Every student should go on an internship giving them up to 12 weeks of work experience while they study for their degree, a top-level government inquiry recommends today.

Institutions set for £90m penalties as student applicants rush to avoid £9,000 fees next year

The man in line to become become the new university access watchdog has been treated "disgracefully" by Tory MPs, colleagues said yesterday.

MPs' committee divided over selection of opponent of fees regime

Growing numbers of students are lodging official complaints against their universities if they fail to obtain a top-level degree.

Downing Street has been approached with proposals for a new privately funded royal yacht to mark the Queen's diamond jubilee this year, Prime Minister David Cameron's official spokesman said today.

The Queen should be given a new royal yacht – likely to cost at least £60m – as a way to help overturn Britain's mood of austerity, according to Cabinet minister Michael Gove.

A Tory minister has called for the 50p top rate of tax to be kept amid a simmering coalition row on the issue.

More than 3,600 places have already gone through the clearing system, as students continue to chase the last remaining university vacancies.

"Traditional" A-level subjects should be valued more highly in the race for university places, a Government minister said, as thousands of students prepared to receive exam results today.

200,000 of this year's A-level candidates are expected to miss out on a university place this year

The news that thousands of youngsters with A* grades at A-level will have been turned away by Oxbridge this year is perhaps not surprising in itself.