The Aldwych Group, which represents students at the elite Russell Group universities, met Russell Group vice-chancellors yesterday to press the case against top-up fees.
Hamish Common, president of Imperial College student union and co-chair of the Aldwych Group, said: "We believe top-up fees to be divisive and unnecessary and that they would hit access exactly where we should be widening it.
"Debt is going to deter the poorest students from studying. We must ensure that students are not used as a cash cow for vice-chancellors' spending plans."