What Does “ STEM ” Mean to Students? Exploring the Interplay Between Self‐Efficacy, Extracurricular Activities, Subject Associations, and Academic Intentions in Secondary School

Despite extensive discourse in educational research and practice, inconsistencies persist in students' perception of, and engagement with, STEM subjects. This study investigates how secondary school students perceive STEM disciplines, and which factors modulate their self‐efficacy and academic intentions. The survey ( n = 853) revealed a widely heterogeneous perception of STEM subject classifications: students saw mathematics (and to a lesser extent, physics and chemistry) as strongly associated with STEM, unlike biology or computer science. Intriguingly, opinions were highly polarized with regards to design and technology, which exhibited a bimodal distribution in students' responses, receiving both top and bottom rankings in terms of STEM association. Girls reported significantly lower levels of STEM self‐efficacy and academic intentions than boys. Students from minority ethnic backgrounds expressed significantly higher STEM academic intentions than White students, even though both groups reported similar levels of self‐efficacy. Participation in extracurricular activities was strongly associated with both self‐efficacy and intentions to pursue further STEM studies. Thematic analysis revealed that the provision and quality of practical learning are crucial in fostering students' engagement and aspirations toward STEM. These findings suggest that educational institutions must prioritize conceptual clarity, experiential learning, and inclusive interventions to address disparities in perception, self‐efficacy, and aspiration in STEM.