A demonstration will take place outside a Birmingham college today after two students were expelled for distributing a newsletter criticising managers.
Matthew Boulton College has been accused of over-reacting by the National Union of Students and scuppering the pair's chances of applying for university.
The newsletter questioned a decision by the college to ban religious groups on campus and highlighted what it claimed were "rude security guards" at its new £40 million city centre campus.
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Managers ruled the material constituted "grounds for misconduct" and cancelled the enrolment of the two students.
The pair - Assed Baig, aged 24 and Darrel Williams, aged 21 - who are on an access to higher education course, now face missing the January 15 deadline for applying to university.
NUS Black Students' Officer Pav Akhtar said: "This situation comes at a crucial time for university applications and could seriously jeopardise their chances of finding a place for next year.
"We believe the college has over-reacted by expelling the students and call on them to reverse their decision with immediate effect."
The NUS is now calling on student activists across the country to put pressure on Matthew Boulton College to get it to back down.
The two students were originally apprehended by security staff in December last year after distributing the newsletter.
College managers suspended them, claiming they had breached their "learning agreement".
An investigation was launched by a team consisting of a senior manager and two representatives on the equal opportunities committee.
This week Mr Baig and Mr Williams received a letter from college principal Christine Braddock informing them they would not be allowed to resume their studies.
It accused them of:
* Failure to cooperate with college staff;
* Acting inappropriately when asked not to do so;
* Production of offensive and inappropriate material which was distributed around the college causing offence to other students.
Ms Braddock wrote: "I therefore inform you that you student enrolment with the college will be cancelled and you are no longer classified as a student of Matthew Boulton College."
Mr Baig and Mr Williams will be joined by students, NUS officials and members of the college lecturers' union Natfhe at the protest this morning.
They will hand in a petition and letter of appeal calling for the pair to be allowed to finish their study.
Mr Baig said: "We have never being in trouble before at the college. I think it is very unfair and heavy-handed and I am very upset by what has happened.
"We had our hopes set on finishing college and then going to university but now our academic future seems to be over."
