Britain is renowned for its world-class universities and groundbreaking research, yet the postgraduate system continues to overlook many students who could drive the next wave of innovation.
According to the Institute for Fiscal Studies, students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds are up to eight times less likely to pursue a masters degree and 15 times less likely to undertake a PhD than their more advantaged peers1.
Investment in talent pipelines for sectors that rely heavily on specialised technologies, such as AI, quantum and nuclear energy, are critical for the UK to remain a leader in scientific research and innovation. However, the UK is facing a looming skills gap - by 2035 we will need an additional 1.9m STEM professionals, according to Universities UK.
An array of financial and social barriers are forcing many brilliant minds to abandon their postgraduate research ambitions and it is addressing these which drives Martingale’s mission– forging opportunities for talented STEM students to pursue postgraduate research.
Rising tuition fees, research costs, and increasing living expenses mean advanced degrees are more unaffordable than ever before – particularly for students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds. Students from these backgrounds must also overcome a range of social barriers, including what is often referred to as the ‘hidden curriculum’ – the lack of insider knowledge and contacts to navigate the postgraduate research world.
The launch of the second Martingale Foundation Impact Report, published today, highlights the significant progress the organisation has made in advancing its mission and addressing these barriers; expanding the scholarships on offer, supporting increasing numbers of scholars, developing the highly-valued Martingale Development Programme and breaking new ground in policy and advocacy.
Martingale has now supported over 100 exceptional STEM scholars to pursue postgraduate study across ten leading UK universities. New partnerships have been developed with some of the leading organisations in the science and innovation sectors and scholarships have been launched in two new subject areas: data science in healthcare and engineering.
The report highlights the academic excellence shown by Martingale Scholars:
- 67% of 2024 Martingale Masters Scholars achieved a distinction
- 90% of the 2024 Martingale Masters alumni are pursuing or intending to pursue a PhD
- Martingale PhD Scholars reported a range of achievements including presenting papers and participating in panels at key international conferences
Martingale has ambitious plans for the future, announcing last year its ambition to support 800 exceptional postgraduates from low-socioeconomic backgrounds by 2030.
Cassandra Hugill, Martingale Foundation Chief Executive, commented: “I’m incredibly proud of the progress we have made to date and would like to thank our many supporters and partners for their commitment to our mission.
As we look ahead to the next academic year, we are excited about the many milestones ahead. Alongside our next scholarship recruitment campaign, this autumn we will see the launch of the findings from a landmark piece of joint research, exploring access to postgraduate study and what policymakers can do to level the playing field.
This impact report highlights how effective Martingale’s approach is for student success. Through continued learning and working closely with our partners, we remain committed to addressing the barriers that prevent too many talented students from accessing the postgraduate research opportunities they deserve.”