Home Office grants extra visas for UCL international students told to defer

University College London said ‘an extraordinary surge in demand’ had led to the over-recruitment of international students. Photograph: Benjamin John/Alamy

Hundreds of international students will be able to take up their promised places after negotiations between the Home Office and University College London ended with the government granting extra visas.

Hundreds of students, many from China, had been left in limbo after UCL underestimated the demand for places this year and exceeded its allocation of confirmation of acceptance for studies (CAS) electronic documents allowed by the Home Office.