Universities as Drivers of Social Mobility: A Guide to Access, Support and Career Readiness

A 2025 analysis by Universities UK put a number on what a degree is worth: graduates earn 37 per cent more than people who did not go to university. For graduates from economically deprived areas, the premium is a percentage point higher. The figure is the starting point for a Times Higher Education guide to how universities can help students improve their lives, whatever their starting point.

The guide also shows who gets that benefit. A Social Mobility Commission report found that just 20 per cent of students enrolled in UK higher education in 2025 came from lower working-class backgrounds. For higher professional backgrounds the figure was 42 per cent. The gap is narrowing, but disparities in participation and attainment persist. The upfront cost in money and time can make university feel remote to some people. That has prompted work to widen access, support first-generation students and those with work or caring responsibilities, help students who struggle to make ends meet, and make visible the "hidden curriculum" for those without the academic and social capital to navigate it.

The collection is organised by stage, from before enrolment to the move into work. The first section, on outreach, covers programmes that demystify higher education and prepare pupils for its realities. Matthew Lucas of UCL offers five evidence-led ways to design programmes that raise school attainment, a key driver of progression. Keisha Simmons of Georgia Tech draws on K-12 talent development programmes to argue for earlier investment in STEM. Ali Struthers of the University of Warwick and Alex Horne describe School Tasking, which uses snails, Jaffa Cakes and rubber ducks to make academia feel approachable. Valsa Koshy of Brunel University London reports lessons from a young scholars programme for primary pupils. Jennie Henley of the Royal Northern College of Music argues that income should not decide outcomes for young musicians. Ellie Nik of the University of Technology Sydney explains how to run student ambassador schemes. Carl Harrington and Rosemary Norton of the University of East Anglia report on a pilot to bring first-generation students into pharmacy.

Admissions come next. Long application processes can deter applicants, and school attainment gaps favour privileged students when criteria rest on academic achievement alone. The authors argue that prospective students need guidance and that criteria should recognise a wider range of achievements. Aimee Huffstetler of Gwynedd Mercy University covers equitable admissions, and Juan Espinoza of Virginia Tech looks at the role of admissions staff in attracting and keeping first-generation students.

Once students arrive, a family with no experience of higher education can add to their anxiety. Contributors suggest small changes in language, a growth mindset and resilience-building. Stone Meredith of Colorado State University Global recommends positive introductory phrases. Lyn R. Keith of the University of the West Indies points to mentoring and conversations that celebrate achievement. Lisa M. Lee of Virginia Tech draws on her own experience to argue for supporting students from strength rather than deficit. Neale Daniel of Anglia Ruskin University says consultancy projects on complex social issues can improve engagement and retention among disadvantaged students.

The workplace section starts from a problem: placements and internships build professional skills, but some students lack the time, the resources or the connections to get them. Julia Freeland Fisher of the Clayton Christensen Institute outlines three steps for teaching networking. Alyssa Rametta of Virginia Tech says students need chances to practise interpersonal skills before meeting employers. Natalie Freeman of the University of East Anglia describes embedding employability in curricula. Danny Buckley, Natalia Vershinina and Julia Cook address students who cannot take a placement year, and William E. Donald and Kaz Scattergood look at social media in career services. Andrew Burke of Trinity College Dublin argues that financial support is only part of the answer, because human and social capital matter too.

The final section covers money, which can decide whether someone applies and whether they finish. Caroline Deylaud Koukabi and Joanna West of the University of Luxembourg advise creating safe spaces to talk about financial difficulty. Manjari Sharma of Christ (Deemed to be University) argues for embedding financial literacy through workshops, mentoring and career services. Sara Goldrick-Rab of Education Northwest notes that nearly a quarter of US undergraduates will experience food and housing insecurity.

Not every contributor accepts the premise. Louise Ashley and William Monteith of Queen Mary University of London ask whether social mobility is a goal all students want or can pursue. Together the pieces point to a sector trying to act at every stage of the journey.