Civil engineering degree personal statement example (1h) Bath offer, gap year applicant

Why do you want to study this course or subject?

A degree in civil engineering and architecture combines practicality with creativity, producing a perfect recipe for global innovation in the 21st Century. Massively increasing population levels, rising sea and global temperature levels due to increasing carbon emissions and the continuing consumption of finite resources are only a few of the obstacles civil engineers and architects have to overcome in this century. But, it is these challenges that make me all the more motivated to undertake this degree and take an important step to becoming professionally engaged in the construction of carbon neutral buildings and structures.

Having spent most of my life in an international environment and attending international schools, I have had amazing opportunities to live and explore diverse cultures. Living in Rome, Italy, since 1998 has certainly stimulated my interest in both architecture and engineering. As a youngster, learning about the Romans in school, I was amazed by their constructions. The aqueducts that brought water from the hills to the city solely relying on gravity, and the Pantheon, with its exquisitely engineered dome-shaped roof, were engineering miracles of their time. However, it was the Colosseum that truly grabbed my attention. Its size and complexity blew my mind. Repeat visits over the years have stoked a creative fire in me to engineer structures of similar scope and ambition.

How have your qualifications and studies helped you to prepare for this course or subject?

Maths and physics have always been two of my favourite subjects and have therefore also been amongst those that I have excelled in the most. My particular fascination with problem solving in both subjects led me to participate in UKMT maths challenges, in which I have consistently obtained high scores. However, it was at the age of twelve that my ambitions to become a civil engineer and architect became apparent during a design and technology lesson in school. The challenge: to construct a bridge, using only thirty spaghetti strands and superglue, that could withstand a significant amount of stress. The result: a complete failure. However, this experience only motivated me even further to learn more about the design and construction of structures. Subscriptions to both “New Civil Engineer” and “Architecture Review” have kept me up to date with current thinking and progress on construction projects around the world. Reading “Structures or why things don’t fall down”, by J. E. Gordon, has provided basic understanding of aspects of civil engineering. A two-week internship in a Danish architecture firm allowed me to understand the routine an architect performs on a weekly basis and provide personal input into new projects. To build on this I hope to obtain a position at a UK based engineering firm for at least six months during my gap year to acquire more hands on experience.

What else have you done to prepare outside of education, and why are these experiences useful?

Although my passion for civil engineering and architecture is deep, I still devote a lot of time to other organisations and activities. For the past year I have been an active committee member of the Zambian Orphans Appeal raising money to fund the development of the Serenje Orphans School Home. During my gap year plan I will be travelling to Zambia to help construct a playground for the school. I will also have the opportunity to teach local students some simple maths. This will allow me to build on previous mentoring experience acquired at my current school. My passion for team sports has also brought rewards and responsibility. I currently captain my school’s premier volleyball and football squads. This experience has enhanced my leadership skills, which a leadership course at a canoe camp in Canada last summer helped build.

In short, I believe I will bring refreshing insight and practical international experience, as well as commitment, perseverance and enthusiasm, laced with a dash of humour, to this course. In turn, I aim to take away global awareness, understanding and gratification from the course, along with a degree in civil engineering and architecture.

Universities applied to:

• Bath
• Sheffield
• Nottingham
• Southampton

How personal statements have changed?

The current personal statement format, with three 'scaffolding' questions, was introduced by Ucas in September 2025. This personal statement was submitted before then, using the old essay-style format. It has been carefully edited into the three-question format, with all of the original wording kept.

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