‘I don't see myself there’ – Curriculum representation, epistemic exclusion and conditional belonging in higher education

Curriculum representation has become a central concern within higher education, yet relatively little empirical research has examined how students interpret curriculum‐making and what these interpretations reveal about disciplinary knowledge and belonging. This explanatory mixed‐methods study investigates students' perceptions of curriculum representation at a post‐92 university in England using survey data from 108 students across multiple faculties and levels of study. Descriptive statistical analyses identified patterns in students' perceptions of curriculum representation and belonging, while reflexive thematic analysis explored how these patterns were experienced and interpreted. The findings indicate that students understand curriculum representation not simply as the inclusion of diverse contributors but as a process through which disciplinary knowledge is legitimised and recognition is negotiated. Experiences of belonging were closely associated with these interpretations, particularly among global ethnic majority students who reported lower levels of curriculum representation. The study contributes to curriculum scholarship by conceptualising curriculum representation as a process of epistemic legitimacy, positioning students' interpretations of curriculum‐making as central to understanding participation, recognition and belonging in higher education.