The University of Glasgow Student Council is calling for a cap on the number of students, citing claims that the student population has grown by 40% in just five years.
It said an additional 10,000 students had weighed on accommodation, affecting their well-being and the quality of education.
However, the university said there were no “significant negative impacts”.
It comes after the university told new students they could not be guaranteed housing this year.
The university blamed increased demand and a “significant drop” in Glasgow’s private rental market.
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The Student Union (SRC) raised the issues in a letter to University Rector Professor Anton Muscatelli.
GUSRC President Rinna Väre said: “The rapid increase in student enrollment in recent years has placed students in inadequate housing conditions, made it difficult for them to access the healthcare resources they need and negatively impacted the quality of learning and teaching.
“All of these issues impact the student experience and need to be addressed by preventing further student enrollment growth.”
Around 35,000 students and postgraduates have enrolled at the university in 2021/22. This is an increase from 26,635 in 2017.
Figures for the current academic year have not been published.
The SRC said Glasgow’s student population had grown by 40%, while the average growth for UK universities over the period was 16%.
Ms Väre said the university could not support those numbers and called for a cap to be introduced by 2027.
She said: “Many students commute long distances because of the lack of accommodation, some are trapped in a cycle of couchsurfing or even sleeping.
“Should the university agree to our demands, we will work with them to lobby both Glasgow City Council and the Scottish Government to find long-term solutions to these problems.”
The university said it invested “proportionately in facilities, student services and staff” as the student population increased.
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A spokesman said: “We cannot accept that there has been a significant negative impact on both the quality of education and the study experiences offered by the university.”
The university said the 35,000 figure represents all students, including those who may not need accommodation near campus, such as online learners and part-time students.
Since 2017, the growth in total full-time equivalent (FTE) students on campus has been 31.5%.
It said most of its growth came from international postgraduate students.
The university pledged not to exceed student intake goals for the next year.
The University added: “The University understands the points of the SRC and is committed to working constructively with them on them – having already committed to zero growth for next year.
“Planned, reasonable growth is a positive thing as it provides access to higher education for more talented students wishing to study in Glasgow and we have invested heavily in staff and facilities to achieve this.”
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