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🇮🇶 Iraqi citizens · 🇬🇧 UK · Student

UK student visa success rate for Iraqi citizens (year to March 2026)

76.7% of Iraqi UK student visa applications were approved in the year to March 2026, across 782 decisions — the remaining 23.3% were refused. Approval is down from 80% in year to March 2025. Unlike the Schengen figures, this is grouped by the applicant's nationality rather than by where the application was lodged, and it is broken down by visa type, so it describes Iraqi student applicants specifically. Withdrawn and lapsed applications are excluded from both sides of the fraction. It remains a nationality-wide outcome rather than a prediction for one case. On the money side: Course fees (or first-year fees) plus £1,529/month for courses in London or £1,171/month outside London, for up to 9 months — held for 28 straight days ending within 31 days of applying. The estimator below weighs your own finances, ties, travel history and refusal record against that.

Last reviewed August 2026 per our editorial standards. Rate: UK Home Office — outcomes of entry clearance visa applications by nationality and visa type (Vis_D02) . Rules: GOV.UK — UK Home Office .

For Iraqi citizens applying, a student visa to the United Kingdom is decided mainly on whether you are a genuine student who can fund and complete the course. Public statistics point to an approximate base approval of around 77% for this route — but your own profile can move that figure a lot in either direction. Published approval rates for Iraq run at 60.1% on US visitor visas in FY2025 and 65.7% on Schengen short-stay applications in 2025.

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Key requirements

  • A Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) from a licensed sponsor
  • Maintenance funds: £1,334/month (London) or ~£1,023/month (outside), up to 9 months
  • Funds held in your account for 28 consecutive days
  • Meet the English language requirement
  • TB test certificate where required for your country

Visa fee (cost)

£558 visa fee (April 2026 rate) plus the Immigration Health Surcharge (£776 per year of study).

Money & funds

Course fees (or first-year fees) plus £1,529/month for courses in London or £1,171/month outside London, for up to 9 months — held for 28 straight days ending within 31 days of applying.

Typical timeline

Apply after receiving your CAS; decisions typically take about 3 weeks when applying from outside the UK.

Common refusal reasons

  • Funds not held for the full 28-day period
  • Missing or incorrect financial evidence
  • An invalid, withdrawn, or mismatched CAS
  • Failing the credibility / genuine-student assessment
  • English language requirement not met

Where Iraq sits in the official data

Two governments publish visa outcomes broken down by country. Neither predicts an individual decision, but together they show how Iraqi applicants fare relative to everyone else, and which of the destinations we cover currently refuses the fewest applications from Iraq.

US visitor visas — FY2025

A 39.9% adjusted refusal rate places Iraq 126th of 199 nationalities the State Department publishes — a lower refusal rate than 37% of them. The median nationality sits at 31.8%, so Iraq is 8.1 points above it.

Schengen short-stay visas — 2025

Across all Schengen consulates in Iraq, 34.3% of short-stay applications were not issued — 106th of 127 countries with a meaningful application volume, and 18.7 points above the 15.6% median.

Schengen short-stay applications lodged in Iraq in 2025, by issuing state. All rows use the European Commission's methodology, so they are comparable with each other — the US figure is computed differently and is shown separately above.
DestinationRefusedIssuedDecided
Italy25%75%16,899
Spain25.5%74.5%4,185
the Netherlands34.2%65.8%3,176
Germany36.9%63.1%13,464
France37.7%62.3%20,515
Greece40%60%6,213

Among Schengen states, applications lodged in Iraq were refused least often by Italy at 25% and most often by Greece at 40% — a gap of 15 points on a like-for-like basis. That gap reflects who applies where as much as how strictly each state decides, so it is a starting point for choosing a main destination, not a ranking of leniency. You must still apply to the state where you will spend the most nights.

Demand and outcome moved together for Iraq between 2024 and 2025. Schengen consulates there decided 69,123 short-stay applications, against 64,703 the year before — up 6.8% — while the refusal rate went from 34% to 34.3%. Had 2024's rate held, roughly 190 of the 69,123 applicants refused in 2025 would have been issued a visa instead.

Sources: U.S. Department of State — Adjusted Refusal Rate, B-Visas Only, by Nationality and European Commission — Schengen short-stay visa statistics for consulates . Schengen figures are grouped by the country an application was lodged in, not by passport.

Frequently asked questions

What is the UK student visa refusal rate for Iraqi citizens?

23.3% in year to March 2026, against 20% in year to March 2025 — meaning 76.7% of decided cases ended in a visa. Entry clearance student visa applications from Iraq nationals decided in the year to March 2026, as a share refused. The Home Office publishes decisions by nationality and visa type; withdrawn and lapsed applications are excluded from both sides of the fraction. It is a nationality-wide outcome, not a probability for an individual application. Your own case is assessed on its own evidence, so use the estimator on this page rather than the average.

Where does this UK refusal-rate figure come from?

From UK Home Office — outcomes of entry clearance visa applications by nationality and visa type (Vis_D02), covering year to March 2026. We restate the published figure without adjustment and link the source file directly, so you can check it yourself.

What matters most for a UK student visa?

Officers focus on whether you are a genuine student who can fund and complete the course. In practice the single biggest lever is admission and funding, so make that part of your application as strong and well-documented as possible.

Does a previous visa refusal affect my chances?

Yes. A prior refusal weighs on new applications until its underlying reason is addressed. Find out exactly why you were refused, fix what caused it, and clearly show what is different this time.

Is this a guarantee of approval?

No. GetVisaOdds is an educational planning tool, not legal advice and not a guarantee. Only a consular or immigration officer can decide your application. We show approximate odds and the reasons behind them so you can prepare better.

Is my information private?

Completely. The estimate runs entirely in your browser. Your answers are never sent to a server or stored — there is no sign-up and nothing to leak.

How much money do I need for a UK Student visa in 2026?

Tuition plus £1,334 per month for study in London or about £1,023 per month outside London, for up to 9 months — held in your account for 28 consecutive days.

What is a CAS and why do I need one?

A Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies is a reference number from your licensed sponsor (university/college). You cannot apply for the Student route without a valid CAS.

Are UK student visa approval rates high?

Yes — because a licensed sponsor issues the CAS after vetting you, and the financial rules are clear. Meeting the funds and CAS rules correctly makes approval likely.

Do I need an English test for a UK Student visa?

You must meet the English requirement, usually via an approved test (or an exemption, e.g. for nationals of majority-English-speaking countries or certain degree-level courses assessed by the university).

Explore related visa odds

UK student visa odds for other nationalities

Helpful guides

UK ETA 2026: who needs it, cost (£20) and how to apply → How long does a visa take? US, UK, Canada & Schengen (2026) → How to prove funding for a student visa → How to read visa approval and refusal rates → How to prove strong ties to your home country → How to document your finances for a visa →