BUDE’S Henry Hargreaves has been chosen as one of this year’s recipients of the Royal Television Society’s (RTS) 2015 undergraduate bursaries.

Henry is among a group of 25 students to be awarded the bursary from the RTS — Britain’s leading forum for television and related media and an educational charity whose purpose is to promote the art and science of television.

The RTS has this year invested £75,000 in two schemes — offering 20 bursaries for television production and broadcast journalism students and, for the first time, five bursaries for computing and engineering undergraduates.

Henry is one of the five students receiving a technology bursary and has just started his computer sciences course at the University of St Andrew’s.

He said: “I received an email from UCAS to say that I may want to consider applying.

“With such a lot of competition for only a few grants it seemed worth applying for, but I did not guess I’d be on the first round ‘long-list’, and then following a live Skype interview I was short-listed. I was pleased just to have got that far.

“I was in Surin, Thailand, doing summer volunteering with Camp Thailand when I found out I had been chosen. The co-ordinator at RTS called home to say my application had been successful and even though there is a time difference and it was late, my mum called to let me know. That was amazing news and an incredible opportunity.”

Henry hopes the course, combined with the master-class lectures he will be able to attend, will help him find a career path to follow, but definitely sees a future in the television industry.

He said: “I have been interested in sound technology and my project at Truro College involved developing a speaker system and balancing sound waves for maximum effect so although I can’t say it was my aim to go into television, I can now use the bursary funding to network and attend the master-class sessions and lectures that the RTS organise — to find out more of the career opportunities within the television industry would be great.

“The first master-class is being held next month in London, which I’ll be attending.

“With the television industry’s progressive approach to technology, it would definitely be at the top of the list for me in terms of future career.”

RTS chief executive officer Theresa Wise said: “The response we’ve had to our two schemes has been fantastic but following an exacting selection process I’m excited to say we have 25 beneficiaries — all of whom stood-out and demonstrated real ambition and commitment to learning. We wish them all the best for the next three years and look forward to following their progress.”

The bursaries aim to widen participation in media and related industries and support talented students from lower income backgrounds seeking to pursue a career in television.

During their studies, each recipient will be given £1,000 per year to assist with their expenses.

In addition, each beneficiary will receive mentoring and free membership of the RTS and The Hospital Club — a private members club for those in the creative industries — while studying, and one year’s free membership of the RTS after they graduate.