Universities UK recently published a blueprint setting out a package of reform to ‘stabilise, mobilise and maximise the contribution of UK universities to economic growth and widening opportunity’. (Photo credit: pixabay.com)Indian nationals received 95,231 sponsored study visas in the year ending December 2025, making them the largest group of international students in the UK, according to the UK Home Office. China followed with 89,019 visas. While Indian student numbers rose by 3 per cent over the year, Chinese numbers declined by 7 per cent.Indian applicants accounted for 23 per cent of all sponsored study visas granted to main applicants.Refusal rates for Indian study visa applications remained around 4 per cent, lower than the double-digit refusal rates recorded for applicants from Pakistan and Nigeria, according to the UK Home Office data. UK Visa numbers across categories (Source: UK Home Office Immigration Statistics)While the number of Indian main applicants increased, the number of dependents joining them fell sharply. The drop followed the January 2024 policy change restricting most international students from bringing family members. Dependent numbers linked to Indian students declined by nearly 80 per cent over the period. This contributed to a fall in overall migration figures even as Indian student grants remained high.Indians also led in Graduate Route extensions. A total of 90,153 Graduate Route extensions were granted to Indian nationals in the year ending December 2025. This accounted for about 42 per cent of all Graduate Route extensions issued globally. Nigeria followed with 42,220 and Pakistan with 30,464.The ‘Graduate Route’ lets international students stay and work in the UK for 2 years (or 3 years for PhD holders) after finishing their degreeAs per the data, overall Graduate Route extension grants fell by 6 per cent during the year.Story continues below this adOn the work visa aspect, Indians received the highest number of skilled worker extensions. A total of 90,031 skilled worker extensions were granted to Indians, followed by 16,098 to Pakistani nationals and 12,485 to Nigerians. The median salary for skilled worker extensions granted to Indians rose to £38,700, reflecting the revised salary thresholds introduced in 2024 and 2025.In the ‘health and care’ category, 104,555 extensions were issued to Indian nationals. Nigerians received 88,461 and Zimbabweans 28,914. At the same time, new Health and Care Worker visas granted to main applicants fell by 91 per cent globally over the year. The higher extension numbers indicate that most grants were for individuals already in the UK extending their stay.Home Office data also show that around 74,000 Indian nationals left the UK in the year ending June 2025. This was the highest number of departures among non-EU nationalities during the period.In the asylum category, the number of people claiming asylum in the UK fell by 4 per cent in 2025, even as small boat arrivals increased by 13 per cent. Indian nationals ranked seventh among asylum applicants. The top nationalities included Pakistan, Eritrea, Iran, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Sudan, Somalia, Nigeria and Vietnam.Story continues below this adThe Home Office stated that several of these nationalities, including India, have seen large increases in work and study visa grants since January 2021 following changes to the post-Brexit immigration system.