Nearly 550 fewer college places will be available in Tayside next year if funding cuts go ahead.
That was the warning issued by North East Lib Dem MSP Alison McInnes.
Angus College is facing cuts in the coming financial period of around 10%, which could see the loss of student places.
In the face of this, students launched a petition last week to persuade the Scottish Government to rethink its proposals.
The campaign to ask Holyrood to reduce budget cuts of £74 million to further education by using some of the extra £67 million granted by Westminster has taken off.
Mrs McInnes said 1,000 people have contacted her to express concern about funding cuts facing the country’s colleges.
“This is the largest number of people ever to have contacted me about one single topic,” she said.
“They are all backing the National Union of Students Scotland’s Our Future Our Fight campaign.”
The Scottish Government is proposing a cut of more than 20% to colleges across Scotland over the next three years.
This comes on top of a 10% cut last year which has already led to increased class sizes, reduced teaching hours, course closures and more than 1,000 staff losing their jobs.
NUS Scotland argues that colleges have already been disproportionately hit and the newly proposed cuts are a further threat to education and communities.
The campaigners say that at a time of record unemployment and recession, the proposed cuts put college places, quality and local access at risk.
Mrs McInnes said: “The Scottish Liberal Democrats share the students’ deep concern over the potentially devastating scale of these cuts and the impact they will have on colleges’ ability to continue to deliver high-quality further education.
“Colleges play a hugely important role in providing people, of all backgrounds, with opportunities to get up and get on in life.
“That is why Scottish Liberal Democrats have also launched a campaign calling on the Scottish Government to reverse its £40 million cut to colleges next year. We want Scottish ministers to use part of the £67 million additional and unexpected funding it has received from the UK Government to fill this £40 million funding gap.
“I believe that this is a sensible solution to a problem which urgently needs to be resolved.
“We have estimated that over 8,500 student places could be lost next year if this cut goes ahead. This would mean 149 fewer places at Angus College, 391 fewer at Dundee, 556 fewer at Aberdeen and 144 fewer at Banff and Buchan.
“It is worth recalling that, when in government, Scottish Liberal Democrat ministers delivered record levels of funding for our universities and colleges. We have been bitterly disappointed to see these hard-won gains abandoned under the current SNP administration.
“I have responded to every person that has written to me. They come from all over my north-east constituency, from Dundee to Banff and all points in between.
“I have also challenged Michael Russell MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning, on the points my constituents have raised.
“I have met the principals of north-east colleges, including John Burt of Angus College, Paul Sherrington from Banff and Buchan, and Rob Wallen from Aberdeen, to hear their concerns first hand.
“I will continue to press the Scottish Government to reverse these cuts.”