Broadening Horizons in the Chemical Sciences programme

Through the application form, you will be asked for information about your current studies (if applying as a student) or the degree you most recently obtained (if applying as a recent graduate). This will be used to determine whether your studies fall within the scope of the chemical sciences.

Eligibility is based on the individual applying, rather than only their course – so this is not a straightforward question to answer from a strictly course-based standpoint. We will look at your module structure to determine chemical science content. As applicable, we will also consider the title of your thesis or final-year research project. We may need to request more information, such as your course transcript, to help assess your eligibility.

You are likely to meet this eligibility requirement if your course is accredited by the Royal Society of Chemistry, and/or if you previously have obtained RSC membership which involved a check of your credentials, e.g. AMRSC, MRSC (note that this does not apply to student or affiliate members as these categories do not require having completed chemical sciences credentials). We work closely with the RSC Accreditation team to determine the eligibility of applicants outside of these categories.

It is difficult to answer the question simply, as race and ethnicity are complex and interacting characteristics.

As part of the application form, applicants will be asked about their racial and ethnic background. This is aligned with our standardised approach to collecting diversity data across RSC activities.

We will not assign a race or ethnic origin to you, but rather ask how you identify as part of the application form. Eligibility is based on whether your self-identified race and/or ethnic origin is minoritised in the context of the population in the UK/Ireland and/or in the chemical sciences community.

To be eligible for this programme you must be a resident of the UK or Republic of Ireland.

Therefore international students are welcome to apply if they expect to be based at an institution in the UK or Republic of Ireland while participating in Broadening Horizons programme.

Please note that the RSC cannot provide visa sponsorship, or otherwise support visa applications, through the Broadening Horizons programme. This may therefore influence the employment opportunities available to international students, despite their participation in the programme. International students are welcome to participate in Broadening Horizons, but they should be aware that when it comes to employment it would remain the responsibility of each job applicant and the respective employer to ensure that the relevant Right to Work eligibility is met.

The programme is free of charge to all scholars. In addition, the Broadening Horizons programme will cover all eligible travel expenses related to your participation in the programme’s activities. As standard procedure, expenses are usually reimbursed after each activity takes place, though support may be available for up-front payments if we are notified in advance.

The RSC has additional financial support to assist with the additional costs of caring responsibilities (Grants for Carers) and accessibility needs (Accessibility Grants), which are supported by the Chemists’ Community Fund. This financial support is separate from the Broadening Horizons programme, and you would need to apply for these grants separately in advance of any Broadening Horizons activities if you are eligible and wish to receive this financial support to help you participate.

All successful applicants are invited to attend the Taster Event, which is a 3-day residential experience taking place across 3 days on 11-13 June 2025 in Manchester). As the Taster Event sets the foundation for the whole programme, in-person attendance is required and serves as your confirmation to participate in the rest of the programme. Unfortunately if you are unavailable to attend the Taster Event in-person, this will prevent you from participating in the rest of the programme.

Following the Taster Event, the time commitment for the rest of the programme can vary as the programme’s offerings can be adapted by each individual. To benefit most from Broadening Horizons, we recommend that you invest time into the activities available.

Some examples of the time commitments for other activities include:

• the Site Visits hosted by the partner companies can last anywhere from a few hours to a full workday, plus time required for travel
• if you sign up to be matched with a mentor, you would typically spend at least 1 hour a month in regular meetings with your mentor
• you will get access to RSC career resources through your memberhsip, and we recommend you use to your full advantage, for example through ChemCareers webinars and the professional development tool Pathfinder

We highly encourage you to approach this programme with an open mind. Broadening Horizons is designed to show you the breadth of career paths available in the chemical sciences and it is likely that you will find opportunities that you previously did not know about, perhaps at a company you have not heard about before. We frequently hear from previous scholars how surprised they were to learn about the range of roles, sectors, and companies available to them in the chemical sciences.

Applicants who convey a narrow interest are unlikely to be successful in their application, as they will receive limited benefit from participating in this programme and capacity is limited.

If you are mainly interested in only one of the partner companies rather than the Broadening Horizons programme as a whole, then we recommend that it is a better use of your time to instead reach out to that company directly, for example to ask about opportunities to find out more about the company, speak to one of the scientists, or to find employment opportunities.

Participating in Broadening Horizons does not guarantee employment.

As part of the Broadening Horizons programme, some of the partner companies offer a limited amount of paid placements ringfenced exclusively for scholars in the programme. We cannot guarantee that there will be a placement that fits your exact needs, interests, and skill level, but the partner companies are also keen to receive applications from Broadening Horizons scholars for any other employment opportunities that they offer.

Please note that the RSC cannot provide visa sponsorship, or otherwise support visa applications, through the Broadening Horizons programme and therefore we also cannot guarantee employment if you do not already have the right to work in the UK or Ireland. It remains the responsibility of each job applicant and the respective employer to ensure that the relevant Right to Work eligibility is met.

There are many other benefits for your career from participating in the programme beyond securing a job, including: building your network, finding out the various career paths and entry routes which are available, participating in the mentoring programme, attending Site Visits, accessing RSC careers resources and much more. Therefore we equally encourage applications from those who are at the job-seeking stage, and those who are earlier in their studies but want to prepare for their next steps after graduation.

The Taster Event sets the foundation for the whole Broadening Horizons programme, therefore in-person attendance is required and serves as your confirmation to participate in the rest of the programme.

Unfortunately if you are unavailable to attend the Taster Event in-person, this will prevent you from participating in the rest of the programme.

We receive many applications, and unfortunately cannot offer a spot to all applicants as there is limited capacity in the Broadening Horizons programme. Therefore priority must be given to new applicants who have not previously participated in the programme.

Learn more about our first cohort in this short profile series and read about their experiences on the Broadening Horizons programme.

Our long read here gives you an idea of what the second cohort got up to during their Taster Event in Manchester in June 2023.

To get a feel for the impact that this programme has had on individuals’ lives and careers, we recommend that you browse through our ‘Scholar stories’ flipbook here and watch the 9-minute short film ‘The journey continues’.

The Broadening Horizons programme is only available to those who submit a successful application, meeting all the eligibility criteria and accepted through the competitive selection process.

Those who are interested in Broadening Horizons but are not eligible, or cannot participate in the programme, may instead wish to consider the following support:

• Become a member of the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) which can help to:
  • Kickstart your professional journey: Establish valuable connections and gain insights from experienced chemists through our diverse local sections, subject communities, and special interest groups
  • Enrich your skillset: Benefit from personalized career support, embark on recognition frameworks like Chartered or Registered status, and utilise practical tools like RSC Pathfinder and the Careers toolkit to power your professional growth
  • Unleash your passion: Stay abreast of ground-breaking discoveries by exploring our award-winning magazine Chemistry World, immersing yourself in our extensive journal collection, and actively engaging in our stimulating events
• Access RSC inclusion & diversity resources
• Get involved in organisations like the Afro-Caribbean Commercial Science Network (ACCSN), Black British Professionals in STEM (BBSTEM), Black in Chemistry (BlackInChem)