There is disagreement in the literature regarding the influence of social and cultural factors on the propensity for young people to undertake higher education. This study draws upon a national data set of over 45,000 young people to assesses their propensity to progress to bachelor level study, while controlling for their ethnic backgrounds, their socio-economic status (as measured by the decile of the last secondary school they attended), their gender, and their school achievement. The results are discussed in light of recent policy developments designed to ensure that access to bachelor-level study is not closed to under-represented groups. (Contains 8 notes, 1 table and 3 figures.)