Admissions committee
← Interview review

Amina Yusuf

Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering

Somalia · IGCSE and A-Levels, ABB · IELTS 6.5

Interviewed 10 October 2026 at 14:51 · 8 min

Summary

Amina is a motivated applicant whose interest in civil engineering began with a childhood flood that affected family property and has been pursued through volunteering and self-built models. Amina gave specific leadership evidence through a growing study group and showed good reflection on the challenges it involved.

Check before deciding

  • The cardboard model and canal volunteering are described briefly, so the committee may want to confirm the applicant's personal role in them.

Khalifa University interview criteria

  1. Proficiency in English communication

    4/5

    Amina communicated clearly and fluently with only occasional errors, and the applicant's own remark about English is more modest than the answers themselves.

    “my English is not the best, I make mistakes sometimes, but I work very hard and I don't give up”

    Amina, in the interview

  2. Familiarity with the relevant profession

    4/5

    Amina described core civil engineering work, including soil, water, and foundation choices, and tied it to a concrete flood-risk example.

    “they design things, like roads, bridges, buildings, and they check the calculation for soil and water”

    Amina, in the interview

  3. Commitment to pursue a professional degree program

    5/5

    Amina traced a motivation back to age twelve and backed it with self-driven work, including a volunteer canal cleanup and a cardboard drainage model.

    “I want to build houses that protect families, like my mother's shop, so the people in my community don't lose everything again”

    Amina, in the interview

  4. Reasons for choosing Khalifa University

    4/5

    Amina linked KU's Masdar City sustainability work to a stated interest in climate and water, though family being in the UAE was also given as a reason.

    “I like that they have a campus at Masdar City, where they work on sustainable things”

    Amina, in the interview

  5. Evaluation of potential leadership capabilities

    5/5

    Amina started a study group that grew from three to eight or nine students, handled scheduling, and reflected on re-engaging a student who had stopped attending.

    “So I started a study group, every Thursday after school, in the library. At first only three girls came, then it became like eight or nine.”

    Amina, in the interview

Full transcript

19 turns
  1. Nura

    Hi Amina, I'm Nura, and I'll be doing your Khalifa University admissions interview today. It takes about six minutes and there are no trick questions. To start, what first got you interested in Civil Engineering?

  2. Amina

    Hi, thank you. Um, I think it started when I was like twelve. In my city, when the heavy rain come, the water go inside houses, and families lose everything. My mother cried one night because our shop was full of water. So I wanted to know why, and how to make houses that don't break.

  3. Nura

    That's a strong start. What does a civil engineer actually do day to day?

  4. Amina

    Uh, I think they design things, like roads, bridges, buildings, and they check the calculation for soil and water. They also meet with workers and clients, and sometimes they go to the site to see if everything is correct. I am not sure all of it yet, but this is what I read.

  5. Nura

    Can you give me one specific example of that work?

  6. Amina

    Like, if a building is near a river, the engineer must measure how high the water can go, and then choose the foundation. Maybe raise the floor, or make drainage. It's not just one answer, you have to test many options and see which one is safe.

  7. Nura

    Thank you. Outside of class, what have you done toward engineering?

  8. Amina

    Last year I joined a volunteer team at my school. We helped clean the drainage canal near our area, because blocked drain was making the flood worse. Also I watch videos about how other cities build water channels, and I try to make a simple model with cardboard and water bottle.

  9. Nura

    What did you learn from that cardboard model?

  10. Amina

    That the slope matters a lot. When I pour water, it go too fast, and the base get wet and then fall down. So I learned the ground must be planned before the building, not after.

  11. Nura

    Why Khalifa University, and not another university?

  12. Amina

    Khalifa University is in Abu Dhabi, and it is known for engineering and research. I like that they have a campus at Masdar City, where they work on sustainable things. I think this is good for my goal, because climate and water is part of what I want to study. Also my family is already here in the UAE, so it feels like a good place for me.

  13. Nura

    Tell me about a time you led others or took the first step.

  14. Amina

    In grade eleven, many girls in my class were not understanding math for physics, and they were scared to ask the teacher. So I started a study group, every Thursday after school, in the library. At first only three girls came, then it became like eight or nine. I made the schedule, and I also asked the teacher to check our work.

  15. Nura

    What was the hardest part of that?

  16. Amina

    Hmm, some girls had family problems and they could not stay late, so I had to change the time many times. And one girl stopped coming, I think she was embarrassed. I talked to her privately and she came back. I learned that leading is more listening than talking.

  17. Nura

    Is there anything you want the committee to know that we haven't covered?

  18. Amina

    Yes, um, my English is not the best, I make mistakes sometimes, but I work very hard and I don't give up. Also I want to build houses that protect families, like my mother's shop, so the people in my community don't lose everything again.

  19. Nura

    Thank you, Amina. It was a pleasure speaking with you, and best of luck with your application.