Overseas students left in limbo as UCL exceeds visa quota

Hundreds of international students accepted on courses by University College London have been left in limbo and facing thousands of pounds in costs after the university admitted it had run out of places just days before many were due to start.

- Richard Adams Rachel Hall

About 200 students from China alone have been affected after UCL exceeded its visa allocations for the coming academic year, with the university initially telling the students that they would have to defer their studies until 2026.

UCL has blamed “an extraordinary surge in demand” for the over-recruitment of international students, and has told those affected that it was negotiating with the Home Office to increase its visa allocation.

Several students who spoke to the Guardian said they had already spent the equivalent of thousands of pounds on travel, application fees and accommodation in London after they had been accepted by UCL.