how to end a personal statement for engineering

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How To End A Personal Statement So The Admissions Committee Remembers You

• Published January 20, 2023

Table of Contents

Students are often unsure of  how to end a personal statement.  A strong conclusion makes all the difference in whether your application gets noticed by admissions officers or not.

If you’ve just finished writing your personal statement and you’re stuck on your ending, then don’t worry! This article will walk you through the essentials of personal statement conclusions.

Avoid writing a tedious and forgettable ending for your personal statement by following these rules.

Talk About Your Main Points

Don’t end your final paragraph by stating what you’ve never mentioned in the body of your personal statement. Remember, the purpose of your conclusion is to  wrap up  the package.

You shouldn’t say, “My experiences kindled my passion for engineering,” if you didn’t mention these “experiences” in the first place!

So actually summarising your key main body points is a great conclusion in many cases.

Summarise Your Key Points In A Simple Way

After reading thousands of personal statements, the admissions committee will be happy to see you concluding your personal statement with a clear summarisation of the vital points. 

Go over your personal statement and jot down the main takeaway of each paragraph. Once you have that list, find a way to integrate them into your conclusion.

You can dedicate a sentence to each key point, tie them all together, and you now have a conclusion that does what it’s supposed to do!

Use Your Key Points To Restate Your Passion For Your Course

If you’re wondering how to end your personal statement using your key points, use them to restate your passion for the course you’re applying for.

Say your key points including your skills and experiences, and wrap them up by saying, “With the [your specific skills] and [your specific experiences] I’ve gained over the years, I’m committed to [mention your course].”

By doing so, you’re hitting two birds with one stone. One, you’re reminding the admissions committee that you have the skill set necessary to succeed in your course. Two, you’re demonstrating your dedication to your desired course.

Double Down On Your “Why”

Another powerful ending is to remind the reader of your “why.” Many students pursue their chosen course because they’re not sure what else to take.

So being clear on your purpose immediately sets you apart from the rest. 

To do this, take the most heart-moving story from the body of your personal statement on what inspired you to apply for your course. Mention the main idea of it in a sentence or two, then end with a “for this reason, I believe pursuing [mention course] is the best way to achieve my [state your why].”

If your course is related to education, perhaps your “why” is to help children learn by allowing them to show how they learn best.

Say you’re writing a medical personal statement . Maybe your “why” is to forward technology that helps safeguard the elderly from falling accidents because you witnessed your grandparent suffer injuries from a fall when you were young.

Doubling down on your “why” shows your conviction and direction on why you’re applying for your course.

Mention The Next Step Of Your Application Process

What’s the next step after the admissions committee accepts your personal statement? For many courses, they’ll call you up for an interview . Go ahead and mention this in your conclusion!

Write along the lines of “I’m looking forward to dedicating myself to this course, and I would love to receive an invitation for the interview.”

The reader will right away recognise that you’ve done your research. You know what the next step should be. You  are  serious about this application!

Make The Universities Excited To Have You As Their Student

Studying at a university is not merely a means to an end. It’s a profound journey in and of itself! You’ll meet new colleagues, form lifelong communities, and discover mentors who will guide you along with your future career.

Think of them when you’re pondering on how to end a personal statement. What can you contribute as a student to make the university a better place? Demonstrate your excitement in meeting them, building relationships with them, and serving them!

A statement as straightforward as “I am eager to establish new, lifelong relationships and use my [mention your skills] to help make the university a better place for learning and community-building.”

Demonstrate Your Willingness To Learn

Universities exist to train and mould students, not the other way around! A little humility goes a long way. Show yours by demonstrating your willingness to learn. Nothing excites teachers more than willing students.

To pull this off, make sure you know what values your course upholds. It could be service, excellence, inclusivity, and so on. State in your conclusion that “I’m looking forward to learning how to embody [write down the course’s values you resonate with], to grow and succeed in [mention your field of study].”

There’s so much value packed in this simple personal statement ending. Tweak it and make it yours!

Avoid Famous Quotes

Many students insert famous quotes from well-known persons when ending their personal statements. Avoid this tactic as much as possible because you’re driving attention  away  from YOU as the applicant.

If you want to include famous quotes, put them at the beginning of your personal statement to grab attention. To keep your reader’s attention focused on you in the end, why not come up with a memorable, relevant quote of your own?

Use The Bookend Strategy

Bookends are sturdy objects placed at either end of upright books to keep them standing. When you translate that into writing, the bookend strategy is when the introduction and conclusion statements connect to support the body between them.

You may start your personal statement with a heart-wrenching story about how you watched your beloved pet die of the wrong diagnosis. Then, for your conclusion, you can call back on this story and state how this event fuels you to pursue veterinary practice.

The bookend strategy is a clean and efficient way how to end your personal statement.

Ask Help From Your Family And Friends

If you’re still stuck on how to end a personal statement, don’t be afraid to ask for help. Approach your family and friends because they know you more than anyone. Read to them the introduction and body of your personal statement.

Ask them what particular line struck them the most. Maybe they know something about you that you missed including in your personal statement. What characteristics do they see in you that will help you succeed in your course?

Gather their answers in one place, and after reading them in one go, you now have a decent idea of what to emphasise in your conclusion statement.

Never State That It’s The “Conclusion” Or “Summary”

The most boring, generic way to end a personal statement is to write “In conclusion” or “In summary.” It’s actually one of the topics we cover in  what not to put in a personal statement .

Avoid this writing style at all costs. A good conclusion statement doesn’t require explicit announcements.

By its style and structure alone, the reader knows immediately they’re about to read a lasting statement. So don’t hesitate to proceed straight to the major points. As long as the conclusion connects seamlessly with the previous paragraph, you’re good to go!

Stay Authentic

Universities hold honesty in high esteem. Show authenticity and honesty in your personal statement beginning with an attention-grabbing introduction to a strong conclusion.

The best way to radiate honesty in your personal statement is to write from the right mindset. When you work on your personal statement, your objective is to show  who you are and demonstrate why you are a worthy candidate for the course .

Don’t try to impress. If you come from that standpoint, you’re more likely to add embellishments. The experienced admissions committee can smell insincere personal statements from a mile away. So stick with who you are and let your personality shine through.

Give Yourself A Break, Then Come Back To It

When working on how to conclude a personal statement, you need to give yourself time. After writing a rough draft of your conclusion statement, take a break and return to it after a few days. 

When you return to it, you’ll be surprised to notice details you haven’t seen before. Edit as you like, and make it better. Keep the old versions of your conclusion at hand so you can readily compare them with your newest, edited text. Compare and choose which one sounds better.

5 Bad Examples For A Personal Statement Conclusion

These are 5 personal statement examples for conclusions that don’t meet the criteria outlined above.

• In this application essay, I have made it clear I am an outstanding candidate for a degree because I think everyone will love my positive attitude and I deserve it.
• In summary, you can see my highlighted qualifications and experience, I know they’re not the best, but I want to stress that my passion for this field is what sets me apart as a candidate. It shouldn’t matter if the others are more qualified or experienced than me.
• Remember the skills I have, that’s really what sets me apart from other students, they don’t have what it takes to break the rules creatively and not follow the book.
• Finally, I would like to thank you for considering me for this opportunity and I hope you will make the right decision by choosing me, otherwise, I may cry and be disappointed.
• As a final note, it’s easy to see how qualified I am for this degree and how I will excel in it – but you should accept me because I’m cool and will get along with everyone else.

5 Amazing Examples Of A Personal Statement Ending

• In conclusion, I am excited about the opportunity to study computer science at this university. My passion for technology, combined with my programming skills and experience, make me an ideal candidate for the program. I am eager to learn from the esteemed faculty and contribute to the research community. I am confident that this program will enable me to achieve my career goals and make a meaningful impact in the field of technology.
• In summary, I have always been fascinated by the human body and its functions. My experience in volunteering in hospitals, combined with my academic record, makes me confident in my ability to handle the rigours of a medical degree. I am excited about the opportunity to study at this esteemed university and to contribute to the field of medicine through research and patient care.
• To wrap things up, I am excited to pursue a degree in Mechanical Engineering at this university. My passion for designing and building, combined with my experience in physics and mathematics, make me confident that I have the knowledge and skills to excel in this program. I am eager to learn from the esteemed faculty and contribute to the field of mechanical engineering through research and innovation.
• Finally, I am honoured to be considered for a law degree at this university. My passion for justice, combined with my research skills and experience, make me an ideal candidate for the program. I am excited about the opportunity to learn from the esteemed faculty and to contribute to the legal field through research and practice.
• As a final note, I am excited to pursue a degree in Environmental Science at this university. My passion for the environment, combined with my experience in environmental research, makes me confident that I have the knowledge and skills to make a meaningful impact in this field. I am eager to learn from the esteemed faculty and contribute to the field through research and conservation efforts.

How Long Should the Conclusion To A Personal Statement Be?

A personal statement conclusion should be 150-200 words long and leave a positive lasting impression on the reader. A UCAS personal statement should be 4000 characters long, making the conclusion 705-940 characters long – this is just a rough estimation based on the average number of characters per word (4.7).

Do You Feel More Confident Writing A Personal Statement Conclusion?

To  end your personal statement  in the best possible way, you need to know the body’s key points. Use them as pillars when deciding which direction your conclusion takes. 

Will you highlight your future goals? Maybe you want to focus on your why? Take the time to decide. And if you’re stuck, don’t hesitate to ask for help from your family and friends so you can leave a lasting impression on the applications committee.

How much did this article help you out? Don’t forget to bookmark this page for future reference!

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Writing a Winning UCAS Engineering Personal Statement: Ultimate Guide w/Analysed Examples

Engineering Personal Statement: Why It’s Important

With careers in engineering providing  over 20% of the UK’s total economic productivity and with over one-fourth of its workforce working in engineering fields , it’s no surprise that some of  the best and highest-ranked  engineering schools in the world are located in the United Kingdom. So how do you get a spot in one of the best engineering programmes in the world? You need impressive marks, a good resume, and a stellar engineering personal statement.

Before we get to that, though, let’s back up a little and examine everything it takes to get into a good engineering programme.

Engineering Programme Prerequisites

Before you get ready to apply for an engineering programme at any university, there are  several prerequisites  you need to have met first. While these prerequisites may differ slightly from university to university, the majority of them should remain the same.

Completed Coursework

You must have, at a minimum, at least two A-Levels if you expect to get into an engineering programme. In the most popular programmes, you’ll need at least three, with grades of A’s and B’s in each. The exact entry requirements may vary, but they tend to range from CCC to AAA. Most universities prefer you to have ABB.

Additionally, one of your A-Levels needs to be in maths. A second A Level in physics is also encouraged for students hoping to study engineering at Uni. There are other courses that may be accepted in place of physics, such as other science courses, additional maths courses, or design and/or computing courses, but your safest bet will always be maths and physics as two of your A-Levels. If you don’t have an A-Level in maths, you may be required to take a maths and/or mechanics aptitude test before being considered for admission.

Vocational Courses

If you don’t have the required A Levels, another option you can use at some schools is to substitute vocational courses for them. For example, if you have Level 3 or Level 6 qualifications, you might be able to use these as replacements for the A-Level courses. These qualifications include the following:

• SVQ Scientific, Technical & Formulation Processing (SCQF Level 6)
• Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma in Engineering or Construction and Built Environment

It’s important to note that not all universities will accept these as substitutes for A-Levels, so check with each school individually.

Biotechnology and Chemical Engineering

If you’re interested in a biotechnology or chemical engineering programme, the required A Levels are a little different. Universities usually require two A-Levels in science or a Scottish Highers with either biology or chemistry as one of the subjects. Additionally, you’ll also be required to have five GCSEs that include English, maths, and a science.

Scottish Highers

The most common range for entry into Highers is between ABBB and AAAAB. The majority of universities require AABBB. If a university requests an Advanced Highers to supplement Highers, they most often ask for an AA.

Additional Qualifications for Admission

The only true prerequisites for admission into an engineering programme are those listed above, but there are some additional things you may want to have on your application to make it more memorable. These include relevant work or apprenticeship experience, volunteer experience, and personal references.

Applying for Admission

To apply for any undergraduate programme at a university in the UK, particularly an engineering programme, you have to fill out an application through the  UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service) . If you’ve ever applied to a college or university in the United States using the Common App, the UCAS is very similar.

It’s a centralised location for applying to a multitude of different schools/courses, and you’ll use it whether you live in the UK or are an international student. The actual name of the application is the UCAS Apply. Once you’ve completed it, you can apply to up to five separate universities (or five separate degree programmes if you aren’t set in your engineering course) simultaneously.

Filling out the UCAS Apply: A Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: register for the ucas site.

This is a simple setup process. You’ll sign up by setting up a username and password. You’ll create some security questions in case you lose your password, and then you’ll be asked some basic information such as your name, birth date, and other personally-identifying information.

Step 2: Verify Your Account, Sign In & Enter the Rest of Your Information

After verifying that you really did create an account, you’ll be asked to sign in using the username and password you just created. Then you’ll fill in the rest of your personal information, including your residency status. You’ll also be asked about how you plan to pay for university and whether or not you’ll be requesting scholarships.

Additionally, you’ll be asked about any special needs you have or the accommodations you’ll need. If you have any type of criminal record, you’ll indicate that in this section. You can also give permission for an adult in your life – parent, adviser, mentor, guardian, etc. – to have access to your UCAS profile. This gives them permission to talk to university staff about you, your university goals, and anything else of note.

Steps 3 & 4: For UK Residents Only

If you’re an international student, you won’t be required to fill out steps three and four. (Note: Residents of the EU might possibly be asked to fill out step 4.) Section three asks about your national identity, ethnic origin, and occupational background. There are some additional questions in this section that are optional. These ask about your religious beliefs, sexual orientation, and gender identity.

You’ll also be provided with space to discuss your own, personal circumstances, especially as they relate to your ability to pay for and succeed at Uni. This could include information about your parents’ education or background, activities in which you’ve been involved, whether or not you’ve been in care, etc.

Section four isn’t always asked and only appears if questions in the personal details section have been answered a certain way. If they do appear, they’ll be asking about your finances.

Step 5: Choose Your Courses/Universities

In this section, you’ll be able to apply for up to five different courses and/or universities. This is where you choose what programmes you hope to be accepted into. You can only choose five though, so choose wisely.

Step 6: Provide Your Educational History

Here you’ll enter your entire educational history beginning at secondary education. You’ll enter your A-Levels as well as any vocational courses you’ve taken. It’s important that you list all of these exactly right, including the marks you received in each.

Step 7: Employment History

This is where you’ll attach your work resume. This is for paid work only. If you have any volunteer experience or other unpaid work, it’ll be listed in your personal statement instead. You can only list five places of employment, so if you’ve had more than five jobs, choose the five most relevant to the programme you’re pursuing (in this case, engineering).

Step 8: Your Personal Statement

We’ll discuss this in-depth a little later on.

Step 9: Review the Details

Once you’ve completed all the above-listed steps, you’ll have a chance to review everything. Review it thoroughly and make any changes necessary. You won’t be allowed to edit it once it’s been submitted.

Step 10: Personal Reference, Application Fee & Submit

Finally, you’ll need at least one personal reference. This should be from someone who knows you in a professional capacity, either from working with you or having had you in class. You’ll also be required to pay an application fee of £20 if you’re applying to only one course and £25 if you’re applying for multiple courses. Then you’ll submit the application.

Once you’ve submitted your UCAS Apply application, you’re all set. You can track it using the UCAS Tracker to see if your desired universities have received it. Then you wait for the university to reach out to you for more information, an interview, or acceptance.

Writing Your Personal Statement

If you’re applying to an engineering programme, you’ll be required to write a  personal statement  as part of step 8 on the UCAS Apply application. We can’t overemphasise how important step 8 truly is. There are very few universities that require you to write an additional essay or personal statement for entrance into their engineering programmes, so this is your one chance to get it right.

So what exactly should you write about?

There isn’t exactly a prompt for writing your UCAS personal statement. Under this same question – “What should I write about?” – on the  UCAS website , the answer given is simply, “You.” In other words, write about yourself.

The admissions team wants to know why they should give you a coveted spot in the engineering programme over every other applicant. You need to tell them why you want a spot at the university, but you also need to tell them why you  deserve  a spot  and  what it is about you that should make them want to  give  you a spot. This means showcasing your strengths, achievements, and drive to succeed.

In case you need a little more guidance, here are some questions to ask yourself to help you get started:

• Why are you interested in attending university, and what aspects of university life are you most looking forward to experiencing?
• What are your career goals?
• What first interested you in engineering, and what about it continues to interest you?
• What experiences have you had, either in school or in the work environment, that would prepare you for studying at university?
• Was there anything about your earlier education studies you found to be particularly helpful or interesting?
• What do you most hope to gain from your time at the university, and what strengths and positive characteristics will you bring with you?
• What makes you a good candidate for a position at Uni?
• What elements of your future studies are you looking forward to most?
• Have you taken any higher education courses already, received any awards or accolades, or been recognised for outstanding academic or professional ability?
• What can you write about to prove that you’ve researched engineering beyond what you learned in your early education?

If you consider these questions and keep them in mind while writing, you’ll likely cover everything you need to cover to make a good impression on the admissions team. UCAS also provides you with this  personal statement worksheet  to help organise your thoughts and guide your writing.

Standard Engineering Personal Statement Length & Format

One thing to keep in mind while writing your personal statement is that it has to stay within a  certain character limit . No matter how much you have to say, you have to keep it under 4000 characters or 47 lines of text.

While this isn’t an exact word count, that averages out to approximately 500 words, which isn’t a ton of words. It’s about one single-spaced page worth of text. This means that you must be concise. You want to get in all the important information that’ll help your application stand out from all the other applications universities receive, but you have to do it without being too wordy.

Format Requirements

Worrying about the formatting requirements (double-spaced, single-spaced, font size, etc.) is unnecessary for your engineering personal statement because you’ll be typing or pasting it into a text box on the website. As long as your paragraphs are clearly defined and your font is easy to read, you should be fine on formatting guidelines.

However, because you only get 47 lines of text, it’s important that you  structure your paper correctly . This means breaking your personal statement into roughly three sections, with each section answering a specific question. For the sake of clarity, we’ll call these sections the introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion.

Now let’s break it down a little further.

A Brief Introduction

The introduction should take up about 15-20% of your personal statement. That’s approximately seven to ten of the 47 provided lines. In your introduction, try to answer the question, “Why do you want to study engineering?” You can talk about the experiences that shaped your love of the subject and the things about it that continue to interest you. You might even touch on why you feel it’s important that people study engineering at all.

Full, Rich Body Paragraphs

Your body paragraphs should make up about 55-65% of your engineering personal statement, or 26 to 30 lines. In these paragraphs, you’ll address the questions, “What have you done that has prepared you for this course?” and “Why do you deserve a spot in the programme?” This is when you go in-depth into your experiences, educational history,  relevant  employment, etc.

Other questions you may want to address in your body paragraphs are:

• How have you cultivated the knowledge you need to succeed in this field?
• What did you learn while preparing for this course?
• Did you receive high marks in the classes relevant to an engineering course?
• Did you win any awards or receive any other accolades?
• What about your life experiences that has fully prepared you not just to enrol in the course but to excel in it?

A Brief Conclusion

Your conclusion should make up between 20-25% of your engineering personal statement, which is roughly ten to 12 lines. Here you’ll sum up your personal statement and bring it to a close. This is where you’ll add in any other extracurricular activities that might not be relevant to engineering but are impressive enough that you want the admissions team to know about them. You can also touch briefly on your future career goals in this section.

Other Things to Remember

One statement – five applications.

One of the most important things to remember about your engineering personal statement for your UCAS Apply application is that you can only write one statement, even though you could be applying to five different courses/universities. This means you don’t want to mention any specific university by name. If you do, the four other universities to which you’ve applied may think you aren’t seriously interested in them and disregard your application altogether.

Additionally, if you’ve applied to study different subjects rather than simply applying to five different engineering programmes, you won’t be able to focus your personal statement quite so much on the field of engineering. Instead, you’ll have to take a much more general approach to writing your personal statement, discussing your strengths in general terms as opposed to how they would apply specifically to the field of engineering.

Proofread and Edit

Do  not  submit your application and your included engineering personal statement without first proofreading and editing your statement. It’s even better if you can ask a  mentor, professor, or trusted friend  to look over it for you before you submit it. Having a fresh set of eyes looking over your paper is a great way to find errors you might have otherwise missed. Proper grammar and writing style are important, so don’t rush ahead without a proper amount of time spent editing and cleaning up.

The Website Will Time Out

Another important thing to remember is that the UCAS website will time out after 35 minutes of inactivity. For this reason, it’s better if you write your personal statement ahead of time in a separate document and then simply copy and paste it into the text box once it’s been fully edited and is ready to go.

Engineering Personal Statement Examples

Example personal statement 1.

“I hope a degree from your University will allow me to transfer key abilities from a place of study into, eventually, a place in industry. After much extended research, my admiration for the engineering innovator, Karl Benz, has been truly established. Commonly regarded as the originator of the first automobile powered by an internal combustion engine, his contributions to the vast domain that is engineering are simply colossal. One creation of his that captivated my mind tremendously was the ‘Blitzen Benz’; a vehicle fabricated solely for the purpose of speed. […]

Understandably, I am mindful that the finest engineers must possess a resilient skill-set, which should include the ability to thrive in both collaborative and solo tasks, flourish under pressure and blossom in positions requiring a leadership mentality. Hopefully, a place on this course will allow me to reinforce and augment my previously developed skills whilst allowing me to simultaneously acquire many more essential abilities that will prove beneficial in later life.”

– Read the rest  here

Although this excerpt is a little longer than we usually like to include, we had to include it. It’s just too impressive to ignore. First of all, you’ll notice the author refers to “your University.” This is how you should always speak of the prospective university in your engineering personal statement because it sounds personal, but it doesn’t call any specific school by name, which would alienate the other four universities to which you applied.

Secondly, the author speaks of his admiration for the engineer and inventor Karl Benz. This shows that he’s researched his field of study outside of what he learned in school. It shows he has a genuine interest and passion for engineering, which means he should do well at Uni. The section that’s been removed goes into more detail about the ‘Blitzen Benz,’ using language that shows he has a solid knowledge of the technical terms associated with engineering.

Finally, he smoothly transitions into highlighting his strengths. He mentions many of the qualities that make for a good engineer and then mentions he has those qualities. In the next section, which has also been removed for the sake of brevity, he talks a bit about how he cultivated those qualities. He also says he hopes his time at Uni will help further these necessary qualities in him, and then transitions into talking about his future goals.

It is a powerfully written personal statement that shows the writer to be an excellent candidate for the engineering programme.

Our Verdict:

Example Personal Statement 2

“Engineers build societies. More specifically, mechanical engineers apply fundamental maths and physics laws to construct mechanical devices that we use every day, despite sometimes going unnoticed. For this reason, I would like to pursue a career in engineering, as it is such a key component in societies. It combines my fascination of how things work and the mechanics behind devices, with the ability to apply maths and physics concepts to real-life situations.

Studying Maths Mechanics at A-level has given me experience with calculus and more advanced mathematics, including differential equations, creating a firm grounding for the mathematics I should encounter at degree level. Physics has given me an understanding of fundamental notions and reinforced the mechanical aspects of maths […]”

his is another example of a well-written engineering personal statement. The introductory paragraph, in particular, is superb and covers everything that should be covered. The writer starts by highlighting why engineering is important to society as a whole. In doing so, she also demonstrates a solid knowledge of what engineering is all about.

She transitions smoothly into why she wants to become an engineer and mentions that she has a fascination with both  “how things work”  and  “the mechanics behind devices,”  which are two key elements for a successful engineer. In her next paragraph, she begins talking about her educational history, showing she has the experience and education necessary for a foundation in engineering.

Altogether, she presents herself as someone with passion, clearly defined goals, and a solid foundation that should allow her to hit the ground running when she begins at the university.

Example Personal Statement 3

“My desire to study Engineering stems from the practical application of Maths and Physics to real world situations to enhance and improve them is a field that I find fascinating and perplexing. After partaking in different engineering-based experiences, I learnt how varied and inclusive this subject is, and that is the reason I want to study Engineering at University.”

In contrast to the first two examples, this is an example of a weak engineering personal statement that wasn’t done well. This is the author’s introductory paragraph, and right from the beginning, it fails to paint the writer in a good light. The first sentence is grammatically incorrect and makes no sense as written. The paragraph is also much too short and vague.

Referring back to the common structure of a personal statement, you’ll remember the introductory paragraph should be about seven to ten lines long. This one is about four. It doesn’t have enough information on it, and the information that’s there is too general. It sounds like a child’s version of what an engineer does and why it’d be fun to be an engineer.

The student mentions  “partaking in different engineering-based experiences”  but doesn’t give any examples to back up that claim. Even his reason for wanting to be an engineer isn’t clearly defined. This is a weak, unmemorable statement that isn’t going to impress anyone on an admissions team.

Example Personal Statement 4

“My extra-curricular activities in and out of school have enhanced my ability to lead a group. I joined stem club at the beginning of year 12 and this has contributed to the improvement of my problem-solving skills which has helped me significantly in my maths modules and physics. […] I play the piano […] piano allows me to improve my thinking skills on the spot. My schedule is very busy and challenges me to manage my time carefully […] I am always challenging my own understanding and I believe that I have the right attitude, skills and personality for this degree. I feel that a career in engineering will make good use of my strengths.”

– Read the rest  here

Let’s look again at the typical structure of a personal statement listed above. You’ll see that the conclusion paragraph should be about ten lines long. It’s also a good place to list all the extracurricular activities that aren’t strictly associated with engineering but that you want the admissions team to know about you.

This author wrote a great conclusion paragraph. Although sections have been removed, you can see it’s close to the right length. Additionally, she uses the conclusion paragraph exactly as it should be used, listing all of her extra achievements she wants the admissions team to know. Beyond that, though, she uses these extracurricular activities as another way to show her strengths – strengths that would make her a good fit for any engineering programme.

She mentions having good leadership skills. She also talks about being part of a STEM (science, technology,  engineering,  and mathematics) club. She talks about playing the piano but then adds that her ability to play has improved her on-the-fly problem-solving skills. She talks about work and her busy schedule, but then stresses that this has helped her learn good time management skills.

Instead of just using her conclusion to provide a list of her extracurricular activities, she uses it as another opportunity to casually and naturally highlight her skills. She ends by saying these skills she learned in all these activities will serve her well in her future career as an engineer, which is a great way to end the personal statement on a relevant note.

Example Personal Statement 5

“During my school life, I have enjoyed taking part in sporting events organised by the French charity “Justice au Coeur” […] My extracurricular activities include athletics […] I also attended a scouts’ club in my neighbourhood, and have passed Grade 7 in drama. […]

I am a native speaker of English and French […] I have also studied Latin at my school for six years, and am going to take it as a subject at the French Baccalauréat.

One of my main hobbies is model rocketry. […]

I completed two weeks of unpaid work experience in a WHSmith bookshop in Wimbledon in June 2012. I thoroughly enjoyed my time there.”

By contrast, this is an example of a writer who didn’t do a good job of adding in her extracurricular activities. First of all, even though it’s not evident here, this information is listed in this author’s body paragraphs, not her conclusion. These sentences, along with several similar ones that have been removed, make up  four paragraphs  of the body of her engineering personal statement.

She used  four paragraphs  talking about things that have absolutely nothing to do with engineering. She wasted those four paragraphs. All this information is nice information to provide, but it should have all been condensed into one small paragraph at the end of the personal statement.

Instead, she took the paragraphs that should have been devoted to what she’s done to prepare her for engineering and why she deserves a spot in the programme and wasted them on extracurricular activities that aren’t really relevant.

Remember: You only have 4000 characters to write your personal statement, and use those characters wisely.

To Sum It All Up…

The main things to remember when writing your engineering personal statement are to be truthful, be concise, and be authentic. It’s also important that you write a 100% unique, “personal-to-you” personal statement. It’s okay to look at other people’s statements for inspiration or to get a feel for what works and what doesn’t, but there are severe consequences for plagiarism ( here’s a plagiarism-checker you can use ) and cheating, including having your entire application trashed at all the universities to which you applied.

Finally, make sure you dedicate enough time to the process. You want to plan your statement out ahead of time and have enough time to write it thoroughly and completely. It’s also important to save time for the  editing and proofreading stages  after you’ve finished your first draft.

Be specific when talking about your interests, goals, and strengths. Remember, this is one of the few times in life when it is okay to sell yourself. You want to make a good impression, and you want to be memorable. The more easily the admissions team can recall you and your engineering personal statement, the more likely you’ll get a spot in a good engineering programme.

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How to Write a Great Engineering School Personal Statement

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You have spent months researching and identifying the best engineering schools, studying for and completing the SATs, GRE, or other standardized tests, and filling out tedious college applications. You are on the verge of burnout when it hits you: you have to write a personal statement.

How important is it to write a great personal statement? Ask the admissions committee, and they’ll tell you that writing a personal statement is like applying for a job. Stephen J Aguilar, an assistant professor of education at USC, reported in 2020 to Inside Higher Ed that a personal statement should be less revealing and more persuasive. At its core, the personal statement needs to answer these two questions:

• Why are you applying here?
• How do your interests and experiences align with the program or the faculty you’ve identified?

However, the importance of reading and understanding the question prompts cannot be overstated. For example, the University of Iowa College of Engineering, which places 97 percent of its undergraduates in jobs post-graduation and currently has 284 master’s and doctoral students, goes one step further to differentiate personal statements from statements of purpose .

This institution wants to know in the statement of purpose , “Why is this program a good fit for you?” By contrast, the personal statement elicits answers to the question: “Who are you?” and allows applicants to explain themselves to admissions committees regarding academic achievements and life events that have shaped them and will positively influence the campus community.

That said, a personal statement is not just an essay. It has to be intelligent, engaging, typo-free, and capable of convincing admissions reviewers that you are a better fit for their program. Fret not. With lots of research and preparation, you can submit a college essay that reflects your passion and capabilities.

Read on to learn the what, the why, and the how-to of writing great personal statements to gain admission into engineering school.

How Is a Personal Statement Evaluated?

The title "personal statement" is generally synonymous with college essays. However, some admissions professionals use it to refer more specifically to written statements that explore applicants’ program readiness and intentions if admitted. The purpose of these statements for engineering school applicants is three-fold.

First, colleges want to know that they can write well, and not just from a technical perspective. Of course, grammar matters, but perhaps more important is the ability to communicate ideas.

Second, engineering schools want to know who a student is—the nuggets that are not conveyed through a conventional application or school transcripts. This is the written equivalent of the interview question “tell us about yourself” and is the applicant’s chance to share who they are, what they want to do, and how gaining admission to this program will be mutually beneficial.

Finally, colleges want to ensure applicants are familiar with and committed to the program. The best personal statements fulfill these goals, often in 700 words or less.

Does this sound like a tall order? Here are some tips for getting it right.

Six Tips for Writing a Stellar Engineering School Personal Statement

1. Do the research

It may sound simplistic, but one of the most important (and often overlooked) steps toward getting into the right school is taking the time to research a prospective engineering program, review its admissions policies and—this cannot be overstated—read and reread its application essay prompt. Candidates who don’t sufficiently answer an institution’s question or convey some misunderstanding about the prompt or its expectations are unlikely to be admitted.

Prospective students completing the Common Application should take the time to contact each engineering school they are applying to inquire about additional admissions requirements. The Princeton Review emphasizes that a personal statement should not repeat a previously discussed part of your application, nor should its information contradict another part.

2. Go deep, not broad

Personal statement prompts tend to be targeted. Engineering schools want to know what specific qualities or experiences make each student a good fit for their programs. Common inquiries include recalling a time you solved a problem, explaining why you applied, describing your academic goals and intentions, and addressing any extenuating circumstances that might have impacted your school record. Rather than offering a broad synopsis of your life, choose the experience or intent most relevant to the question and explore it in depth.

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology Graduate School offers advice for writing an in-depth personal statement for engineering schools using the “qualified match” approach. The steps include:

• Make a statement that fits the essay prompt, like “I am a dedicated and hard-working student.”
• Quantify your statement with specific details about your life. You might, for example, discuss how many hours per week you spend on school work and how you overcome any obstacles to committing that time.
• Interpret how those details make you a stronger applicant. To continue with the above example, that might include writing about the knowledge you gained during your studies, your time-management skills, your passion for learning, and your commitment to succeed despite challenges.

3. Be relevant

If a personal statement has only one goal, it is to be shown to a review committee that you are the right fit for its school. That’s why applicants to Stanford University’s Institute for Computational & Mathematical Engineering are asked to specify their personal and professional goals in their statement of purpose, as well as discuss their developments and intentions for study and life beyond their doctoral program.

Read the mission statements of each program to get a feel for what they are looking for and keep that in mind as you write. Rather than getting carried away detailing the hours you log volunteering each week, discuss experiences and activities as they relate to your academic and career goals or scientific interests. Also, be sure not to waste valuable ink rehashing information available elsewhere on your application, such as extracurricular activities or your stellar GPA.

4. Avoid gimmicks and cliches

Did you love playing with Legos as a kid? Did those plastic bricks lay the foundation for your drive to be an engineer? If so, the College of Engineering at the University of Washington suggests you are in good company, but not in a good way. Every year, the committee reads personal essays on how Legos were the building blocks of a student's career in engineering.

To stand out, engineering school applicants should avoid using cliches in their statements. Of course, setting yourself apart from other applicants is imperative, but you must do so in a meaningful and unique way. Admissions review panels have seen it all and are unlikely to be moved by creative gimmicks and attention-grabbers that do not get to the heart of what makes you a great candidate.

5. Mind your mechanics

This tip refers more to the mechanics of writing than any scientific drive, though the latter undoubtedly has a place in an engineering school personal statement. Remember when we said one of the goals of college essays is verifying applicants can communicate effectively? Applicants should consider the following elements as they prepare their outline (more on that next):

• Voice – Is your voice appropriate for the task? Is it too formal or casual? Are you using active language rather than passive and wishy-washy statements? Do you come across as academic?
• Structure – Do your ideas flow logically and support one main idea? If you are unsure where to start, know that following the reliable five-paragraph essay format is perfectly acceptable: introduction, three supporting paragraphs, and a tidy conclusion.
• Length – Engineering schools usually have a good reason for requesting personal statements with a specific word count. Those that are too short have too little to say, and those that are too long are likely to repeat the same concepts.
• Grammar – College students are expected to know and use basic grammar. Edit, edit, and then edit again.
• Completeness – Have you addressed the admissions essay prompt in full? What about any supplemental school or department-specific requests?

6. Edit, edit, edit

Writing a personal statement may seem like a herculean task, so it is tempting to push it aside when you type that final period and not look back. This is a mistake—and perhaps the biggest one you can make. Sometimes we get so caught up in our thoughts and ideas that we miss lapses in our writing, whether grammatical or contextual. To avoid this:

• Begin with an outline.
• Write the first draft.
• Write a second draft.
• Read the essay out loud.
• Review your essay again a day or two later.
• Ask parents, friends, teachers, and others to read your work.

There is never any excuse for typos, and even the slightest error can turn a committee review member off. Ask a friend or family member to review your essay for grammatical mistakes when in doubt. It may be intimidating, but the process is an excellent way to identify missing words or ideas. What's more, applicants today are blessed with the power of technology. Online tools like Grammarly are free to use and quickly catch any glaring typos.

Starting Your Engineering School Admissions Essay

One of the biggest challenges to writing a stellar college essay is simply getting started in the first place. Personal statements are, by design, personal, and that can be intimidating. Applicants also put significant pressure on themselves to write the perfect essay.

Fortunately, many colleges try to ease the burden by providing tips online. Purdue University’s Online Writing Lab offers examples of successful personal statements. Some engineering schools even post examples of successful personal statements, including MIT , Johns Hopkins University , and Cornell University . While your essay should be wholly original, these resources can guide you through creating a unique and inspirational narrative to impress admissions committees.

Aimee Hosler is a long-time journalist specializing in education and technology. She is an advocate for experiential learning among all ages and serves as the director of communications for a non-profit community makerspace. She holds a degree in journalism from California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo.

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How to write a personal statement for engineering

Do your reading, be creative and work out what admission tutors are really after. Tips for writing a winning Ucas application

I f you're planning on studying engineering at university, your Ucas application needs to be structurally sound. Most schools don't offer the subject, so reading up on it is all the more important. Luckily, there's no shortage of material to stoke your enthusiasm.

"The range of things you might get into is almost boggling – you never know where it's going to end up," Derek Clarke, admissions tutor for civil engineering at the University of Southampton, says. "Engineering contributes in so many different ways."

Kathy Simmons, admissions tutor for mechanical engineering at the University of Nottingham, ideally wants to see evidence of enthusiasm – work experience, a headstart course, a placement or a few months in industry. But she understands that not everyone has these opportunities.

She looks for evidence of scientific and analytical thinking, and a practical approach, but said mechanical engineers don't all need to be good with their hands.

Simmons says she receives some unimpressive statements stating: "I liked maths and physics at school and I didn't know what to do next".

There's no need to have a career plan but have an idea of the sorts of jobs engineering can lead to.

John Robinson, a chemical engineer from Nottingham, who coordinates admissions across the engineering faculty, reiterates the point: "Really it's about making the admissions tutor aware that you know what the subject's about."

Talk about how your interest was sparked. Was it a university open day, chatting with engineers, or researching on the IChemE (Institute of Chemical Engineers) website ?

At Nottingham, Robinson says, the personal statement is only really important if your grades are borderline – so explain why and what you're doing about it.

Both Simmons and Robinson agree that it's difficult to craft a statement if you're unsure what area of engineering you want to study. It can be very off putting when students enthuse about electronics throughout, with a throwaway comment about mechanical engineering at the bottom.

But Chris Williams, a structural engineer who teaches at the University of Bath, receives too many statements from students sure they want to be civil engineers.

"Do schools tell students to display such certainty?" he asks. "In reality the most interesting students are torn between different subjects and would like to do them all. So, for me at least, some discussion of this in a personal statement is good."

And some courses – such as Warwick, Exeter and Aberdeen – offer general engineering until the third year, so your personal statement doesn't have to be specific if applying to these.

Sam Hewlings, who has a degree in civil engineering from Warwick and is about to begin a master's in tunneling, made his personal statement look like a journey which ended up in engineering.

Make sure you understand what engineering is about, he says. Don't expect to be building models or dismantling rockets and racing cars from day one – there's a lot of theory and calculus, with some business thrown in at the start at Warwick, he says.

TV shows like Mega Engineering are often unrealistic. "If you compress building a skyscraper into a one hour programme then it's going to look exciting," Hewlings says. He suggests subscribing to magazines such as Concrete Quarterly for inspiration.

As for style, Hewlings says not to worry too much. "You don't have to write essays for engineering but you do need an eye for detail so it's important that you get spelling and grammar right."

Engineers often work in teams and need to be good communicators, says Ross Woodruffe, 23, who studied aerospace engineering at Liverpool and now works for Airinmar, which supplies aircraft components.

Aerospace engineering is one of the more specific branches, so if you're applying for it make sure you know why you want to work in that industry, says Woodruffe, who picked the course because he originally wanted to join the RAF.

Most courses are accredited by the Engineering Council , so it's a good source of information to use, he says.

Try to avoid clichés in your statement – Nottingham's Robinson advises against referring to famous engineers like Faraday or Brunel, who are "all dead and long gone".

And you won't be the only student to claim your inspiration stems from the world's tallest building, the Burj Khalifa. Pick something more imaginative and personal to you, says Bath's Williams.

Different tutors look for different things. Sometimes it's best to contact them directly and ask for advice. While Robinson has no interest in reading about students' hobbies, Dr Kathleen Shennan, an admissions tutor for Aberdeen University, says she wants students to be well rounded.

"You are going to have to have some time out to do something else," she says, adding that you can learn a lot about someone from their extracurricular activities, including their ability to commit to something. "We want to know that they can cope with the stresses of being at university."

But it's no good just saying what you have done, talk about what you learned from it, says Shennan.

She often turns to the personal statement before looking at the course it relates to, to get a feel for an applicant's interests, so make sure you've mentioned engineering from the off.

With rapid technological changes, prospective engineers have an exciting future in front of them – make sure your personal statement reflects your desire to be a part of it.

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Statement of Purpose for Graduate School

Criteria for success.

•   qualified for their program, and
• a good fit for their program’s focus and goals.
• You show a select group of skills and experiences that concisely convey your scientific accomplishments and interests.
• Your experiences are concrete and quantitative .
• Your personal statement is no more than 2 pages (less if you can, or if it is required by the school).

Structure Diagram

The graduate school Personal Statement (≈ Statement of Purpose ≈ Statement of Intent) is a document that complements your resume and application form, describing your profile in a narrative way and convincing the admission committee that you would be a good match for a particular department or program. Take into account that matching goes both ways: they should be interested in you, and you should be interested in them. Your personal statement should make this match clear.

Analyze Your Audience

Your personal statement will be read by a graduate committee – a handful of faculty from the program. They’re trying to determine if you will be a successful graduate student in their department and a successful scientist after you graduate. They are interested in your qualifications as a researcher, your career goals, and how your personality matches their labs and department.

The graduate committee probably reads hundreds of applications every year. To make it easy for them to figure out that you are a good fit, keep in mind the following suggestions:

• Make direct, concrete statements about your accomplishments and qualifications.
• Create a narrative that serves as a personal brand and helps them remember you.
• Give them some unique examples that describe you and make you stand out, and which will make them remember you as “that candidate that was so passionate about…” or “who has a lot of experience in…”, although they might not remember your name.
• Align your academic goals and motivations with specific research projects or research directions of the target department. 

Assessing your match to the target program

A key point on writing your Personal Statement is to demonstrate that you have done previous research about the program to which you’re applying, that you understand its characteristics and objectives, and that you are really interested in joining it and willing to do your best to be successful in it. To do this:

• Read the program’s website. Learn about its faculty members and the projects they are working on. Check what topics and high level goals the department is committed to. Identify the main research areas. 
• Get in contact with faculty and students in your target program. Browse recent publications and presentations but remember lab websites can be outdated and a publication may lag a few years behind the active research in a lab so pay attention to the motivation, direction, and methods of the faculty member over specific results. If you have had a positive discussion with someone at the department, you can include in your essay how those interactions confirmed that you would be a good match for the program.

Reflect before you start

To convince a graduate committee that you are ready for and excited about graduate school, first you need to be able to articulate this to yourself. Earnestly reflect on the following types of questions. A lack of authenticity is easy to detect. 

• Why do I want to go to graduate school? 
• How am I sure?
• Why will I be successful in graduate school?
• What can I do with the help of this degree that I couldn’t do before?
• Where do I want to be in a few years?
• How am I going to get there?

Create a personal narrative

Graduate programs invest in the professional and scientific growth of their students. Get the committee excited about investing in you by opening your essay with a brief portrait of what drives you as a scientist. What research directions are you passionate about, and why? What do you picture yourself doing in 10 years?

• E.g. “Graduate study is the first step towards my goal: I want to improve my ability as a researcher and gain more technical depth and breadth to maximize my impact. In the long term, I hope graduate school will better position me to be a leader in shaping the conversation about what problems can be addressed by mechanical engineers.”

Close your essay with a 2-3 sentence discussion of your long-term career interests. No one will hold you to this; this just helps your committee visualize your potential trajectory.

• E.g. “Above all else, a MIT PhD would help me achieve my long term career goal of becoming a professor, the position in which I can best see myself accomplishing my mission to show others the hidden beauty in everyday life through science.”

Connect your personal narrative to whichever degree you are applying to (be it research-based or course-work-based, or a Master of Science, Master of Engineering, or PhD). Especially in mechanical engineering, each of these degrees will enable different career trajectories and provide different educational opportunities. Articulate clearly why the degree you are applying for helps you achieve your goals. In the same vein, consider mutual benefit: what will you contribute to the academic community over your time at your target school? Remember, it all comes back to “qualified match” , no matter what level of degree you are applying for. 

Describe your experiences

Experiences are the “what” of your essay. They are the most efficient and easiest way to prove your capabilities to the admissions committee.

• What experiences led you to develop your skill set and passions ?
• Where have you demonstrated accomplishment, leadership, and collaboration?
• Show your depth with a range of experiences: research, teaching, relevant extracurriculars and leadership positions.
• State concrete achievements and outcomes like awards, discoveries, or publications, or projects completed.

Achievements need not be limited to research projects or publications. Think about all the experiences that demonstrate your ability to conduct research and succeed within the structure of your target program. (Where have you demonstrated creativity? Self sufficiency? Perseverance? What open ended problems have you tackled? What enabled you to succeed at them?)

Quantify your experiences to show concrete impact. How many people were on your team? How many protocols did you develop? How many people were in competition for an award? As a TA, how often did you meet with your students?

For each experience you include, focus on how the experience affected you. Describe your actions, and always direct the message to highlighting your performance and growth (not how important the company was or how well-known the professor you TAed for is). Remember, it is not an essay about science, it is a personal essay—about you and how you have positioned yourself to succeed in graduate school.

Explain the meaning of your experiences

Your goal in sharing your experiences is to demonstrate that you have the qualifications, qualities, and drive needed to succeed in graduate school. Therefore, you will need to not only choose experiences wisely but also state specifically what they mean within the context of your application.

• Why was this experience important to your growth as a scientist?
• What did you gain from or demonstrate during that experience?
• How will this make you a better grad student?

Even if it feels obvious to you, you need to explicitly answer these questions to your audience. Here are some examples experiences that have been expanded to contain meaning:

Contemplate how disparate activities can be unified into a common narrative about your motivations and achievements. Articulate this clearly to make your statement cohesive.

Demonstrate your match to the target program

Using the research you did to assess your chosen programs, clearly articulate why you are a match . Consider both directions of the match: not only why you want to go to the school, but also why you would fit in well and contribute to the program.

State which professors in the program you would be interested in working with. Demonstrate that you have done your homework regarding the program. Show how their research areas align with your background and your goals. If you have had conversations with students or professors in the program, be sure to include that as well. 

Common Pitfalls

Write about you , not your role models. One of the most common pitfalls we see in the Comm Lab is students writing touching Personal Statements about family members or role models who have inspired them. There is nothing wrong with including personal stories about people who have helped you understand yourself better, or positioned you to succeed in graduate school, but it is important to tread very carefully. Don’t leave the reader wondering why they are reading about someone else in a document that is meant to be about you. If you take time to talk about someone who positively affected you, make sure to be very clear about how that experience with that person molded you into a strong graduate school candidate.

Be judicious with childhood stories. A brief mention of some childhood experience that shaped your interests in STEM is probably okay, but if you talk about it at length (more than ~2 sentences), you are taking up space that should probably be used to talk about who you are today, not who you were over a decade ago.

Don’t simply restate your resume. Your Personal Statement should be a technical document (having evidence, numbers, and supporting facts) with personal outcomes (talking about your motivations, ambitions, and ability to succeed as a graduate student). Of course, you will reiterate parts of your resume in your Personal Statement , but what uniquely makes it a “Personal Statement” is the discussion of how those professional experiences affected you , as a researcher and person well-suited to the graduate program at X University.  

Insufficient quantification of your experiences. We are all scientists and engineers; our line of work is inherently quantitative. Quantification is a quick and easy way to add context, lend credence to your experiences, and impress the reader. Even little quantifications can help: “I spent two semesters working on a project about…” is much better than “I spent some time working on a project about…”. See more examples in the section on Experiences, above.

Being a great student and having an impressive resume is only half the battle when it comes to graduate school applications. You need to be able to communicate and convince the committee that your personality and particular set of skills and experiences are well-suited to the graduate program you are applying for. This extends beyond graduate school applications: as scientists and engineers, we write papers and technical reports to communicate with our peers and convince them that our work is meaningful.

By reading this article, you have recognized the value of communication and are well on your way to crafting an effective and powerful Personal Statement. This is your opportunity to make yourself shine among all the other candidates, so make it count! You can do it!

Acknowledgements : This content was adapted from the NSE and CEE Communication Labs’ CommKits for graduate applications.

Resources and Annotated Examples

Annotated example 1, annotated example 2.

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Personal Statement for Engineering: Examples and Advice

In this article, we look at how to write a personal statement for engineering courses with examples and advice.

A roller coaster helped one student to decide to specialise in engineering, and her experience in coaching younger students helped her application.

Why did a student volunteering in Mississippi decide to study structural engineering? How much of your family history should you add in? Keep reading for useful tips and great examples.

Table of Contents

What is a personal statement for engineering, how to write an engineering personal statement, engineering personal statement example 1 – structural engineering, engineering personal statement example 2 – general engineering, engineering personal statement example 3 – marine engineering, faq (frequently asked questions), more personal statement tutorials.

It’s an important document used by universities to evaluate a student’s strengths, skills, experience and ambitions.

It is also used to show a student’s enthusiasm for engineering (either in general, or for a specific type such as civil or aeronautical), and what aspects of the subject they enjoy and why.

It is essential for an applicant to craft a 100% unique, yet effective personal statement as it allows universities to make an informed decision on who to admit to their engineering course.

Step 1: Start with your proudest achievement

Volunteering to help construct houses in Mississippi through Habitat for Humanity was a life-changing experience that made me want to become a structural engineer.

Starting with your proudest achievement in your engineering personal statement can help make your application stand out.

By mentioning your most impressive achievements first, the admissions committee will be able to quickly recognize your capabilities, dedication, and skills.

Step 2: Describe your ambitions and experience

In an engineering personal statement, it is important to clearly explain your ambitions and experiences that demonstrate your skills and passion for the field.

A good framework to follow is to first explain your motivation and enthusiasm for the course, and provide examples of any specific knowledge you already have.

Then, outline any relevant experience, insights, interests or achievements you have that relate to engineering, starting with the most impressive.

Step 3: Show evidence of being capable, by describing a project in depth

When writing a personal statement for engineering, it’s important to showcase your capabilities (skills) and qualifications to potential admissions committees or employers. Here are a few tips to help you demonstrate your capabilities in your personal statement:

• Highlight your technical skills: As an engineer, you will need to have a strong foundation in technical skills. Make sure to list the technical skills you possess and provide examples of how you have used them in your past experiences.
• Showcase your academic achievements: Highlight your academic achievements, including your GPA and any awards or honours you have received. This demonstrates that you have a strong academic foundation and are capable of handling challenging coursework.
• Discuss relevant work experience: If you have relevant work experience in engineering, make sure to discuss it in your personal statement. Highlight any projects you have worked on, problems you have solved, or skills you have developed in your previous roles.
• Emphasize your problem-solving skills: Engineers are problem solvers, so make sure to emphasize your ability to analyze and solve problems. Provide examples of how you have approached problems in the past and the steps you took to solve them. These can include time management, teamwork, or leadership

By focusing on one project and exploring it in depth, you can demonstrate your understanding of the subject and show that you are ready and committed to study engineering.

Step 4: Leave out (most of) your family history

Growing up, it was my job to fix anything that broke around the house. My father, a third-generation oil rig supervisor, was often away for months at a time and he taught me resilience and problem-solving along with practical DIY.

Why is it important to leave out (most of) your family history in an engineering personal statement?

The personal statement is an opportunity to tell a university or college about yourself and why you are a suitable candidate for the program.

Every word you spend writing about your family’s history and experiences is a word that you’re not using to tell the university about your own achievements, plans and passions.

Your family’s history and experiences may be influential on your choice of course, but keep it very brief – less than a sentence, to give a bit more context to your achievements, plans and aspirations.

By doing so, you can demonstrate to the university that you have the necessary skills and qualifications to succeed in their program.

Step 5: Include your hobbies

While hobbies may not be directly related to engineering, they can still be included in your personal statement to showcase your personality, interests, and skills.

Here are some tips on how to effectively include hobbies in your engineering personal statement:

• Choose relevant hobbies: Make sure to choose those that are relevant to your engineering career or showcase your technical or problem-solving skills. For example, if you enjoy building and programming robots as a hobby, you could mention this as evidence of your technical skills.
• Explain how your hobbies relate to your engineering goals: For example, if you enjoy designing and building furniture as a hobby, you could mention how this has honed your ability to create complex designs, which could be applicable to engineering projects.
• Showcase your teamwork and leadership skills: If you participate in team sports or volunteer in leadership roles, make sure to mention this in your personal statement.
• Avoid irrelevant or controversial hobbies: I f you enjoy partying or binge-watching TV shows, these hobbies may not be seen as relevant or professional.

Overall, including hobbies in your engineering personal statement can help the panel to get to know you a bit better and showcase your skills and interests beyond your academic achievements and work experience.

Step 6: Edit and proofread your statement

Editing and proofreading your engineering personal statement is an important part of the application process. To ensure your statement is professional and free of errors, follow these tips:

• Read your statement aloud slowly to catch any minor spelling or grammatical errors.
• Ask a friend or colleague to read it for you and provide feedback.
• Analyze your document with an online application to provide suggestions for improvement.
• Have a mentor, professor, or trusted friend look it over before you submit it.
• Make sure you dedicate enough time to the process by planning ahead and leaving time for editing and proofreading.
• Be truthful and concise, and ensure it is 100% unique.
• Avoid including unrelated information, maintain your professionalism, and make it a reflection of yourself.

By following these tips, you can make sure your engineering personal statement is as polished and professional as possible.

Growing up, it was my job to fix anything that broke around the house. My father, a third-generation oil-rig supervisor, was often away for months at a time and he taught me resilience and problem-solving along with practical DIY.

Volunteering to help construct houses in Mississippi through Habitat for Humanity was a life-changing experience. I worked with a group that included veterans being trained in construction skills and volunteers from all over the country. I saw first-hand how important it is to have a safe, well-run construction site and communicate clear expectations to the whole team.

As a result of an incredible team effort, families are able to transition from temporary, unsafe accommodation to having their own homes. I want to combine my love of construction, design and problem-solving in a career that makes a positive difference to people.

Already drawn to civil engineering, my fascination with designing made me want to become a structural engineer, specifically to design buildings. Majoring in structural engineering will allow me to further develop my IT skills by using computer-aided design technology, which I have been fortunate enough to learn to use during an internship with a local company this summer. I am already confident with using the AutoCAD program.

My time-management skills have been honed this year as I have combined volunteering, my internship and working 16 hours a week on a local construction crew to save for college while maintaining a 3.7 GPA. I am confident that I am well able to handle any workload asked of me.

I am highly analytical and can approach a problem from several angles. I am particularly drawn to your structural engineering program because of its reputation for hands-on, practical experience. I am confident that I will be a positive addition to the team and your program will provide me with the skills and experience I need to achieve my dream of becoming an outstanding structural engineer.

I am excited by the prospect of applying fundamental principles to real-world design challenges. Of all things, it was the mechanics of roller coasters, which I learned about in a lecture, that highlighted the practical applications of engineering principles and sparked my interest in pursuing a career in this field.

Studying engineering has always appealed to me because of its heavy reliance on problem-solving and its integration of two of my favourite subjects, Math and Science. The ability to apply logical reasoning to create solutions to complex problems is what attracts me to engineering as well as the huge range of specialisms to choose from further down the road.

My academic background has prepared me well for a degree in engineering. I have excelled in my Math and Science coursework, receiving high grades in all of my relevant subjects. I have also participated in extracurricular activities, such as robotics competitions and science fairs, where I have had the opportunity to apply my knowledge and skills in practical settings while mentoring and coaching younger students.

I am eager to pursue a degree in engineering to further develop my problem-solving skills and gain a deeper understanding of the principles and concepts that underpin this field. I believe that a degree in engineering will enable me to make a positive impact on society by contributing to the design and development of innovative solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges, in a field in which women are still under-represented.

In addition to my academic and extracurricular experiences, I bring a strong work ethic, determination, and a passion for learning to my studies. I am confident that my skills, combined with the resources and opportunities provided by your engineering program, will enable me to excel in my studies and make meaningful contributions to the field.

I look forward to the opportunity to pursue a degree in engineering and whether I will be designing roller coasters or factory equipment, I will be making a positive difference in the future and hopefully, inspiring other young women to become engineers.

As an aspiring engineer, I am driven by the opportunity to apply fundamental principles to the design of complex systems. With a fascination for engineering plants and an interest in the sea, I have been drawn to the marine industry as a way to combine my passions with the challenge of problem-solving.

I have chosen a major in marine engineering because it will allow me to further explore the fascinating findings of physics and put my mathematical knowledge into practical application. It is my ambition to work in the submarine design industry and gain Chartered Engineer status, and I believe that pursuing a graduate degree in marine engineering will help me achieve these goals.

Throughout my academic and professional career, I have demonstrated a strong work ethic, determination, and a passion for learning. I have excelled in my coursework and participated in research projects, internships, and other extracurricular activities that have allowed me to apply my knowledge and skills in practical settings.

My own experience in the marine industry has given me a unique perspective on engineering and the challenges of designing complex systems in a dynamic environment. As a mature student, I am excited by the opportunity to further develop my skills and knowledge in a graduate engineering program and to apply these to real-world challenges in my chosen field.

I am particularly drawn to your graduate engineering program because of its reputation for academic excellence and its focus on hands-on, practical experience as well as strong links with the outstanding teams at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyards. I am confident that your program will provide me with the resources and opportunities I need to achieve my goals and make meaningful contributions to the engineering industry.

In conclusion, I am passionate about engineering and am committed to pursuing a career in this field. I am excited about the prospect of joining your graduate engineering program and am eager to continue developing my skills and knowledge in this dynamic and challenging field. Thank you for considering my application.

Some of these questions were already covered in this blog post but I will still list them here (because not everyone carefully reads every paragraph) so here’s the TL;DR version

What are the key components of a personal statement for engineering?

The key components of a personal statement for engineering include:

• expressing your enthusiasm for engineering
• conveying your strengths, skills, experience and ambitions
• being truthful, concise, and authentic
• providing specific examples of your interests, goals, and strengths.

Additionally, you should explain why you want to study engineering at the university level, back up everything with examples, and have a good introduction, middle, and conclusion. Finally, be sure to save time for editing and proofreading the statement.

What qualifications should I include in my personal statement for engineering?

In your engineering personal statement, you should include qualifications that are related to engineering as well as other academic or practical qualifications, such as project management.

What skills should I demonstrate in my personal statement for engineering?

In your personal statement for engineering, you should aim to demonstrate a range of skills that are important for success in this field. Some of the key skills that you may want to highlight include:

• Problem-solving: Engineering is all about solving problems and coming up with creative solutions to complex challenges.
• Technical knowledge: Engineering is a technical field, and it is important to demonstrate that you have a strong foundation in math, science, and other related subjects.
• Communication: Engineering often involves working in teams and communicating complex ideas clearly to a range of stakeholders.
• Creativity: While engineering is a technical field, it also requires a certain level of creativity and innovation. Highlight any projects or activities that have allowed you to demonstrate your creativity or come up with innovative solutions to problems.
• Leadership: As you progress in your engineering career, you may be called upon to lead teams or manage projects. Show that you have leadership potential and are able to work effectively with others.
• Adaptability : Engineering is a dynamic and ever-changing field, and it is important to demonstrate that you are adaptable and can handle uncertainty and change calmly and flexibly.

How should I structure my personal statement for engineering?

Writing a successful engineering personal statement can seem like a daunting task. But by breaking it down into smaller steps, you can make the process much easier. To get started, here are some steps you can take to structure your engineering personal statement:

• Start with an introduction: This should take up about 15-20% of your statement and answer the question “Why do you want to study engineering?” Talk about the experiences that shaped your love of the subject and the things about it that you find interesting.
• Add in body paragraphs: In these paragraphs, address questions such as “What have you done that has prepared you for this course?” “How have you cultivated the knowledge you need to succeed in this field?,” and “Did you receive high marks in the classes relevant to an engineering course?”
• End with a conclusion: Here you’ll sum up your personal statement and bring it to a close. Include any other extracurricular activities that might not be directly related to engineering, but are impressive enough that you want the admissions team to know about them.

What should I do to make my personal statement for engineering stand out?

To make your engineering personal statement stand out, follow these steps:

• Be truthful, concise, and authentic. Avoid plagiarism and cheating.
• Start your statement by explaining why you want to study engineering and which aspects of the field you enjoy.
• Back up everything with examples.
• Write your statement clearly and concisely, with a good introduction, middle, and conclusion.
• Take inspiration from engineering personal statement examples, but make sure yours is unique.

How do I avoid plagiarism in my personal statement for engineering?

In order to ensure that your engineering personal statement is completely original, here are some steps to take to avoid plagiarism:

• Research: Spend some time researching engineering topics and schools before writing your statement. This will help you to get a better understanding of the field and come up with unique points and ideas.
• Brainstorm: Take the time to brainstorm some ideas for your statement before putting your pen to paper. This will help you to come up with unique ideas, rather than using someone else’s.
• Outline: Create an outline for your statement that includes all of the points that you want to make. This will help you to stay organized and make sure that your statement flows naturally.
• Write: Once you have your outline and research, start writing your engineering personal statement. Be sure to use your own words and phrase each sentence the way you would say it.
• Check: Once you have finished your statement, it is important to double-check that all of your words and phrases are unique. Use a plagiarism checker (such as this one) to make sure that there are no similarities to any other statement.
• Proofread: Finally, make sure to dedicate enough time to the editing and proofreading stages after you have finished your first draft. This will help to ensure that there are no errors or mistakes in your statement.

By following these steps, you can be sure that your engineering personal statement is unique and free from plagiarism. Remember to be truthful, concise, authentic, and professional when writing your statement. Good luck!

What should I research when writing my personal statement for engineering?

When writing your personal statement for engineering, it is important to conduct thorough research to ensure that you are able to tailor your statement to the specific program or institution you are applying to. Some areas to research include:

• Curriculum: Look into the specific courses and areas of focus within the engineering program. This can help you highlight relevant coursework or projects you have completed that align with the program’s focus.
• Faculty and research: Look into the faculty members within the engineering program and their areas of expertise. This can help you tailor your personal statement to align with specific research areas or interests within the program.
• Industry partnerships and internships: Look into any partnerships the program may have with industry organizations or companies, as well as any internship or co-op opportunities offered through the program. This can help you highlight any relevant industry experience you may have and demonstrate your interest in pursuing practical experience in the field.
• University values and culture: Research the university’s overall mission and values, as well as the culture of the campus community. This can help you tailor your personal statement to demonstrate your fit with the university and program culture.

By conducting thorough research on these areas, you can tailor your personal statement to align with the specific program and institution you are applying to, demonstrating your interest and fit for the program.

How can I check my personal statement for engineering for errors?

Checking your engineering personal statement for errors is an important step in the application process. You should:

• Read your statement aloud to catch any minor spelling or grammatical errors.
• Ask a friend, colleague, or mentor to read your statement and provide feedback.
• Use online applications to analyze the document and suggest improvements.
• Seek advice from a careers centre or advisor to help polish the statement.
• mxddasasProofread and edit the statement multiple times.

By following these steps, you can ensure your engineering personal statement is professional and error-free before submitting your application materials.

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Independent Teacher

Oxbridge Engineering Personal Statement: Composing Guidance and Samples

Your engineering personal statement carries significant weight when it comes to Oxbridge engineering admissions. It’s no longer just a formality but a chance to shine among highly qualified applicants.

This blog covers everything you need to write an Oxbridge engineering personal statement, from what to include to how to shape it; then, you’ll clearly understand how to compose a statement that grabs interest and sticks.

I. Importance of an Engineering Personal Statement

Admission for engineering at Oxbridge is highly competitive, and your engineering personal statement is vital in determining your prospects. It’s your chance to showcase your skills, passion, and suitability to study engineering at Oxbridge. And it’s the admissions committee’s first glimpse of you beyond your grades and qualifications. Let’s dive right in!

And it should be noted that UCAS released the FUTURE OF UNDERGRADUATE ADMISSIONS in January 2023, indicating that it will reform five aspects of the undergraduate admissions process. UCAS will be reframing the current format of the personal statement into a series of questions:

• Motivation for course – Why do you want to study these courses?
• Preparedness for course – How has your learning so far helped you to be ready to succeed on these courses?
• Preparation through other experiences – What else have you done to help you prepare, and why are these experiences useful
• Extenuating circumstances – Is there anything that the universities and colleges need to know about, to help them put your achievements and experiences so far into context?
• Preparedness for study – What have you done to prepare yourself for student life?
• Preferred learning styles – Which learning and assessment styles best suit you – how do your courses choices match that?

However, at present, a personal statement is still required for students applying in the 2024 application cycle.

II. What to Include in Your Engineering Personal Statement

• Start your engineering personal statement with a compelling introduction that grabs the reader’s attention. Please explain why you are interested in studying engineering at Oxbridge and how it aligns with your career goals.
• Tell us about your academic experience and any previous engineering experience you may have. Describe any relevant work or internships that demonstrate your talents and expertise.
• Explain your academic accomplishments and describe your favorite engineering topics or modules. Then, emphasize your educational achievements and abilities applicable to the field, including excellent grades in math and technology and relevant coursework. If you excel in those areas, it demonstrates your solid understanding of fundamental engineering principles.
• Work experiences and internships related to engineering can significantly enhance your engineering personal statement. Discuss the skills and knowledge you’ve gained and how they’ve shaped your aspirations. Remember to describe instances where you implemented your engineering expertise and showed your ability to solve problems and innovate.
• Describe your interests and skills relevant to engineering, including problem-solving abilities, creativity, critical thinking, or management experience. Also, mention any extracurricular activities that demonstrate those abilities.
• An engineering personal statement should also include extracurricular activities and hobbies that show your passion. Whether collaborating in robotics competitions, volunteering for STEM initiatives, or developing your invention, displaying your dedication to engineering outside academic settings shows your determination and vitality for the field.
• Describe your long-term engineering goals and aspirations. And explain how studying engineering at Oxbridge will help you achieve those goals.
• Reflect on your experiences and personal development. Then, discuss a challenging situation, how you overcame it, how you’ve grown academically and personally, and how this has shaped your engineering approach.

III. Structuring Your Engineering Personal Statement Effectively

Follow these steps to shape your engineering personal statement effectively:

1. Start of your essay

Create an engaging opening. A vivid assertion or story should demonstrate your fascination with engineering and try to make it memorable. Avoid clichés and the most obvious opening sentences so that you stand out from the first line. Refer to the most common opening lines published by UCAS:

From a young age… For as long as I can remember… I am applying for this course because… I have always been interested in… Throughout my life, I have always enjoyed…

2. Developing the plot

• Prepare your engineering personal statement logically with a logical structure. Describe your educational achievements, skills, interests, and plans in engineering especially. Then finish by reflecting on your learning experience and conclusion.
• Explore Oxbridge’s values and articulate how your aspirations align with theirs. And examine the aspects of the college that resonate with you, such as its modern study opportunities, close-knit community, or commitment to social responsibility.
• Explain why you’re interested in studying engineering at Oxbridge and why the university appeals to you. From present-day research projects to specific programs offered by Oxbridge, you can explain how each element aligns with your career dreams and how they will contribute to your professional development.

3. End of your engineering personal statement

An impressive end of your engineering personal statement may leave the admissions tutor with a strong lasting impression – one that will leave them no choice but to make you an offer. How to do this? There are several suggestions:

• Avoid famous quotes. Like the start of your engineering personal statement, try to avoid cliches, quotes, or asking rhetorical questions you’re not going to answer.
• Connect to your content above. Revisit the key points mentioned in the main body and emphasize them again.
• Talk about the future and your university expectation. Looking to the future is an optimistic way to finish. It shows you’re goal-oriented and carefully thought about how this course fits into your plans.

IV. Polishing the Proof

• Keep your writing concise and lively: Use straightforward language and a positive voice to convey your ideas effectively. Don’t use jargon or complicated language that distracts from your main points.
• Be edited with your statement: Ensure your engineering personal statement is proofread and edited without grammatical, spelling, or typographical errors; cause following these pointers and crafting a strong personal statement can boost your chances of securing an engineering place at Oxbridge.
• Understand the course structure: Familiarize yourself with the course structure. Look at the modules and subjects that appeal to you most. Explore the official websites of Oxford and Cambridge for detailed information on physics course.
• Feedback and Iteration: Seek feedback from teachers, mentors, or peers, especially those with insights into the Oxbridge application process. Be open to critiques and willing to revise your statement for clarity, coherence, and impact.
• Don’t be modest or shy: You need to show your enthusiasm for engineering.

V. Sample Engineering Personal Statement and Comments

1. engineering personal statement sample.

Engineers build societies. More specifically, mechanical engineers apply fundamental maths and physics laws to construct mechanical devices that we use every day, despite sometimes going unnoticed. For this reason, I would like to pursue a career in engineering, as it is such a key component in societies. It combines my fascination of how things work and the mechanics behind devices, with the ability to apply maths and physics concepts to real-life situations. Studying Maths Mechanics at A-level has given me experience with calculus and more advanced mathematics, including differential equations, creating a firm grounding for the mathematics I should encounter at degree level. Physics has given me an understanding of fundamental notions and reinforced the mechanical aspects of maths, while through Chemistry I have gained hands-on practical experience through regular experiments. Economics at AS level allowed me to develop knowledge on economic practices, as I recognise that many engineers move on to positions involving management responsibilities. Being invited to partake in the A2 British Physics Olympiad enabled me to gain a deeper understanding of physics principles including Newton’s Laws of Motion and the Laws of Thermodynamics, especially those entwined into everyday tasks. Participation in the Physics Olympiad also provided me with the means to develop my critical thinking skills, as there are usually multiple paths which can be taken to reach the same answer. In addition to this, it required me to think logically about a problem while also being creative. Over the summer holidays, I had the opportunity to undertake masterclasses offered by the University of Liverpool, where I was able to enhance my practical problem-solving experience and apply familiar concepts to strange and unfamiliar problems. One of the masterclasses was engineering movers & shakers, where we engaged in a group structure building task and learnt about the levels of stress structures can withstand. To broaden my engineering knowledge I conducted personal online research, with youtube channels Engineering Explained and Learn Engineering, partnered with regularly assisting my dad in repairing and restoring old Land Rovers providing a wealth of knowledge. Here I have been able to develop awareness of underlying concepts within motorised vehicles, such as the differential which allows the wheels to rotate at different speeds while transferring power to both wheels through the use of the spider gear. Allowing for two different types of rotation and so creating variable power output to the wheels. Last year, as part of the Welsh baccalaureate I volunteered at my old high school’s maths department, where I tutored a group of year 11 students guiding them through the additional maths course. This was beneficial as it allowed me to develop my interpersonal skills, as I had to alter my teaching approach in order to convey the content as effectively as possible to suit each individual student. Completing the Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Award has meant I have gained valuable skills including teamwork, leadership and confidence, allowing me to work with a diverse range of people, this is useful as an engineer because you will encounter and have to work alongside various types of people to achieve common goals. In my spare time, I joined a rowing club for several months, demonstrating my commitment and organisation skills as we often trained multiple times per week including early mornings, together with communication skills as team cohesion is an important factor when being part of a crew. Studying mechanical engineering will allow me to contribute to new life-changing technologies for numerous industries; including construction, transport, and health-care. My motivation and diligence along with my ability to study independently will make me as I believe it an asset to the course.

2. Comments

• In addition to the achievements of the engineering course, the statement describes the applicant’s studies in math, physics, chemistry, and other courses.
• A detailed list of the grades and awards proves the applicant’s outstanding learning ability and talent.
• Various extracurricular activities and volunteer activities are listed to prove the applicant’s enthusiasm and teamwork ability.
• Closely integrate the applicant’s ideals with the university’s education and concepts.
• The statement is logical, and the language is easy to understand. The connections between the parts are smooth.

VI. Conclusion

Writing a compelling engineering personal statement emphasizes storytelling, problem-solving skills, and alignment with Oxbridge’s values. Follow the suggestions provided by Oxbridge and UCAS, proofread your engineering personal statement carefully before submitting it. Wish you success with your application!

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Successful Personal Statement For Engineering At Oxford

Last Updated: 3rd August 2020

Author: Adi Sen

• Engineering

Table of Contents

Welcome to our popular Personal Statement series where we present a successful Personal Statement, and our Oxbridge Tutors provide their feedback on it. 

Today, we are looking through an Engineering applicant’s Personal Statement that helped secure a place at Oxford University. The Engineering Course at Oxford is based on a unified course in Engineering Science, which integrates study of the subject across the traditional boundaries of engineering disciplines.

Read on to see how this candidate managed to navigate the many disciplines of Engineering. 

Here’s a breakdown of the Personal Statement:

SUCCESSFUL?

The universities this candidate applied to were the following:

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Engineering Personal Statement

I have always considered myself creative; much of my youth was spent designing and building with my Dad in his workshop. I would read encyclopaedias on cars and watch design-related TV programmes such as BBC’s Robot Wars, analysing the strengths and weaknesses of each robot and thinking about how they could be improved. This background, combined with a genuine enjoyment of mathematics and physics, has given me a desire to read engineering at university.

Reading Marcus du Sautoy’s “The Music of the Primes” and Simon Singh’s “Fermat’s Last Theorem” has shown how individuals have dedicated their lives to solving seemingly simple problems. The main attraction of these books and mathematics more widely, is problem solving, which is also what draws me to engineering. Solving a wide variety of problems is something I really enjoy; in the most recent UKMT Senior Maths Challenge, I was awarded a gold certificate, also the best score in my year at school.

Studying physics at A-Level has helped me to understand the world, and answered questions I had as a child; why does a satellite stay in orbit? How does gravity work? Why does a clock pendulum keep in time? My favourite aspect of physics is mechanics, complemented by my maths mechanics modules. The application of physics and mechanics to engineering was obvious from the outset; it is a fundamental skill set which bridges the gap between science and invention. I also enjoy studying Further Pure Mathematics, in particular calculus, and am interested in how the solutions of second order differential equations apply to problems in mechanics.

Projects including designing and making a desk lamp, a torch and bench vice grips in GCSE Engineering gave me an initial insight into the discipline. The course gave me hands on experience with equipment typical of an engineering department. Considering the benefits of materials was important too; from an economic, aesthetic, and practical perspective. I also secured work experience at a BMW Mini Plant in the ‘Whole Vehicle Analysis’, section. One project involved heating up a Mini’s bonnet to address complaints from customers in hot countries that the bonnet scoop sagged. I used CNC measuring equipment and helped to write up one of a series of reports, resulting in an alloy being added to the scoop so it retained its structure. The week introduced me to engineering in the real world, the importance of quality control and precision and the cost of a company’s mistakes.

Aside from my studies, I have always had a musical interest and am working towards grade 7 piano. I completed work experience at the local ‘Yamaha Homeworld’ music shop specialising in top range digital pianos. I am constantly impressed at how a digital piano can look, feel, and respond exactly like a real piano. I like being part of a team and am a keen rugby and cricket player. Being elected as prefect and head boy has further helped me to work well, and get on with others, as well as improving my public speaking. This has been complemented by taking Grade 8 ‘Speaking in Public’ last year, in which I achieved a distinction. I now feel confident talking in front of large groups and being able to communicate my ideas easily. Reading Steven Johnson’s “Where Good Ideas Come From” discussed the theory that “ideas are generated by crowds where connection is more important than protection” and for me this epitomises the importance of team work and communication within engineering.

Ultimately, I would like to play a role in the future of our rapidly developing world; studying engineering at university will not only give me the skills to do this, but will also stimulate my passion for mathematics and science.

For more inspiration, take a look through our other successful Personal Statement a nalysis articles:

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Good Points Of The Personal Statement

This is an excellent statement.

The student begins with personal reasons as to why they are interested in engineering, and by the end of the introduction, the reader is left in no doubt that the student is absolutely sure they want to pursue engineering at a higher level. The student successfully describes a range of experiences and interests covering several engineering disciplines and keeps the application general enough to be relevant to a general engineering degree. The statement is well-structured with a clear introduction, main body, and end.

Bad Points Of The Personal Statement

Although the student mentions several experiences/interests covering several engineering disciplines, they fall short of naming a specific engineering discipline that captures their interest.

Whilst this is not a requirement, naming a particular field of engineering as capturing one’s interest above other fields would demonstrate a level of decisiveness to the reader. Many universities do not offer general engineering degrees, and it is possible a student who is applying for engineering at Oxford or Cambridge will also make several applications to universities for specific engineering disciplines.

It is important to keep the statement general enough for applications to general engineering courses but also specific enough for applications to individual engineering disciplines. This would have been possible by stating an interest in a particular engineering discipline.

UniAdmissions Overall Score:

This is an excellent statement, one that is well-written and well-structured. The student’s motivation to study engineering is clear, although the student falls short of naming a specific field of engineering which capture’s their interest above all others.

Because of this one negative, we’re awarding this statement 4/5 stars. However, it’s important to note this rating is based on the overall strength of the statement. Although it had potential to be a little stronger, this had no impact on the number of offers the candidate received.

And there we have it – an Oxford Engineering Personal Statement with feedback from our expert tutors. 

Remember, at Oxford, the Admissions Tutors are often the people who will be teaching you for the next few years, so you need to appeal directly to them.

Check out our Free Personal Statement Resources page for even more successful personal statements and expert guides.

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• Mechanical Engineering Personal Statement Examples

Find three examples of Mechanical Engineering personal statements that you can use as inspiration when writing your own. 

These Mechanical Engineering personal statement examples will provide you with insight into what makes a great statement and how to make your UCAS application better. 

Whether you’re a secondary school student applying to a mechanical engineering programme or a postgraduate applicant, we hope these examples will help you write a good personal statement that showcases your skills and passion for the field.

Mechanical Engineering Personal Statement Example

As a child, I always had an insatiable curiosity about how things worked. I would spend hours taking apart household items, trying to decipher the mechanics behind them. This early fascination with the inner workings of machines has continued to shape my academic pursuits and my personal interests.

Currently studying mathematics and physics, I am constantly intrigued by how these subjects can be used to solve real-life problems. The theoretical aspects of these subjects certainly interest me, but it is their practical applications that truly capture my attention. I am particularly drawn to the field of mechanical engineering, as it allows me to apply my problem-solving skills to real-world situations and phenomena.

My love for mechanics began at a young age, as I dismantled household goods in an attempt to understand how they worked. As I grew older, I became involved in repairing mini motorbikes, which I eventually became bored with due to their simplicity. Seeking out more complicated challenges, I began designing and building a large-scale, remote-controlled quad bike with a 49cc engine. This project has been a complex and highly rewarding challenge, allowing me to develop my practical design and engineering skills.

In recent years, my interest in mechanical engineering has matured into a desire to pursue it as a career. Reading books such as ‘Invention by Design: How Engineers Get from Thought to Thing’ and ‘The New Science of Strong Materials: Or Why You Don’t Fall Through the Floor’ has given me an insight into the challenges faced by engineers when they design everyday objects. I am now committed to completing a degree in mechanical engineering and following a career in the field.

I am a resourceful and enterprising person who relishes a challenge, and these aspects of my character have been honed through my involvement in mechanical engineering and my part-time online business. Running a business has taught me to deal with problems and work efficiently and independently, skills that will undoubtedly serve me well in my future career.

In addition to my passion for mechanics, I enjoy designing and programming remote-controlled models, going open-water scuba-diving, mountain biking, and flying 3D aerobatics with a model helicopter. These pursuits reflect my love for creativity, adventure, and innovation.

I believe that my passion for mechanics and engineering, coupled with my strong work ethic and creative mindset, make me an ideal candidate for a degree in mechanical engineering. I am excited about the opportunity to further develop my skills and knowledge in this field and to contribute to the innovative and dynamic world of engineering.

Recommended for reading:

• The Best Cambridge Colleges for Engineering
• The Best Oxford Colleges for Engineering

Best Mechanical Engineering Personal Statement Example

I was fascinated with building things and watching engineering shows on TV. From there, I chose A-Level subjects that would equip me with the necessary skills to pursue a degree in engineering. With interests spanning from biology to philosophy, and from art to technology, I saw engineering as a discipline that could satisfy and further develop my interests.

During my A-Levels, I studied Maths and Physics, which helped me to refine my problem-solving skills while increasing my theoretical knowledge. I am particularly interested in how maths reveals parallels between separate branches of physics. This has further solidified my decision to pursue a degree in Mechanical Engineering .

My first experience with engineering work was during a Christmas holiday, when I worked in a cycle shop, dealing with assembly, maintenance, and repair. This whetted my appetite for more. Every weekend since November 2003, I have worked in the warehouse at a Comet store, where one of my responsibilities is to deal with returned products. Working with faulty electrical goods has shown me first-hand the opportunities for improvement that exist across the field.

After finishing my GCSEs, I participated in a 12-week training placement at Chromogenex, a local medical engineering firm. I was fascinated by the experience and accepted an offer of employment with the company until I started college. My work at Chromogenex was varied, including production and service, and I was given significant quality control duties. One of my most interesting responsibilities was to write the Work Instructions and Procedures that production and service engineers will refer to as guidance to ensure that all products are of the highest standard.

In October 2008, I took a week’s work placement at Rhos Designs, a design engineering firm whose main client is 3M. I enjoyed the CAD work and the chance to take part in real projects, which will soon be put to use at 3M’s various sites across Britain.

One of my favourite hobbies is using CAD for my projects, which recently included drawing up a design for a competition in which I participated. The competition involved planning and designing a homemade potato launcher within a tight budget and deadline. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and am already working on my next design!

In 2007, I was part of a four-person team working on a project on the EESW scheme run by the Royal Academy of Engineering. The project was an exciting task set by Corus at Trostre Tinplate Works. We were asked to design and build a solution to the problem of split edges in the cold rolling line. Our solution was effective and economical, and if adopted by Corus, could save the company thousands of pounds per hour, as the line would no longer need to be stopped to carry out emergency repairs. We designed and built a prototype solution, and a mock-up of Trostre’s SCADA system to demonstrate the solution’s potential. Our project received a prize for ‘Most effective use of IT’ at the Welsh National Convention of Excellence in Engineering.

Before starting my degree course, I intend to enrol in the YinI scheme, which should give me an in-depth experience of engineering work and help ground my subsequent studies.

Personal Statement for Mechanical Engineering

Mechanical engineering has always been my dream career, and my experiences have only further cemented my desire to pursue this field. I have always been fascinated by the intricacies of machines, and how seemingly simple components can come together to create complex systems. My passion for cars has been a driving force behind my academic pursuits and professional experiences, and I am eager to take this passion to the next level by studying mechanical engineering at university.

Throughout my A Levels in Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry, I was consistently drawn to the areas of study that related to mechanics. I was particularly interested in how mathematical concepts could be applied to real-world problems, and how physics principles could be used to explain the behaviour of machines. I found that my love of cars provided me with a unique perspective on these subjects, as I was able to see firsthand how these principles were applied in the automotive industry.

My work experience in mechanical engineering has further solidified my desire to pursue this field. During my placement at a contractor’s sister company, I was exposed to the world of mechanical maintenance and discovered the possibilities of a career in engineering. I was able to witness firsthand how skilled technicians were able to diagnose and repair complex machinery, and I was inspired by their dedication to their craft. My subsequent work placement at a car maintenance company was equally rewarding, as I was able to observe and assist in the basic engineering of cars. This experience gave me a deeper understanding of the inner workings of machines and reinforced my passion for mechanical engineering.

As I prepare to embark on my university studies, I am excited about the opportunities that lie ahead. I am eager to explore new areas of mechanical engineering and gain a deeper understanding of the fundamental principles that underlie the machines that we use every day. I am particularly interested in the areas of materials science and robotics, and I look forward to learning about how these fields are shaping the future of mechanical engineering.

In addition to my academic pursuits, I am committed to being an active member of the engineering community. I am excited to join engineering clubs and organizations on campus and to participate in hands-on projects that allow me to apply the skills and knowledge that I will acquire in my coursework. I am also eager to contribute to the field of mechanical engineering through research and innovation, and I hope to one day make meaningful contributions to the industry.

In summary, my love of cars and science has led me to pursue a career in mechanical engineering. My academic and professional experiences have prepared me well for the challenges that lie ahead, and I am excited about the opportunities that studying mechanical engineering at university will provide. I am committed to being an active member of the engineering community, and I am eager to make meaningful contributions to the field of mechanical engineering in the years to come.

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Chemical engineering personal statement example 10.

Chemical engineering is a most fascinating field of all the branches of science and engineering. To me it truly reflects human endeavour and spirit through means such as the exploration of unknown substances, and making something of worth and value out of mere raw materials.

Chemistry is a fundamental of life, without it the world around us would cease to function. For this reason I want to study Chemical Engineering, I find the field exciting and full of wonders, be it already found and yet to come.

In the growing turmoil of today; a world full of global warming, war and depleting resources, questions often arise such as, "can we make this more efficient, more durable, and have less of an impact on our environment?".

Helping to answer these questions is a personal aspiration of mine, and a degree in the subject would be like a segway to a goal of helping to contribute to the field in my own unique way.

I am currently taking my A-levels studying: Maths, Further Maths, Chemistry and Physics all of which are challenging subjects that test the depth of knowledge and understanding of the individual taking them. Hard work and determination is what comes to mind when reflecting back on my time studying these A-levels.

They've each influenced me in some way or another in my decision to pursue a degree in Chemical Engineering, whilst simultaneously providing me with the skills to become one.

For example Further Maths and Physics have developed me to be somewhat meticulous with my work, whilst also developing a new insight into solving problems; allowing me to 'think outside of the box'.

One key thing that I have learnt is that there can be multiple solutions to any single problem. This is something that every Chemical Engineer should keep in mind.

Chemistry has definitely improved my knowledge of reactions and how certain mechanisms operate it's given me a novice understanding of Chemical Engineering which I am yearning to extend. My favourite part of the Chemistry A-level and what I find most intriguing so far are topics related to chemical synthesis and enthalpy.

I participate in several activities centred in and out of college, such as reading buddy, where I help the younger year members of the school with their reading difficulties and guide them through their daily reading and comprehension skills.

As part of my Duke of Edinburgh award I regularly volunteer with the British Heart Foundation and rock climb at The Reach climbing centre in Woolwich.

I have explored my interest for science and engineering by attending several lectures relating to different subjects like Medical talks at King College, engineering talks at the Brunel Museum along with taster courses about Astrophysics at Queen Mary University and How Mathematics Drives Computing at Imperial.

Why I want to take Chemical Engineering is because I am keen to further my knowledge and understanding of the chemical processes that go into manufacturing the necessities that we use in our everyday lives.

For example the manufacture of medicines in the pharmaceutical industry, and Chemical Engineering that incorporates the ever innovative world of computer science, like that seen in the work of Andy Grove a Chemical Engineer that works for Intel.

However I was truly enticed into taking Chemical Engineering as a degree after reading the story of a soldier who was saved by his new body armour after being shot. The bullet was described to have knocked him off his feet.

I instinctively thought to myself that a Chemical Engineer saved his life, not just his body armour; I find things like this absolutely incredible and I choose to encounter and learn about much more incredible things by taking such a course. I look forward to hearing back from you regarding my application.

Profile info

This personal statement was written by B.Adekunle for application in 2011.

B.Adekunle's university choices Aston University Imperial College London The University of Manchester The University of Sheffield University College London

Green : offer made Red : no offer made

B.Adekunle's Comments

Offers from all uni's

This personal statement is unrated

Related Personal Statements

I love your personal.

Mon, 29/07/2013 - 15:13

I love your personal statement! Shows you're so committed to Chemical Engineering and your passion for it! I also want to do Chemical Engineering, I just wish I could write this well! haha

Your personal statement is

Fri, 27/06/2014 - 08:34

Your personal statement is good but universities want to learn about what you are like in your ps. make it simpler and actually sound like a 16-18 year old not a 30 year old.

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