Some UK universities have shut international applications to their master’s by research (MRes) courses following increased scrutiny by the Home Office and pressure from the sector, as high demand for these programmes continues.
The number of overseas students on MRes courses grew 135 per cent in 2024-25 compared with the previous year, following a ban on postgraduate students bringing dependants with them, from which these courses are exempt.
The growth was mainly concentrated in a small number of institutions, despite warnings from policymakers and sector bodies not to take advantage of the policy loophole.
But many of these institutions now appear to changed their approach to international student recruitment to MRes courses, following the introduction of new visa compliance measures that could lead to universities losing their license to sponsor international students if they fail to meet the new metrics.
Robert Gordon University (RGU) announced in June that it was closing applications to its October 2026 MRes courses. A spokesperson for RGU said: “The high volume of applications from international students for the autumn intake for MRes meant we had to close this process, however applications for the February 2027 cohort are now open.”
