200,000 students face rejection in stampede for university places

More than 200,000 students are expected to be rejected by universities next year in a huge scramble for places.

The Government has frozen the number available but more students than ever will apply to start courses before 2012, when tuition fees will treble.

Universities that take too many students next year will face fines of more than £3,000. Sally Hunt, general secretary of the University and College Union, said: "The Government's refusal to fund universities but fine them if they over-recruit means we will see thousands desperately fighting over fewer places and universities unable to risk helping them."

The Government has announced a £581 million cut to university funding. Total funding will fall from £9.8 billion to £9.2 billion next year.