Oxford students have criticised an academic study which advocates tuition fees of up to £10,000 a year.

Academics at the London School of Economics have produced a report which found graduates of the 19 'elite' universities -- including Oxford, Cambridge, Bristol and Durham -- earn substantially more over their lifetimes than students from other universities.

This is on top of the £120,000 extra that graduates are estimated to earn compared with those who do not go to university.

The report's authors concluded that elite 'Russell Group' universities would be justified in charging £7,000 a year in addition to the £3,000 a year many universities are expected to levy after 2006.

The report was released as students staged silent protests in Oxford at proposed increases in hall fees.

Trinity College recently increased its fees to £3,792 a year, which would bring the cost of studying there by 2006 to almost £7,000 a year -- before the cost of books, materials and other living expenses were taken into account.

The higher education minister, Margaret Hodge, endorsed the report's findings.

She added: "Since we know those from the Russell Group are far more likely to come from the social elite, we're providing a subsidy. I think that has to stop."

That analysis was rejected by Will Straw, president of Oxford University Student Union, who said: "The figures this report is based on are subject to huge distortion.

"As more people go into higher education, they are less likely to be paid those high salaries because there will be more graduates chasing the same jobs.

"There are graduates who go on to earn huge salaries, but others become teachers and doctors and social workers and they earn a lot less."

Using income tax to support higher education would be fairer, he added.