An Eritrean girl, who has only been in Britain for eight years, has won a coveted scholarship to a top American university according to the Birmingham Post.

Yohanna Iyasu, who is 19 and from Birmingham, was born in Eritrea, north east Africa. Yohanna was selected out of 12 candidates after having to go through an interview panel.

Yohanna is one of six students to secure a spot studying architecture for six-weeks at Harvard University after workshops run by design firm RMJM. The group of six will fly next week to Harvard.