First course like this at university (4)
I believe the answer is:
soup
'first course' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)
'like this at university' is the wordplay.
'like this' becomes 'so' ('like so').
'at university' becomes 'up' ('up' can mean studying at university).
'so'+'up'='SOUP'
(Other definitions for soup that I've seen before include "Mulligatawny or borscht?" , "Eg, mulligatawny" , "First course" , "Cock-a-leekie, for example" , "Liquid dish" .)