Home Office data to June 2026
The latest Student visa grant rate for Nepali applicants, taken from Home Office data each quarter. Plus Goreto visa stories, what gets files refused and a quick self-check before you apply.
Goreto UK visa figures
Our own files, last 12 months
Counted from Goreto's own UK files: every student visa decision we received in the period, refusals included.
National grant rate for Nepali students, year ending June 2026: 96% (Home Office)
By Dhiraj Kandel · 8 min read
The UK grants almost every student visa application from Nepali students that gets a decision, so the visa itself is rarely the hard part. A weak file, such as unclear funds or a doubtful course choice, can still be refused. In the year to June 2026, the Home Office granted 96% of Student visa decisions for Nepali main applicants: 16,297 visas from 16,987 decisions. The year before, it was 93%. Before you plan to study in the UK from Nepal, check your funds, your CAS and your course choice with a counselor.
Before you pay a deposit, you want to know your chances. So this page starts with the official numbers, quarter by quarter, to show what the Home Office actually decided for Nepali students.
A rate for the whole of Nepal does not decide your own result. Two students can apply in the same month for similar courses, and one is refused because the money was in the account for 27 days instead of 28. The sections below show what the officer checks, what a strong file looks like and what to fix before you apply.
Start with the full document list on our UK student visa requirements page. To see where your +2 results stand, use our NEB GPA calculator. For the money side, our GBP to Rs forex converter shows what the amounts are worth in rupees (amounts on this page are in pounds).
Official figures
In the year to June 2026, the Home Office granted 96% of Student visa decisions for Nepali main applicants: 16,297 visas, 690 refusals.
Student visa grant rate for Nepali students, by quarter (to June 2026)
NepalAll countries
Q1 is January to March, Q2 April to June, Q3 July to September and Q4 October to December.
| Quarter | Nepal | Decisions | All countries | Decisions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April to June 2026 | 92% | 2,305 | 92% | 31,701 |
| January to March 2026 | 97% | 3,766 | 87% | 36,966 |
| October to December 2025 | 94% | 2,410 | 86% | 40,425 |
| July to September 2025 | 97% | 8,506 | 98% | 263,548 |
| April to June 2025 | 95% | 4,803 | 97% | 54,148 |
| January to March 2025 | 84% | 5,242 | 94% | 50,169 |
| October to December 2024 | 96% | 3,438 | 94% | 51,136 |
| July to September 2024 | 97% | 5,694 | 98% | 257,377 |
| April to June 2024 | 98% | 1,176 | 97% | 42,882 |
| January to March 2024 | 99% | 2,260 | 90% | 40,978 |
| October to December 2023 | 98% | 2,010 | 89% | 53,486 |
| July to September 2023 | 100% | 3,992 | 98% | 297,313 |
That is up from 93% in the year to June before. In April to June 2026 alone, 2,132 of 2,305 decisions for Nepali students were grants (92%). Nepal is close to the rate for all countries combined (95%).
A grant rate counts decided applications only. Another 218 Nepali applications were withdrawn in the same year, and they are left out. The Home Office publishes these figures every quarter, and this page reads the new file automatically. The next release is due on 26 November 2026.
The rate is high, but it is not the whole story. Many weak files never reach a decision, because the university does not issue a CAS or the student withdraws. Most refusals we see come from living cost funds held for less than 28 days, money that can’t be traced, or answers that don’t match the course. Our page on UK student visa rejection reasons goes through each refusal paragraph.
You apply online on GOV.UK, then give your fingerprints and photo at the visa application centre in Kathmandu, run by VFS Global. Decisions are made by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI), not by the centre. Before that, you need a TB test from a clinic the Home Office approves; the GOV.UK list of TB clinics in Nepal has the addresses. Standard decisions usually take about 3 weeks; check the current visa processing times before you book flights.
Nepal (96%) sits with India (96%) near the top of South Asia, ahead of Bangladesh (86%) and Pakistan (81%).
| Applicant nationality (Student visa, main applicants) | Year ending June 2026 | Year before | Decisions (latest year) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nepal | 96% | 93% | 16,987 |
| India | 96% | 97% | 86,066 |
| Pakistan | 81% | 95% | 24,181 |
| Bangladesh | 86% | 87% | 10,277 |
| Sri Lanka | 89% | 93% | 3,841 |
| Nigeria | 88% | 96% | 29,319 |
| Ghana | 83% | 88% | 4,088 |
| China | 100% | 100% | 84,134 |
| All countries | 95% | 97% | 372,640 |
| Nepal, Student visa | Year ending June 2026 | Year before | Decisions (latest year) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Student (main applicants) | 96% | 93% | 16,987 |
| Dependants of students | 86% | 94% | 986 |
"-" means fewer than 20 decisions, too few for a fair rate. Grant rate = visas granted divided by visas granted plus refused; withdrawn applications are left out.
Source: Home Office, Immigration system statistics, "Entry clearance visa applications and outcomes" detailed dataset (July 2025 to June 2026, published 27 August 2026), on GOV.UK. Nepali nationals, Sponsored study (Student route), main applicants unless stated. Grant rate = issued divided by issued plus refused. The Home Office may revise earlier quarters in later releases.
Latest changes
Four rules matter most right now: higher living cost funds, fewer students who can bring family, a shorter Graduate visa from 2027 and the switch to eVisas.
If you apply from 30 November 2026, you show £1,570 a month in London or £1,203 outside London, for up to 9 months. Before that date the amounts are £1,529 and £1,171. The money must be in the account for 28 days in a row.
Source: Home Office, HC 584After a bachelor's or master's, you get 2 years if you apply on or before 31 December 2026, and 18 months if you apply from 1 January 2027. PhD graduates still get 3 years.
Source: GOV.UKOnly PhD and other research-based postgraduate students, and government-sponsored students, can bring a partner or children. A taught master's student cannot.
Source: GOV.UKThe Student visa fee is £558 from outside the UK, about Rs 1.1 lakh. You also pay the Immigration Health Surcharge of £776 a year. The visa fee is not refunded after a refusal; the health surcharge is.
Source: Home OfficeIf your visa is approved, you get an eVisa, a digital record in your UKVI account. Create the account as soon as you get the decision.
Source: GOV.UKWhat affects approval
UKVI checks that you have a valid CAS, the right money held the right way, English at the right level and a genuine plan to study.
The CAS from your university must match your passport, your course, your fees paid and your English. A wrong detail on the CAS can lead to a refusal, so read it line by line before you apply.
You show the unpaid first-year fees plus living costs for up to 9 months. The full amount must stay in the account for 28 days in a row, and the statement must not be older than 31 days when you apply.
The officer can ask where a large deposit came from. Keep salary, business, land sale or loan papers for every big amount, and make sure the bank is one the Home Office accepts.
UKVI can call you for a short interview. They ask why this course, why this university and how you will pay. Answers that sound memorised or don't match your file are a common reason for refusal.
A gap is fine when you can show what you did, with a work letter or other papers. A course with no link to your past study needs a clear and honest reason.
Declare every earlier refusal, for the UK or any other country. Hiding one is treated as deception and can mean a 10-year ban; declaring it with an explanation does not.
A strong application
A strong file makes the officer's job easy: the right money held the right way, a CAS with no mistakes and answers you can explain.
The full amount stays in the account every day for 28 days, and the statement is no older than 31 days.
Name, passport number, course, fees paid and English level are the same on the CAS and in your file.
Every large deposit has a paper behind it, and the sponsor's relationship to you is clear.
You can explain your course, university, costs and plans in your own words, without a script.
Your TB certificate, translations and academic papers are ready before you book the VFS appointment.
A course that follows from your past study or work is easier to explain in the interview.
| Student background | Stronger course choice | Weaker course choice |
|---|---|---|
| +2 Science | Engineering, computer science, biomedical science | An unrelated business top-up with no reason |
| Bachelor's in IT | MSc in data science, cybersecurity or software engineering | An MBA with no work experience |
| BBS or BBA | MSc in finance, accounting, business analytics | A technical course you can't explain |
| Nursing or health | Public health, healthcare management | An unrelated hospitality course |
| Several years of work | A master's that builds on your job | Going back to a lower level of study |
Success stories
These Goreto students agreed to share their UK visa stories, and new ones are added as visas come in.
These are not all of Goreto's UK visas: we only show students who agreed to share their name and story. UKVI decides every application.
Why visas are refused
Most refusals come down to money held the wrong way, money that can't be traced, or interview answers that don't match the file.
If the balance drops below the amount on even one day, the 28 days start again. Moving money in late is one of the most common refusals.
Large deposits just before you apply raise questions. Show where every big amount came from: salary, business income, land sale or an education loan.
Not knowing your course modules, fees or city, or giving memorised answers, makes the officer doubt you are a genuine student.
A wrong passport number, fees paid or English level on the CAS, or a missing translation, can lead to a refusal.
Moving to an unrelated or lower-level course needs a clear reason. Pick a course that builds on what you studied or the work you did.
A fake bank letter or a hidden earlier refusal is treated as deception, and it can mean a 10-year ban from the UK.
Refused already? You can ask for an administrative review within 28 days if UKVI made a mistake, or apply again with a stronger file. To see what each amount means in rupees, check the UK student visa fee page.
Checklist
Go through this list before you pay the visa fee. Every missing item is a place where the officer may doubt your file.
Self-check
Answer a few questions to see what works in your file, what to fix first, and why.
Free counselling
Tell us about your plan and a Goreto counselor will call you back to look at your file.
Prefer to visit? Goreto has offices in Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Chitwan, Pokhara and Itahari; find the nearest one on our contact page.
FAQs
In the year to June 2026, the Home Office granted 96% of Student visa decisions for Nepali main applicants. In April to June 2026 alone it was 92%. Withdrawn applications are not counted.
Yes, at the moment the UK grants a much larger share of student visa decisions from Nepal. Compare the latest figures on our Australia visa success rate from Nepal page.
In the year to June 2026, 86% of dependant decisions for Nepali students’ family members were grants. Since January 2024 most taught master’s students can’t bring family at all, so many of these applications don’t meet the rules. See our UK dependent visa guide.
In the last 12 months, 38 of the 41 UK visa decisions our students received were grants (93%), refusals included. We also tell students with weak files to wait or change their plan instead of applying, and we show real Goreto UK visa stories on this page with each student’s consent.
From the Home Office immigration statistics, published on GOV.UK every quarter. This page reads the new file automatically. The latest release covers the year to June 2026, and the next one is due on 26 November 2026.
No. UKVI can call any applicant for a short credibility interview, but not everyone gets one. Prepare for it anyway, because your answers can decide the result.
Yes. You can ask for an administrative review within 28 days if you think UKVI made a mistake, or apply again with a new CAS and a stronger file. You must declare the refusal either way.
The £558 visa fee, about Rs 1.1 lakh, is not refunded. The Immigration Health Surcharge is refunded. Your university’s deposit rules decide whether you get the tuition deposit back, so read them before you pay.
Usually about 3 weeks from your VFS appointment for a standard application. Priority services can be faster for an extra fee. Check the current GOV.UK apply page for the latest guidance.
For many students, yes. Visas are granted to most Nepali applicants, courses are short and the Graduate visa still gives time to work after study. Compare Australia, Canada, the UK and the USA before you decide.
UK Visas and Immigration decides every Student visa, and no consultancy can guarantee a grant. The Home Office may revise its figures in later releases. Success stories are shared with each student’s consent.
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