Cuts to the number of foreigners studying at Kingston University could threaten its income, piling on worries about further education cuts due to be announced.

Damien Green MO, Immigration Minister, said on Monday the UK should cut the number of non-European Union students coming into the UK to fulfil the overall aim of capping immigration.

Mr Green said: “Most people think foreign students come here to attend our top universities and of course these are the students we want to attract.

“But the real picture of the parts of Britain’s education system that attract foreign students is much more varied. The foreign students attending these various establishments may, or frankly may not be, the brightest and the best.”

In the Sunday Times 2010 University Guide, Kingston ranked 72nd out of 122 universities in the UK, putting it squarely in the firing line of universities whose foreign student numbers would be capped.

In December 2009, there were 2,416 people studying at Kingston University, out of a total of 23,000 students.

In the previous financial year, overseas students paid fees totalling £23.3m to the university, more than 10 per cent of its total income of £193.7m for the same 2008-09 period.

Vice-chancellor Sir Peter Scott was unavailable for comment this week, but a spokeswoman from Kingston University said international student numbers were low compared with most universities.

The spokesman added: “I think the concern is much more with the comprehensive spending review and overall Government university cuts which national reports suggest could be as high as 30 per cent for universities across the country.”

Chris Dingle, from Kingston University’s Student Union (KUSU), said he was “utterly disgusted” by Mr Green’s comments because international students were essential to universities’ survival.

Mr Dingle said: “KUSU believes that a cap on student immigration numbers will deter students from coming to the UK to study and that this will have a negative effect both on the sector and Kingston as a university.

“We, as a student union, recognise the contribution that they bring to our community and condemn any plan to place a cap on them coming to the UK, simply to please voters.”