Despite being historically apathetic, university students could be the deciding factor in next week's general election, according to research.
In a poll published today by Endsleigh and the National Union of Students (NUS), 75 per cent of university students are expected to cast their vote next in the 2010 election.
But more than 81 per cent of students say they are yet to be contacted by any of the political parties.
Two-thirds of the students surveyed (72 per cent) said an increase in tuition fees would not be acceptable, believing them to be high enough already.
And 68 per cent of respondents said that the prospect of higher tuition fees would put them off voting for a party altogether.
Student insurance policy holders Endsleigh polled 1,150 university students from across the country, revealing that less than ten per cent believing politicians are talking about anything that directly affects them.
In some constituencies, the student vote could prove vital, with over 45 key seats holding a student population of between 10 and 30 per cent.
Many of those seats in are held by senior cabinet ministers including communities secretary John Denham in Southampton Itchen, environment secretary Hilary Benn in Leeds Central and culture secretary Ben Bradshaw in Exeter.
Incoming president of the NUS, Aaron Porter said that as students prepare to vote in record numbers, the influence the group can have on the election is "unprecedented".
He said: "With more than 45 vital constituencies around the country containing large student populations, the candidates who can effectively engage with this group are sure to reap the rewards on election day. No party can take the student vote for granted.
"It is clear that the issues that matter to students are the issues on which all three main political parties must prove themselves to the country: education, jobs and the economy."
The last time the Conservatives outpolled Labour among young people in a general election was 1983.
