Citing problems with CAS allocation and rising demand, a UK institution has taken the decision to cut the number of Master of Research (MRes) students for the September 2025 intake. The institution has requested in a letter to its agent partners that they restrict MRes applications to 25% of their overall CAS usage and give priority to hiring a “more diverse applicant profile.”
Following its request for an increase in CAS allotment from the UK Visa and Immigration (UKVI) department, the university decided to restrict MRes applicants. For the September intake, the institution has been given an extra CAS allotment, but there are tight rules on how to use it.
As per the letter, the institution has notified its agents that “all MRes courses are now closed to new applications” because of the “high volume of applications already received.” Agents must now prioritize students who are not applying for MRes courses when creating a list of candidates based on the CAS allocation.
Agents who have assisted many students in successfully applying to MRes courses in past intakes have been irritated by the university’s approach. An agent who asked to be anonymous voiced his worries, adding, “This is incredibly frustrating for a lot of us. When classes are full, the university can easily close them. However, we now have hundreds of offers for September that we must revoke because we are working with families and kids.”
“How are we going to select the 25% that are more deserving of a spot than others?” the agent said. It’s unfair, and the university’s planning is really bad.” Students from nations like Nigeria, India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan are drawn to the university’s extensive portfolio of MRes courses in subjects including public health and business and management. Students who wish to bring their families to the UK on a study visa have found these courses very appealing.
In the student visa system, the UKVI has been taking strong action against exploitation and misuse. In order to pass their yearly Basic Compliance Assessment (BCA) and keep their position as student sponsors, sponsors of overseas students currently need to have a visa denial rate of less than 10%, an enrollment rate of at least 90%, and a course completion rate of at least 85%.
The university may be taking this measure in an effort to align its institution with the increased compliance levels that have been proposed, which would increase each barrier by five percentage points.
Students and agents who had been considering studying in the UK will be greatly impacted by the university’s decision to restrict MRes admissions. Many students who received offers of spots on MRes courses may now have those offers revoked, leaving them unsure and disturbing their plans. Managing the expectations of families and students who had been banking on studying in the UK will also be difficult for agents. The university’s behavior might cause agents and the university to lose trust in one another, which could harm their relationships.
The decision by the UK university to lower the number of MRes students in the face of rapidly increasing demand brings to light the difficulties and complications involved in overseeing the recruitment of overseas students. The university’s move will surely have a big impact on students, agents, and the university’s reputation, even though its goal may be to ensure compliance with UKVI standards.
Universities will need to adjust to new laws and carefully manage their foreign student recruitment efforts as the UK government continues to crack down on misuse and exploitation within the student visa system. The education sector will be keenly monitoring this situation’s outcome, and it is unclear how other colleges will handle such difficulties.
