This study delves into the examination of student agency within the natural science program at Roskilde University. It investigates the fundamental aspects that enable student agency within the program, focusing on the practical implementation of an open inquiry approach and how it supports student agency, particularly in handling complex situations. Employing a qualitative case study methodology, this research scrutinises two student projects, emphasising their evolution and the perspectives of a participating student through an interview. The findings reveal that the open inquiry approach fosters situations requiring students to exhibit agency within project groups. The two projects exhibit distinct characteristics: one addresses the application of natural science in a societal context, while the other adopts a more traditional experimental approach. Despite their differences, both projects involve navigating complex situations, with students employing a similar structural approach. Notably, they simplify complexity by idealising the situation, thereby leveraging natural science to address the complexities presented.