Chemical Engineering Personal Statement Guide

The importance of your university application cannot be overstated. What and where to study for at least the next three (or more!) years is likely to be the first big decision you’ll be making for yourself in life, so it’s important to get it right.

The process is a clear and structured one, but it demands considerable input from you. Perhaps the greatest personal contribution to your university application (aside from grades) comes in the form of the Personal Statement. This short piece of prose is multifunctional: it sets out to inform, intrigue, and persuade, which is no mean feat when you consider it’s limited to just 4000 characters.

Nevertheless, all applicants are in the same position and have to face writing it at some point; that’s where this guide comes in. It will take you through, one step at a time, how to draft a strong personal statement, and includes advice on:

• Why are Personal Statements Important?
• What Should I Include in a Chemical Engineering Personal Statement? 
• What Should I Avoid in a Chemical Engineering Personal Statement? 
• Advice on How to Start a Chemical Engineering Personal Statement
• Advice on How to Finish a Chemical Engineering Personal Statement
• FAQs 

Why are Personal Statements Important? 

The purpose of a personal statement is not to inform experts in chemical engineering about chemical engineering; it’s to inform them about something they know nothing about – you! If you’re applying to study a subject and are writing to someone whose job it is not only to know about that subject but also to admit you to a degree course in it, your intention should be to tell them why they should take you on.

That’s what a personal statement does. It’s a testimony to you as a student now and as a student in the future; it should make your interest in, and motivation to study, chemical engineering explicit to the reader, as well as telling them about the skills you have and how prepared you are to embark on the course.

What Should I Include in a Chemical Engineering Personal Statement? 

Chemical engineering is all about manipulating molecules to effect biological, chemical, and physical transformations. Your personal statement should therefore emphasise your technical and scientific competencies, while also acknowledging the applications of the subject in industry and the wider world. More than this, of course, you need to leave the reader in no doubt of why you want to study the subject at university, rather than anything else. That brings us on to:

Reasons and Enthusiasm

When you could have studied engineering, or chemistry, or any other standalone subject, it’s important to say why you decided to do chemical engineering instead. What is it about the combination of engineering and science that really interests you?

This is a good place to talk about your personal experiences of the subject, such as any work experience you’ve had or extended projects you’ve undertaken. Tutors will want to see that you’ve thought through your motivations and that they’re well-founded.

The backbone of your personal statement is independent research and experiences, alongside an explanation of what about the research you have done or experiences you have had has interested you sufficiently to pursue a degree in Chemical Engineering. Be sure to mention specific examples that have inspired you so that tutors know you're serious and have engaged in plenty of research before making your decision.

On a simpler level, this is also a good place to mention your enjoyment of related subjects at school, such as maths and science.

Skills

Whilst you are not expected to know everything about Chemical Engineering when you apply (indeed, what would be the point of the degree in that case!), you should demonstrate that you have the requisite base skills to succeed in keeping up with the course.

These skills could be directly related to Chemical Engineering, such as lab skills or technical abilities, but transferable or more general learning skills are also applicable. Think about how you have shown analytical abilities, critical thinking skills, and resilience in your learning journey so far. When outlining these skills, be sure to mention specific examples to both prove their validity, and to make it more interesting for tutors to read and connect with.

Industry

With so many real-world applications of chemical engineering, from the fashion and beauty industries to those of oil and environmental management, it’s a good idea to show an awareness of how chemical engineering fits into our lives.

This is also a good place to talk about the direction the subject is taking, for example in light of Net Zero policies and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development goals. Keeping up-to-date with the subject’s developments and real-world uses will demonstrate your continued engagement with it, which is important evidence of your broader understanding.

Looking to the Future

While it’s perfectly acceptable to study chemical engineering for its own sake, the practical applications of it to today’s society are endless. If you intend to pursue a related career, then it’s a good idea to talk about this. It will not only show the reader that you know the subject’s uses in the wider world, but mentioning these plans will also constitute strong evidence of your commitment and ambition. It’s OK not to have any concrete plans per se, but giving an idea of what you might like to do with the degree later is an encouraging sign.

What Should I Avoid in a Chemical Engineering Personal Statement? 

‘Ever since I was a child’, and other similar clichés, are to be avoided at all costs. Instead of indulging in empty expressions, your statement needs to convey a genuine and substantial interest in the subject. Whilst no one is going to believe you’ve held this interest since you were five years old, you could instead describe your first realisation of the subject’s importance at school or college, for example.

You should avoid setting an informal tone since this is an official statement, and also avoid mentioning what may be deemed irrelevant, such as hobbies and interests outside the scope of chemical engineering or related subjects.

Advice on How to Start a Chemical Engineering Personal Statement  

There’s no secret to beginning a personal statement, other than launching straight into why you’re interested in the subject and why you wish to study it. Remember that tutors have to read a lot of these, so try to give it a gripping (but not dramatic!) opening, and to come across as sincere and conscientious.

You want to mark yourself out as different from others by emphasising your unique qualities, as long as what you say doesn’t detract from the depiction you’re offering of your intellectual substance and diligence.

Use simple but appealing language, be direct and precise, and try to establish a positive impression from the outset.

If you're struggling to write the introduction first, why not begin by drafting some of the personal statement's main body first, then return to write the opening statement. It can be beneficial to get into the flow by writing about concrete things you have researched, before returning to the slightly looser introductory sentence.

Advice on How to Finish a Chemical Engineering Personal Statement  

The conclusion of the personal statement shouldn’t be there to cover everything you didn’t say earlier; its purpose is to bring together your most important points about motivation, interest, and suitability for undertaking the degree.

Make sure you don’t repeat yourself, but remind the reader why you’re applying and of your potential as a student. Remember that this is the final impression a tutor will have before making you an offer of an interview or place, so it bears repeating that you should come across as likeable, astute and engaged, without seeming arrogant or that you know all there is to know before even starting the course.

Talking about commitment, what you’re looking forward to, and future plans are all good ways to finish a statement, but don’t waffle – keep to the point and communicate effectively.

FAQs