UK rejects visa ban exemption for Chevening scholars
It follows the UK’s implementation of an “emergency brake” on study visas for nationals from Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar and Sudan – countries that have seen rising asylum claims from those on work and study visas in the UK allegedly abusing the system.
Yesterday, The Guardian reported that foreign secretary Yvette Cooper had called for Chevening scholars to be exempt from the new rules – a request that was turned down by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood.
Speaking to The PIE News, a Home Office spokesperson said they could not allow exceptions to the tougher restrictions, claiming that study routes were being “widely abused” and were “creating a back door to claim asylum into this country”.
They defended the “unprecedented action” taken by the government while reiterating its commitment to “expanding safe and legal routes to those fleeing persecution and welcoming the brightest talent in a fair and managed way”.
The Home Secretary is not only undermining a legacy of international development but is failing to recognise the immense strength and value these scholars bring to the UK
Naimat Zafary, former Chevening scholar
But the refusal to keep the study route open for Chevening scholars is set to be met with opposition from within Labour, where there is strong support for the program that welcomes some 1,500 master’s students to the UK on government scholarships every year.
Naimat Zafary, former Chevening scholar from Afghanistan, called the news a “second heartbreaking blow” following the initial policy announcement earlier this month.
He expressed particular sadness for Afghan women and girls who have been barred from accessing education under Taliban rule for over three years – a group which Cooper was purportedly also concerned about.
Zafary highlighted the resilience of students meeting the “rigorous requirements” of the program despite not having access to education in their home country, only to be met with news of the UK government terminating interviews and applications.
“The Home Secretary is not only undermining a legacy of international development but is failing to recognise the immense strength and value these scholars bring to the UK,” said Zafary.
“This decision diminishes the UK’s standing as a trusted partner on the global stage and, most tragically, risks extinguishing the hard-won hope of students who have already sacrificed so much for the right to learn.”
For its case, the home office has said the merits of individual scholarships or schemes did not inform the visa ban, which was based on data showing a 470% increase in student asylum claims from the impacted countries between 2021 and 2025.
But government critics have said the figure is a distortion, highlighting that only 120 Sudanese students applied for asylum in the year up to September, out of a total of more than 110,000 asylum claims.
In 2024, 16 Chevening Scholarships were awarded to students from Sudan, 13 from Afghanistan, 10 from Myanmar and eight from Cameroon, according to the latest government data.
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