best materials science personal statement

Material Engineering Personal Statement Examples

• 1 Personal Statement Example Links
• 2 Career Opportunities
• 3 UK Admission Requirements
• 4 UK Earnings Potential For Material Engineers
• 5 Similar Courses in UK
• 6 UK Curriculum
• 7 Alumni Network

Personal Statement Example Links

• Personal Statement Example 1
• Personal Statement Example 2
• Personal Statement Example 3
• Personal Statement Example 4
• Personal Statement Example 5

Ever wondered about the materials that make up the world around us, from everyday objects to advanced technological equipment? Intrigued by the development, selection, and use of materials in engineering applications?

If so, a degree in Materials Engineering might be the perfect journey for you. This fascinating discipline will equip you with the skills to manipulate and improve materials at an atomic level, driving the innovation of future technologies.

Material engineering is an interdisciplinary field of study that combines the principles of physics, chemistry, and mathematics to develop and analyze materials for a variety of applications. It is a field that has seen tremendous growth in recent years, as new materials and technologies have been developed to meet the needs of modern industry. As such, material engineering is an exciting and dynamic field of study that offers a wide range of career opportunities.

This course will also provide an overview of the fundamentals of material engineering, including the principles of physics, chemistry, and mathematics that are used to develop and analyze materials. Topics covered will include the structure and properties of materials, the principles of material design, and the application of materials in various industries. Students will also learn about the various manufacturing processes and techniques used to create materials, as well as the materials testing and analysis techniques used to evaluate the performance of materials.

Students will learn about the properties of materials and their behavior under various conditions, as well as the principles of material selection and fabrication. They will also gain an understanding of the different types of materials used in engineering and the effects of their use on the environment. Additionally, students will gain knowledge of the different types of manufacturing processes and their associated costs. With this knowledge, students will be able to make informed decisions when selecting materials for their engineering projects.

👍 When writing a personal statement : Highlight your passion for the course, demonstrating your understanding of it. Use relevant personal experiences, coursework, or work history to showcase how these have fostered your interest and readiness for the course.

Career Opportunities

A degree in Materials Engineering can open up a variety of career opportunities in a range of industries, including manufacturing, automotive, aerospace, biomedical, and energy.

Manufacturing: Materials engineers in manufacturing focus on the design and development of materials used in the production of products. They may develop new materials, analyze existing materials for their properties, and develop processes for manufacturing products from materials. They may also be involved in product testing and quality assurance.

Automotive: Materials engineers in the automotive industry are responsible for designing and developing materials for use in the manufacture of vehicles. They may also be involved in testing and evaluating materials for their properties, such as strength and durability. They may also be involved in the development of new materials and processes for use in the automotive industry.

Aerospace: Materials engineers in the aerospace industry are responsible for designing and developing materials for use in the manufacture of aircraft and spacecraft. They may also be involved in testing and evaluating materials for their properties, such as strength and durability. They may also be involved in the development of new materials and processes for use in the aerospace industry.

Biomedical: Materials engineers in the biomedical field are responsible for designing and developing materials for use in medical devices and implants. They may also be involved in testing and evaluating materials for their properties, such as biocompatibility and durability. They may also be involved in the development of new materials and processes for use in the biomedical field.

Energy: Materials engineers in the energy sector may work on the development and testing of materials used in various energy production systems, such as solar panels, wind turbines, nuclear reactors, or batteries. Their work often focuses on enhancing efficiency, sustainability, and durability of these systems.

UK Admission Requirements

In order to be accepted into the University course in Material Engineering, applicants must have a minimum of a 2:1 undergraduate degree in a relevant subject such as engineering, physics, chemistry, or materials science. Additionally, applicants must have achieved a minimum of a grade B in A-level Maths and a grade C in A-level Physics.

This entry criteria is similar to other courses in engineering, however, Material Engineering does require a higher grade in Maths and Physics than other engineering courses. This is due to the complex mathematical and scientific principles that are essential to the study of materials engineering.

Applicants must also demonstrate a strong interest in the subject and have a good understanding of the principles of materials engineering. This can be demonstrated through relevant work experience and/or internships.

Finally, applicants must be able to demonstrate strong communication and problem-solving skills, as these are essential to the successful completion of the course.

UK Earnings Potential For Material Engineers

The average salary for someone with a degree in Materials Engineering is typically around £36,000 per year. However, salaries for materials engineers can vary depending on the specific field and industry. For instance, materials engineers working in the aerospace industry may earn higher salaries than those working in the automotive industry.

In terms of trends in the job market, there is a growing demand for materials engineers due to the increase in the use of advanced materials in various industries. As the demand for materials engineers increases, so too does the potential for higher salaries. Additionally, with the development of new technologies, materials engineers are increasingly in demand to develop and improve existing materials. This can lead to higher salaries for those with the right skills and experience.

Similar Courses in UK

Other related university courses in the UK include Materials Science and Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Chemical Engineering.

Materials Science and Engineering focuses on the study of the structure and properties of materials, such as metals, ceramics, polymers, and composites. It also covers the design, manufacture, and use of materials in engineering applications.

Mechanical Engineering is a broad field that covers the design, manufacturing, and operation of machines and mechanical systems. It includes topics such as thermodynamics, fluid dynamics, and robotics.

Chemical Engineering focuses on the design and operation of chemical processes and systems. It involves the use of chemistry, physics, and mathematics to solve problems related to the production of chemicals, fuels, and other materials.

The key differences between these courses and Material Engineering are that Material Engineering focuses on the design, manufacture, and use of materials in engineering applications, while Materials Science and Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Chemical Engineering focus on the study of the structure and properties of materials, the design and operation of machines and mechanical systems, and the design and operation of chemical processes and systems respectively.

UK Curriculum

The key topics and modules covered in a university course in Materials Engineering include:

• Introduction to Materials Science: This module introduces students to the basic principles of materials science, including the structure, properties and processing of materials. It also covers the fundamentals of materials characterization, including microscopy, spectroscopy and mechanical testing.
• Materials Selection and Design: This module covers the principles of materials selection, including the design of materials for specific applications. It also covers the principles of failure analysis and how to optimize materials for specific applications.
• Materials Processing: This module covers the fundamentals of materials processing, including the principles of thermodynamics and kinetics. It also covers the principles of casting, welding, machining and forming.
• Materials Characterization: This module covers the principles of materials characterization, including microscopy, spectroscopy and mechanical testing. It also covers the principles of failure analysis and how to optimize materials for specific applications.
• Materials Testing: This module covers the principles of materials testing, including the design of experiments and the interpretation of test results. It also covers the principles of failure analysis and how to optimize materials for specific applications.

Hands-on experience or practical work involved in a university course in Materials Engineering may include laboratory experiments, field trips, computer simulations, and design projects.

Alumni Network

One notable alumnus from the course material engineering is Dr. Robert J. Moon, who graduated from the University of Michigan in 1988. He is currently a professor of materials science and engineering at the University of California, Santa Barbara. He is a leader in the field of materials science and engineering, and his research focuses on the development of advanced materials for energy and environmental applications.

Dr. Moon has been recognized for his work with numerous awards, including the National Science Foundation’s CAREER Award, the American Physical Society’s Materials Science Prize, and the American Ceramic Society’s Fellow Award.

The University of Michigan offers a variety of alumni events and networking opportunities for material engineering alumni. These include the annual Materials Engineering Reunion, which is held each spring and brings together alumni, faculty, and students to celebrate the achievements of the department.

Additionally, the department hosts several networking events throughout the year, such as the Materials Engineering Alumni Networking Reception, which provides an opportunity for alumni to connect with each other and discuss their experiences. The department also offers an online alumni directory, which allows alumni to stay connected and share news and updates.

Reach out to us for career and sponsorship opportunities

© 2024 Acrosophy Excellence in Application

A Medical MBA Company The Medical MBA Ltd Company number: 13561401 86-90 Paul Street, London, England, United Kingdom, EC2A 4NE

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.

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

• View all journals
• Explore content
• About the journal
• Publish with us
• Sign up for alerts
• CAREER FEATURE
• 23 April 2021

Sell yourself and your science in a compelling personal statement

Andy Tay is a science writer in Singapore.

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Personal statements — essays highlighting personal circumstances, qualities and achievements — are used extensively in science to evaluate candidates for jobs, awards and promotions. Five researchers offer tips for making yours stand out in a crowded and competitive market.

Access options

Access Nature and 54 other Nature Portfolio journals

Get Nature+, our best-value online-access subscription

24,99 € / 30 days

cancel any time

Subscribe to this journal

Receive 51 print issues and online access

185,98 € per year

only 3,65 € per issue

Rent or buy this article

Prices vary by article type

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Nature 593 , 153-155 (2021)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-021-01101-z

These interviews have been edited for length and clarity.

K. B. Clancy et al. Neuron 109 , 677–689 (2021).

Article   PubMed   Google Scholar  

Download references

Related Articles

How I harnessed media engagement to supercharge my research career

Career Column 09 APR 24

How we landed job interviews for professorships straight out of our PhD programmes

Career Column 08 APR 24

Three ways ChatGPT helps me in my academic writing

Brazil’s postgraduate funding model is about rectifying past inequalities

Correspondence 09 APR 24

Declining postdoc numbers threaten the future of US life science

Supv-Environmental Services

Memphis, Tennessee

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (St. Jude)

Biomedical Technician

Food service attendant, maintenance assistant - liquid nitrogen handling, building automation systems engineer (hvac and lighting).

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Quick links

• Explore articles by subject
• Guide to authors
• Editorial policies

• Undergraduates
• Ph.Ds & Postdocs
• Prospective Students & Guests
• What is a Community?
• Student Athletes
• First Generation and/or Low Income Students
• International Students
• LGBTQ Students
• Students of Color
• Students with Disabilities
• Student Veterans
• Exploring Careers
• Advertising, Marketing & PR
• Finance, Insurance & Real Estate
• General Management & Leadership Development Programs
• Law & Legal Services
• Startups, Entrepreneurship & Freelance Work
• Environment, Sustainability & Energy
• Media & Communications
• Policy & Think Tanks
• Engineering
• Healthcare, Biotech & Global Public Health
• Life & Physical Sciences
• Programming & Data Science
• Graduate School
• Health Professions
• Business School
• Meet with OCS
• Student Organizations Workshop Request
• OCS Podcast Series
• Office of Fellowships
• Navigating AI in the Job Search Process
• Cover Letters & Correspondence
• Job Market Insights
• Professional Conduct & Etiquette
• Professional Online Identity
• Interview Preparation
• Resource Database
• Yale Career Link
• Jobs, Internships & Other Experiences
• Gap Year & Short-Term Opportunities
• Planning an International Internship
• Funding Your Experience
• Career Fairs/Networking Events
• On-Campus Recruiting
• Job Offers & Salary Negotiation
• Informational Interviewing
• Peer Networking Lists
• Building Your LinkedIn Profile
• YC First Destinations
• YC Four-Year Out
• GSAS Program Statistics
• Statistics & Reports
• Contact OCS
• OCS Mission & Policies
• Additional Yale Career Offices

Writing Personal Statements for Graduate School

• Share This: Share Writing Personal Statements for Graduate School on Facebook Share Writing Personal Statements for Graduate School on LinkedIn Share Writing Personal Statements for Graduate School on X

Personal Statements

Preparing a well-written and effective personal statement (sometimes referred to as statements of purpose or personal essays) that clearly articulates your preparation, goals, and motivation for pursuing that specific graduate degree is critically important. You will need to spend a considerable amount of time and effort in crafting these statements. The focus, structure, and length of personal statements vary from program to program. Some will have prompts or questions you need to answer, while others will leave the topic open-ended. The length varies widely as well. Read instructions carefully and make sure to adhere to all parameters laid out in the application guidelines.

Clear writing is the result of clear thinking. The first and most important task is to decide on a message. Consider carefully which two or three points you wish to impress upon the reader, remembering that your audience is composed of academics who are experts in their fields. Your statement should show that you are able to think logically and express your thoughts in a clear and concise manner. Remember that the reader already has a record of your activities and your transcript; avoid simply restating your resume and transcript. Writing your statement will take time; start early and give yourself more than enough time for revisions. If no prompts are given, you can use the questions below to begin brainstorming content to include in your statement; for more information, see our Writing Personal Statement presentation Prezi  and our three-minute video on Writing Personal Statements .

• What experiences and academic preparation do you have that are relevant to the degree you’re seeking?
• Why are you choosing to pursue a graduate degree at this time?
• Why do you want to pursue this particular degree and how will this degree and the specific program fit into your career plans and your long-term goals?
• What specific topics are you aiming to explore and what does the current literature say about those topics?

After you’ve written a first draft, start the work of editing, refining, simplifying, and polishing. Provide specific examples that will help illustrate your points and convey your interests, intentions, and motivations. Is any section, sentence, or word superfluous, ambiguous, apologetic, or awkward? Are your verbs strong and active? Have you removed most of the qualifiers? Are you sure that each activity or interest you mention supports one of your main ideas? Spelling and grammatical errors are inexcusable. Don’t rely on spell-check to catch all errors; read your statement aloud and have it reviewed by multiple people whose opinion you trust. If possible, have your statement reviewed by a writing tutor. For individual assistance with writing your personal statement, consult with the writing tutor in your residential college  or the Writing Center within the Yale Center for Teaching and Learning .

Office of Career Strategy

Visiting yale.

• Career Development
• Applying to Graduate School

Writing a Personal Statement

Many applications will include a personal essay, in which you describe "where you're coming from" – your interests, why you want to obtain a graduate degree, career goals, and so on. To personalize your application, you may wish to state your motivations for wanting to do graduate work and describe any particularly formative experiences (for example, an undergraduate research project) that led you to decide to enter graduate school. The essay should be of reasonable length, commonly one or two pages; do not write an autobiography that continues for many pages. People screening these essays may have hundreds to read, and long essays are not generally well-received.

Also, check your spelling and grammar carefully. An essay that is full of grammatical and spelling errors can automatically doom your application because such an essay denotes carelessness and a lack of commitment to doing things well. Identify faculty members with whom you would consider working in your essay. This will help route your application to appropriate faculty members who will be reading through applicant files. Be sure to contact the individuals to whom you refer in your essay.

Personal Statement Resources

Purdue Online Writing Lab: Writing the CV

University of California Berkeley: Graduate School Statement of Purpose

University of Washington: Writing Personal Statements for Graduate School (PDF)

Peterson's: What Should I Write About In My Graduate Personal Statement?

USA Today: 10 Tips For Writing A Grad School Personal Statement

• What Can I do with a Major In...
• Career Mapping System
• Personalize Your Career Plan
• Build a Professional Profile
• Internships and Research
• Job Search Resources
• Programs & Events
• Additional Career Resources
• Archived Newsletters
• Reporting Your Post-Grad Plans
• Post-Graduation Data
• Alumni Profiles

Purdue University College of Science, 150 N. University St, West Lafayette, IN 47907 • Phone: (765) 494-1729, Fax: (765) 494-1736

Student Advising Office: (765) 494-1771, Fax: (765) 496-3015 • Science IT , (765) 494-4488

© 2023 Purdue University | An equal access/equal opportunity university | Copyright Complaints

Trouble with this page? Disability-related accessibility issue ? Please contact the College of Science Webmaster .

Oxford Materials Science: Tips & Questions for Interview

In this article we will guide you on how to best prepare for your Oxford Materials Science interview. There are guides on past Oxford Materials Science questions, interview tips, mock examples. It also features real experiences from students who have sat the Oxford Materials Science panel interview.

This article has been made from a collection of accounts from Oxbridge applicants.

The Oxford Undergraduate Admissions Youtube channel has a video of a Materials Science Demonstration Interview , which may be useful for you to watch. 

What is the Oxford Materials Science Interview structure?

If you are invited to interview for Materials Science at Oxford, you will have two interviews by two colleges. You will have one interview at each college (so two interviews in total).

If you made an open application, the colleges you’re interviewed at will decide based on the colleges’ need for applicants. If you applied to a given college, you will typically be interviewed at that college as well as a second college (the second will be determined by the colleges’ needs). The aim with these multiple interviews is also to give every candidate a good chance to showcase their skills, as well as ensuring that all colleges see a similar ratio of candidates to places available. 

What are the Oxford Materials Science interview dates?

The Oxford Materials Science interview dates will take place mid-December 2024. The university will inform you of your particular dates when you are invited to interview.

Example Past Questions from Oxford Materials Science Interview

• Why are you applying to study Materials Science at Oxford?
• What about Materials Science are you most interested in? 
• Do you know anything about the course for Materials Science at Oxford? Are there any modules that you’re looking forward to taking?
• Periodic table: Here is a blank periodic table. Can you try and fill as many elements in as possible? (Once you are at the stage of making educated guesses, you should explain why you are placing elements in certain areas).
• Diffusion of carbon: Here is an equation describing how carbon diffuses through iron. Can you sketch a graph showing the rate of diffusion varying with temperature? Can you explain why the rate of diffusion will increase with the temperature?
• Elephant: I want to lift an elephant in a hot air balloon. How hot does the air have to be?
• What material might be used in guttering ?
• Compass: Look at this compass. Can you identify the materials used in it? Could you explain how it might have been manufactured?

Further Questions

• Stress: When one stretches a material, why does stress concentrate on the bottom of a crack?
• Concrete: Do you know anything about concrete? How does it work in the setting process? (They may give you some materials and information to help you in reaching an answer)
• Doubled humans: If I take a human being, and somehow double them in dimension, would they jump higher or less high?
• Questions looking at various materials and discussing how we might class them
• Doping graphite: Doping graphite with boron affects conductivity negatively. With this knowledge, what could you dope graphite with to get an improved conductivity?
• Humidity: Here is a piece of equipment, and some information on humidity in different environments. How might the humidity affect the equipment?
• Questions based around general A-level mathematics, physics, and chemistry knowledge (e.g. questions on graphs )

Insider Guides: Oxford Materials Science Interview

What happens on the day of your oxford materials science interview .

My interviews were held online, so I was just at home and had to login to an online meeting at the given time. Cambridge sent me links for each interview ahead of time, so joining the meeting wasn’t a rush or at all stressful.

What do you have to bring to your Oxford Materials Science interview?

I had to use a pen and paper, as well as a simple calculator. Make sure you have all these things on hand – particularly the pen and paper!

What is the interview setting and how long is it?

My first Oxford Materials Science interview was on a Google Meet meeting with two professors, who were each in their own private office space. The second one was with a boardroom of about 5 people, who were sitting in a bland white room.

My interviews were 30 minutes each.

What are the Oxford Materials Science interviewers like? 

All of the interviewers were very friendly, and were very understanding of any mistakes I made during the interview. If I had trouble understanding what they were asking, they were very happy to reword the question to help me understand and reach an answer myself. They also asked lots of follow up questions on what I had said in answer to their questions throughout the interview, to test if I had been learning and understanding the new information.

What are the best tips for planning my trip for my Oxford Materials Science interview?

My biggest piece of advice is to make sure you eat and drink plenty in the run up to the interviews, and on the day. Even if you feel nervous and thus don’t really feel hungry, just try to eat a filling meal as best you can, so that you can be functioning at your best. You should also practise taking deep breaths and calming down, especially if you know you may be stressed in the interview. This is also useful as if you do find yourself in a panic during the interview, you should take a moment to calm down before you attempt an answer.

In terms of dress, you should try not to dress too casually – it is very important to make sure you feel comfortable in the clothes (both in terms of feeling like yourself, and so that you aren’t distracted by a tag or itchy fabric), but you also don’t want to be in sweatpants and an old t-shirt. The examiners will not mind if you are wearing casual clothing, but you still want to be in clothing that puts you in a good academic headspace.

Are there any academic or challenging Materials Science questions at the Oxford interview?

For my interviews, I found the maths questions quite easy – I wasn’t asked many of these. The subject-only questions often started with them providing quite a bit of background information, followed by a series of questions which all led on from one another. This background information was also completely random and could be about any number of phenomena for any material.

Are there any personality, work experience or extracurricular based Materials Science questions at the Oxford interview? 

I wasn’t asked any personality/extracurricular questions. I was asked about my personal statement, but only the parts that were directly relevant to Materials Science. For example, I had mentioned “bioconcrete” in my statement, and they asked me what exactly I meant by that term.

Top Tips for the Oxford Materials Science Interview

• Make sure to know your maths ! (In particular, they like to ask about areas like graphs). If you can show how comfortable you are with the first maths question you’re given, then they may move on without asking further maths questions, as they will be impressed and confident in your knowledge.
• Do lots of background reading about anything you have mentioned related to Materials Science on your personal statement . Really try to understand it, and make sure you could answer basic questions about it.
• Work on understanding the fundamentals of physics and maths . The majority of the questions asked will be related to these, so you want to be confident in your fundamental knowledge.
• Practise explaining your thought process , as well as writing out and presenting your work. The interview is verbal – they are relying on you being able to explain your thoughts. If you can’t communicate how you are thinking, they won’t be able to fully assess your potential.
• Practise the types of questions you might be asked, and try to find someone in a similar field to give you a mock interview . It would be best if it’s someone you don’t know very well. But a teacher or even a friend giving you a practice interview is better than no practice!

Top Tips for the “Why Oxford” interview question

• Think about what unique aspects of Oxford University make you want to study here. Not just that it is a world-renowned institution, but why you think you would suit the education system at the university.
• Research your course . Make sure you’re familiar with the options offered to study for Materials Science at Oxford. Picking out a few modules that you would love to study shows that you have done your research on the course!

My Favourite Things about Studying Materials Science at Oxford University

My favourite thing is probably the academic atmosphere here. Everyone here has a genuine passion for their respective subjects, and we are all here to work together so that we can all become subject leading experts in our own fields.

Still got a question? Leave a comment

Cancel reply.

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Our Oxbridge expert tutors will make sure you're prepared for your interview with personalised sessions tailored to your college and course

This comprehensive course includes our award-winning strategies, tutorials, interview scenarios and tips and advice from the experts

Personalised feedback and advice from our experts, supporting you in writing a competitive personal statement

Related links

• FREE Applying to Oxbridge Course
• FREE Applying to Law Course
• FREE Applying to Medicine Course
• FREE Oxbridge Test Past Papers

Book Your Consultation

Searching . . .

Just start typing....

ACS Student Magazine

How to Craft a Great Personal Statement for Grad School

Just as summer break wraps up, grad school application season arrives. You’re probably sorting through different programs and beginning to think about writing a personal statement. How do you winnow down your entire life story into two or three pages of spell-checked exposition that impresses administrators?

Personal statements are critical to your full application. They have the power to justify a poor GPA or emphasize an already good one. They can tell admissions committees what you dream of doing, rather than what you've done. They showcase your abilities and personality.

Your transcript can’t convey curiosity and perseverance, but your personal statement can unveil how you designed a clever spectroscopic experiment to explain weird voltage measurements in your electrochemistry lab. It’s your chance to share the stories and highlights of your life that have prepared you for graduate school.

Jahan Dawlaty , an associate professor of chemistry at the University of Southern California, says the best approach is to “make it anecdotal, personal, informative, and not a duplication of your CV.”

If you've never seen one before, check out a couple of annotated examples from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology . What you'll find is that these personal statements typically flow in chronological order, and they present the most important points as early as possible. They describe why you are where you are, some recent experiences, and some of your ambitions for grad school and beyond. They also describe why you are interested in a specific program. You should always customize your statement to each program you apply to.

But beyond that, they all look different. Some people begin with a story; others begin with a statement declaring why they are applying to this specific school. It's all fair game. Because at their core, the best essays are personal . And we’re here to give you tips on reflecting before you ever touch the keyboard, what to say once you do, and how to say it.

Beyond the résumé

When you begin writing your personal statement, it helps to reflect on your past and present experiences. Recall what inspired you to pick your major or what now drives you to apply to graduate school. “Show enthusiasm for the field,” says Dawlaty. “However, do realize that nearly everybody who applies to the chemistry department is enthusiastic about chemistry.” Specificity is key here. It might be a book that changed you profoundly, a time you sat next to a chatty scientist on an airplane, or a day you learned chemistry through baking bread with a grandparent. Describe your amazement when the sourdough doubled in size because of fermentation, for instance, or how different methods of kneading the dough led to different strengths of gluten protein networks. Really investigate what led you to chemistry and what you like about it.

Next, reflect on some of the most important experiences you've had in college. These may include an internship or volunteering experience . Perhaps you helped in a professor's lab for three months or three years. “Make it as personal as possible,” says Dawlaty. “Highlight as many of the memorable and personal anecdotes as you can.” Ask yourself, what did I learn in my internship that inspired me to continue on this path? How did my volunteer experience with my student chemistry club polish my organizing, planning, and professional skills? Basically, you want to point out where your extra efforts have shaped you as a scientist, student, and person. The answers are building blocks for your letter.

“I want to come away thinking I know a little something about you,” says Sharon Glotzer, the Anthony C. Lembke Department Chair of Chemical Engineering at the University of Michigan. If you’re driven by the societal impacts of science, highlight your specific motivations and previous contributions: Do you volunteer at a science museum, write a blog, or tutor kids in STEM? Recognize that scientists play an important role in their community, as well as society at large. You might instead be motivated by a passion for discovery or a pursuit of the credentials needed to lead interesting projects in industry. “I wouldn’t say that any one of those reasons matters over any other reason. But what does matter is that you have some reason,” says Glotzer.

A personal statement also gives you the space to share more context about the struggles you have overcome. Maybe a close friend or family member passed away, forcing you to balance your personal and professional obligations. If adversity has affected your grades, say that—admissions committees want to know. ”People want to know whether you have a GPA of 3.7 in the face of difficulties or a GPA of 3.7 without any difficulties," says Dawlaty.

“In some cases that hardship, surprisingly, prepares the student better for graduate school,” he continues. “We have had applicants who have been the breadwinner for the family—and wow , it takes a lot of responsibility to be the breadwinner for the family.” Some applications require diversity, equity, and inclusion statements in which you describe your experiences as or with a member of an underrepresented group or your feelings on the topic. If the application does not, consider incorporating some of your thoughts into your statement.

That’s not to say that you need adversity to get accepted, he adds: “Some people haven't gone through hardship. It doesn't mean that your application sucks.” You can talk about what you’ve contributed to a research group or a past job. For example, maybe you and a lab mate struggled to get a chemical reaction to produce a high yield, until you finally figured out the issue and fixed it. It doesn’t matter whether the solution came from an epiphany or methodical teamwork. Both are crucial ingredients of how real science works. Your essay will stand out if you can convey that understanding. “It communicates to me that you have good communication skills—that actually can tell me that these things happen,” says Dawlaty. “But most importantly, that tells me you are a problem solver.”

Grad school is not just about remembering the difference between reduction and oxidation or memorizing the steps to make an organic catalyst. It’s a place where you’ll collaborate, make decisions, and commit to learning skills that make you a more well-rounded scientist. (Some universities require a separate essay for research experience.) “Whether it’s a big role or a little role, I wanna see detail,” says Glotzer.  “The more technical detail you provide, the more I have the impression you did the work.” Admissions committees will appreciate reading anecdotes, especially if they demonstrate how you’d fit into a research team. After all, grad school is all about creating new knowledge and spreading knowledge. That’s a very different goal than undergraduate academics. They want to see that you know what skills and goals matter to become a scientist in society.

Predicting the future

Midway through your essay, you've established who you are by sharing what Past You experienced. A university will be getting Current You. They’ll expect that you can contribute to their research efforts. And they’ll be betting that Future You will be a rock star chemist that they can count as one of their esteemed alumni.

Think about your goals , state them clearly, and describe why they interest you. Here’s a secret: Nobody will force you to pursue that 10-year goal you write about. Nobody will even force you to work in the area you write about. I applied to various graduate schools for their energy and catalysis research programs. In my essay, I described my interest in their ongoing research in those areas. Once I visited my top choice after getting accepted, I found that an entirely different project in biomedicine and nanotechnology interested me even more.

It’s okay to end up on a different path than what you want now. And it’s okay to not know what field you want to study in. But for the admissions committee to accept you, they need to be sure that you'd fit with what they offer, so you can still write about what you do know. “Students can say I don't know what research area, whether it's energy or bio or nano—but I love computers, and I'd like to learn computer simulation,” says Glotzer.

Find specific professors and projects that match your interests. Mention those projects by name and explain why you'd enjoy them. Dawlaty suggests mentioning three to five professors in the department and writing one or two sentences about why you’d want to work with each. You will eventually meet with professors and decide on a lab to join. But you’re never guaranteed to land your first choice for reasons largely out of your control (such as project funding), so you should always set yourself up to have multiple options of interesting labs. “If you only say I'm interested in Professor X and that's it,” says Dawlaty, “it raises eyebrows in the committee.” It’s important for schools to see that they’d have no trouble pairing you with an advisor.

Don’t worry about misinterpreting what those professors work on or mentioning a project that’s no longer active. These scenarios happen. Perhaps “the professor hasn’t updated their website, or the professor has moved on since last year and got a new grant,” Dawlaty says. “We are not going to judge the student too harshly.” What’s important is that schools know that you’re interested in that research area. 

Some schools also combine the personal statement with a “research statement,” so you would expand more on your research interests at the end of the essay accordingly.

 “The bottom line is: make it easy for the committee to admit you,” he says.

How to tell your story

Clarity is king. The most important tip to remember as you begin writing is that you must communicate your ideas clearly. You may have exemplary research skills, strong professional experiences, creative ideas, and impactful anecdotes to share, but if the admissions committee can’t understand what they are reading, all that upside becomes meaningless.

Does this mean you need to find the fanciest words to show your mastery of the English language? Absolutely not. “Make it easy and efficient for them to read,” says Dawlaty. Short sentences are great. Specific, common words, too. Avoid hyperbole and exclamation points. Remember whom you are writing for. “Imagine sleep-deprived academics who are just sitting around and just want to do their job, and they have hundreds of these things in front of them.” They care about the facts. You can even bold important details like skills or the names of professors.

Now, readable and clear does not mean vague. “Chemistry is good” is a clear, short sentence with common words, but it lacks detail. You’ll want to be specific about your actions in anecdotes, and your feelings when describing why your research area excites you. If you’ve enjoyed creating nanoparticles, for instance, tell committee members a brief version of the synthesis and characterization protocol, then describe the satisfaction you felt from making the right stuff.

When you summarize the big picture of why you’re a good fit for that program, be specific about that program’s strengths and your potential contributions. And once you have all of the pieces of your story—your experiences, your interests, and your professional goals—then be sure that you summarize that ensemble in your first and last paragraph. Make your take-home message as memorable as possible.

A great way to make sure you’ve done a good job is to have others read your essay. Politely ask your professors or any chemistry graduate student you may know to give you feedback. Peers and family can also help if they are familiar with the process. Listen to that feedback and make the necessary changes. Doing this means you shouldn’t procrastinate. Give your proofreaders a couple of weeks, just as you would for letters of recommendation.

Don’t be afraid to ask peers or professors to see examples of successful personal statements. But don’t panic about any differences. It’s up to you whether you use a bunch of space expanding on experiences on your résumé or introducing biographical information that doesn’t appear in your résumé.

Your experiences make a case for what you can do. But your trajectory speaks volumes too. Dawlaty likes to think of this in calculus terms: hiring people based on an integral and a derivative. The integral, like the area under a curve, captures the collection of what a person has done; the derivative, like a sharp slope or a flat line, predicts their ability to grow and learn.

“We want a diverse class of individuals that are going to contribute,” says Glotzer. And that means broadening the definition of success beyond GPA,  GRE, and even research accomplishments. “There are so many different measures of potential for success, some of which have nothing to do with book smarts. A lot of which have to do with experience and mindset.”

About the Author

Max G. Levy is a freelance science journalist based in Los Angeles, CA. He has a PhD in chemical engineering and writes stories about public health, the environment, and technology.

More Grad School Articles

Time, money, resources, relationships, expectations—there’s much more to grad school than academics. Here's what to know.

Here's how to stay on top of your grads school application without stressing out.

Riusech explains the power of mentoring that has helped to shape her approaches to research, community work, and personal fulfillment.

Nearly everyone gets funding, but the financial demands of getting a PhD can catch some off guard.

Subscribe to our Newsletter

Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

Writing the Personal Statement

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.

Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

This handout provides information about writing personal statements for academic and other positions.

The personal statement, your opportunity to sell yourself in the application process, generally falls into one of two categories:

1. The general, comprehensive personal statement:

This allows you maximum freedom in terms of what you write and is the type of statement often prepared for standard medical or law school application forms.

2. The response to very specific questions:

Often, business and graduate school applications ask specific questions, and your statement should respond specifically to the question being asked. Some business school applications favor multiple essays, typically asking for responses to three or more questions.

Questions to ask yourself before you write:

• What's special, unique, distinctive, and/or impressive about you or your life story?
• What details of your life (personal or family problems, history, people or events that have shaped you or influenced your goals) might help the committee better understand you or help set you apart from other applicants?
• When did you become interested in this field and what have you learned about it (and about yourself) that has further stimulated your interest and reinforced your conviction that you are well suited to this field? What insights have you gained?
• How have you learned about this field—through classes, readings, seminars, work or other experiences, or conversations with people already in the field?
• If you have worked a lot during your college years, what have you learned (leadership or managerial skills, for example), and how has that work contributed to your growth?
• What are your career goals?
• Are there any gaps or discrepancies in your academic record that you should explain (great grades but mediocre LSAT or GRE scores, for example, or a distinct upward pattern to your GPA if it was only average in the beginning)?
• Have you had to overcome any unusual obstacles or hardships (for example, economic, familial, or physical) in your life?
• What personal characteristics (for example, integrity, compassion, and/or persistence) do you possess that would improve your prospects for success in the field or profession? Is there a way to demonstrate or document that you have these characteristics?
• What skills (for example, leadership, communicative, analytical) do you possess?
• Why might you be a stronger candidate for graduate school—and more successful and effective in the profession or field than other applicants?
• What are the most compelling reasons you can give for the admissions committee to be interested in you?

General advice

Answer the questions that are asked

• If you are applying to several schools, you may find questions in each application that are somewhat similar.
• Don't be tempted to use the same statement for all applications. It is important to answer each question being asked, and if slightly different answers are needed, you should write separate statements. In every case, be sure your answer fits the question being asked.

Tell a story

• Think in terms of showing or demonstrating through concrete experience. One of the worst things you can do is to bore the admissions committee. If your statement is fresh, lively, and different, you'll be putting yourself ahead of the pack. If you distinguish yourself through your story, you will make yourself memorable.

Be specific

• Don't, for example, state that you would make an excellent doctor unless you can back it up with specific reasons. Your desire to become a lawyer, engineer, or whatever should be logical, the result of specific experience that is described in your statement. Your application should emerge as the logical conclusion to your story.

Find an angle

• If you're like most people, your life story lacks drama, so figuring out a way to make it interesting becomes the big challenge. Finding an angle or a "hook" is vital.

Concentrate on your opening paragraph

• The lead or opening paragraph is generally the most important. It is here that you grab the reader's attention or lose it. This paragraph becomes the framework for the rest of the statement.

Tell what you know

• The middle section of your essay might detail your interest and experience in your particular field, as well as some of your knowledge of the field. Too many people graduate with little or no knowledge of the nuts and bolts of the profession or field they hope to enter. Be as specific as you can in relating what you know about the field and use the language professionals use in conveying this information. Refer to experiences (work, research, etc.), classes, conversations with people in the field, books you've read, seminars you've attended, or any other source of specific information about the career you want and why you're suited to it. Since you will have to select what you include in your statement, the choices you make are often an indication of your judgment.

Don't include some subjects

• There are certain things best left out of personal statements. For example, references to experiences or accomplishments in high school or earlier are generally not a good idea. Don't mention potentially controversial subjects (for example, controversial religious or political issues).

Do some research, if needed

• If a school wants to know why you're applying to it rather than another school, do some research to find out what sets your choice apart from other universities or programs. If the school setting would provide an important geographical or cultural change for you, this might be a factor to mention.

Write well and correctly

• Be meticulous. Type and proofread your essay very carefully. Many admissions officers say that good written skills and command of correct use of language are important to them as they read these statements. Express yourself clearly and concisely. Adhere to stated word limits.

Avoid clichés

• A medical school applicant who writes that he is good at science and wants to help other people is not exactly expressing an original thought. Stay away from often-repeated or tired statements.

For more information on writing a personal statement, see the personal statement vidcast .

Student Good Guide

The best UK online resource for students

• 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.

Find below Personal Statements

• Statistics Personal Statements
• PPE Oxford Personal Statement Example
• Classics Personal Statement Examples
• Theology Personal Statement Examples
• Physics Personal Statement Examples
• Chemical Engineering personal statement examples
• Oncology Personal Statement Examples
• Psychiatry Personal Statement Examples
• Earth Sciences Personal Statement Example
• History Personal Statement Examples
• Veterinary Personal Statement Examples For University
• Civil Engineering Personal Statement Examples
• User Experience Design Personal Statement Example
• Finance Personal Statement Examples
• Neuroscience Personal Statement Examples
• Graphic Design Personal Statement Examples
• Film Production Personal Statement Examples
• Events Management Personal Statement Examples
• Counselling Personal Statement Examples
• Forensic Science Personal Statement Examples
• Children’s Nursing Personal Statement Examples
• Chemistry Personal Statement Examples
• Sports Science Personal Statement Examples
• Electrical and Electronic Engineering Personal Statement Examples
• Quantity Surveying Personal Statement Examples
• Social Work Personal Statement Examples
• Physiotherapy Personal Statement Examples
• Journalism Personal Statement Examples
• English Literature Personal Statement Examples
• Marketing Personal Statement Examples
• Computer Science Personal Statement Examples
• Fashion Marketing Personal Statement Examples
• Dietetic Personal Statement Examples
• Product Design Personal Statement Examples
• Aerospace Engineering Personal Statement Examples
• Geography Personal Statement Examples
• Business Management Personal Statement Examples
• Politics Personal Statement Examples
• Psychology Personal Statement Examples
• Oxbridge Personal Statement Examples
• Zoology Personal Statement Example
• Sociology Personal Statement Example
• Fashion Personal Statement Example
• Mathematics Personal Statement Examples
• Software Engineering Personal Statement Examples
• Philosophy Personal Statement
• International Relations Personal Statement Example
• Biochemistry Personal Statement Example
• Dentistry Personal Statement Examples
• Midwifery Personal Statement
• Law Personal Statement Example
• Medicine Personal Statement for Cambridge
• ICT Personal Statement
• Primary Teacher PGCE Personal Statement
• PGCE Personal Statement Example
• Games Design Personal Statement
• Paramedic Science Personal Statement Examples
• Occupational Therapy Personal Statement
• Pharmacy Personal Statement Example

Material Engineering

Author: alexandre guiraud, applied in: winter 2013, university offers: imperial college, ucl, warwick, queen mary.

A reading that really inspired me and probably crystallized my growing attraction towards Engineering was a biography of Thomas Edison, who was not only a very prolific inventor but also a great innovator and entrepreneur, able to take risks but also to admit his errors such as for the direct current. I was seduced especially by his ability to ally conception and manufacturing of a large variety of innovative products which he progressively turned into a big business. Various discussions with my uncle who supervises several building materials plants and my cousin, software engineer at Google Brazil, contributed as well to build up my interests for Engineering.

Above all, my natural inclination results in my love for Maths and Physics, which led me logically to choose the Scientific section (Série S) in the French Lycée in order to build-up my knowledge. I also selected the European section as it allows me to learn Maths in English and be better prepared for Anglo-Saxon universities. The diversity of engineering disciplines and the increasing need for combining these techniques is another determining factor in my choice, as illustrated by the course work I chose to run last year. We formed a group of 3 to make a presentation of a scientific topic, the myoelectric prosthesis, which uses the electricity of the human brain and transform it into energy and movement. We achieved an excellent grade for this work (17:20) which is an assessment for the Baccalaureate. This combination of biology, electricity and mechanics fascinated me and comforted my desire to become an engineer. Moreover, I am interested in studying business in order to be ultimately able to combine a solid engineering knowledge with entrepreneurial skills. For this school project, we had in particular to describe the pros and cons of the prosthesis in terms of price, movement capacity and speed and compare it with other prosthesis available on the market. I was passionate by the ability to sell such technological products whilst knowing how they are conceived and produced.

Living in 5 different countries (Spain, Egypt, Morocco, the UK twice and France during holidays) has enhanced my open mind and curiosity as well as my capacity to adapt to new or changing situations. It also fostered my ability to learn new languages (Spanish and English). In parallel, I became familiar with emerging markets which take a more and more central role in developing, manufacturing and using new technologies, sometimes faster than in the developed world as it was the case for mobile phones. My work experience at JP Morgan contributed to develop my communication skills thanks to presentations I had to perform in front of the team. It also enhanced my ability to work to deadlines within a true international organisation and my understanding of basic finance.

I enjoy swimming 3 times a week at the Chelsea Sport Centre and rowing once a week at the Chiswick Rowing Club which require commitment and discipline. Rowing has strengthened my ability for teamwork and good coordination whilst playing guitar regularly has developed my creative skills and imagination. Although my main goal will be to achieve the best academic results, I will do my best to pursue these activities in your university as they give me a well-balanced life. As a composed but determined person, I like taking risks but never forget to keep a cool head. It is reflected by my passion for demanding sports such as skiing, surfing (level “vague d’argent”) or even skateboarding, (although a few years ago). Such personality completed with a taste for hard work match well in my view with the qualities required for becoming a talented engineer. Hence I am resolved to study Engineering in a top ranked British university, which is a challenging choice due to a very selective process. However, I rather acquire a broad knowledge in materials science and engineering disciplines first, whilst keeping flexibility for the future to select the right speciality.

Please note UCAS will detect any form of plagiarism. PSE and its contributors do not take any responsibility for the way in which personal statements are used.

• Applying to Uni
• Apprenticeships
• Health & Relationships
• Money & Finance

Personal Statements

• Postgraduate
• U.S Universities

University Interviews

• Vocational Qualifications
• Accommodation
• ​​​​​​​Budgeting, Money & Finance
• ​​​​​​​Health & Relationships
• ​​​​​​​Jobs & Careers
• ​​​​​​​Socialising

Studying Abroad

• ​​​​​​​Studying & Revision
• ​​​​​​​Technology
• ​​​​​​​University & College Admissions

Guide to GCSE Results Day

Finding a job after school or college

Retaking GCSEs

In this section

Choosing GCSE Subjects

Post-GCSE Options

GCSE Work Experience

GCSE Revision Tips

Why take an Apprenticeship?

Applying for an Apprenticeship

Apprenticeships Interviews

Apprenticeship Wage

Engineering Apprenticeships

What is an Apprenticeship?

Choosing an Apprenticeship

Real Life Apprentices

Degree Apprenticeships

Higher Apprenticeships

A Level Results Day 2024

AS Levels 2024

Clearing Guide 2024

Applying to University

SQA Results Day Guide 2024

BTEC Results Day Guide

Vocational Qualifications Guide

Sixth Form or College

International Baccalaureate

Post 18 options

Finding a Job

Should I take a Gap Year?

Travel Planning

Volunteering

Gap Year Guide

Gap Year Blogs

Applying to Oxbridge

Applying to US Universities

Choosing a Degree

Choosing a University or College

Personal Statement Editing and Review Service

Guide to Freshers' Week

Student Guides

Student Cooking

Student Blogs

• Top Rated Personal Statements

Personal Statement Examples

Writing Your Personal Statement

• Postgraduate Personal Statements
• International Student Personal Statements
• Gap Year Personal Statements

Personal Statement Length Checker

Personal Statement Examples By University

Personal Statement Changes 2025

• Personal Statement Template

Job Interviews

Types of Postgraduate Course

Writing a Postgraduate Personal Statement

Postgraduate Funding

Postgraduate Study

Internships

Choosing A College

Ivy League Universities

Common App Essay Examples

Universal College Application Guide

How To Write A College Admissions Essay

College Rankings

Admissions Tests

Fees & Funding

Scholarships

Budgeting For College

Online Degree

Platinum Express Editing and Review Service

Gold Editing and Review Service

Silver Express Editing and Review Service

UCAS Personal Statement Editing and Review Service

Oxbridge Personal Statement Editing and Review Service

Postgraduate Personal Statement Editing and Review Service

You are here

• Mature Student Personal Statements
• Personal Statements By University
• Accountancy and Finance Personal Statements
• Actuarial Science Personal Statements
• American Studies Personal Statements
• Anthropology Personal Statements
• Archaeology Personal Statements
• Architecture Personal Statements
• Art and Design Personal Statements
• Biochemistry Personal Statements
• Bioengineering Personal Statements
• Biology Personal Statements
• Biomedical Science Personal Statements
• Biotechnology Personal Statements
• Business Management Personal Statement Examples
• Business Personal Statements
• Catering and Food Personal Statements
• Chemistry Personal Statements
• Classics Personal Statements
• Computer Science Personal Statements
• Computing and IT Personal Statements
• Criminology Personal Statements
• Dance Personal Statements
• Dentistry Personal Statements
• Design Personal Statements
• Dietetics Personal Statements
• Drama Personal Statements
• Economics Personal Statement Examples
• Education Personal Statements
• Engineering Personal Statement Examples
• English Personal Statements
• Environment Personal Statements
• Environmental Science Personal Statements
• Event Management Personal Statements
• Fashion Personal Statements
• Film Personal Statements
• Finance Personal Statements
• Forensic Science Personal Statements
• Geography Personal Statements
• Geology Personal Statements
• Health Sciences Personal Statements
• History Personal Statements
• History of Art Personal Statements
• Hotel Management Personal Statements
• International Relations Personal Statements
• International Studies Personal Statements
• Islamic Studies Personal Statements
• Japanese Studies Personal Statements
• Journalism Personal Statements
• Land Economy Personal Statements
• Languages Personal Statements
• Law Personal Statement Examples
• Linguistics Personal Statements
• Management Personal Statements
• Marketing Personal Statements
• Mathematics Personal Statements
• Media Personal Statements
• Medicine Personal Statement Examples
• Midwifery Personal Statements
• Music Personal Statements
• Music Technology Personal Statements
• Natural Sciences Personal Statements
• Neuroscience Personal Statements
• Nursing Personal Statements
• Occupational Therapy Personal Statements
• Osteopathy Personal Statements
• Oxbridge Personal Statements
• Pharmacy Personal Statements
• Philosophy Personal Statements
• Photography Personal Statements
• Physics Personal Statements
• Physiology Personal Statements
• Physiotherapy Personal Statements
• Politics Personal Statements
• Psychology Personal Statement Examples
• Radiography Personal Statements
• Religious Studies Personal Statements
• Social Work Personal Statements
• Sociology Personal Statements
• Sports & Leisure Personal Statements
• Sports Science Personal Statements
• Surveying Personal Statements
• Teacher Training Personal Statements
• Theology Personal Statements
• Travel and Tourism Personal Statements
• Urban Planning Personal Statements
• Veterinary Science Personal Statements
• Zoology Personal Statements
• Personal Statement Editing Service
• Personal Statement Writing Guide
• Submit Your Personal Statement
• Personal Statement Questions 2025
• Personal Statement Changes 2024

Environmental Science Personal Statement Examples

What is an environmental science personal statement?

Writing a personal statement for environmental science is a chance to sell yourself to the admissions tutors and show them why you would make a great candidate.

It’s a place to describe your skills and strengths, as well as your career plans.

You are allowed up to 4000 characters to explain why you are applying for an environmental science degree, so you need to make sure your statement is as polished as possible to stand out from the crowd.

How do I write a successful environmental science personal statement?

Good environment science personal statements always use evidence to support their claims. You need to convince admissions tutors that you’re a good match for the course, so if you claim to be committed or inquisitive, then use examples from your life to back it up.

To write a great environmenal science personal statement you need to start early, brainstorm some ideas, and then begin your first draft during the summer holidays.

This will then need to be carefully revised and edited before asking family and friends for feedback. Incorporate their comments and suggestions, and see how it is improved before asking them to look at it again.

Read through our environmental science personal statement examples above to get an idea of what a good statement looks like.

Make sure you proofread your statement for grammar and spelling before sending it off, and if you feel you need a little extra help, take a look at our personal statement editing services .

What should I include in my environmental science personal statement?

Many students choose to start their statement by picking a specific aspect of environmental science and explaining why they enjoy it, e.g. ecology, conservation, earth structure, hydrology, etc.

Admissions tutors want candidates that are as passionate about the subject as they are.

As well as your motivations for studying environmental science, think about your hobbies and extracurricular activities too. What skills have you learned from these and how will these help you in your environmental science degree?

Talk about any work experience placements you have completed, e.g. shadowing an environmental worker or research technician. What did you take away from this experience? Do you feel you have all the necessary personal traits and qualities that make a good environmental science student?

Your wider reading is also important, so it's worth mentioning anything you've read recently that you found interesting and why. Generally, admissions tutors like students who express their views and opinions, and can back them up with evidence.

For more help and advice on what to write in your environmental science personal statement, please see:

• Personal Statement Editing Services
• Personal Statement Tips From A Teacher
• Analysis Of A Personal Statement
• The 15th January UCAS Deadline: 4 Ways To Avoid Missing It
• Personal Statement FAQs
• Personal Statement Timeline
• 10 Top Personal Statement Writing Tips
• What To Do If You Miss The 15th January UCAS Deadline.