Life as a MSc Automotive Engineering Student at Cranfield University

I chose Cranfield University, because of its immense industrial connections and the depth of the modules. Before accepting the offer, I had a chat with a few alumni about their life here, both academically and personally.

Pursuing a master’s degree, far away from home, is a big decision for majority of the master’s students around the globe. For me, it was a huge step in my professional life.

Since a young age, I was fascinated by supercars and how they worked. When I was in my final year of graduation at Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), India, doing my B. Tech (Bachelor of Technology) in Mechanical Engineering, I began searching for potential universities in and around EU to study for my Automotive Engineering MSc. After a lot of research, I decided to come here to Cranfield University, which was one of the best decisions I have made to date!

I chose Cranfield University, because of its immense industrial connections and the depth of the modules. Before accepting the offer, I had a chat with a few alumni about their life here, both academically and personally.

Graduating in May 2022, apart from projects and voluntary work experience in an international FSAE team and founding a radio station on-campus in VIT, I did not have much experience. Doing a master’s degree felt like the right thing to do, as attaining knowledge is one of my top-most priorities.

A typical work week for me at Cranfield University starts at 6 in the morning, hitting the gym, freshening up, having a healthy breakfast, and going to class at 9 or 10, depending on the module timetable. Classes run till 1 pm, with a few breaks in between, after which we have a relaxing hour for lunch. Post-lunch, classes run till 5 or 6 pm, to end the day. Every module is a gem on its own. The modules are enriched with many facts, which openly depicts that there is much more than meets the eye. The professors have hands-on experience, previously working in top-notch companies and plenty of published papers in renowned journals.

After the teaching is done, it is time to get our engines running!

Assignments are given which must be done by the end of the deadline. It sounds easy, but believe me, it is not. To date, the assignments I have been given were completely application-based making us learn how to apply the theoretical concepts into practical use, which is very important as that’s how engineering works! We had guest lectures from McLaren and Ferrari! This is mind-blowing and indicates the connections of the professors.

I believe working part-time is a great way to manage finances and time. It teaches you about how life might be in the future. After graduating from Cranfield, I intend to work at an automotive-based company or start-up. Applying for graduate roles is key, and students here have access to multiple platforms for jobs. Cranfield University has its career advice team, who are amazing as they have helped me out in my CV and cover letter preparation while applying for a few jobs. I am exactly halfway through the course, and I am really excited to start working on my group project and thesis.

Well, this is the story of my experience at Cranfield university so far. It has been an amazing journey, making a few industrial connections and most importantly, making friends who always have my back.