Britain's best universities spent £1.6million feeding students stuck in halls when they were locked down by Covid
Russell Group universities have spent more than £1.6million on catering for self-isolating students since they returned to halls.
The University of Bristol spent the most on getting food to self-isolating students with a whopping £808,958.
Quarantine boxes that the university handed out to non-catered students in self-isolation cost £683,419 alone.
On top of that, the university spent £66,103 on additional food for students living in catered accommodation.
Food delivery and distribution charges then stacked up to £59,435. The costs were measured up until November 19.
The University of Bristol (pictured, student accommodation where students self-isolated) spent the most on getting food to self-isolating students with a whopping £808,958
Students were sent back to universities across the UK at the end of September and beginning of October before outbreaks of coronavirus hit institutions - forcing many into self-isolation.
Thousands of students across the country were stuck indoors for the better part of their first term back at university - with many lectures being conducted over Zoom.
More than 1,500 students at Manchester Met University alone were asked not to leave their flats and self-isolate after a coronavirus outbreak in its accommodation blocks.
The lockdown sparked fury, with many teenagers and young adults, being locked in their halls having just moved their - often their first experience of living away from home.
Quarantine boxes that the university handed out to non-catered students in self-isolation cost £683,419 alone
The University of Manchester came in second with its expenditure on catering for self-isolating students - £237,000 up until November 4 - followed by Queen's University Belfast with £131,924 until November 16.
In fourth place came Glasgow University, spending £114,841 on its self-isolating students until November 1.
And in fifth place is the University of Liverpool, which spent £101,312 on getting food to self-isolating students until November 27.
Cardiff University put a credit service in place which allows self-isolating students to spend £20 on the university's grocery delivery service.
As of October 30, the university handed out £59,040 worth of credits.
King's College London spent £50,224 on catering for self-isolating students - £42,191.90 on the food and £8,032.52 on 'logistics'
It comes after Bhavreet Dulku, 18, a first year studying Politics, International Relations and management at Lancaster University, said: 'My uni charging £17 a day for food if you have to isolate is an absolute shambles'
On last month's menu, shared on the Lancaster University website, isolating students analysed the ingredients of one day's menu and claimed the real cost from ASDA would be just £2.70
Ms Dulku's plea has provoked an angry reaction on Twitter with an online petition calling for a reduction in the food fees attracting nearly 1,000 signatures
Coming in at eighth place is Queen Mary University of London which spent £50,000 on giving food to its self-isolating students at of November 10.
The University of Leeds spent £46,084.12 on its self-isolating students as of November 2, followed by University College London which spent £38,524 as of November 19.
In 11th place is the University of Warwick which spent £22,985 on giving food to its self-isolating students as of October 31.
And in last place came the London School of Economics which spent just £4,064 on catering for its self-isolating students - £180 of which was allocated to those in non-catered accommodation.
Students are branding their Edinburgh University accommodation 'the UK's most expensive prison' as they criticise the food supplied to them in isolation. Pictured: A sandwich given to a student at The University of Edinburgh
Undergraduates have branded food parcels as being filled with 'junk', forcing them to get their parents to send fresh fruit and vegetables
It comes after a furious student last month revealed how she and hundreds of others self-isolating at Lancaster University were being charged an 'extortionate' £17.95 a day for food worth just £2.70.
Bhavreet Dulku, 18, a first year studying Politics, International Relations and management, tweeted: 'My uni charging £17 a day for food if you have to isolate is an absolute shambles. How can they expect everyone on budgets to be able to afford that?'.
The university, which is also charging students £7 to do their washing, has been accused of 'profiting' from the charges to those locked down in halls of residence.
Ms Dulku's plea has provoked an angry reaction on Twitter with an online petition calling for a reduction in the food fees attracting nearly 1,000 signatures.
The Instagram account, The UK's Most Expensive Prison, has revealed that some students with nut allergies are being given foods with nuts in
Another anonymous picture sent to the account shows dead mice allegedly in the pantry of one of the university's halls of residence
It comes as figures emerged showing more than 80 universities in the UK have reported at least 5,000 confirmed cases of Covid-19 as the virus spreads at an alarming rate among students and staff.
On this week's menu, calculated by The Tab, isolating students analysed the ingredients of one day's menu and claimed the real cost from ASDA would be just £2.70.
Adding the cost of distribution, they brought the total to only £4.00.
The list in full
University of Birmingham: No response
University of Bristol: £808,958
University of Cambridge: Information for individual colleges not held by university
Cardiff University: £59,040
Durham University: Information not held
University of Edinburgh: No response
University of Exeter: Information not held
University of Glasgow: £114,841
Imperial: No response
King's College London: £50,224.42
University of Leeds: £46,084
University of Liverpool: £101,312
London School of Economics: £4,064
University of Manchester: £237,000
Newcastle University: No response
University of Nottingham: Information not held
University of Oxford: Information for individual colleges not held by university
Queen Mary University of London: £50,000
Queen's University Belfast: £131,924
University of Sheffield: Information not held
University of Southampton: No response
University College London: £38,524.36
University of Warwick: £22,985
University of York: Information not held
On last month's menu, calculated by The Tab, isolating students analysed the ingredients of one day's menu and claimed the real cost from ASDA would be just £2.70.
Adding the cost of distribution, they brought the total to only £4.00.
A first-year economics student at the University of Edinburgh, Tess Bailie, 18, has started a social media campaign to protest the poor conditions her fellow undergraduates are being forced to isolate in.
Her Instagram account, The UK's Most Expensive Prison, has revealed that some students with nut allergies are being given foods with nuts in.
Another anonymous picture sent to the account shows dead mice allegedly in the pantry of one of the university's halls of residence.
One student claimed they hadn't been given food for two days while another said they had been given out of date food.
The University of Edinburgh has admitted there had been a 'few occasions when students' needs have not been met', but claimed these were quickly fixed.
In a statement to the BBC, the university said: 'Ensuring the safety and wellbeing of our students continues to be our absolute priority.
'We have teams of staff working 24 hours a day to provide those who are self-isolating in our catered and self-catered residences with three meals a day - including ready-to-heat meals - in line with their dietary requirements and preferences. Essential items are also being delivered on request.'
At the University of York self-isolating students can choose to spend £70 for a daily meal which includes just one sandwich, crisps, chocolate and water.
Students who want three meals a day are charged £170 for the isolation period, which can be as little as 10 days.
One student at the University of Birmingham is being forced to spend her weekly catering allowance on boxes of ready meals.
She told the BBC: 'We don't know if that is enough food to last for our period of isolation in terms of fresh food and vegetables which are lacking. It's a lot of just like frozen stuff in there.
'We don't know what will be in the next box but because of the first people from my flat have contacted home and asked for them to send things like vegetables.'
Students are also suffering with shortages of essentials such as toilet paper and are being made to pay £30 for washing 7kg of clothes.
However, not all universities are charging students for food and toiletries. Lancashire's Edge Hill University gives its students an ample supply of meat and fresh produce free of charge.
Vice Chancellor John Cater said anyone isolating was being given free food whether they were in catered halls or not.
Universities who didn't reply to the FOI (sent on October 29) or said they didn't hold the relevant information included: University of Birmingham, Durham University, University of Edinburgh, University of Exeter, Imperial, Newcastle University, University of Nottingham, University of Sheffield, University of Southampton and the University of York.