Universities should introduce “privilege flags” so admissions tutors know when students are from affluent backgrounds, it has been suggested.

Dr Rachel Carr OBE, chief executive of IntoUniversity, a charity that raises aspiration among underprivileged children, said this would allow institutions to see who has had a “better start” in life.

“Lots of universities already use participation flags to identify students,” she said. “How about we also use ‘privilege flags’ so we can see the students who already have a much better start and a much better likelihood of success.”

Dr Carr said such a move was not intended to “deny” anyone a place at a top university, but would enable admissions tutors to put their application in “context”.

Many top universities, including Oxford and Cambridge, already use contextual data to “flag” applicants who are from disadvantaged backgrounds.

This could include students who have been in care, who are from a deprived area or who have been to a poorly performing school.

Dr Carr said “privilege flags” were a “tongue in cheek” suggestion, but added that there should be a “filter” so universities know what kind of students they are dealing with.