This year’s Chortle Student Comedy Awards has attracted a record 280 entrants – with a few hours still to go before applications close.

The 2012 contest, powered by The Sims 3, is offering a £2,500 top prize to the student comedian who is ultimately crowned the funniest at the Edinburgh Fringe final.

But before then there are a semi-finals and a series of heats, kicking off in Glasgow on February 16.

The number of entries has been so large – up around 40 per cent on last year – that we are adding an additional heat at UCL in London on March 5 to try to accommodate more.

There will also be a number of low-key auditions held around the country for the least experienced acts to have a chance to impress, without the added pressure of a gig. It also ensures organisers will see everyone who wants to be seen.

Entries close at midnight tonight (Saturday). Click here to enter.
 
Entrants must be in full-time education and have five to seven minutes of original material. Use the links above to enter and for the full rules, or follow the competition on Twitter: @studentcomedy or tweet using the hashtag #studentcomedy