A student whose university studies were funded by Taylor Swift has thanked the singer for helping her “dream come true”.

Vitoria Mario is studying a Mathematics degree at the University of Warwick after the singer donated £23,000 to a GoFundMe page to cover her living costs.

The 18-year-old is now living on the top floor of a hall on the University campus.

She told the Coventry Telegraph: “It’s just a relief to finally be here, I feel like I don’t have to worry about the next year and whether it’s going to happen or not. Another girl came to Warwick from my sixth form as well so I already had a friend, but I’ve made new ones too.

“I’m joining a gym and I’m been settling in the halls. I’m on the top floor and it’s really calm.”

Guys I made this video to thank Taylor, please tag her so it reaches her ❤️❤️#NextStopWarwick #taylorswift #swifties pic.twitter.com/9lkx8kO0U8

— Vitoria (@vitoriamariox) August 26, 2020

Vitoria also defied huge personal upheaval to make it to the esteemed university after her father passed away in Angola when she was 10. She moved from Portugal to London as a teenager to advance her studies.

“I just feel grateful to her and for everything she’s done because, to be honest, if it wasn’t for her I might not even have made it here,” she said of Swift’s donation.

“Or I would be here but I wouldn’t be so relaxed because I would have the extra [financial] burden. To finally be here is a dream come true.”

Vitoria went on to explain how the donation turned her into an unlikely celebrity on campus for the first few weeks.

“Some people recognised me and were really surprised to see me and others saw my name and realised who I was,” she said. “People have said they are proud of me and they are happy that I have made it. It happened a lot in the first week, but it’s calmed down now.”

Vitoria is considered an EU student by the Student Loans Company and is only covered for tuition fees, with Swift’s generous donation making up the majority of her living costs.