The experience of working-class university students: to what extent does social class still negatively impact on students experience of higher education?

This research was conducted to gain an insight into the first-hand experiences of working-class university students. Six current students or recent graduates participated in this research to discover whether social class impacts upon working-class individuals’ experiences of higher education. Semi-structured interviews were used in this study to collect data which were then analysed via thematic analysis using conflict theory as a conceptual framework. These methods allowed an intimate and raw insight into the experiences of the six participants. The research found that for the individuals in this study, their experiences of university were negatively impacted due to their social class backgrounds.