At Russell Group Students’ Unions, we support the right of students from all nationality to apply to our universities - and to be judged under the same criteria as everyone else.
We do not think this is a controversial position to take. That is why we are campaigning to reverse the Home Office’s decision to pause student visas for prospective students from four countries.
What are the visa brakes?
Visa Brakes are restrictions that suspend certain visa routes for people from specific countries.
In March 2026, the UK Government introduced visa brakes for students from Cameroon, Myanmar, Sudan and Afghanistan. Student visas are now issued to students from these countries.
The Government says this is due to concerns about the use of student visas to claim asylum in the UK and the policy will be reviewed in September 2027.
It is also considering further restrictions from countries that could include Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan.
The Right to Education
The recent decision taken by the Home Office undermines the UK’s standing as a country that stands in solidarity with prospective students facing unsafe or unstable conditions in their home country.
Our students’ unions hold the fundamental belief that everyone has a right to education in the UK through a fair application process. We reject the idea that your nationality should determine your ability to undertake a higher education degree.
Our campaign
We are joining forces with students’ unions, universities, and politicians across the country to demand that the government reverses their decision and protects the right to access higher education in the UK based on merit, not nationality.
Our project leads have engaged with policymakers, including through the APPG for International Students, spoken directly to politicians at party conferences, and started a social media campaign to build a strong coalition across the students' union movement.
The campaign has secured support from across the political spectrum, through parliamentary questions and letter signatories, that demonstrate the broad appeal of our position.
Our open letter, which is linked at the top of this page, calls on the Home Secretary to support our call.
If you are an elected sabbatical officer, please use the link above to add your signatures. If you are another support, please use the resources below to urge your local MP and university to support our campaign.