A university distanced itself today from an impoverished student who has apparently sold her virginity on the internet to raise money to pay for "excessive tuition fees".

Rosie Reid, an 18-year-old social policy first year student at Bristol University, hit the headlines when she put herself up for sale on a website last month.

According to the website, the online auction closed at midnight last night and the highest bid was STG8,400 ($A20,200).

The site says the winning bidder for the student, who is a lesbian and in "desperate financial crisis", will be contacted on Wednesday.

A spokeswoman for the university said: "As far as the university is concerned, we have no comment as it's not a university issue and the student is an adult."

The website states: "Rosie's auction highlights the financial problems that face today's students."