Cambridge Chemical Engineering Students and Applicants

I applied for Chem Eng via NatSci and got an offer this year.

If you're applying for Chem Eng/Petroleum Eng everywhere else, your personal statement will be mostly Chem Eng based.

What you have to remember is that the basis of Chemical Engineering lies in the sciences, so talk about your interest in science and how that relates to engineering. For example, maybe talk about what in Chemistry interests you and it could co-incidently be somethign that is very relevent in Chem Eng today!

The NatScis know that you're applying for Chem Eng via Natural Sciences, so will expect you to have a very Chem Eng related PS - don't worry about it As long as you apply for CHemical Engineering Via Natural Sciences on UCAS, They will be very understanding - use your SAQ from Cambridge to talk more about Natural Sciences specifically.

I would stress though that you should really be talking a lot about what interests you in your A level subjects and how you feel that you could put it to good use at university.

UCAS has really good tips on what to include for your personal statement.

Also, I wouldn't mention anything specifically for Petroleum Engineering, except maybe that you have an interest in Petroleum (but mention it as an offshoot pf Chemical Engineering).

To be honest, if I was just applying for Chem Eng courses, I would have still mentioned a lot about the sciences because they're what really links your A levels to degree level.

(sorry if this isnt making too much sense, it's 4 am where I am right now... Inbox me if you need any more help )

This is pretty much exactly what I was enquiring about and more! TYVM!!
I'll probably mention a thing or two about hydrocarbons and how chem engs use principle to crack it and the major role oil plays.

If you don't mind me asking, do you think my GCSE's would restrict my opportunity of getting on the course? From my understand Nat Sci is quite competitive.
Thanks.

BY THE QUOTING POWER INVESTED IN ME BY THE DARK LORDS OF TSR I SUMMON THEE

BY THE QUOTING POWER INVESTED IN ME BY THE DARK LORDS OF TSR I SUMMON THEE

Nice one.

First off, I didn't originally apply for Chemical Engineering, I just switched... :/ But I'd imagine the best plan would be to write your PS about why you want to study chemical engineering, what it is about your A-level courses that got you interested (stick some science in) or what other reading you've done to show you know what the subject involves.

As previously mentioned, you will get another opportunity on the SAQ (Supplementary Application Questionnaire) to write another Cambridge-specific personal statement, so you can tailor it more to the 'via NatSci' route here. Also, as you probably know you can also go via Engineering in first year, so Cambridge will be very used to Chemical Engineering Personal Statements coming from various angles.

Word of warning on the cracking thing: remember your statement will be read by world experts. They don't need you to explain what cracking is to them...

Best of luck

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Oops, forgot about this - apologies. I haven't actually started the Chemical Engineering yet (that will be in October) but I've been reading up on it. NatSci is by no means easy, the course is designed to challenge, so yes, demanding and interesting.



You can do either NatSci or Engineering in your first year - both cover material relevant to Chemical Engineering, and in the Second Year (what I'm about to start) the Engineers will take extra lectures and practicals in relevant chemistry and the NatScis will do extra lectures and practicals in relevant engineering. Arguably ChemEng is more of an engineering discipline and so engineering is better preparation, but there's no disadvantage in taking NatSci in first year if you have a strong interest in science as well. About 60% do NatSci, about 40% Engineering, and after the first year everyone should be at the same level anyway.

And it's not just pipes!!! Although there is a lot of that - heat exchangers, reactors, turbulent flow and stuff. There's also a lot of thermodynamics and kinetics, rates of reactions, economics, health and safety (by all accounts an added extra required for the course to be accredited... we'll see), applied mathematics - lots of different tools to be able to carry out chemical reactions on industrial scales.

I really can't decide which I would apply for. I love engineering; extending my love of science.

It sounds really interesting! What careers are you thinking of?(If you don't mind telling)

Sorry, I had a quote fail before, didn't I? Careers... well, chemical engineer I guess. I don't know really, I'll see how I find the course and whether I'd prefer research or to go straight into industry. Not for an oil company.

I've thought about teaching for a while but always promised myself I'd do something in the real world first. It always seemed a little pointless to me spending years studying a subject only to go and teach others how to do it, without ever using it...

Why not oil? (The future uncertain?)

Hi, I was wondering if a course for Chemical Engineering with a Year Abroad is offered?

No not really... in the past Cambridge used to do a one year exchange with MIT in your third year for various science and technology subjects but I think this got pulled due to a lack of funding. Also, I reckon because of the way the Cambridge Chem Eng course is structured, it probably makes it hard to find another university with which it can exchange students of a similar ability.

So Nope :/