The study confirmed that graduates from advantaged backgrounds were more likely to find the sought-after internships.

The trend in recent years has been for larger increases in applications by candidates from less advantaged backgrounds.

Many whom Oshodi knows from less advantaged backgrounds struggled to negotiate the system with that perspective, he says.

As in UK adults, the most favourable levels of these risk factors were seen in young people from socially advantaged backgrounds.

Increasingly, colleges are becoming aware that students from less- advantaged backgrounds need extra supports if they are going to succeed at third level.