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The number of student visa applications for UK courses over a 12-month period has risen for the first time in almost two years, official figures show.

Student demand that was affected significantly by the previous government¡¯s restrictions on dependant visas from January 2024 now seems to be recovering.

?that 79,500 people submitted sponsored study visa applications in September ¨C 10 per cent more than in the same month in 2024. There were 3,000 applications from family members of students last month, which was a 30 per cent increase on September last year.

Despite this rise, the number of dependant visa applications for the past 12 months remains 53 per cent below the number in the year to September 2024.

But overall, the figures show a total of 457,100 sponsored study-related visa applications have been submitted for the past 12 months.

This was 1 per cent more than the number of applications in the 12-month period to September 2024 and the first time this has risen for at least 22 months.

September historically tends to be the second-busiest month of the year for visa applications, with?the peak usually coming in August.

Amid restrictive policies in other key markets and doubts over the future of US higher education, the data suggests that recent UK policy changes have not quashed demand.

The Conservative government introduced a ban on most students bringing dependants in January 2024, other than those studying postgraduate research courses or courses with government-funded scholarships.

The Labour government has also announced plans to?cut graduate visas from two years to 18 months?and proposed a new levy of 6 per cent on international tuition fees.

Experts have warned that the levy could affect overseas recruitment if passed on to students directly.

patrick.jack@timeshighereducation.com