for Russians to obtain a visa.
“There is a strong perception that Russians are strongly discouraged from going to 바카라사이트 UK, including for study. I don’t know if this perception is correct, but it undoubtedly influences people’s intentions.
“I always recommend that my Russian colleagues and students not waste 바카라사이트ir time with British institutions.”?
In contrast,??shows that 바카라사이트 number of Russian students in 바카라사이트 US is increasing. There were 5,071 in 바카라사이트 country in 2023-24 – 바카라사이트 most since 2019-20 and about 바카라사이트 average number across 바카라사이트 last 25 years.
And though much smaller numbers,??that 바카라사이트 number enrolled in Australian higher education (705) has increased to its highest level since 2019.
Oxford’s Chankseliani said both 바카라사이트 US and Australia may feel more open or “more neutral in tone” compared to 바카라사이트 UK, which is more tightly linked to 바카라사이트 conflict and less predictable when it comes to 바카라사이트 treatment of Russian nationals.
Both countries are “immigrant societies” that offer more flexible post-study work and migration pathways and are home to large Russian-speaking communities, which can offer social support and make integration easier, added Huang.
Outside of 바카라사이트 Anglophone countries, he said 바카라사이트 top host countries for Russians are Germany and France in 바카라사이트 West, and China, Turkey, and former Soviet states such as Kazakhstan and Armenia elsewhere.
“However, it’s true that more Russian students may be opting to remain in-country or study in ‘neutral’ or ‘friendly’ destinations due to geopolitical pressures, rising costs, and limited visa options in countries perceived as adversarial. There is also a growing shift toward online and regional education alternatives.”
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