First-years share £1m

A bursaries scheme that rewards undergraduates who take sciences or modern languages was unveiled by Lancaster University this week. The university said it would commit £1 million to student support from 2006 and that half its first-years would qualify for some financial aid. Lancaster has split its bursary scheme into three components - offering Pounds 1,000 for science and language students, £1,000 for "high-achieving" A-level students - who exceed the entry requirement for their course - and £1,000 linked to family income.