THE University of Hertfordshire has received almost �150,000 more in donations compared to the previous academic year.

Figures released for 2008/09 have revealed the Hatfield-based university was given �417,000 in philanthropic donations, an increase of �148,000 on 2007/08.

Donators include Queen guitarist Brian May and the uni’s vice chancellor Tim Wilson, who both gave �50,000.

Final year student Nicola Benstead is one of many to benefit from outside contributors, as she receives a scholarship from building maintenance group Jarvis.

The 21-year-old, who is studying biomedical science, said: “I have no other source of funding, so really rely on my scholarship to keep me at university.

“It allows me to pay for travel and text books – without it I would have needed to get a full-time job alongside my studies which would have been a real struggle and I know my grades would have been affected.”

The finding is consistent among east of England universities, whose number of donators went up by three per cent in 2008-09 according to the Ross-CASE survey.

The study also found an extra �70m has been contributed to UK higher education compared with the previous year.