The Nationals will begin this week to formally pursue a deal with their senior coalition partners to protect services on regional university campuses.

The Nationals' federal council meeting in Canberra this weekend passed a resolution urging the government to ensure students in the bush are not disadvantaged when compulsory student unionism is scrapped.

As many as 300 foreign students may have been wrongly held in detention then deported because of an immigration department form containing incorrect information.

The Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (DIMIA) admits it may face calls for compensation over the bungle.

Flawed paperwork has forced the Immigration Department to reinstate the visas of 8000 students who lost the right to study here because of poor academic performance.

In another blow for the department, it must scour diplomatic posts overseas and Australia's immigration black market to offer the students their visas back.