Students could be paid £2,000 for playing VIDEO GAMES in first-of-its-kind university scholarship

STUDENTS could be paid up to £2,000 to play video games in a first-of-its-kind university scholarship. The University of Roehampton is offering talented esports players a £2,000 cash scholarship for every year of their studies. Students could be paid £2,000 to play video games at university Credit: urbazon The scholarship is being offered by the University of Roehampton in London Credit: Alamy That means someone completing a typical three-year degree could bag a whopping £6,000. But budding gamers hoping they’ll be able to just sit around playing games all day will be disappointed. Sign up for the Money newsletter Thank you! Successful applicants will have a busy schedule, including representing the university in esports competitions, attending practice sessions and keeping up with their academic work. They may also be asked to promote Roehampton Esports by streaming, producing videos, writing articles or creating other online content. The university became the first in the UK to launch an esports scholarship in 2018 when the award was worth £1,500 a year. It has since increased the handout to £2,000 annually. And there are plenty of other perks up for grabs alongside the cash. The university can cover competition entry fees and travel costs, while scholars may also receive extra training and more work placement opportunities. Most read in Money They will be able to use Roehampton’s on-site Nuffield Health gym and access sports massage therapy, lifestyle support and professional development opportunities. Gamers can also make the most of the university’s dedicated esports arena, which is kitted out with high-spec PCs and specialist equipment. The scholarship is available to undergraduate and postgraduate students, including international students. Applicants do not have to take a gaming-related degree either, meaning they could study anything from law to business while representing the university online. However, they must be able to prove they have serious esports talent. Applications are considered separately from course applications and must be approved by a panel. Hopeful gamers first need to apply for a course at Roehampton before completing the university’s online esports scholarship form. Undergraduate applicants will also need to make Roehampton their first choice. The university offers a separate Women in Esports Scholarship, designed to encourage more women to enter the industry. It is also worth up to £2,000 for each year of study and comes with extra opportunities including mentoring, networking and industry training. Esports has exploded in popularity in recent years, with professional players competing for huge prize pots in front of millions of fans. Popular competitive titles include League of Legends, Valorant, Rocket League, Fortnite and Overwatch. Roehampton teams compete in national university tournaments, meaning successful scholars will need more than a high score and a love of late-night gaming. They will be expected to train, work as part of a team and perform under pressure, all while making sure their studies do not suffer. So, while parents may once have told their kids to switch off the screen and hit the books, gaming skills could now help pay for university. Comment now