Engineering students enrol in engineering without a clear understanding of how they can achieve success in the field. The current study explores study strategies of engineering undergraduates across two geographical locations, Malaysia and Australia. Qualitative data were collected using semi-structured interviews, in which 16 final-year engineering undergraduates volunteered to participate. Data were analysed using a thematic coding approach and the NVivo software was used to assist with the coding process. The results suggested that engineering students at universities in both locations used very similar learning strategies to achieve different success outcomes such as to fulfil assessment criteria, to achieve a personal goal or success, to endure with challenges, to overcome challenges, to survive after failure and to keep persisting in the programme. Integrating knowledge, visualising engineering applications, optimising the use of learning materials and mastering engineering skills are examples of strategies that were frequently used by the students. The level of importance of each strategy is context dependent.