STEM

Chemical Engineering isn't "dying", the nature of the roles graduates pursue are merely changing, in line with the changing energy requirements of modern society. It's still a good choice in general. If you aren't wholly certain you could apply to NatSci entry Chem Eng at Cambridge - which would allow you to remain in NatSci and focus on Chemistry/Physics/Materials Science, if felt the ChemE route wasn't something you wanted to pursue after you began.

Beyond ChemE, there are courses in Chemical Physics specifically, which focus on the physically relevant aspects of chemistry and are a good background for e.g. academia or some quantitative chemistry roles in industry. Natural Sciences would allow you to maintain both subjects as discrete areas, although there is considerable overlap in certain aspects of the two as individual courses. Imperial has a course in Chemistry with Molecular Physics which is similar in some respects to Chemical Physics or Natural Sciences specialising in Physics and Chemistry

There is also Materials Science/Engineering, which uses aspects of both areas in many ways, and is very relevant to industrial roles post-graduation. It's also a highly active area of research, both in itself and through collaboration with e.g. Chemistry, Physics, and Life Sciences departments.

You could also potentially apply to some medical courses, if you wished to pursue that - however you should make such a decision and commit to it soon if so. There are aspects of both subjects that are relevant in some medical specialties - such as radiology and/or nuclear medicine.

There are also less directly related things to chemistry/physics - such as Computer Science or Economics - which you could apply to.

Thank you, I was planning on applying for natural sciences at Cambridge but now I think im also going to apply to that imperial course as it seems interesting and ill research some more chemical physics courses, thanks alot

Off the top of my head UCL, UEA, and either Nottingham or Sheffield do Chemical Physics

yh thanks do you know can I apply to chemical physics and natural sciences at UCL? I am also looking at Durham for natural sciences is that good?

Durham Nat Sci is good - although they have some specific requirements/limitations regarding chemistry, so you'll need to indicate this as a primary subject of interest, and you may not get an offer if they exceed their chemistry spots.

I wouldn't recommend applying for two courses at UCL in the same year.

hmm ok what about 2 at imperial :
as a list I currently have in mind
nat sci-Cambridge-UCL-Durham
chemistry with molecular physics-Imperial

then maybe chem eng at Imperial ot nat sci at bath(I have an EPQ to lower the grade too)

Again, I wouldn't recommend applying for two courses from one uni in a single application cycle. I also wouldn't recommend applying for Chemical Engineering as a single choice - the idea there would be either apply to Chem Eng for 4, then NatSci (Chem Eng) Cambridge as the last, or apply sciences for 4, and Nat Sci (physical) Cambridge for the last, which still allows the possibility of continuing into Chem Eng once you start there.

well in my PS ive mainly kept it general talking about maths chemistry and physics and topics that span all three subjects so I thought that would leave me open to study anything. Do you think medicinal chemistry is a good idea for someone that doesn't study biology?

hmm ok what about 2 at imperial :
as a list I currently have in mind
nat sci-Cambridge-UCL-Durham
chemistry with molecular physics-Imperial

then maybe chem eng at Imperial ot nat sci at bath(I have an EPQ to lower the grade too)

edit: I also see imperial do a medical chemistry course is that worth looking at considering I don't do it at AS?

If you're really into chem I'd be wary about doing NatSci at Durham, as they have very limited places to do chem, so you may get there and not get to study chem. I had similar interests to you and did the same subjects except instead of FM I did latin.
I was interested in all the courses you've listed and I ended up applying for straight chem at Durham, UCL (where I'm now about to start), KCL, and Imperial, and Phys NatSci at Cambridge. This is because it was the most flexible for my interests.
Also re Durham their chem offers are usually lower than their NatSci offers.
From what I've learnt physics at uni is more like a-level maths, (i.e. It's basically applied maths), and chem is more like a level physics and chem.

Hi, thanks I've just emailed Durham to ask about chemistry and natural sciences and waiting for a response, thanks for the warning, the thing that I was worried about applying for pure chem is that I don't really like inorganic chemistry, I prefer certain topics in physics to it but I prefer organic/physical chemistry to most physics topics

Most chem courses do let you specialise pretty quickly, so by 2nd/3rd year you can drop inorganic.
I'd say look carefully at each course in terms of modules, and think about how you can manage your personal statement around the courses you apply to. The theme of mine was that I liked physics and materials, but from the point of view of a chemist, so it was all about chem but I also showed why I wanted to do the natsci course.
(I got 5 offers, so must've done something right there 😂)
Good luck xx