Helen Liley (17), a year 13 pupil at Dunstan High School in Alexandra, is the only person from the South Island selected for the Royal Society of New Zealand BioFutures trip.
The society received 120 applications for the 12 positions and the pupils selected were high achievers in all three sciences - biology, chemistry and physics.
Helen also studies French, calculus and English.
BioFutures organisers said the Biomedical Engineering and Biotechnology forum would allow students to explore cutting-edge technologies and apply them to some of the world's most pertinent health issues.
In the past, pupils have visited the University of Queensland, the Queensland University of Technology, Griffith University, major Brisbane hospitals and industry locations.
Helen said she first heard the news on Friday and she was still taking it in. She said the trip would be ‘‘a great opportunity'' to find out about different careers available after she finished university.
