Beyond access: how socioeconomic background shapes the chemistry pipeline
Insights from a UK-wide study of chemistry undergraduates’ experiences, opportunities and career pathways.
Our research explores how socioeconomic background (SEB) influences undergraduate students鈥� experiences, opportunities and career trajectories in the chemical sciences across the UK. Drawing on survey data, focus groups and interviews, it shows that SEB is not a marginal factor, it is foundational.
Socioeconomic inclusion is cumulative, inequalities emerge early and intensify across an individual鈥檚 educational and career progression, shaped by belonging, opportunity, aspirations, progression and intersectional identities.
Entering a chemistry degree is an important step, but what happens next 鈥� in lecture theatres, laboratories, research groups, placements, professional networks and early career pathways 鈥� matters just as much in shaping the progression through chemistry education and into chemical science careers.
Read our latest news article on chemistry鈥檚 opportunity gap.
What the research tells us about socioeconomic inclusion
1. Socioeconomic background is foundational
It influences early exposure to chemistry, access to resources, confidence, sense of belonging and retention.
Figure 1. What impact, if any, has your socioeconomic background (SEB) had on your overall quality of life? (n=693)
What the research tells us about socioeconomic inclusion
1. Socioeconomic background is foundational
It influences early exposure to chemistry, access to resources, confidence, sense of belonging and retention.
Figure 1. What impact, if any, has your socioeconomic background (SEB) had on your overall quality of life? (n=693)
2. Belonging is unevenly experienced
Undergraduate students from lower SEBs are significantly less likely to feel they belong in the chemical sciences, affecting confidence, engagement and retention.
Figure 2. Regardless of your socioeconomic background (SEB), do you feel a sense of belonging in the chemical sciences? (n=693)
3. Aspiration is not the problem
Undergraduate students from lower SEBs show strong motivation and ambition, but face financial, cultural and informational barriers that limit opportunity.
Figure 3. Do you intend to pursue a career in the chemical sciences? (n=663)
Summary of key findings
1. Identity is relative,鈥痗ontextual鈥痑nd intersectional. Understanding the career trajectories鈥痮f undergraduates鈥痳equires acknowledging their diverse environments.
- SEB is not a marginal鈥痜actor, but a鈥痬ajor force鈥痠nfluencing belonging, identity formation and the recognition of potential in chemistry.鈥�
- SEB intersects with individual protected鈥痗haracteristics, producing compounded and often hidden鈥痓arriers鈥痶hat cannot be addressed through鈥痵ingle鈥慶haracteristic鈥痓ased policies.鈥�
- Traditional data categories underestimate鈥痵ocioeconomic inequalities:鈥痟igh levels鈥痮f 鈥榰nknown鈥� SEB and the invisibility of鈥痗are鈥慹xperienced鈥痵tudents point to the need for additional evidence approaches.鈥�
- Students from lower SEBs bring strengths 鈥� including resilience, adaptability and motivation 鈥� which remain鈥痷nder鈥憆ecognised鈥痠n current definitions of merit and potential.
2. Opportunity is not experienced equally, and understanding this requires acknowledging both structural inequalities and the lasting impact of lived experience across an individual鈥檚 career.鈥��
- Educational pathways into chemistry are socially stratified from an early age, with unequal access to high quality teaching, subject choice,encouragement and enrichment.鈥�
- Students from lower SEBs鈥痙emonstrate鈥痟igh ambition and aspiration, but opportunity is constrained by structural barriers, financial precarity, unpaid placements, limited networks, and travel and relocation costs.
- Unequal starting鈥痯oints compound鈥痮ver time,鈥痺ith鈥痵mall, early inequalities accumulating鈥痠nto substantial gaps in postgraduate progression, research opportunities and workforce retention.
- Institutional support can mitigate these effects, but provision is uneven and fragmented, leading to postcode- and institution鈥慴ased inequity.鈥�
3. Reframing higher education in the chemical sciences is not just to open the door, but to transform what happens once students enter laboratories, lecture theatres and research environments.鈥�
- Opening the door to higher education is insufficient if laboratory,teaching and research environments continue to鈥痮perate鈥痮n implicit norms that privilege prior鈥痑dvantage.鈥�
- Chemistry learning and research cultures that normalise long working hours, informal sponsorship and unspoken expectations disproportionately disadvantage students from鈥痩ower SEBs.
- Those facing hidden鈥痮r鈥痷nrecognised鈥痓arriers鈥痳equire targeted,鈥痩ong鈥憈erm鈥痵upport embedded within mainstream provision, not peripheral鈥痯rogrammes.
- Inclusive departments, peer networks and visible allyship鈥痙emonstrate鈥痶hat cultural change is possible, but responsibility cannot rest on individuals or students鈥� resilience alone.鈥�
Evidence based recommendations for stakeholders' groups and partners
- Embed contextual identity into pedagogy and support鈥�by providing resources and training to鈥痑cademic鈥痵taff to recognise how SEB interacts with race, ethnicity, gender,鈥痙isability鈥痑nd鈥痝eographical鈥痳egion in shaping learning experiences,鈥痑nd by replacing 鈥榦ne-size鈥欌�痵upport with flexible, student-informed models that everyone can benefit from.
- Update鈥痙ata collection models to account for SEB鈥痑nd belonging by moving鈥痓eyond single indicators, such as FSM, and include鈥痯arental occupation,鈥痵elf-perception鈥痑nd鈥痩ived experience鈥痶o鈥痠dentify鈥痟idden鈥痮r unrecognised鈥痗ontexts.鈥疢ake belonging,inclusion and wellbeing鈥痚xplicit KPIs鈥痑longside attainment.
- Adopt strengths鈥慴ased definitions of merit鈥痓y revising鈥痳ecruitment,assessment and progression criteria鈥痶o recognise鈥痳esilience,adaptability and non-traditional pathways and by providing students with guidance on expectations alongside accessible, subject-specific support.
- Ensure鈥痚quitable鈥痑ccess to enrichment opportunities to extend and share social and cultural capital鈥痓y鈥痮ffering paid academic or industry-related schemes, such as lab-based internships, research placements and volunteering openings.鈥疎nsure that support, mentoring, career guidance and access to professional networks are embedded within the curriculum and available for all students.
- Invest in鈥痵ustained鈥痠nterventions鈥痑nd research by prioritising鈥痬ulti-year funding for longitudinal programmes鈥痶hat incentivise collaboration between schools, colleges,universities and employers. These should also capture鈥痠dentity shifts and experiences across the student lifecycle, including progression, participation in enrichment, post graduate transition and financial strain.
- Consider SEB when creating policies and regulations by encouraging the use of standardised approaches to measure SEB and by prioritising metrics on intersectionality,鈥痗ontextual鈥痠dentities鈥痑nd鈥痩ifecycle understandings.
- Review鈥痜unding structures to鈥痑ddress鈥痠nequality鈥痓y expanding鈥痵tipends,bursariesand paid pathways鈥痠nto research careers,鈥痑nd reducing reliance on unpaid placements or self-funded mobility opportunities.鈥�
- Align funding with inclusive practice鈥痶o reward institutions鈥痶hat demonstrate鈥痚mbedded, systemic inclusion鈥痑nd participation improvements鈥痓eyond鈥痯ilot programmes.
What the 新月直播app下载 will do
We will:
- Advocate for sector-wide recognition of the importance of contextual identity, culture and norms鈥痓y positioning SEB as鈥痠ntersectional and relational and by standardising鈥痩anguage that moves away from current narratives towards a more inclusive vision of who can become and thrive as a chemist.鈥�
- Act as convenors for cultural change鈥痓y鈥痓ringing鈥痶ogether universities, employers, funders and policymakers to share good practice. Communicate opportunity gaps contributing to regional inequalities across chemistry education and careers.
- Amplify diverse student voices and promote inclusive practice鈥痓y providing鈥痯latforms where students鈥痗an鈥痑rticulate鈥痶heir own SEB identity and experiences and where chemistry departments can share learnings and good practices.鈥疘nvestigate further progression routes into and through chemistry and explore how these relate to SEB and retention.
- Influence accreditation and professional standards by embedding expectations and initiatives that actively target individuals from diverse SEBs, and by recognising inclusive practice beyond access alone. Use these findings and future related research to inform the continual evolution of RSC accreditation and professional standards development to ensure both remain relevant to the community it serves.
- Ensure equitable access to student opportunities by making RSC initiatives, such as free membership, career services and professional networks accessible to all students. Actively recruit those students less likely to self-select into these opportunities.鈥疪aise awareness of the support available to students experiencing financial hardship from the RSC's Chemists鈥� Community Fund.
Call to action
- Help others benefit from these insights 鈥� share this report with your network today.
- How to reference this research: 新月直播app下载 (2026) Beyond access: how socioeconomic background shapes the chemistry pipeline.
- Who can improve socioeconomic inclusion in the chemical sciences? You can
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Webinar | Chemistry World
Empowering voices: Advancing social mobility in the chemical sciences.
Opinion | Chemistry World
Nurturing socioeconomic inclusion for a brighter tomorrow.
News | Chemistry World
Chemistry World article to coincide with the launch of the Socioeconomic Inclusion report. [coming soon]
How to connect with us and get involved
Contact our Inclusion and Diversity team
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Further reading
Our Inclusion and Diversity team has produced a series of reports examining gender, race and ethnic inequalities, sexuality, disability, neurodiversity, and inclusion, as part of our ongoing commitment to building a healthier and more inclusive culture across the chemical sciences. These studies sit within our Inclusion and Diversity strategy to 2030, shaping an inclusive future for the chemical sciences, and provide evidence‑based insights alongside practical actions for change.
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