Why students are being paid £2,000 to play computer games
The University of Roehampton is offering esports scholarships worth up to £2,000 to students who can balance competitive video gaming with their academic studies, with more than 100 awarded so far. The initiative highlights a wider problem in UK higher education: millions of pounds in scholarships and bursaries go unclaimed each year because students are unaware such funding exists, at a time when the average English graduate leaves university with debts exceeding £47,500.
Scholars must compete in weekly university tournaments and represent Roehampton at in-person esports events, with the university setting minimum game rankings for eligibility, though it will consider applicants close to that threshold who have other strengths, such as large streaming followings. The scholarship began at £1,500 before rising to £2,000 following the team's improved performance and growing popularity; former recipient Cameron Dray said the money let him study in an expensive city without needing a part-time job. Student finance experts, including Tom Allingham of Save the Student, say awareness of such funding remains low and encourage students to actively seek out scholarships and bursaries.
- Roehampton University offers esports scholarships worth up to £2,000
- Recipients must compete in tournaments while maintaining academic progress
- Experts warn many students miss out on unclaimed scholarship funding
New here? Start with this
Esports means organised competitive video gaming, with players training and competing in teams or tournaments. Some universities offer scholarships to students who meet game-ranking requirements and take part in competitions while keeping up with their studies.
Scholarships and bursaries are forms of financial support that students do not usually have to repay. They can help with the cost of studying and living, but many go unclaimed because students do not know they are available; university funding is one part of a wider system that includes student loans.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Universities have considerable flexibility in allocating discretionary funding, and esports scholarships directly address a real problem: millions of pounds in available bursaries go unclaimed each year due to poor awareness. By setting genuine performance and academic requirements, these scholarships recognise that excellence takes diverse forms and can attract talented students who might otherwise face financial barriers. Supporting different types of student achievement need not diminish the university's core academic mission.
The case against
Universities operate under significant resource constraints and should prioritise their limited funding on core educational goals and students facing greatest financial need. Offering scholarships for competitive gaming signals misaligned priorities in higher education and diverts resources from pressing concerns like student poverty and unsustainable debt levels. Rather than addressing symptoms through gaming scholarships, universities should tackle the deeper systemic issues around funding awareness and equitable support based on academic merit and financial hardship.