Private immigration advisory firm Pelican Migration used the start of the month to publish a consolidated briefing on the “major changes” that landed in the UK student-visa rule book this autumn. From **15 July 2025** all new Student and Skilled Worker grants are issued only as digital eVisas, and from **1 January 2025** applicants have had to show significantly higher maintenance funds – £1,483 per month in London or £1,136 outside – to secure a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies.
Looking ahead, the Home Office will raise the English-language requirement for several work routes from B1 to B2 on 8 January 2026 and trim the Graduate Route stay-period from two years to 18 months from 1 January 2027, with a longer three-year option only for PhD holders. Dependants are now limited to doctoral and government-sponsored students. While the article is advisory rather than governmental, it collates announcements from multiple Statements of Changes, giving universities and corporate sponsors a single reference point.
![Study-visa shake-up: higher funds, shorter post-study work and full switch to digital eVisas]()
Digital status means future students will not receive Biometric Residence Permits or passport vignettes; instead their immigration record sits in a UKVI account linked to their passport. Institutions must update CAS guidance and right-to-study processes accordingly. The higher financial thresholds and tighter graduate rules could reduce applicant pools from price-sensitive markets such as South-East Asia and West Africa, prompting some institutions to revisit scholarship budgets and pathway-college partnerships.
For employers fishing for entry-level talent, the shorter Graduate Route window increases pressure to sponsor Skilled Worker visas earlier. HR teams should factor in the upcoming rise to B2 English when planning 2026 recruitment pipelines and budget for language-training support where necessary.
Looking ahead, the Home Office will raise the English-language requirement for several work routes from B1 to B2 on 8 January 2026 and trim the Graduate Route stay-period from two years to 18 months from 1 January 2027, with a longer three-year option only for PhD holders. Dependants are now limited to doctoral and government-sponsored students. While the article is advisory rather than governmental, it collates announcements from multiple Statements of Changes, giving universities and corporate sponsors a single reference point.
Digital status means future students will not receive Biometric Residence Permits or passport vignettes; instead their immigration record sits in a UKVI account linked to their passport. Institutions must update CAS guidance and right-to-study processes accordingly. The higher financial thresholds and tighter graduate rules could reduce applicant pools from price-sensitive markets such as South-East Asia and West Africa, prompting some institutions to revisit scholarship budgets and pathway-college partnerships.
For employers fishing for entry-level talent, the shorter Graduate Route window increases pressure to sponsor Skilled Worker visas earlier. HR teams should factor in the upcoming rise to B2 English when planning 2026 recruitment pipelines and budget for language-training support where necessary.
