HE WAS one of two students to top the class with an OP1 last year and now Jacob Stiles continues to shoot for the stars.

Jacob completed Year 12 at Scots PGC College last year and is now heading to the University of Queensland to study engineering and aerospace mechanical engineering.

The former school captain said Australia hadn't shown ambitions in aerospace until recently, when a space program was announced to be moving to UQ.

This inspired him to take up the aerospace course as he said the prospect of space exploration was fascinating.

"I like learning new things and using maths and science to solve problems," he said.

"I'd love to assist in sending people to Mars."

Jacob received a very early offer in December, when usually they are distributed in January.

Eventually he would like to work for Boeing or SpaceX, a company which designs, manufactures and launches rockets.

For now he is journey will take him not so far afield, as he prepares to move to Brisbane to pursue his degree.

"I love Warwick but I've never really been in a city for a long period of time so it is enticing," he said.