Whether you’re big on design, sustainability, or new technologies, tell admissions tutors what it is that excites you about a manufacturing engineering degree, and why you’re suited to it.
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Think about why you want to study the subject
- Have you been inspired by someone, a news story, a documentary, or a podcast?
- Do you have career aspirations in this area of study?
- What interests you about the subject – be specific; rather than saying you enjoy it or are good at it, try to explain the ‘why’ behind your reasoning.
- What do you already know about the subject and what are you looking forward to learning more about?
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What makes you suitable to study the subject?
- Have you done projects or essays in this subject at school or college?
- Think about who you are as a person; your personality, your strengths, your experiences in life – how do these make you suited to study the subject?
- How have you shown an interest in the subject outside of school or college – have you done extra reading, online courses, been part of clubs or competitions?
- Your current subjects and grades will be included elsewhere in your application, so try to think about specific things you’ve learned during your studies that relate to the subject, rather than listing your grades and subjects.
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Look at the bigger picture
- Have you done any work experience, an internship or had a part-time job in this subject area or related? Most job or work experience will give you transferable skills, even if it’s in a different industry.
- Do you have any hobbies you can mention that might relate to your chosen subject? Many hobbies show that you can be motivated outside of school to achieve and succeed in something you’re interested in.
- Think about how your life and personal experiences have helped make you the person you are today, and how these challenges and experiences can support your application by evidencing essential qualities for certain subjects.
- If you’ve got ambitions and goals for your life and career, can you express how this subject will help you reach these goals?
Guidance and examples you can use
Question 1: Why do you want to study this course or subject?
This is your opportunity to showcase your passion and knowledge of your chosen subject area and to demonstrate to universities and colleges why it’s a good fit for you and your future ambitions.
Examples:
- Explain why you’re enthusiastic about the course, giving specific examples. Perhaps you recently got your grandfather’s model steam engine working again, or designed a system for hanging up the washing in your flat. How did that spark your desire to study manufacturing engineering at degree level?
- Include examples of things you've read that have influenced your interest in the subject. Elaborate on one or two specific issues and the impact they made on you, whether that’s reading about how cyber attacks are thwarted in manufacturing, or learning how artificial intelligence (AI) can improve the engineering process.
- If you have a particular goal in mind, mention what you plan to do with your degree – you might want to become a production manager, work in research and development, or just want to make the world a better place.
Question 2: How have your qualifications and studies helped you to prepare for this course or subject?
This is your chance to shout about the relevant or transferable skills you’ve gained from your formal education and highlight your understanding of how they will help you succeed in this subject area.
Examples:
- Explain how studying maths, physics or engineering, for example, has helped with your knowledge of different materials and how they work, as well as your critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
- Have you done a project in school that demonstrates some of your project management or team-working skills? You could comment on what you’ve learned from your EPQ here too, if it’s relevant.
- Have you done any online courses to boost your knowledge in the subject? For example, why not try Subject Spotlights or Virtual Work Experiences from Springpod to grow your skills and interest?
Question 3: What else have you done to prepare outside of education, and why are these experiences useful?
This is your chance to talk about any other activities you have undertaken outside of your formal education, or personal experiences which further demonstrate your suitability for the course. This section is likely to be highly personal to you and anything you do include should reflect on why you’re including it.
Examples:
- Manufacturing engineers need to be creative and innovative. Have you done a project outside of school which may illustrate this, such as crocheting a blanket, designing a computer game, or creating a clever storage solution in your home?
- Reflect on any extracurricular achievements that demonstrate good time management and self-organisation. Maybe you've achieved a high grade in a musical instrument, entered maths competitions, or balanced playing sport or volunteering with your studies.
- Use any personal experiences, insights, interests, or achievements to highlight why you might be suited to this course. You might enjoy camping or hiking, which has taught you how to be adaptable and able to think of alternative routes or solutions when needed.
- Do relate any examples back to the subject you’re applying to – make it relevant
- Do make it personal – admissions staff want to get to know who you are
- Do use a spell-checker and grammar-checker to ensure there are no errors
- Do ask people for feedback, whether that’s family members or teachers
- Do your research to find out what universities are looking for, and make sure you include evidence to show how you are suitable for the course
- Don’t just list out examples, subjects you study, or experiences you’ve had without any evidence
- Don’t copy something you’ve seen online or use AI to write something for you
- Don’t make things up just because you think they’ll make you look good on paper
- Don’t leave it until the last minute – you need time for several drafts
- Don’t worry about making each section the same length; as long as you hit the minimum character count, you can use the 4,000 characters across each answer in the way that suits you best
Maybe you love playing padel tennis or pickle ball. You might be able to continue enjoying these activities at university (check which sports they offer!) so you can relax outside of your studies, but they will also have taught you resilience, and good communication and interpersonal skills.
What else do you do in your spare time that might be relevant to a manufacturing engineering degree? Have you fixed the washing machine or toaster, or maybe you’ve experimented with rebuilding a toy or go-kart? It’s about giving admissions tutors a picture of who you are, and what you’ll get out of university life. Don’t discount part-time jobs too. Working in a bar or fast-food restaurant will have given you good communication and interpersonal skills, and the ability to work well under pressure.
If you can, relate what you’re saying back to something you’ve read in Manufacturing & Engineering Magazine (MEM) or Manufacturing & Production Engineering Magazine, or heard on the Advanced Manufacturing Now Podcast.
Some more tips to consider
- Research the course: Why do you want to study manufacturing engineering, what specific aspects of the course interest you, how does it relate to your academic studies, and what additional reading or other activities have led you to apply?
- Creative flair: Can you show you’re a 'self-starter' who enjoys trying to solve complex problems, or come up with creative solutions? Engineering is a challenging discipline, so demonstrate you have the ability and motivation to complete the course too.
- Make your experience count: Use examples of when you’ve had a weekend job, cared for a family member, or done some volunteering that’s enabled you to develop your team-working skills, leadership, and problem-solving abilities. Mention any relevant engineering work experience you’ve had too, engineering taster days you’ve been to, or CREST Awards you may have won or participated in.