Students wanting to go into higher education at the School of Hard Knocks (SHK) have been dealt a blow after the institution declared it was too full to accept any more candidates.

The idiomatic teaching centre, which is seen by many as an alternative to a traditional university education, has said it has already accepted too many students for 2020, and doesn’t have the resources to provide the top level bitter disappointment that people expect when they sign up to one of its courses.

Those wanting a place at the school have been advised they can still apply now for deferred entry in September 2021, but that there’s no guarantees that they won’t be then told to wait again next year, and the year after that, and the year after that, with no explanation or prospect of anything changing in the future.

But students who hoped to gain a place at the prestigious institution have said they’re delighted with the announcement, and say the constant rejection is preparing them perfectly for post-recession Britain.

“Being told there’s nothing on offer and that I should wait continually with no real prospects or hope is what I want and exactly what I applied to SHK to learn about” said one young applicant, who asked not to be named for fear he’d be turned into a meme and have his life ruined forever on the internet.

“This sort of real world experience can’t be taught in the classroom, I actually feel quite privileged to be experiencing it”, he added.

Rival institution, the University of Life has confirmed that it is still accepting applications, though it warns applicants that contrary to most higher education courses, its exams are getting exponentially harder each year.