The National Union of Students estimates tens of thousands of undergraduates at 145 institutions across the UK are being forced to take part in graduation ceremonies despite not receiving their grades.

Members of the University and College Union (UCU) are refusing to engage in all marking and assessment in a bitter row over pay and conditions.

The dispute, which has been rumbling on since April, shows no sign of being resolved.

Glasgow University student Emily Bell, 22, said it was "embarrassing" to graduate on Tuesday despite her dissertation not being marked.

The English literature graduate told Sky News: "We are all feeling disregarded.

"We have spent upwards of 600 hours on this dissertation. To have such a huge project not marked, possibly not ever, is a little bit scary."

Ms Bell, who has written about the situation in student newspaper The Glasgow Tab, said: "It is embarrassing. This should be a huge moment of celebration and relief. I have spent upwards of £25,000 to have this huge piece of work not even marked."

The Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA) said it has tabled an improved, final pay offer worth between 5% and 8%.

But UCU's Scotland representative Mary Senior told Sky News her members have suffered a real-terms pay cut.

She said: "Pay has dropped by 25% per cent in real terms since 2009. At the same time we have unsafe workloads, casual contracts and pay equality gaps.

"They are exhausted. People are on fixed-term, hourly contracts with no security. Our members are really angry that these issues have not been addressed by their employer."

The Institute of Student Employers (ISE) urged businesses to consider the "difficult situation" facing graduates "through no fault of their own".

Its chief executive Stephen Isherwood said: "Graduate employers who make offers conditional on a student's final degree classification should make contingency plans.

"This may include basing offers on existing grades, amending offer terms and conditions or continuing as planned and assessing the situation when the degree is finally awarded."

'Kick in the teeth after all the hard work'

Meanwhile Glasgow university law student Katie Hindle, 21, said she was suffering an "underlying anxiety" after taking part in her graduation ceremony despite having no idea how she scored in her assessments.

The 21-year-old told Sky News: "The marking boycott means one of my grades has not been marked which means I either have a first or a 2:1.

"I don't know what I am graduating with and I do not know when I will find out.

"It is a kick in the teeth after the hard work I have put in. We are very angry."

The University of Glasgow insists students will not be prevented from "onwards progression".

A spokesman said: "Graduating students who have not received grades can attend graduation ceremonies and will receive a parchment, pending final confirmation of their degree classification. Continuing students can also enrol in the next stage of their degree programmes."

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The University of Cambridge is among some institutions who have ruled students will not be able to graduate until all their work has been marked.

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The body representing universities in the pay talks suggested they are already stretched to their financial limits and cannot offer any more cash.

UCEA chief executive Raj Jethwa added: "Many of them (universities) are already in deficit before we started the pay talks, many more will struggle to be able to afford this pay uplift, but we knew it was the right thing to do support our staff which is why it's so disappointing if even a single student is disrupted as a result of the boycott."