A CLEVER 17-year-old student could find herself studying in the United States after being picked from over 1,000 youngsters to go on a once in a lifetime trip.

Baylis Court School headgirl, Hana Khan, has won a place on the Sutton Trust US Programme, which will see her jet off to the country in July. The programme aims to attract gifted students from UK state schools, and give them the chance to study for a degree at prestigious American universities.

But first they have to go through an arduous selection process based on their academic ability, extracurricular activities and knowledge of the American education system - with only a 15 per cent chance of making it through.

However, Hana, of Whitby Road, Slough, made the final cut of 150 pupils from across the UK and will now head off to the States for a tour of universities and further testing to see if she can make the grade. She will stay in the country for a week while being based at Yale University in Connecticut and will also spend a day at Harvard.

She said: “I’m really excited to see the cultural difference in the way of life and how it differs from England.

“It will be interesting to see how the universities there are set up compared to those here.”

Hana will have to sit an ACT exam in the USA before she can apply for a place at an American university. If all goes well, the Trust will support her through the process of applying for the university of her dreams, which is currently Colombia University in New York, and help foot the bill.

Not only did Hana get all A*/A grades in her GCSEs, she is on track for an A*AA minimum in her A levels and has completed a Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award.

Sister, Farah, 24, said: “I’m very proud of her. She is very positive and optimistic in life but because the process was so tedious and long-winded she was getting frustrated along the way. She had her A levels as well to study for but she kept going and it has all worked out.”

Hana will be able to see some sights in the US.

She added: “I want to see Central Park in New York because that is known to be buzzing.”