Kingston University paid nearly £20,000 in compensation to students who complained last year, a 300 per cent increase on the previous year.

Two students were each paid £7,500 in the academic year 2009-10, one following a complaint about staff conduct, the other about research degree supervision.

Another student received £377 following a visa-related complaint.

Thames Valley University paid a total of £55,437 last year, while the University of East Anglia and Cardiff Universities paid £39,445 and £39,100 respectively.

However, Kingston students received more compensation than those at Cambridge, Newcastle, Leeds and Oxford.

Chris Dingle, of Kingston University students’ union, said he was concerned about the increase in payments, but said it may have been due to the union starting to employ two professional advisers to help with complaints.

He said: “We receive complaints about staff – some are upheld and some are not.

“In an institution as large as we are, it is unlikely we would never have people complaining, but I don’t think there is a problem with staff conduct at the university."

A Kingston University spokesman said: “Kingston University takes its duty of care to students very seriously and is committed to high-quality teaching and support. We have a robust student complaints procedure and any complaints are investigated thoroughly.”