Engineering degree personal statement example (1t)

Why do you want to study this course or subject?

I was never the girl who played with Barbies when younger; I was always far more interested in how the joints in their houses were attached, and in the materials their houses were made from. The reason I want to study Engineering is for my keen curiosity about how things work.

During AS year, I discovered what I believe is the perfect career for me – Engineering. I began involving myself more in related events. I achieved an Arkwright Scholarship for excellence in Product Design, where I am sponsored by Rolls Royce in hopes to become an Engineer. I have achieved a Gold Crest award, partnering with the Physics department and taking part in the Engineering Education Scheme.

Working with a team of peers and alongside a partner engineer from URENCO motivated me further to pursue my ideal career. The team built a robotic arm, similar to that used in industry, and looked at how control panels and rooms were kept clean and to an optimum temperature in a radioactive environment.

In the summer I secured work experience at Rolls Royce plc in Derby. Working alongside manufacturing engineers on intricate objects such as turbine blades showed me the extensive career possibilities, even within one company, that engineering has to offer. I became fascinated with learning about roles within the site, and seeing so many different opportunities within the working world, the prospect of a degree in Engineering has become irresistible.

My experiences inside and outside school have whet my appetite for the chance to learn more about how things work, and for more abstract and unusual problems I will face in the future. My motivation to do well, as well as my intellectual curiosity, makes me keen to further my knowledge as much as possible into a world where I aspire to succeed.

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

When choosing my A-levels, I had no idea of my career path. I chose my subjects based on my passions; Maths and Product Design. Maths gives me the satisfaction of solving problems, and studying Further Maths opened me to a new world of maths, which was an extreme contrast to GCSE. It required a different way of thinking about problems, using mathematical tools I had gained in a new way.

Physics fed my appetite to know more about how the world works, and building links between Maths and Physics showed me how simple mathematic concepts were behind such complex ideas; for example how we can break a wave down into frequency components using relatively simple integration.

Product Design allows me to be creative, imaginative, and constructive, it’s the subject I find extremely rewarding. Keeping to criteria with work, but being given freedom to design and make yourself, is intensely satisfying.

I was a candidate for the UKMT Maths Challenge, achieving a silver award, and represented my school along with peers in the North West round.

I have achieved a Gold Crest award, partnering with the Physics department and taking part in the Engineering Education Scheme.

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

I am a member of the Head Girl’s team, and a House Captain at school, which involves speaking in assemblies, and organising charity, sporting and academic events for younger pupils. I tutor Maths for lower school students, and I find explaining concepts to younger students enjoyable and a great way to consolidate knowledge, as I believe the only way to have truly learned something is to successfully pass on that knowledge to others.

I have had a weekend job since the age of 14, showing commitment, and that I can strike a balance between work and a high academic achievement.

I spend a lot of free time playing netball. Since the age of 12 I have played at school, club and county standard. Last year my Club team achieved 8th in the country at National Finals. Being part of a team has given me good social skills, and in a team situation I think communication is definitely the key. Working to a set time, and reacting to one players move in a game can be the difference between a win and loss.

I believe this can be applied to work; especially Maths and Physics. If one sign is changed in a calculation, the answer produced could be completely wrong.

Universities applied to:

• Loughborough University (Mechanical Engineering BEng)
• Loughborough University (Manufacture Engineering MEng)
• Loughborough University (Product Design Engineering MEng)
• Loughborough University (Product Design Engineering BEng)

Grades achieved:

• Mathematics (MEI OCR) (AS) - D
• Further Mathematics (AS) - C
• Physics (AQA) (AS) - B
• Product Design (AQA) (AS) - E

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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