Poor Liverpudlians may get extra cash to help them into university as the city council prepares to introduce the first Cubie-style endowment scheme outside Scotland.
The director of education has been told to report on the Scottish student funding system, under which students are eligible for bursaries funded by graduate endowments.
Paul Clein, Liverpool City Council cabinet member for lifelong learning, said there was concern that government policies were keeping poor people from university. Mr Clein, a Liberal Democrat, said: "We would hope to put up to £250,000 into the scheme. If it helps just 100 students, it will have been worth it."