Students given £1,500 for gaming scholarship

A university has become the first in Britain to offer scholarships for esports students.

The University of Roehampton, in London, will offer grants worth £1,500 a year as part of its sports scholarship programme to students who show ability in competitive gaming.

Known as esports, competitive video gaming, has grown exponentially in recent years, with well-known games such as Call of Duty now hosting live competitions in sold-out arenas for multi-million-pound prizes.

Mark Ellul, the university’s registrar said: “This scholarship is about recognising talent in a field that has a growing popularity around the world.”