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The form has specific questions that will guide you through the information we need. Though we cannot provide individualised advice or feedback, here are some of the most common ways to make your application more competitive:

• Your responses should be personal, and about you/your experience in the chemical sciences (i.e. written by you, about you)
• Your responses should convey a strong interest in and eagerness to learn about the industry, innovation and entrepreneurship aspects of the chemical sciences, as this is the core focus of the Broadening Horizons programme
• Your responses should demonstrate an understanding of the Broadening Horizons programme, and how it can support you in your own professional development goals
• Your responses should convey your commitment to participate in the activities offered through Broadening Horizons programme, as suited to your interests and availability

We do not assess applicants based on their grades, degree classification, or university.

You are especially encouraged to remember that responses must be personal. Therefore, in addition to our policy on the use of AI below, we emphasise that using AI to help you draft responses to these questions is unlikely to help your application in the competitive selection process.

The content of an application to Broadening Horizons should be the work of the applicant and we expect all applicants to adhere to our Code of Conduct.

The RSC acknowledges that Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools may appropriately and ethically be employed as aids in composing or enhancing an application. Acceptable uses of AI include:

• translation
• checking and correcting spelling 
• checking and correcting grammar
• checking the readability of an application
• generating suggestions for alternative words (online thesaurus)

Applicants bear responsibility for the originality, validity, and integrity of the content of their application, even when employing AI tools for certain elements. Unethical use of AI (for example, generating generic or untrue statements that don’t relate to the applicant’s personal experiences or interests) or plagiarism may result in applications being rejected. 

Applicants who use AI tools in the writing of an application, other than for the acceptable uses outlined above, must declare this when they submit their application. Further information on the use of AI can be found in our Guide to Ethics.

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 ÀË»¨Ö±²¥, 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 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

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 and ‘The journey continues’.