A small diary event for Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop turned ugly on Friday when she was swarmed by chanting students angry at the government's cuts to higher education funding.

Ms Bishop was springing up the stairs to the historic MacLaurin Hall at the University of Sydney to announce a further 1000 students would be able to study overseas under new government funding when she was confronted by about 20 students.

"No cuts, no fees, no corporate universities," they shouted.

Ms Bishop's security detail and university security guards quickly surrounded Ms Bishop to keep the protesters at bay and ushered her into the hall.