Nigerian students are among the most likely international graduates to remain in the United Kingdom after completing their studies, despite the country’s tightening immigration policies and plans to make permanent settlement more difficult.
A new briefing on international student migration found that around 78% of Nigerians who first arrived on a UK student visa in 2020 still held a valid visa at the end of 2025, representing the highest proportion among the major nationalities analyzed.
By comparison, 58% of Indian students from the same cohort still held valid visas five years later, while students from countries such as China and the United States were far less likely to remain in the UK.
The report noted that international students have become increasingly likely to stay in the UK after graduation, largely because many switch to the Graduate Visa or other visa categories that allow them to continue living and working in the country.
Among all migrants who were issued an initial UK study visa in 2020, 41% still had permission to stay in the country by the end of 2025. Of those, 26% had moved onto work visas, 6% remained on study visas, and 59% no longer held a valid visa.
The report also warned that remaining in the UK does not guarantee permanent residency. Study visas and Graduate Visas do not count towards the standard five-year residence period for indefinite leave to remain. Instead, the time counts towards a separate long-residence route requiring 10 years of continuous residence.
The pathway could become even more challenging after the UK government announced in November 2025 plans to double the standard residence requirement for settlement to 10 years. Details on implementation remained unclear as of June 2026.
Despite the tougher immigration environment, the findings suggest Nigerian graduates continue to be among those most likely to build longer-term lives in the UK by transitioning into other visa routes rather than returning home immediately.
