Students in Dundee and St Andrews could have their degrees thrown into disarray after a major union decided to press ahead with industrial action.
A marking boycott by the University and College Union (UCU) will mean exams will be unmarked and coursework will not be set at the universities.
The action was called after it emerged pension changes could cost union members £20,000 per year.
They claim changes to the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) could lead to staff recruitment and retention problems.
UCU general secretary Sally Hunt announced the action after talks between employers’ representatives last week failed to reach an agreement.
She said: “The employers failed to convince us of the need for their dramatic changes or the reasons behind the methodology for its deficit reduction plan.
“Their proposals remain full of holes and the information they are apparently relying on to back them up keeps being exposed as misleading.
“We are setting plans for an assessment boycott in place because USS members have made it clear they are unconvinced by the employers’ arguments as well.
“We are being asked to buy a pig in a poke, and that is simply not acceptable.
“We hope the employers will come back to the table for genuine negotiations aimed at resolving the enormous gap between our two positions.”
Both St Andrews and Dundee universities said they were disappointed at the decision to press ahead with industrial action.
A spokesman for St Andrews University said: “It is widely known that the USS, like many others, is facing a considerable deficit.
“A recovery plan has to be agreed. It is our belief that all parties should be working together to address the underlying issues.
“The university is determined to minimise the risk of disruption to students, and will take all reasonable steps to mitigate the impact of any strike action.”
A spokesman for Dundee University said: “We are disappointed that the UCU has chosen to pursue this assessment boycott and await the outcome of national negotiations.”
A total of 69 universities are going to be affected by the action nationally.
A Universities UK spokesman said: “We are disappointed that the UCU has decided to pursue a damaging course of industrial action aimed directly at disrupting students’ education.
“Taking industrial action will not make the substantial scheme deficit and the risks to the future viability of the scheme go away.
“Universities take the risk of disruption to students arising from any potential industrial action very seriously, and would take all reasonable steps to mitigate impact on students. Universities would not be able to accept partial performance from staff.”