The goal of this PhD project is to further disentangle mechanisms underlying unequal access to higher education in the Netherlands. The research focused on generating a more integral picture of the opportunity structure of higher education from the perspective of (prospective) students in primary, secondary and higher education. It aims to map explicit and implicit obstacles that varying student groups may encounter on their path to higher education, and examine the choices and strategies that they make or use in response to these obstacles.

This project is part of the research program Toegankelijkheid hoger onderwijs voor, door en na de poort. It received funding from NRO Praktijkgericht onderwijsonderzoek - langlopend.

The supervisors for this PhD-project are prof. dr. Monique Volman and prof. dr. Louise Elffers.