First year students who were told they had nowhere to live just two weeks before starting at Stirling University have been offered rooms in Glasgow.

The university said it has offered 70 students places in privately owned student accommodation in Glasgow city centre about 30 miles away from campus.

It comes after around 180 freshers who had been expecting to be allocated a spot in university halls were told there were no spaces left.

Officials blamed "significantly increased demand" for the shortage but now say 76 of the students initially affected have found a place in university accommodation.

A number of other students managed to secure private living arrangements.

In emails seen by STV News, the university has offered the remaining affected students 38-week contracts for rooms in Glasgow priced at £480 a month.

The halls are on North Hanover Street, which is roughly a five-minute walk from Queen Street train station.

Students who take spaces in the residence will be supplied with a 16-25 railcard which entitles holders to a third off fares. Ordinarily the railcard costs £30 a year.

Trains from Glasgow to Stirling run three times an hour and take between 25 and 45 minutes, however, the university campus is a further 15-minute bus journey away from Stirling train station.

One parent of a student who has been offered a room in Glasgow said: "The cost of the rail fares, even discounted, is such that the overall cost is more than for accommodation in Stirling.

"A worse offer could not be devised."

Autumn semester at Stirling University begins for students on Monday, September 12.

A spokesman for the university said: "The university offers students the opportunity to apply for university accommodation and strives to meet the needs of all of our students.

"However, due to the number of applications, the university is unable to guarantee accommodation to every student.

"Following significantly increased demand this year, we regret we have been unable to offer university accommodation to a number of students."

He added: "Overall, there has been a 19.8% increase in demand for university accommodation between the 2016/17 and 2017/18 academic years - rising from 3070 applications to 3679.

"Around 180 students were initially affected, however, 76 have now been offered university accommodation, with priority given to students under 18 and to those with previously-known health considerations which could impact upon their university education.

"Application dates were also considered as part of the process. We regret, and apologise for, any inconvenience to affected students."