Taylor Swift has donated £23,000 to a student struggling to raise enough money to take up a maths course at the University of Warwick.

Vitoria Mario’s online fundraising page explains how she has lived in the UK for four years after moving from Portugal.

But she is not allowed to apply for money from the government – known as maintenance loans or grants – to help British citizens cover costs including accommodation, textbooks and general living costs.

Taylor wrote a message on Vitoria’s fundraising page as she confirmed her donation: “Vitoria, I came across your story online and am so inspired by your drive and dedication to turning your dreams into reality.

“I want to gift you the rest of your goal amount. Good luck with everything you do! Love, Taylor.”

Vitoria MarioGO FUND ME

Vitoria Mario was unable to speak English when arriving in the UK four years ago

Vitoria said: “I was worrying too much about the money, what I have to do and if I have to look for a job. She actually made my dream come true.”

She estimated she would need £24,000 for accommodation, £3,000 for equipment and £13,000 for general living costs including food, transport, gas and electricity.

She said the donation from Swift had “come out of the blue”.

Swift has previously made a number of surprise donations to fans whose stories she has read about online.

Tweet from God's Princess

When coming to the UK, Vitoria had to make the difficult decision to leave Portugal, where her mother still lives.

The 18-year-old had written on her page: “Though my story is not unique, my dream of becoming a mathematician is not only a chance at social mobility for my family and I, but to inspire people who have been in similar positions to aspire to be the best version of themselves.”

She added that she has always been “studious” and was unable to speak English when she moved to the UK in 2016.

Vitoria eventually left school with two A*s and an A in her A-levels.