The statistics show that Scotland has the lowest participation of disadvantaged students than all the other countries in the UK. In 2006-2007 30.3 per cent of young undergraduates in the UK were from lower socio economic groups, up from 29.2 per cent in 2002-2003. In Scotland the proportion was 26.6 per cent in 2006-2007, down from 29.6 per cent in 2002-2003.

Reacting to the figures, University and College Union (UCU) Scotland President, Terry Brotherstone, said: “Over the past decade, the SFC [Scottish Funding Council] has spent millions on measures to widen social class participation in higher education. We welcome the priority that has been given to this area. But the SFC's conservative policies and failure to insist that staff are engaged in developing initiatives to develop and implement the policy means that there has been little progress.

“The reversal in the level of participation by ‘disadvantaged’ students and the higher drop-out rate at universities doing most to attract them is of great concern. And the widening gulf between the priorities of these universities and the research-led institutions is part of the problem.

“The whole idea of a single Scottish higher education system based on the democracy of intellect looks under threat. A two-tier system with, on the one hand, an elite aiming exclusively for prestige in the international research ‘market’ and on the other, an under-resourced sector focusing on social inclusivity will not serve Scotland's people well in the future.

Scotland had a drop-out rate after one year of 10.1 per cent against the UK average of 8.6 per cent in the institutions widening participation the most, according to the figures.

The Scottish Funding Council (SFC) and Universities Scotland however, say the drop-out rate in Scotland has fallen, down from 18 per cent in 2003-2004 to 14 per cent in 2006-2007.

In a joint statement the two bodies also state that because Scotland had been relatively more successful in widening participation, it had fewer “low participation neighbourhoods” on which to draw, which explains its apparent lower performance on this front.

Laurence Howells, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Funding Council said: "ensuring that everyone has the same opportunity to go to university is extremely important but it's only a first step - everyone should also have the kind of support that will give them the best chance of success."

David Caldwell, Director of Universities Scotland, added: "Scottish universities, like others in the UK, have among the highest student success rates in the world, and the lowest drop-out rates, and it is encouraging to see that the latest figures show that they are managing to improve retention rates still further. Helping students to complete their chosen courses successfully is a top priority"