People who participate in risky behaviours such as drug use, physical inactivity and criminal behaviour have lower educational attainment than people who abstain from such behaviour. The effects of participating in risky behaviours have been estimated at around a one grade reduction at GCSE or 23% lower odds at attaining five of more A*-C GCSE grades, for each additional behaviour the young person engages in. This can have a detrimental knock on effect on subsequent education and employment chances in later life causing lasting socioeconomic damage. Genome Wide Association Studies have revealed that participation in risky behaviours and educational attainment both have highly polygenic architecture, suggesting an important role of many variants across the genome. The extent to which risky behaviours and educational attainment have shared genetic overlap is unknown, yet knowledge of this could help understand how these traits co-operate.