Over 2,000 students gathered outside the Senate House on Monday morning as the university's ruling council met there to discuss a paper urging caution over the controversial fees.

Any system of funding should facilitate bringing additional resources into universities without harming efforts to widen participation

Cambridge University

The paper - from the university's Students' Union - warned that escalating tuition fees could hinder the university's attempts to attract bright students from underprivileged backgrounds.

President of the Students' Union Paul Lewis said the document was "well received" by the council and the issue was discussed in depth.

Mr Lewis will meet the university's vice-chancellor Sir Alec Broers later this week, when a further statement from the university is expected.

Mr Lewis said he believed council members were particularly moved by the students' protest.

"Having 2,000 students gather in this way is unprecedented in the Students' Union's history. And it was a deliberately noisy protest - people came along with trombones, whistles, pots and pans - it was great.

"I think that left a mark with the council," said Mr Lewis.

Government plans

Top-up fees are one of the options being considered by the government for its delayed policy document on funding higher education - now due out in January.

Sir Alec Broers has said top-up fees are not his preferred option

If Cambridge does opt to oppose the fees - which will see students paying significantly more than the current �1,100 towards the cost of tuition - it will be breaking with other leading universities.

Other members of the Russell Group, made up of the UK's top 19 research-based institutions, have generally voiced support for top-up fees.

One, Imperial College, London has already set out how it would introduce tuition fees of up to �10,500 a year.

But, last month, Sir Alec, publicly intervened to stop rumours that Cambridge was preparing detailed plans to charge undergraduates extra.

Underprivileged students

A spokeswoman for Cambridge University said world-class universities could only remain world-class if they attracted the best students.

"Cambridge is totally committed to attracting the best students irrespective of their background and to a simple, adequate and transparent system of student support," the spokeswoman said.

"Student debt levels have risen in recent years and any further increase associated with an increase in up front costs for students could damage the advances made in broadening participation.

"Any system of funding should facilitate bringing additional resources into universities without harming efforts to widen participation. That is the challenge."

'Socially divisive'

The developments at Cambridge came as the vice-chancellor of Coventry University publicly condemned top-up fees as socially divisive.

Dr Michael Goldstein told a graduation ceremony at the university that the student support system had been "a dreadful muddle".

"Student debt is a multi-million pound burden," said Dr Goldstein.

"And now we have the awful threat of a fees escalation - led by well-off universities predominantly serving the well-off - and the introduction of a socially divisive regime, in which the ability of students to pay will determine the quality of their educational experience."