UK Student Visa Rejection Reasons (Tier 2 & Tier 4 visa)

UK Student Visa Rejection – The United Kingdom is the second most visited study abroad destination after the US due to its top universities, living costs, state-of-the-art infrastructure and above all world-class faculty. This basically means students would have to find an employer willing to sponsor them to switch to a Tier 2 visa (General Work Visa) from a Tier 4 visa (General Student Visa) in a period of 6 months. This has caused a lot of concerns among students who have to sacrifice a lot to reach the UK for higher education. However, the United Kingdom (UK) still remains the top choice for students wanting to travel overseas for higher education. Even if international students secure admission they have to apply for a valid UK study visa in order to move to there. However, not everyone gets the study visa and their visa application gets rejected.
A lot of times, students wanting to study abroad are unable to make their dream come true as their UK Student Visa gets rejected at the early stages due to many reasons. Today we are going to talk about the most common reasons for UK Visa rejection among international students.
Related articles: UK Plummets as a Preferred Study Destination, Guess who is Gaining from it?
Important Update
Reinstatement of the two-year post-study work visa
The UK government has announced the reinstatement of the two-year post-study work visa for international students. The new immigration rules will benefit those international students who are planning to pursue their higher studies in the UK starting from 2020-21. Currently, international students pursuing Bachelor's or Master's degree can stay back only for a period of four months. Only international students studying in 27 universities can stay back for six months which is part of the pilot scheme. Prospective Indian students are also going to benefit from this new rule.
UK Student Visa Rejection Reasons
Some of the common reasons for UK visa rejection are mentioned below. So, make sure you are not making these mistakes while submitting your UK study visa application.
Providing inaccurate information
The most important document for the students applying for the UK Student Visa is his UK Student Visa Application Form. A lot of times, candidates provide inaccurate information which becomes the reason for UK Visa rejection. The Visa Application Form could be a complex document for first-timers and candidates could tend to misinterpret questions. Hence, the probability of making an error is huge and this should be avoided under all circumstances.
Falling short on academic achievements
Candidates looking to apply among the top universities in the UK are required to show academic achievements to be able to meet the exceptional academic standards maintained by the country. Students are unable to match such standards leading to the cancellation of their UK student visa. The student visa could also be rejected if the issuing administration feels the student would not be able to cope with the prevalent education system or the student could experience a language barrier once in the country.
Insufficient funds
Candidates going to the United Kingdom are required to be able to pay their tuition fees, their living costs and every other necessary expenditure while living in the country. By law, candidates would be required to show funds that cover his tuition and living expenses for a year or for the entire duration of the course (whichever is longer) and funds must be 28 days old in the account. A lot of times, these intricate details are left out by the candidate or taken lightly thus, leading to their Visa rejection.
Related read: UK: A preferred destination for Indian students
Inadequate documents
A lot of times, candidates underplay the importance of supporting documents. Along with their Visa Application form, candidates are expected to submit supporting documents to make their application stronger. Candidates should be extra careful to note that all the documents required by the agency must be submitted in order and attested if necessary. The documents should be in English and according to international standards.
Lack of interview skills
The interview round for UK Student Visa is extremely crucial and is a deciding factor for your student visa. Candidates should be able to exude confidence and charisma at the time of their interview. Candidates who go half-prepared or provide hesitant answers often miss out on the opportunity of getting their student visa. Candidates should be prepared with all the information as the interviewer expects the candidates to be aware of the country, state, city, university and study programmes. Candidates who are facing problems with their UK Student Visa can contact our expert counseling team for getting their doubts cleared.
Also view: How to get UK Student Visa in 5 steps
Gap years
Your gap year/years when you have not done anything productive or you don't have anything to show that you have done something concrete may increase the chances of visa rejection. Even if you have not done any work or studies you should go for something that is related to your work like an internship or any activity that can be counted as relevant and can be useful in your career ahead.
English Language proficiency
Candidates who are applying for a Tier 4 Student Visa to pursue higher studies are required to meet the English language criteria set by the institution where they are seeking admission.
What to do if your UK Student Visa gets rejected multiple times?
As such there is no limit to apply for the UK student visa, if your visa gets rejected in accordance with the immigration rules. So, candidates can apply for as many times as they want. However, it is not a good idea to apply numerous times for UK student visa. Just check the reason for visa rejection and make sure you are meeting the criteria while reapplying. There is no such thing as blacklisting the applicant until he/she has criminal background.
What to do in case of visa rejection?
You can do the following in case of visa rejection.
- One can reapply after once your application gets rejected
- You can lodge an appeal if there is a right to it
- You can opt for reconsideration which is possible only for certain types of applications
Read also:
- Reasons for rejection of US Student Visa
- Reasons for rejection of Canada Student Visa
- Reasons for rejection of Australian Student Visa
- Reasons for rejection of Germany Student Visa
If your Visa application has been rejected once, you might want to refer: What to do if your student Visa gets rejected?.
Need more tips related to Visa Application? Check out Interview tips for student visa.

With over 8 years of experience in overseas education, Rahul Singha has been previously associated with prominent education houses. He is also responsible for keeping a sharp eye on education policies of major study... Read Full Bio
Comments
(37)
S
28/03/22
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Hello Sir Do we need to mention canada refusal for UK student visa file?
Reply to Shelby 69
R
Rahul SinghaStudy Abroad Expert
31/03/22
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Hello Shelby. If you had a refusal in Canada, and you are applying to any other country, please disclose this information. Mentioning your Canadian Visa refusal doesn’t weaken your profile in anyways. A refusal from one country doesn't invalidate your chances to study anywhere else. Every country...Hello Shelby. If you had a refusal in Canada, and you are applying to any other country, please disclose this information. Mentioning your Canadian Visa refusal doesn’t weaken your profile in anyways. A refusal from one country doesn't invalidate your chances to study anywhere else. Every country has different immigration rules and regulations in place.
A
08/03/22
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I feel that this is a very silly reason that they gave me.
Reply to ANKITA SHARMA
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Rahul SinghaStudy Abroad Expert
31/03/22
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You can also look at popular universities in the UK here: https://studyabroad.shiksha.com/uk
A
08/03/22
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I got rejection in Salford university because I am married and 7 years gaps but I showed my all gaps in details that I worked here and there.
Reply to ANKITA SHARMA
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Rahul SinghaStudy Abroad Expert
31/03/22
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Hello Ankita. I am sorry to hear about your unsuccessful attempt. You can always look at trying a different university for your preferred course. You could get in touch with our counsellors on the same here: https://studyabroad.shiksha.com/apply
A
30/01/22
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Passed in 2006, started working from 2011 to present. Can I apply for UK masters considering total gap of 15 years of which 4 years were spent in preparing for civil services examination?
Reply to Amazon Ley
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Rahul SinghaStudy Abroad Expert
31/01/22
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Hello Amazon. Thank you for writing in. Well, the university and visa officers do take gap years seriously. However, if you are able to provide them with a solid reason for your break with substantial proof. You will be in the clear. I hope this helps. (contd)
R
Rahul SinghaStudy Abroad Expert
31/01/22
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You can in the meantime check out top universities in the UK, here: https://studyabroad.shiksha.com/uk and get in touch with our Shiksha Counselling Services here: https://studyabroad.shiksha.com/apply
r
18/11/21
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Bro what is the possibility of getting UK visa after if interview passed ?
Reply to raute 77
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Rahul SinghaStudy Abroad Expert
30/11/21
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Hello Raute. If you have successfully passed your interview. The possibility of you getting your UK Study Visa is high. Given that your documents are in order. You will have to give the authorities the required time to process your Visa application.