An Oxford University student has been named International Student of the Year by the British Council.

Yimon Aye, 22, a chemistry student at Somerville College, won the prize for her energy and progress.

Yimon Aye, with her award

Despite never having seen a test tube when she arrived from Burma four years ago, she came top of her year in chemistry prelims and took part in summer research projects in Oxford and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the US.

She also helped a drive to encourage more state school pupils to apply to Oxford.

She said: "I saw an article which said 'An Oxford education is great, but offers no life experience'. Definitely not. I've noticed an all-round improvement in myself."

Three students were highly commended: Alis Elena Oancea and Helena Puig Larrauri, at St Hilda's; and Eleni Tsalicoglou, at Wadham College.