By John Ekeh, JKNewsMedia Reporter
THE UNITED Kingdom (UK)-led global study visa issuance in 2025, issuing nearly 395,000 new student visas as traditional study destinations faced policy changes and declining enrolments.
JKNewsMedia.com reports that the UK issued 394,921 new study visas in 2025, surpassing major competitors including the United States (US), Australia and Canada for the first time since 2022.
The figures showed the UK maintained the lead despite a 32% decline in visa issuance during 2025.
The country also benefited from disruption affecting competitors during and immediately after the Covid 19 period in 2023. It would now appear that the country is benefiting from caps and refusal rates from competitor countries.
The number of new study visas issued to international students by the traditional big four study destinations, the US, Canada, the UK and Australia, declined by approximately 38% between 2023 and 2025, largely due to disruptive national immigration policies.
Canada recorded the sharpest decline, issuing 399,405 fewer visas to international students in 2025 compared with 2023.
France and Germany appeared to have surpassed Canada in the number of new international enrolments in 2025, expanding the traditional big four to potentially a new big six group of study destinations of similar size.
US immigration data was only available up to September 2025, making like for like comparison difficult. Continued visa delays, blocked countries, ongoing speculation about Optional Practical Training and confirmed changes to duration of status contributed to declining enrolments.
The UK said it recorded 394,921 new study visas issued across all study levels, excluding short term student visas or extensions, for main applicants sponsored for study with no dependants applying from outside the UK.
Australia issued 365,616 new study visas in 2025 across all study levels and modes. Offshore new study visas would have been lower at 224,044.
The US issued 298,881 new study visas based on official monthly non immigrant visa issuance statistics covering October 2024 to September 2025.
France issued 116,835 new student residence permits, with the initial issuance of student residence permits rising by 5.3% in 2025 following a year of stagnation.
Germany recorded 116,600 international first year students in 2025, reaching a new high. National visa statistics showed 99,388 international students were issued a visa.
Canada issued 108,250 new study visas, based on updates from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada and the BONARD student visa dashboard.
Other nations including Korea, Japan, China and Malaysia showed strong growth in enrolments in 2025 and were often named among the big 14 list of challenger destinations.
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