AN OXFORD University graduate who set up a fundraising page asking people to help pay for her Master’s degree at Wadham College has received £14,600 in pledges.

Emily-Rose Eastop, who graduated from Magdalen College in 2010 with a 2.1 in Human Sciences, needs to raise £26,000 for her MSc in cognitive and evolutionary anthropology.

Miss Eastop, 26, said: “I did apply for a grant but didn’t get one. They said they had nine times as many applicants than they could fund.

“The money I’ve raised comes from people who gave willingly.”

She is hoping to complete the additional qualification after failing to find a permanent job since graduating.

Miss Eastop lives with her family in South Woodford, London.

However, some people have criticised her, branding her a “posh, spoiled brat.”

Commenting on the online abuse, she said: “I think people are annoyed that someone has engineered themselves an easier ride than they had.”

Oxford University spokesman Matt Pickles said: “We hope more can be done at a national level to ensure postgraduate study is open to all.”

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