The data behind our stories.
Every B4A story starts from published official statistics. These are the files we used, as CSV, with the source, the period and the licence next to each. Columns we calculated ourselves are labelled “B4A calculation”. Each file stays under its publisher’s licence, named beside it. Data sources and disclaimer.
5 datasets, updated as sources are updated
EU first study permits by citizenship, 2022 to 2025
Eurostat, table migr_resfirst, first residence permits for education reasons, EU27, 2022 to 2025. People from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka, plus the total for all non-EU nationalities. Changes, multiples and shares are B4A calculations.
Eurostat reuse policy: free reuse with the source acknowledged. 7 rows. Added 16 Oct 2026.EU first study permits by issuing country, 2024 and 2025
Eurostat, table migr_resfirst, same permits broken down by the 27 EU countries that issued them, for the same five citizenships. Shares are B4A calculations.
Eurostat reuse policy: free reuse with the source acknowledged. 135 rows. Added 16 Oct 2026.UK study visa decisions and refusals by nationality, year ending June 2026
UK Home Office, Immigration system statistics, year ending June 2026, table Vis_04. The 20 nationalities with the most applications, other nationalities and the total. The refused share is a B4A calculation.
Open Government Licence v3.0. 22 rows. Added 16 Oct 2026.Schengen short-stay visa refusals by country of application, 2025
European Commission, visa statistics for consulates, 2025. Applications, visas issued and not issued for each of 161 countries where Schengen consulates operate, plus the grand total. Counts are by the country where the consulate is located, not by nationality. The refused share is a B4A calculation.
European Commission reuse policy: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0, with the source credited and changes indicated. 162 rows. Added 16 Oct 2026.Schengen short-stay visa refusals in Pakistan and Bangladesh by Schengen state, 2025
European Commission, visa statistics for consulates, 2025. Applications, visas issued and not issued by Schengen state for applications made in Pakistan and Bangladesh. Germany and Italy in Pakistan combine Islamabad and Karachi. The refused share is a B4A calculation.
European Commission reuse policy: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0, with the source credited and changes indicated. 25 rows. Added 16 Oct 2026.How to use and cite the files
- Check the licence line under each file. It is the licence of the original source.
- Name the original publisher as the source, for example “Source: Eurostat (migr_resfirst)”.
- Where a column is marked “B4A calculation”, you may also add “calculated by Build 4 Abundance”.
- Figures can be revised by the publisher. Each story page shows the period and the date we checked it.
Planning to study in Europe?
New Life Europe is our sister practice. It helps students and families compare study routes in Europe and prepare for the move. The numbers on this page are public statistics, not advice on your own case.
Need data turned into a decision?
Bring a report, a spreadsheet or a question. We will tell you what the numbers can and cannot say.