Oxford Brookes University has won an MP’s praise for a scheme aimed at making it easier for local people to enter higher education.

Last year, the university launched an initiative which allowed schools in Oxfordshire to nominate an exceptional student for a £1,000-a-year grant for each of their years of study.

The institution was subsequently named top university in offering the most outstanding student financial support package in the Times Higher Education Supplement.

Higher education minister David Lammy MP visited the university and met students who had received the scholarship as part of the award, which was judged by the higher education Office For Fair Access.

He said: “We must ensure that the most talented and hard-working young people are given every chance to achieve their full potential, whatever their background.

“Any scheme which seeks to help our most disadvantaged young people reap the benefits higher education has to offer, must be applauded.

"Studying for a higher education qualification can broaden horizons in new and exciting ways, and is a real investment for the future, with graduates enjoying better career and earning opportunities."

Last year, 17 schools in the county nominated pupils they felt would benefit from the scholarship, and the scheme has now been extended to include all state schools and colleges in Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Berkshire.

Nearly 50 schools nominated a student for the scholarship for the current academic year, and the university decided to present each student with the £1,000 award.

Among those who benefited was 19-year-old Kirsty Harris, a former pupil at Lord Williams’s School, in Thame, who is now studying anthropology and sociology at the university.

Kirsty was diagnosed with heart problems while she was taking her A-Levels, and was nominated for the award for her persistence and dedication to her studies, despite her medical difficulties.

She said: “Because Oxford Brookes is local, it meant I could keep the same cardiologist and live at home, so I was around people who knew how to deal with it.

“It definitely eases the financial burden of university and has helped with books and travel costs.”

Students nominated for the scheme must meet one or more of the following criteria; being a successful role model, commitment to study, potential to succeed, and overcoming personal or social difficulties.

University vice-chancellor Prof Janet Beer said: “The community scholarships are a key part of Oxford Brookes’s commitment and contribution to our region.

“They help break down the barriers that stop people going to university.

“All our community scholars have, in their own way, demonstrated great drive and determination to reach university level study.”