A teenage carer and the daughter of a hairdresser are among 43 British state school students who have won places to study at leading US universities, under a programme to help young people from disadvantaged backgrounds access higher education.

The young people will benefit from $10 million in financial aid over four years, thanks to the many scholarships and bursaries at US HE institutions.

Through the Sutton Trust US Programme, the 43 students have won places at 28 different institutions including four at Harvard, four at Princeton and two at Yale. This is an increase from last year when 38 students on the programme won places through the early admissions round.

More than half the students admitted early are from households that earn less than £25,000 a year, and 86 per cent will be among the first in their family to go to university, according to the Sutton Trust social mobility charity, which runs the scheme.

More students on the programme will be applying by the regular January deadlines, with results expected later this spring.

Under the scheme, 150 sixth-formers are selected to take part in a summer school at leading US universities, and are supported in making applications to them. 

Applications for study at in the US are increasing and there are now 5,000 British undergraduates at American universities.

Sir Peter Lampl, chairman of the Sutton Trust, said today: “Our US programme is a life-changing experience so I’m delighted that so many young people from low and middle income backgrounds have benefited from it this year… 

“I hope more young people will look to their success and realise that a university education in America is well within their grasp.”

Applications for this year’s programme close on 20 January and can be completed online at us.suttontrust.com

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