Why students are being paid £2,000 to play computer games

As parents across the country prepare to wave their children off to university, conversations about family finances and the cost of living are growing ever more frequent - and fervent. Yet every year, millions of pounds worth of scholarships and bursary funding goes unclaimed by students - with many unaware the extra help exists. So roll up the next generation of gamers, who this year can apply for as esports scholarship from the University of Roehampton - with more than 100 handed out so far.

But can the students balance their studies and their esports? And is the scholarship set to catch on? Esports, meaning electronic sports, is the name for competitive video gaming.

It is different from standard video gaming as esports includes spectators, much like traditional sports. Gamers compete against one another in high-stakes tournaments for cash prizes and trophies. Do esports students do more than play games?

Roehampton is offering esports scholarships to undergraduate and postgraduate students who show that they can balance academic progress and video-gaming excellence. "This scholarship is about recognising talent in a field that has a growing popularity both around the world and among our students," University of Roehampton registrar Mark Ellul said. Scholars are expected to compete in weekly university tournaments as well as representing the university at in-person events.

Roehampton requires minimum rankings in major games for the scholarship, but will consider applications from those close to the threshold who meet other criteria, such as having large followings on streaming platforms like Twitch. Former esports scholar Cameron Dray found out about Roehampton through the esports scholarship. Inspired by similar initiatives at American universities, he looked into whether anything similar was on offer in the UK.

Initially, the university was offering just £1,500, but due to the team's performance and rise in popularity, the amount was raised to £2,000. "This money was crucial to me as it gave me the opportunity to study in a very expensive city without the need for part-time work," Dray said. "There were requirements that came alongside the scholarship, but none that were unexpected or not transparent when applying," he added.