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How to write a killer ucas personal statement.

A young person about to write a UCAS Personal Statement. A laptop is open in front.

The UCAS Personal Statement is an important part of the undergraduate UCAS application. It could be the difference between you getting a place at the University of Stirling, and not. With that in mind, we’ve got you covered with this short and sweet guide to writing your UCAS Personal Statement.

What is a UCAS Personal Statement?

It’s exactly what it says on the tin. It’s a written statement by you that describes your motivations for applying, your future ambitions (what you want to do), plus any relevant skills and experience. You can write up to 4000 characters of text – roughly a page and a bit of A4 in old speak –to convince us that you’d make a great Stirling student.

What should I write about?

There isn’t a standard format – it’s your statement, so write it in your own words. But you should definitely include sections on:

why you’ve chosen your course
why you think this course is right for you
what would make you a good student at Stirling
your long term career plans, and why you’d like to work in your chosen area
any relevant work experience, knowledge or skills relevant to your course
your hobbies and interests

Have a friend or teacher do a quick sense check and proof read, just to make sure your UCAS Personal Statement’s as good as you can make it.

A young person holding an old film camera.

What should I leave out?

Your Personal Statement is all about you and what you’re about – and it’s important to get straight to the point, and cut the waffle. You don’t need to include:

clichés and overused quotes
mistakes and factual inaccuracies
anything copy and pasted from elsewhere
negativity – be positive about your future and why you want to study at Stirling
anything irrelevant
humour – banter won’t get you into Stirling, unfortunately!

You’ve only got 4000 characters to sell yourself to us, so make it count. Be objective and straight to the point.

Student with pen in hand writing at desk

How do I get started?

We’ve all been there. You sit down to start a piece of work and writer’s block kicks in – and then procrastination. Don’t procrastinate.

Start by breaking down your UCAS Personal Statement into sections (make a list) so that you’re taking on smaller chunks of content.

Don’t waste time looking up profound quotes or anecdotes. Cut to the chase and tell us why you’re applying.

A useful acronym we normally reccomend is ‘MACK’. With this approach you want to demonstrate:

M – maturity A – ability C – commitment K – knowledge

Another handy exercise is to create a ‘mind map’ or list of all your experiences or skills you currently have, pick the best ones and try to figure out what you are missing and how you plan to gain those over the next year?

Remember, this is a relatively short piece of writing, therefore everything thing needs to be relevant to really enhance your personal statement.

Bonus Tip: Struggling to pick out your specific skills? Ask parents, teacher or friends as they know you best and will be able to help.

You can find out more information on the UCAS website on writing a personal statement. Want to chat to someone about your application to the University of Stirling? Use our live chat feature by contacting the support team who are available on live chat on the portal, 10-12 pm (BST) and 2-4 pm (BST), Monday to Friday. They’ll be able to help you! Please click this link to go to the portal.

How to write a Personal Statement

Your Personal Statement isn’t a long monologue of your life so far, nor a gigantic list of all your achievements. Think of yourself as a storyteller. Start at the beginning with how you developed an interest for your chosen subject and end with where you see yourself after university.

Before You Start

How to get started.

Before you sit down to write your UCAS Personal Statement, the first thing we recommend is to research the courses you want to apply for. This will help you prepare your statement as courses vary from university to university, and your content should reflect these. Bear in mind, you are only able to send one Personal Statement to all your chosen universities, so you can’t overly cater to one. Look at all of the details, including the structure, modules and examination methods, as well as what they’re looking for from a student. This will support your first draft, though bear in mind you’ll redraft a few times before it’s perfect.

For example, Oxford lists the personal characteristics that they look for in applicants to their Medicine degree:

How many words should a Personal Statement be?

Personal Statements can be up to 4,000 characters long (615-800), and no more. This might sound like a lot, but it’s just one side of A4 paper. There’s plenty of information to include, so make sure it’s concise, clear and easy to read.

When to start writing it

It’s never too early to start thinking about your Personal Statement and what you’re going to write about. But there is a deadline : October 15th for all Oxbridge courses including Medicine and Dentistry, and January 25th for other undergraduate subjects. We suggest you begin preparing at the start of the year, as this gives you plenty of time to plan, draft and rewrite until it’s perfect for submission.

Your Personal Statement is the first thing Oxbridge Admissions Tutors will see about you. It’s imperative you get it right.

Our Oxbridge Premium Programmes help you write a successful Personal Statment that ticks all the Admission Tutor’s boxes. Our proven support is implemented through various mediums including Personal Statment Intensive Courses, Personal Statment Marking and Personalised Reading Lists.

Discover our Oxbridge Premium Programmes by clicking the button below to enrol and triple your chances of success.

What To Include

Your Personal Statement is a glimpse into your passion, how keen you are to learn and what you already know about your chosen subject. Express your interest by commenting on the areas that fascinate you most. For example, is it helping people that draws you into Medicine, or is it the fascinating human anatomy?

Another great way to show your enthusiasm is through your previous experience in the subject. Demonstrate why you’re suitable for the course by providing evidence of any relevant skills and qualities that relate to this. What are you good at? What have you done that proves it?

Answering Your Personal Statement Questions

Mention any additional projects, work experience or extra-curricular activities you’ve got involved with that further demonstrate you’re an ideal candidate. Reflect on the skills you’ve gained from these (as long as they’re transferable to your studies). Admissions Tutors will be looking for such information, as well as your unique selling points — give examples of things you’ve done that show you have a wider interest in learning.

You should also try to link your interests, skills and qualities to your university research. However, Oxbridge are not interested in sports, hobbies or if you play any musical instruments — keep it academic.

Show you’re an interesting person and have a true passion for your subject, and your Personal Statement should be a winning one. Your enthusiasm is what will make your statement stand out, so don’t shy away from expressing your love for your chosen subject, though you don’t need to say you’ve dreamed about doing the course your entire life.

Aim to include things like:

Personal attributes, such as adaptability, problem-solving and organisation
Employment experience and volunteering work
Personal interests in your subject
Relevant extracurricular activities, like any clubs or societies you belong to
Your future after university

The Structure

The key to writing a good UCAS Personal Statement is getting the structure right, as this can have a huge effect on the message it delivers. Often, students get caught up in the content and forget that presenting information effectively is just as important as the words included.

Each section of your statement needs to be crafted correctly so that Admissions Tutors can digest the information easily. While there are no strict rules on how to structure it — since it’s personal to you — there are a few rules of thumb to use to find the right balance. In general, though, remember to consider the format, structure and content equally, and you’ll write a great Personal Statement.

Personal Statement Cheat Sheet

Here is a breakdown of how we recommend students to split up their essay:

Introduction - About six lines
Academic abilities - 22 - 27 lines
Extra-curricular information - 10 - 12 lines
Conclusion - No more than four lines

Personal Statement Introduction

Rightly or wrongly, it is highly likely that your UCAS Personal Statement will be remembered by its opening sentence. It must be something short, sharp, insightful, and catch the reader’s attention. It sets the precedent for the rest of your statement and unfortunately, decides whether your statement is paid particular attention to when read.

Avoid using overused words like “passionate”, “deeply fascinating”, and “devotion”.
Avoid using clichéd quotes like the infamous Coco Chanel’s “fashion is not something that exists in dresses only”.
If you are going to use a quote, then put some effort into researching an obscure yet particularly powerful one – don’t forget to include a reference.
Draw on your own personal experiences to produce something both original and eye-catching.

Once that’s out of the way, you need to answer the most important question:

The introduction does not need to be very long. It is generally a good idea to open the statement with something that sets the context of your application. For example, someone who is applying to study History may open: ‘History is all around us’, rather than ‘I have always been interested in History because…”

By the end of the introduction the reader should clearly know:

What subject you are applying for
What motivated you to apply for this subject

Make sure you keep it personal and honest! The exact phrase: “from a young age, I have always been interested in” was recently used more than 300 times in Personal Statements in a single year, and substituting “young” for “early” gave an additional 292 statements – these phrases can quickly become boring for Admissions Tutors to read!

Personal Statement Main Body

In the rest of your text, your aim should be to demonstrate your suitability for the course by exemplifying your knowledge of the course structure and its requirements through personal experience. Again, there are no rigorous guidelines on how to do this and it is very much down to your own writing style. Whereas some prefer a strict structure, others go for a more synoptic approach, but always remember to be consistent to achieve a flowing, easy to read Personal Statement.

Here’s the structure we recommend:

Paragraph #1: This should cover why you are suited for your subject. This will include your main academic interests, future ambitions (related to the chosen degree), and what makes the course right for you. This should be the academic side of why you want to study this subject.

Paragraph #2: This should still cover why you are suited for your subject. However, it can be less focused on academic topics. If you’ve had to overcome any significant challenges in life and wish to include these in your Personal Statement, this is normally the best place to do so. Similarly, any work experience or relevant prizes & competitions should be included here.

Paragraph #3: This is the smallest part of the main body and is all about extra-curricular activities. It is easy to get carried away in this section and make outrageous claims, e.g. claim to be a mountain climber if all you have ever climbed is a hill at the end of your street etc. Lying is not worth the risk, given that your interviewer may share the same hobby that you claim to be an expert in. So, don’t be caught out!

What you should include in your Personal Statement main body:

Sports and other hobbies
Musical instruments
Work experience
Personal interests in the field of study
Personal attributes

What you shouldn’t include in your Personal Statement main body (or anywhere!):

Negative connotations – always put a positive spin on everything
Lack of reflection
Controversy in whatever form it may come
Generic/stereotypical statements
Listing things

Personal Statement Conclusion

The conclusion of your Personal Statement should be more about leaving a good final impression rather than conferring any actual information. If you have something useful to say about your interest and desire to study your subject, you shouldn’t be waiting until the very end to say it!

A good conclusion should not include any new information, as this should be in the main body. However, you also need to avoid repeating what you have said earlier in your Personal Statement. This would be both a waste of characters and frustration for the tutor. Instead, it is better to put into context what you have already written and, therefore, make an effort to keep your conclusion relatively short – no more than four lines.

For more inspiration, take a look through our other successful Personal Statement a nalysis articles:

Successful Personal Statement For Natural Science (Physical) At Cambridge

Successful personal statement for economics at cambridge, successful personal statement for land economy at cambridge, successful personal statement for chemistry at oxford, successful personal statement for geography at oxford, successful personal statement for classics at oxford, successful personal statement for law at oxford, successful personal statement for classics at cambridge, successful personal statement for engineering at cambridge, successful personal statement for philosophy at cambridge, successful personal statement for veterinary medicine at cambridge, successful personal statement for psychological and behavioural sciences at cambridge, successful personal statement for psychology at oxford, successful personal statement for history at oxford, successful personal statement for physics at oxford, successful personal statement for cambridge mathematics and physics, successful personal statement example for computer science at oxford, successful personal statement for english at cambridge, successful personal statement for oxford english language and literature, successful personal statement for medicine at oxford university, successful personal statement for modern languages at oxford, successful personal statement for engineering at oxford, successful personal statement for natural sciences (biological) at cambridge, successful personal statement for economics & management at oxford, successful personal statement for ppe at oxford, successful personal statement for law at cambridge, successful personal statement for dentistry at king’s college london, successful personal statement for medicine at cambridge, our personal statement do’s.

1. Show passion for your subject

Admissions Tutors aren’t going to pick a candidate who doesn’t seem particularly interested in their field. Show your passion and eagerness to learn and succeed. Why do you love your subject? Why have you chosen it? What do you find most interesting and why?

2. Talk about you

This is your chance to talk about you, your interests and skills. It’s no good saying you’re passionate if you don’t prove that you are. Write in a natural style to show off your personality, making sure it’s genuine, relevant and specific.

3. Use appropriate language

Re-read your Personal Statement multiple times and check that the content is academic, engaging and clear.

4. Provide evidence to back up your claims

It’s all well and good saying you love medical science, but this is going to fall flat if you can’t back it up. Talk about your school subjects and results, any wider reading and relevant work experience. Perhaps you attended a lecture on your subject — this would be good evidence.

5. Link your activities outside of education to your course

Tell tutors why these activities are relevant and what you have learned as a result. Focus on transferable skills gained too, such as time management or organisational abilities.

6. Spell check and look for grammatical mistakes

Poor spelling and grammar makes for a terrible first impression, so ensure you triple-check it’s written to the highest standard before submitting it.

Our Personal Statement dont’s

1. Write a clichéd beginning

Don’t waste time thinking of a catchy opening. The best Personal Statements get to the point quickly, so avoid starting with phrases like “From a young age”, “I am applying for this course because”, and “Throughout my life I have always enjoyed…”. Go straight into why you are interested in your course subject.

2. Use cringe-worthy language and cheap gags

This is not impressive and can indicate that you’re not a serious student. It’s essential you don’t come across as verbose or pretentious too, as Admissions Tutors will spot this immediately. They are well-versed in the ramblings of students who think this tone makes them seem more intellectual.

3. Overcomplicate things

Say what you need to, be specific and don’t waffle too much — you’ll run out of characters fast.

4. Go overboard with extra-curricular activities

Talking about these is good, but the truth is, Admissions Tutors have very little interest in what you do outside of education unless you can find a way to directly link them to your subject.

5. Plagiarise content

You can read Personal Statement examples online for inspiration but avoid copying and pasting them. During your interview, you’re likely to be asked about specific parts of your statement, and if you’re caught off-guard, you’re going to look silly. This could ruin your chances of being accepted. Use a plagiarism detector to ensure your essay is unique.

6. Mention universities or specific courses by name

You can only write one Personal Statement, so it’s the same for each course you apply for. Avoid mentioning specific unis by name or detailing exact specifics of a module, for example. Keep it general.

Now you know what to include in your Personal Statement and the best practices for doing so, we hope you feel more confident writing it. We have plenty of guides and successful personal statement examples to go through in our Free Personal Statement Resources page. Good luck submitting your UCAS application!

First impressions count. Learn how to craft the perfect Personal Statement that demonstrates your suitability to Oxbridge Admissions Tutors.

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Top Rated Personal Statement Examples

Your personal statement needs to stand out from the crowd in order to be successful. Take a look at our best rated personal statements from our library of over 2,000 examples to understand how students have successfully applied for courses in the past.

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Writing your personal statement
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Personal Statement Writing Tips
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Personal Statement Editing Services
10 Personal Statement Don'ts

How to Write a Personal Statement

If you’re just starting to think about writing your personal statement, then you probably have a lot of questions. We’re here to answer your top questions so you can stop wondering and start writing!

Students writing in notepads and typing on laptops in library

1. When should you start a personal statement?

Each year, the UCAS deadline falls at the end of January. So it’s a good idea to get started before Christmas so you can enjoy some time off and celebrate with your family without thinking about your personal statement.

Your school or college may even ask you to get your personal statement done early so they can check it and get it out of the way before January exams/mock exams begin.

Our student Ella advises to start early: “I had exams in January so it was important for me to complete my statement and send it off as early as possible!”

You can still apply through UCAS after the deadline, but some courses may be full.

2. How long should a personal statement be?

The personal statement should be one to two pages long. You have a maximum of 47 lines or 4,000 characters to work with so use short, concise sentences and delete any unnecessary words. This is all the space UCAS give you on their online application system to show off that you’re a great student – so don’t worry if it takes you a good few redrafts until you’re happy with it.

When you paste your personal statement into the UCAS application, be sure to check it hasn’t cut any words off the end!

3. How do you start the opening line in a personal statement?

The most effective opening sentences are simple, to the point and personal to you. Think about what made you pick the subject and what you enjoy the most about it. Remember, showing your interest and enthusiasm in the course is the most important thing.

Start with why you chose it, then try and summarise this in one or two sentences. But be careful, avoid overused opening sentences, quotes and clichés like ‘when I was young…’ They want to know about you now, not your childhood or Shakespeare!

Most common cliché opening lines:

"From a young age I have (always) been…" and most of these continued "interested in" or "fascinated by". 1,779 applicants
"For as long as I can remember I have..." 1,451 applicants
"I am applying for this course because..." 1,370 applicants

(UCAS, 2016)

Here are some better lead sentences from our students:

“I am applying for a place to study social work because I have always wanted to be able to make a difference to people's lives. With social work I believe I can do this in a caring and supportive way.”

“When deciding what I should study at university, I came to, what was for me, a natural conclusion: History. I find myself constantly astounded and inspired by history and I have never found another subject as exhilarating and interesting. My personal interests lie mainly in Early Modern and Modern History.”

4. What should you include in a personal statement apart from your studies?

Hobbies: Make a list of your hobbies, interests and social activities. Then think about how they demonstrate your personality, skills and abilities. Try to link them to the skills and experience required for your course(s). Make sure you include interests you have at school like extra-curricular activities. You’ll be surprised how relevant it all is.
Experience: Get some experience in the field you want to go into, if you haven’t got direct experience than relate how your studies have increased your passion for the course. Make sure everything you write about is relevant to the course.
Strengths: Concentrate on your strengths and what you’re good at. Do you run a successful blog and want to show off your skills for a marketing degree? Whatever it is, make sure you show off your achievements.

5. How do you structure a personal statement?

Make sure you structure your personal statement with an 80/20 percentage split: 80 per cent academic experience, work experience and extra-curriculars that relate to your chosen course, and 20 per cent related to your hobbies or other extra-curriculars.

A good way to structure your paragraphs is to use the ‘ABC’ method. When writing about each experience, use the ABC (action, benefit and course) structure. What is the activity, and what skills and qualities have come from it? and how does it relate to the course? Use this in each for each thing you talk about and before you know it, you’ll have a well-structured personal statement.

6. How do you end a personal statement?

In your conclusion, round up all the evidence you have given in your statement so far to show your knowledge, skills and experiences. Specify not only why you want to study the subject you’re applying for but also why it will help you succeed in the future. Make sure you don’t waffle and keep it simple.

Example from one of our students:

"Studying at university has been my ambition for many years. I find immense enjoyment in reading and researching History and believe that, in the future, I am confident that I will be very successful in inspiring and encouraging others to study the subject".

What should you do next?

Download your free personal statement guide.

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How to write a ucas personal statement | examples and advice.

When it comes to your application process for university or other elements of higher education, you’ll need to complete a personal statement. This is a form of cover letter in your application which will preface your qualifications – a primer on who you are as a person, and why you think you’d be suitable for the course and institution you’re applying for. For this reason, you need to know how to write a UCAS personal statement. Here, we’re going to look at ten tips for writing the best personal statement possible to improve your chances of getting to your dream university.

Keep it Snappy – UCAS Personal Statement Tips

The first thing to remember when writing your personal statement is that you only have 4,000 characters to work with. So far, this article is almost 1,000 characters long, which should give you an idea of how limited you are in the length of your personal statement. This means that you need to cut to the chase. Is there something in your persona statement that isn’t entirely necessary? Get rid of it. Think carefully about every sentence and every word in your personal statement, and keep fine-tuning it until you have a well-sculpted piece of writing.

Structure it Properly – UCAS Personal Statement Tips

A strong, clear structure to your personal statement will make you appear more sophisticated than a messy piece of writing will. Divide your personal statement into paragraphs, with each covering a different area. For example, if paragraph 2 covers why you want to study the subject you’re applying for, then paragraph 3 should be about your academic achievements. After that, paragraph 4 could discuss relevant extra-curricular activities. By organising into paragraphs, you can prioritise the most important information such as showing enthusiasm for the course. Then, you can move into other areas such as extra-curricular activities.

Here’s an example structure you could use:

Paragraph 1 – Introduce self by showing enthusiasm. Paragraph 2 – Discuss academic achievements in relation to your chosen course. Paragraph 3 – Link extra-curricular accomplishments to your chosen course.

You will probably want to include more paragraphs than shown here. However, use this as the basis for the rest of your personal statement.

Avoid Clichés – UCAS Personal Statement Tips

Clichés are the bane of many a personal statement, and should be avoided at all times. Try not to include quotes from your favourite celebrity or philosopher, since they’re usually irrelevant, waste space, and make you look less intelligent than you actually are. Likewise, sweeping statements are a waste of space and don’t add anything to your personal statement:

“Since I was a child, I’ve always wanted to study Economics…”

Even if this is the case, you’re better off leaving it out and saying something more meaningful.

Another common cliché is overuse of the word ‘passion’. Of course, you need to have a passion for the course you want to study, but the word is used so frequently that admissions officers will be tired of them by the time they come to your personal statement. Spend some time thinking of alternatives to ‘passion’ so that you can keep your statement interesting and informative.

Show Your Enthusiasm – UCAS Personal Statement Tips

Enthusiasm is a key part of a successful personal statement because admissions officers don’t want to accept students who aren’t excited about the subject they’ll be studying. Make sure you that show how enthusiastic you are by demonstrating some research that you’ve done about the subject you’re applying for. For example, if you’re hoping to study Physics, you might want to mention a cutting-edge area that you’ve found interesting. Be sure to show your enthusiasm as early as possible in your personal statement, since this is a vital element of making your application successful.

Show Your Relevant Extra-Curricular and Academic Accomplishments – UCAS Personal Statement Tips

When writing your personal statement, the admissions officers want to know what you’ve achieved so far. You don’t need to list every grade and result you’ve ever received – the rest of the UCAS application will cover that – but be sure to highlight key areas which are relevant to your studies. Extra-curricular activities aren’t vital, but they do help convey who you are as a person, which might be a game-changer under certain circumstances. Extra-curricular achievements are best left for later in the personal statement since they aren’t as important as your academic successes.

Explain Yourself – UCAS Personal Statement Tips

When you bring up anything about yourself in your personal statement, always explain how it links to the course for which you’re applying. This way, you’re showing the admissions officer that you’ve taken all of your accomplishments into consideration, and only chosen the ones which are most relevant to the application.

Make it ‘Personal’ – UCAS Personal Statement Tips

Your personal statement is supposed to be ‘personal’, so give it a bit of flair. Try not to take risks with humour, and avoid slang, but still try to give your writing a bit of an edge so that it stands out to the admissions officer. This is only something that can come with practice, so take time to write multiple copies of your personal statement until your personality shines through.

Be Positive – UCAS Personal Statement Tips

Try to focus only on your own positives, as well as the positives of the course you want to study. The admissions officer doesn’t care about what things you’ve done wrong, or where you need to improve. What they want is for you to sell yourself as a candidate.

Be Specific – UCAS Personal Statement Tips

Admissions officers do not want you to waffle in your personal statement, or waste their time with vague, meaningless statements. Be specific in your accomplishments and how they make you a more desirable candidate, and give evidence for any claims you make. For example, if you say that you’re a hard worker, demonstrate this with evidence, such as good grades or the fact that you’ve been able to juggle lots of different tasks.

Do Multiple Drafts – UCAS Personal Statement Tips

Finally, one of the best ways to write an excellent personal statement is to write multiple drafts. If possible, write it once and then give it to someone to read. Take their feedback on board, then make changes to your personal statement. Repeat this process to the point where you think you’ve ironed out any faults in it. This will make it as fine-tuned as possible and ready for submission!

Conclusion – UCAS Personal Statement Tips

Now you should have a good idea about how to craft an excellent UCAS personal statement. Find out more about passing your A-Levels with A*s here. You can also discover how to get a first-class degree at university here.

ATTENTION: Download your FREE Introduction to Essay Writing guide below!

Andy Bosworth

Writing a Personal Statement for UCAS: The 10 Big Mistakes Students Should Avoid

James is senior content marketing manager at BridgeU. He writes and directs content for BridgeU's university partners and our community of international schools

Writing a UCAS Personal Statement for a subject that isn’t the right fit
Spelling & grammar mistakes
Avoid pointless cliches
Endlessly listing extracurriculars
Over-using quotes or taking them out of context
Telling the reader something they already know
Ignoring word limits
Unnecessary origin stories
Making things up
Controversy

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Writing a UCAS Personal Statement requires a student to convey a lot of information in a short space of time. Mistakes are easy to make. Read our run down of the most common ones and how to avoid them

Writing a Personal Statement for UCAS is, in many ways, like asking a student to tell the story of their life in 4,000 characters or less.

And if that sounds hard, it’s because it is.

The UCAS Personal Statement is the cornerstone of a UK university application . Students need to write a genuine, authoritative and compelling account of who they are and what they want from a UK university degree. They need to quickly grab the attention of the university admissions officer reading their Personal Statement, and they need to make sure they stand out from the hundreds of other applications that will be crossing that admission officer’s desk.

In order to do this, the Personal Statement will require a student to master form, structure and content in such a way that makes their writing stand out.

Understandably, students might feel an inordinate amount of pressure to get their Personal Statement right first time.

Indeed, more often than not, it’s not a case of students being lazy when writing their UCAS Personal Statements. The problem is often that students will have a lot to say and will have put a lot of thought into their Statement, but may make some simple stylistic mistakes that could cost them when they finally submit their application.

But if these mistakes are easy to make, they’re also easy to avoid.

So we’re going to take you through the 10 most common (and potentially costly) mistakes that a student might make in their UCAS Personal Statement, and give you some tips on how to help your students avoid them.

Bonus Resource – To help your students avoid any major mistakes before they begin, our Personal Statement worksheet helps them to plan and write a truly compelling account of themselves. Click here to download

1. Writing a UCAS Personal Statement for a subject that isn’t the right fit

If students have done their research carefully and considerately, then this shouldn’t be a problem. Ideally, in the year leading up to the submission of the Personal Statement, your students will have shortlisted their university and course preferences to the point where they’re applying for a subject area they’re truly passionate about.

But this first, major mistake is the natural conclusion of a student being pressured into a subject or career path by family, parents or even school peers. Hopefully this won’t happen – but if a student is writing their UCAS Personal Statement for a subject they’re not truly passionate about, then this should set off alarm bells. It will ultimately affect the quality of the Personal Statement.

And, most importantly, admissions staff will easily spot a Personal Statement where the student’s heart isn’t in it.

Top tip: We at BridgeU are big fans of students finding their best-fit universities and courses (after all, it’s why we built our platform!). Students need to put a lot of time into making sure the UK course they are applying for is right for them. Starting a Personal Statement without having thoroughly researched university and course options is one of the most fundamental mistakes a student could make.

2. Spelling & Grammar Mistakes

This may seem like a rather obvious mistake, and one your students hopefully shouldn’t be making.

But the tight time frames associated with a UCAS Personal Statement will make spelling and grammar mistakes more likely, especially if your students aren’t taking the time to proof-read their personal statement before submitting it.

Spelling and grammar mistakes can really count against students, and can make their writing appear sloppy or poorly thought through. It’s an especially bad look if your students are applying for humanities or social sciences courses, or indeed any degree that requires a lot of extended writing!

Top tip: Encourage your students to print out their Personal Statement. Whilst we know that a lot of students do more things digitally these days (and BridgeU is an online platform after all!), reading a UCAS Personal Statement back as a living, printed document can really help students hone their eye for detail!

3. Avoid exuberant language and pointless cliches

“My love of Physics began when I used to look up at the night sky as a child, and found it simultaneously breath-taking and awe-inspiring.”

“I’ve been passionate about the works of William Shakespeare since seeing my first production on stage. I’m fascinated by how Shakespeare remains relevant for today.”

Can you see what’s wrong with these two examples?

Whilst they are very positive and well-worded statements about why a student might want to study astrophysics, or Shakespearian literature, both these Personal Statement examples tip very quickly into cliche and generalisation.

We’re not suggesting you shouldn’t encourage your students to use positive language when writing a UCAS Personal Statement, but this positive language needs to be backed up with clear, specific examples and rigorous analysis.

Remember – the key to an excellent Personal Statement is showing, not telling.

So why is Shakespeare still relevant to today? What specific examples could a student writing about a 16th century author use to demonstrate their relevance to the 21st century?

Likewise, proclaiming a love for the wonders of the night sky is all well and good, but why did it make our example student want to study Physics?

Top tip: Encourage students to set a limit on the number of adjectives or descriptive phrases they use in their writing. It’s important to remember a Personal Statement has to accomplish a lot in a relatively short number of words. If students over-use words like ‘passionate’, ‘breathtaking’ and ‘awe-inspiring’ they’re just going to end up repeating themselves.

4. Endlessly listing extracurricular activities

Extracurricular activities are a vital part of any Personal Statement. If used in the right way, they can help a student to stand out, and seem like a more well-rounded person. Extracurriculars can also help to showcase valuable soft skills that universities value in their students.

But there’s no point using extracurriculars like a grocery list. Students endlessly describing their extracurriculars will mean nothing if they don’t link them back to the overall narrative of the Personal Statement.

Again, it’s about showing, not telling. Saying ‘I have captained my school football team for three years’ means nothing if the writer doesn’t explain this activity within the context of the Personal Statement.

Top tip: When planning their Personal Statement, students need to think about the extracurricular activities that can demonstrate soft skills. What did they learn from doing this particular extracurricular activity? Do they think it will set them apart in their overall application? If the answer is no, then it’s best not putting it in.

5. Over-using quotes or taking them out of context

Remember what we said about exuberant language and cliches?

It’s the same with the use of quotes.

Quotes can be a powerful tool to back up any argument, be it in a UCAS Personal Statement or any other kind of essay.

But quotes used clumsily can often have the opposite effect, and make the writer of a Personal Statement seem pretentious or just quoting for the sake of it.

Many students may feel tempted to open their Personal Statement with a quote from Mahatma Gandhi, or Martin Luther King. A student who is submitting an application for psychology may feel it necessary to begin their Personal Statement with a quote from Sigmund Freud.

The trouble is that many UK university admissions tutors have probably seen the same quotes again and again. Again, if quotes aren’t used in context, or don’t serve the overall narrative of the Personal Statement, then it may be worth not putting them in.

It’s also important to remember that universities want to hear from the student, not Sigmund Freud! If in doubt, a student writing a Personal Statement should use their own thoughts and insights, not someone else’s.

Top tip: Encourage students to use less well-known quotes in their Personal Statement. Quotes from less well-known, specialist thinkers within a subject discipline are more likely to show that a student is widely read and has a deep and rich knowledge of the subject they’re applying for.

6. Telling the reader something they already know

Demonstrating subject knowledge and background reading is vital for a UCAS Personal Statement. But this must fit in with the student’s overall story of why they want to study that particular degree.

What students shouldn’t do is explain academic or scientific theories at length, or regurgitate existing arguments that have already been made by other writers in their chosen field of study.

Students writing a UCAS Personal Statement need to operate from the assumption that the person reading it is probably an expert in their field. It’s only worth students talking about their wider reading, or their take on another piece of academic writing, if they can demonstrate its relevance to them.

Top tip: Students should avoid going into depth about other academic or scientific theories unless they have a bearing on the student’s own worldview, and can tell the reader something about why they want to study for that particular course.

Video: Tips from UCAS on starting a Personal Statement

7. not paying attention to word/character limits .

It’s pretty hard to literally ignore the word/character limit for the UCAS Personal Statement, as there will come a point where students will simply run out of space.

But some students can fail to pay attention to word/character limits to the extent that they don’t plan the form and structure of their UCAS Personal Statement properly.

Planning the overall structure and flow of the Personal Statement before writing it is absolutely essential if students are to make the most of the space that UCAS allocates. Half finished thoughts and hastily written conclusions will do more harm than good when someone reads the Personal Statement.

Top tip: Run one class/workshop with students where they brainstorm and plan the overall structure of their UCAS Personal Statement. Break the components of a good personal statement down into chunks, and get students thinking about the optimal structure for making their Personal Statements as good as they can be!

8. Unnecessary origin stories

Everyone loves an origin story (why else would film studios keep remaking Spiderman?). But origin stories in UCAS Personal Statements can sometimes be a waste of time (this is in sharp contrast to an application like the Common App in the USA), where they love to hear a student’s origin story)

Remember our physics student from Tip no.3 who loved to gaze at the night sky? Childhood anecdotes are great, and can certainly add character to a student’s application. But they’re not always necessary to showcase a student’s devotion to their chosen subject.

In fact, it’s fair to say that admissions tutors at UK universities are more interested in an applicant’s more recent contributions or achievements in their chosen field of study than snippets of their biography.

Yet it remains the case that students sometimes feel the need to profess their lifelong devotion to a subject they’re hoping to study at university. It’s really not necessary.

In fact UCAS themselves once published a list of the most commonly used opening lines in a Personal Statement . Three of the most frequent openings were

“I have always been interested in…” (used 927 times)

“For as long as I can remember I have…” (used 1,451 times)

“From a young age I have always been interested in/fascinated by…” (used 1,779 times)

Not only does drawing on childhood memories risk losing sight of more relevant information, it’s also something that lots of universities have seen before.

9. Making things up

We hope that none of your students would ever lie in their Personal Statement. But if someone feels the pressure to stand out from the crowd and really impress a university, then it could happen.

Even small, believable exaggerations could come back to haunt a student if they were hypothetically invited to an interview further down the road. It could be as small as pretending to have read a particular book, or quoting/discussing a piece of research in their chosen subject field and not having fully engaged with it.

Top tip: When it comes to putting anything untruthful in a Personal Statement, we can only offer you one piece of advice to give to your students.

Don’t do it! It’s not worth it, students will probably get found out and there’s likely plenty of achievements and skills that students can talk about in their Personal Statement. They just need to think long and hard about what it is!

10. Being controversial or contrarian for the sake of it

Being controversial or argumentative can seem like a good way to sit up and get the reader’s attention – but it’s not worth a student doing it unless they’ve really got the evidence and the argument to back it up.

For example, arguing against a famous essay or piece of research in a student’s chosen subject might seem like a good way to score some brownie points. But why does a student take issue with this particular piece of research? And is it really wise to try and tackle it in the space of a 4,000 character Personal Statement.

Top tip: Students should definitely be independent and analytical when discussing their degree subject in their Personal Statement – after all, it’s the most surefire way to stand out. But taking a contrarian position, or trying to make an explosive new contribution to academic discourse in the course of one Personal Statement probably isn’t a good idea.

Writing a Personal Statement for UCAS – final tips to avoid mistakes

What do these mistakes all have in common?

The answer is they are the natural consequence of students forgetting some of the core principles of UCAS Personal Statement writing.

Students need to ensure their Personal Statements are well-structured and well-planned – so as to avoid spelling mistakes and/or falling foul of the character limit.
Students need to keep their Personal Statements as unique to them as possible – this means staying truthful to their own ambitions and worldview, and avoiding generalisations or cliches.
A good Personal Statement needs to be rooted in strong analysis and writing that makes good use of evidence and specific examples to back up an argument.
A standout Personal Statement needs to be compelling account of a student’s suitability for a course with a good story at the heart of it – it needs to show, not tell.

Our Personal Statement template is a great resource if you want to help your students plan and write a truly individual Personal Statement, and avoid some of the mistakes we’ve listed here. Download it below!

Bonus Resource!

How to write a Personal Statement Worksheet & Template

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UCAS Personal Statement and Examples

What is the ucas personal statement .

The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) Personal Statement is the main essay for your application to colleges and universities in Great Britain. UCAS gives a nice explanation here , but in short, this is your chance to stand out against the crowd and show your knowledge and enthusiasm for your chosen area of study.

You’ve got 4,000 characters and 47 line limit to show colleges what (ideally) gets you out of bed in the morning. How long is that, really? Use your “word count” tool in Google or Word docs to check as you go along, but 4,000 characters is roughly 500 words or one page.

HOW IS THE UCAS PERSONAL STATEMENT DIFFERENT FROM THE US PERSONAL STATEMENT?

Think they’re the same? Think again. Here are some key differences between the UCAS and the US Personal Statement:

When you apply to UK schools, you’re applying to one particular degree program, which you’ll study for all, or almost all, your time at university. Your UCAS personal statement should focus less on cool/fun/quirky aspects of yourself and more on how you’ve prepared for your particular area of study.

The UCAS Personal Statement will be read by someone looking for proof that you are academically capable of studying that subject for your entire degree. In some cases, it might be an actual professor reading your essay.

You’ll only write one personal statement, which will be sent to all the universities you’re applying to, and it’s unlikely you’ll be sending any additional (supplemental) essays. Your essay needs to explain why you enjoy and are good at this subject, without reference to any particular university or type of university.

Any extracurricular activities that are NOT connected to the subject you’re applying for are mostly irrelevant, unless they illustrate relevant points about your study skills or attributes: for example, having a job outside of school shows time-management and people skills, or leading a sports team shows leadership and responsibility.

Your personal statement will mostly focus on what you’ve done at high school, in class, and often in preparation for external exams. 80-90% of the content will be academic in nature.

A QUICK STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO WRITING THE UCAS PERSONAL STATEMENT

This may be obvious, but the first step to a great UCAS Personal Statement is to choose the subject you’re applying for. This choice will be consistent across the (up to) five course choices you have. Often, when students struggle with a UCAS personal statement, it’s because they are trying to make the statement work for a couple of different subjects. With a clear focus on one subject, the essay can do the job it is supposed to do. Keep in mind you’re limited to 47 lines or 4000 characters, so this has to be concise and make efficient use of words.

To work out what information to include, my favourite brainstorming activity is the ‘Courtroom Exercise’. Here’s how it works:

The Courtroom Exercise

Imagine you’re prosecuting a case in court, and the case is that should be admitted to a university to study the subject you’ve chosen. You have to present your case to the judge, in a 47 line or 4,000 character statement. The judge won’t accept platitudes or points made without evidence–she needs to see evidence. What examples will you present in your statement?

In a good statement, you’ll make an opening and a closing point.

To open your argument, can you sum up in one sentence why you wish to study this subject? Can you remember where your interest in that subject began? Do you have a story to tell that will engage the reader about your interest in that subject?

Next, you’ll present a number of pieces of evidence, laying out in detail why you’re a good match for this subject. What activities have you done that prove you can study this subject at university?

Most likely, you’ll start with a class you took, a project you worked on, an internship you had, or a relevant extra-curricular activity you enjoyed. For each activity you discuss, structure a paragraph on each using the ABC approach:

A: What is the A ctivity?

B: How did it B enefit you as a potential student for this degree course?

C: Link the benefit to the skills needed to be successful on this C ourse.

With three or four paragraphs like these, each of about 9 or 10 lines, and you should have the bulk of your statement done. Typically two of these will be about classes you have taken at school, and two about relevant activities outside of school.

In the last paragraph, you need to demonstrate wider skills that you have, which you can probably do from your extracurricular activities. How could you demonstrate your time management, your ability to collaborate, or your creativity? Briefly list a few extracurricular activities you’ve taken part in and identify the relevant skills that are transferable to university study.

Finally, close your argument in a way that doesn’t repeat what you’ve already shared. Case closed!

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What if I’m not sure what I want to study? Should I still apply?

There are a number of broader programs available at UK universities (sometimes called Liberal Arts or Flexible Combined Honours). However, you should still showcase two or three academic areas of interest. If you are looking for a broader range of subjects to study and can’t choose one, then the UK might not be the best fit for you.

What if I haven’t done much, academically or via extracurriculars, to demonstrate that I’ll be able to complete the coursework for my degree? Should I still apply?

You certainly can, but you will need to be realistic about the strength of your application as a result. The most selective universities will want to see this evidence, but less selective ones will be more willing to account for your potential to grow in addition to what you’ve already achieved. You could also consider applying for a Foundation course or a ‘Year 0’ course, where you have an additional year pre-university to enable you to develop this range of evidence.

If I’m not accepted into a particular major, can I be accepted into a different major?

It’s important to understand that we are not talking about a ‘major,’ as what you are accepted into is one entire course of study. Some universities may make you an ‘alternative offer’ for a similar but perhaps less popular course (for example you applied for Business but instead they offer you a place for Business with a Language).At others, you can indicate post-application that you would like to be considered for related courses. However, it’s not going to be possible to switch between two completely unrelated academic areas.

What other information is included in my application? Will they see my extracurricular activities, for example? Is there an Additional Information section where I can include more context on what I’ve done in high school?

The application is very brief: the personal statement is where you put all the information. UCAS does not include an activities section or space for any other writing. The 47 lines are all you have. Some universities might accept information if there are particularly important extenuating circumstances that must be conveyed. This can be done via email, but typically, they don’t want to see more than the UCAS statement and your school’s reference provides.

Now, let’s take a look at some of my favourite UCAS personal statement examples with some analysis of why I think these are great.

UCAS PERSONAL STATEMENT EXAMPLE FOR CHEMISTRY

When I was ten, I saw a documentary on Chemistry that really fascinated me. Narrated by British theoretical physicist Jim Al-Khalili, it explained how the first elements were discovered and how Chemistry was born out of alchemy. I became fascinated with Chemistry and have remained so ever since. I love the subject because it has very theoretical components, for example quantum Chemistry, while also having huge practical applications.

In this introduction, the student shows where his interest in Chemistry comes from. Adding some additional academic detail (in this case, the name of the scientist) helps guide the reader into more specific information on why this subject is interesting to him.

This aspect of Chemistry is important to me. I have, for example, used machine learning to differentiate between approved and experimental drugs. On the first run, using drug molecules from the website Drug Bank, I calculated some molecular descriptors for them. I started with a simple logistic regression model and was shocked to find that it had apparently classified almost all molecules correctly. This result couldn’t be right; it took me nearly a month to find the error. I accidentally normalized the molecular-descriptor data individually, rather than as a combined data set, thereby encoding the label into the input. On a second run, after fixing the error, I used real machine learning libraries. Here I actually got some performance with my new algorithm, which I could compare to professional researchers’ papers. The highest accuracy I ever saw on my screen was 86 percent. The researchers’ result was 85 percent; thanks to more modern machine learning methods, I narrowly beat them. I have also studied Mathematics and Physics at A Level and have been able to dive into areas beyond the A Level syllabus such as complex integration in math and the Schrödinger equation in Physics.

This paragraph outlines a clear case for this student’s aptitude for and interest in Chemistry. He explains in detail how he has explored his intended major, using academic terminology to show us he has studied the subject deeply. Knowing an admissions reader is looking for evidence that this student has a talent for Chemistry, this paragraph gives them the evidence they need to admit him.

Additionally, I have worked on an undergraduate computer science course on MIT Opencourseware, but found that the content followed fixed rules and did not require creativity. At the time I was interested in neural networks and listened to lectures by professor Geoffrey Hinton who serendipitously mentioned his students testing his techniques on ‘Kaggle Competitions’. I quickly got interested and decided to compete on this platform. Kaggle allowed me to measure my machine learning skills against competitors with PhDs or who are professional data scientists at large corporations. With this kind of competition naturally I did not win any prizes, but I worked with the same tools and saw how others gradually perfected a script, something which has helped my A Level studies immensely.

Introducing a new topic, the student again uses academic terminology to show how he has gone beyond the confines of his curriculum to explore the subject at a higher level. In this paragraph, he demonstrates that he has studied university-level Chemistry. Again, this helps the reader to see that this student is capable of studying for a Chemistry degree.

I have been keen to engage in activities beyond the classroom. For example, I have taken part in a range of extracurricular activities, including ballroom dancing, public speaking, trumpet, spoken Mandarin, and tennis, achieving a LAMDA distinction at level four for my public speaking. I have also participated in Kaggle competitions, as I’m extremely interested in machine learning. For example, I have used neural networks to determine the causes of Amazon deforestation from satellite pictures in the ‘Planet: Understanding the Amazon from Space’ competition. I believe that having worked on projects spanning several weeks or even months has allowed me to build a stamina that will be extremely useful when studying at university.

This penultimate paragraph introduces the student’s extracurricular interests, summing them up in a sentence. Those activities that can demonstrate skills that are transferable to the study of Chemistry are given a bit more explanation. The student’s descriptions in each paragraph are very detailed, with lots of specific information about awards, classes and teachers.

What I hope to gain from an undergraduate (and perhaps post-graduate) education in Chemistry is to deepen my knowledge of the subject and potentially have the ability to successfully launch a startup after university. I’m particularly interested in areas such as computational Chemistry and cheminformatics. However, I’m open to studying other areas in Chemistry, as it is a subject that truly captivates me.

In the conclusion, the student touches on his future plans, using specific terminology that shows his knowledge of Chemistry. This also reveals that he aims to have a career in this field, which many admission readers find appealing as it demonstrates a level of commitment to the subject.

UCAS PERSONAL STATEMENT EXAMPLE FOR VETERINARY MEDICINE

This next statement has to accomplish a number of tasks, given the subject the student is applying for. As a vocational degree, applicants for veterinary medicine are committing to a career as well as a subject to study, so they need to give information demonstrating they understand the reality of a career in this area. It also needs to explain their motivation for this interest, which quite often is demonstrated through work experience (something which is often a condition for entry into these programs). Finally, as this is a highly academic subject to study at university, the author should include a good level of academic terminology and experiences in the statement.

There is nothing more fascinating to me than experiencing animals in the wild, in their natural habitat where their behaviour is about the survival of their species. I was lucky enough to experience this when in Tanzania. While observing animals hunting, I became intrigued by their musculature and inspired to work alongside these animals to help them when they are sick, as a veterinarian.

In an efficient way, the applicant explains her motivation to become a vet, then squeezes in a bit of information about her experience with animals.

As a horse rider and owner for nearly ten years, I have sought opportunities to learn as much as I can about caring for the animal. I helped around the yard with grooming and exercise, bringing horses in and out from the fields, putting on rugs, and mucking out. I have also been working at a small animal vet clinic every other Saturday for over 2.5 years. There, my responsibilities include restocking and sterilising equipment, watching procedures, and helping in consultations. Exposure to different cases has expanded my knowledge of various aspects, such as assisting with an emergency caesarean procedure. Due to a lack of staff on a Saturday, I was put in charge of anaesthesia while the puppies were being revived. I took on this task without hesitation and recorded heart and respiration rate, capillary refill time, and gum colour every five minutes. Other placements following an equine vet, working on a polo farm, and volunteering at a swan sanctuary have also broadened my experience with different species and how each possesses various requirements. During pre-vet summer courses, I was also introduced to farm animals such as pigs, cows, sheep and chicken. I spend some time milking dairy cows and removing clustered dust from chicken feet, as well as tipping sheep in order to inspect their teats.

In this paragraph, she synthesizes personal experience with an academic understanding of vet medicine. She demonstrates that she is committed to animals (helping in the yard, regular Saturday work, assistance with procedures), that she has gained a variety of experiences, and that she understands some of the conditions (caesareans, clustered dust) that vets have to deal with. Note that she also briefly discusses ‘pre-vet summer courses,’ adding credibility to her level of experience.

I have focused on HL Biology and HL Chemistry for my IB Diploma. I was particularly excited to study cell biology and body systems because these subjects allowed me to comprehend how the body works and are applicable to animal body functions. Topics like DNA replication as well as cell transcription and translation have helped me form a fundamental understanding of genetics and protein synthesis, both important topics when looking into hereditary diseases in animals. Learning about chemical reactions made me consider the importance of pharmaceutical aspects of veterinary medicine, such as the production of effective medicine. Vaccines are essential and by learning about the chemical reactions, I f developed a more nuanced understanding about how they are made and work.

Now, the statement turns to academic matters, linking her IB subjects to the university studies she aspires to. She draws out one particular example that makes a clear link between school and university-level study.

I have also written my Extended Essay discussing the consequences of breeding laws in the UK and South Australia in relation to the development of genetic abnormalities in pugs and German shepherds. This topic is important, as the growing brachycephalic aesthetic of pugs is causing them to suffer throughout their lifetime. Pedigree dogs, such as the German shepherd, have a very small gene pool and as a result, hereditary diseases can develop. This becomes an ethical discussion, because allowing German shepherds to suffer is not moral; however, as a breed, they aid the police and thus serve society.

The IB Extended Essay (like an A Level EPQ or a Capstone project) is a great topic to discuss in a personal statement, as these activities are designed to allow students to explore subjects in greater detail.

The first sentence here is a great example of what getting more specific looks like because it engages more directly with what the student is actually writing about in this particular paragraph then it extrapolates a more general point of advice from those specificities.

By choosing to write her Extended Essay on a topic of relevance to veterinary medicine, she has given herself the opportunity to show the varied aspects of veterinary science. This paragraph proves to the reader that this student is capable and motivated to study veterinary medicine.

I have learned that being a veterinarian requires diagnostic skills as well as excellent communication and leadership skills. I understand the importance and ethics of euthanasia decisions, and the sensitivity around discussing it withanimal owners. I have developed teamwork and leadership skills when playing varsity football and basketball for four years. My communication skills have expanded through being a Model U.N. and Global Issues Network member.

This small paragraph on her extracurricular activities links them clearly to her intended area of study, both in terms of related content and necessary skills. From this, the reader gains the impression that this student has a wide range of relevant interests.

When I attend university, I not only hope to become a veterinarian, but also a leader in the field. I would like to research different aspects of veterinary medicine, such as diseases. As a vet, I would like to help work towards the One Health goal; allowing the maintenance of public health security. This affects vets because we are the ones working closely with animals every day.

In the conclusion, she ties things together and looks ahead to her career. By introducing the concept of ‘One Health’, she also shows once again her knowledge of the field she is applying to.

UCAS PERSONAL STATEMENT EXAMPLE FOR AERONAUTICAL ENGINEERING

Standing inside a wind tunnel is not something every 17 year old aspires to, but for me the opportunity to do so last year confirmed my long-held desire to become a mechanical engineer.

This introduction is efficient and provides a clear direction for the personal statement. Though it might seem that it should be more detailed, for a student applying to study a course that requires limited extended writing, being this matter-of-fact works fine.

I enjoy the challenge of using the laws of Physics, complemented with Mathematical backing, in the context of everyday life, which helps me to visualise and understand where different topics can be applied. I explored the field of aeronautics, specifically in my work experience with Emirates Aviation University. I explored how engineers apply basic concepts of air resistance and drag when I had the opportunity to experiment with the wind tunnel, which allowed me to identify how different wing shapes behave at diverse air pressures. My interest with robotics has led me to take up a year-long internship with MakersBuilders, where I had the chance to explore physics and maths on a different plane. During my internship I educated young teenagers on a more fundamental stage of building and programming, in particular when we worked on building a small robot and programmed the infra-red sensor in order to create self-sufficient movement. This exposure allowed me to improve my communication and interpersonal skills.

In this paragraph, the student adds evidence to the initial assertion that he enjoys seeing how Physics relates to everyday life. The descriptions of the work experiences he has had not only show his commitment to the subject, but also enable him to bring in some academic content to demonstrate his understanding of engineering and aeronautics.

I’m interested in the mechanics side of Maths such as circular motion and projectiles; even Pure Maths has allowed me to easily see patterns when working and solving problems in Computer Science. During my A Level Maths and Further Maths, I have particularly enjoyed working with partial fractions as they show how reverse methodology can be used to solve addition of fractions, which ranges from simple addition to complex kinematics. Pure Maths has also enabled me to better understand how 3D modelling works with the use of volumes of revolution, especially when I learned how to apply the calculations to basic objects like calculating the amount of water in a bottle or the volume of a pencil.

This paragraph brings in the academic content at school, which is important when applying for a subject such as engineering. This is because the admissions reader needs to be reassured that the student has covered the necessary foundational content to be able to cope with Year 1 of this course.

In my Drone Club I have been able to apply several methods of wing formation, such as the number of blades used during a UAS flight. Drones can be used for purposes such as in Air-sea Rescue or transporting food to low income countries. I have taken on the responsibility of leading and sharing my skills with others, particularly in the Drone Club where I gained the certification to fly drones. In coding club, I participated in the global Google Code competition related to complex, real-life coding, such as a program that allows phones to send commands to another device using Bluetooth. My Cambridge summer course on math and engineering included the origins of a few of the most important equations and ideologies from many mathematicians such as, E=mc2 from Einstein, I also got a head start at understanding matrices and their importance in kinematics. Last summer, I completed a course at UT Dallas on Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. The course was intuitive and allowed me to understand a different perspective of how robots and AI will replace humans to do complex and labour-intensive activities, customer service, driverless cars and technical support.

In this section, he demonstrates his commitment to the subject through a detailed list of extracurricular activities, all linked to engineering and aeronautics. The detail he gives about each one links to the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in these subjects at university.

I have represented Model UN as a delegate and enjoyed working with others to solve problems. For my Duke of Edinburgh Award, I partook in several activities such as trekking and playing the drums. I enjoy music and I have reached grade 3 for percussion. I have also participated in a range of charitable activities, which include assisting during Ramadan and undertaking fun-runs to raise money for cancer research.

As with the introduction, this is an efficient use of language, sharing a range of activities, each of which has taught him useful skills. The conclusion that follows is similarly efficient and to the point.

I believe that engineering is a discipline that will offer me a chance to make a tangible difference in the world, and I am certain I will enjoy the process of integrating technology with our everyday life.

UCAS PERSONAL STATEMENT EXAMPLE FOR ECONOMICS AND SOCIAL POLICY

Applying for a joint honours course presents a particular challenge of making the case that you are interested in the first subject, the second subject and (often overlooked) the combination of the two. In this example, the applicant uses her own academic studies and personal experiences to make her case.

I usually spend my summer breaks in Uttar Pradesh, India working at my grandparents’ NGO which produces bio-fertilizers for the poor. While working, I speak to many of the villagers in the nearby villages like Barokhar and Dharampur and have found out about the various initiatives the Government has taken to improve the production of wheat and rice. I understand the hardships they undergo and speaking to them has shown me the importance of Social Policy and the role the government plays in improving the lives of people and inspired me to pursue my university studies in this field.

In the introduction, this applicant explains where her interlinking experiences come from: she has personal experiences demonstrating how economics impacts the most vulnerable in society. In doing so, she shows the admissions reader that she has a deep interest in this combination and can move on to discussing each subject in turn.

My interest in these areas has been driven by the experiences I had at high school and beyond. I started attending Model United Nations in the 9th grade and have been to many conferences, discussing problems like the water crisis and a lack of sustainability in underdeveloped countries. These topics overlapped with my study of economics and exciting classroom discussions on what was going on how different events would impact economies, for instance how fluctuations in oil prices will affect standards of living. Studying Economics has expanded my knowledge about how countries are run and how macroeconomic policies shape the everyday experiences of individuals.

Unusually, this applicant does not go straight into her classroom experiences but instead uses one of her extracurricular activities (Model United Nations) in her first paragraph. For students applying for subjects that are not often taught at school (Social Policy in this example), this can be a good idea, as it allows you to bring in material that you have self-studied to explain why you are capable of studying each subject at university. Here, she uses MUN discussions to show she understands some topics in social policy that are impacting the world.

By taking up history as a subject in Grade 11 and 12, I have seen the challenges that people went through in the past, and how different ideas gained momentum in different parts of the world such as the growth of communism in Russia and China and how it spread to different countries during the Cold War. I learned about the different roles that governments played in times of hardships such as that which President Roosevelt’s New Deal played during the Great Depression. From this, I gained analytical skills by scrutinizing how different social, political and economic forces have moulded societies in the past.

In this paragraph, she then takes the nearest possible class to her interest in Social Policy and draws elements from it to add to her case for Social Policy. Taking some elements from her history classes enables her to add some content to this statement, before linking to the topic of economics.

To explore my interest in Economics, I interned at Emirates National Bank of Dubai, one of the largest banks in the Middle East, and also at IBM. At Emirates NBD, I undertook a research project on Cash Management methods in competitor banks and had to present my findings at the end of the internship. I also interned at IBM where I had to analyze market trends and fluctuations in market opportunity in countries in the Middle East and Africa. I had to find relations between GDP and market opportunity and had to analyze how market opportunity could change over the next 5 years with changing geo-political situations. I have also attended Harvard University’s Youth Lead the Change leadership conference where I was taught how to apply leadership skills to solve global problems such as gender inequality and poverty.

Economics is explored again through extracurriculars, with some detail added to the general statement about the activities undertaken during this work experience. Though the level of academics here is a little thin because this student’s high school did not offer any classes in Economics, she does as well as she can to bring in academic content.

I have partaken in many extra-curricular activities which have helped me develop the skills necessary for this course. Being a part of the Press Club at school gave me an opportunity to hone my talent for the written word and gave me a platform to talk about global issues. Volunteering at a local library taught me how to be organized. I developed research and analytical skills by undertaking various research projects at school such as the sector-wide contribution of the Indian economy to the GDP in the previous year. As a member of the Business and Economic Awareness Council at school, I was instrumental in organizing many economics-based events such as the Business Fair and Innovation Mela. Being part of various Face to Faith conferences has provided me with an opportunity to interact with students in Sierra Leone, India and Korea and understand global perspectives on issues like malaria and human trafficking.

The extracurricular activities are revisited here, with the first half of this paragraph showing how the applicant has some transferable skills from her activities that will help her with this course. She then revisits her interest in the course studies, before following up with a closing section that touches on her career goals:

The prospect of pursuing these two subjects is one that I eagerly anticipate and I look forward to meeting the challenge of university. In the future, I wish to become an economist and work at a think tank where I will be able to apply what I have learnt in studying such an exciting course.

UCAS PERSONAL STATEMENT EXAMPLE FOR HISTORY OF ART & PHILOSOPHY

This applicant is also a joint-honours applicant, and again is applying for a subject that she has not been able to study at school. Thus, bringing in her own interest and knowledge of both subjects is crucial here.

At the age of four, I remember an argument with my mother: I wanted to wear a pink ballerina dress with heels, made for eight-year-olds, which despite my difficulty in staying upright I was determined to wear. My mother persistently engaged in debate with me about why it was not ok to wear this ensemble in winter. After two hours of patiently explaining to me and listening to my responses she convinced me that I should wear something different, the first time I remember listening to reason. It has always been a natural instinct for me to discuss everything, since in the course of my upbringing I was never given a simple yes or no answer. Thus, when I began studying philosophy, I understood fully my passion for argument and dialogue.

This is an unusual approach to start a UCAS Personal Statement, but it does serve to show how this student approaches the world and why this combination of subjects might work for her. Though it could perhaps be drawn out more explicitly, here she is combining an artistic issue (her clothes) with a philosophical concern (her debate with her mother) to lead the reader into the case she is making for admission into this program.

This was first sparked academically when I was introduced to religious ethics; having a fairly Christian background my view on religion was immature. I never thought too much of the subject as I believed it was just something my grandparents did. However, when opened up to the arguments about god and religion, I was inclined to argue every side. After research and discussion, I was able to form my own view on religion without having to pick a distinctive side to which theory I would support. This is what makes me want to study philosophy: it gives an individual personal revelation towards matters into which they may not have given too much thought to.

There is some good content here that discusses the applicant’s interest in philosophy and her own motivation for this subject, though there is a lack of academic content here.

Alongside this, taking IB Visual Arts HL has opened my artistic views through pushing me out of my comfort zone. Art being a very subjective course, I was forced to choose an opinion which only mattered to me, it had no analytical nor empirical rights or wrongs, it was just my taste in art. From studying the two subjects alongside each other, I found great value, acquiring a certain form of freedom in each individual with their dual focus on personalized opinion and taste in many areas, leading to self- improvement.

In this section, she uses her IB Visual Arts class to explore how her interest in philosophy bleeds into her appreciation of art. Again, we are still awaiting the academic content, but the reader will by now be convinced that the student has a deep level of motivation for this subject. When we consider how rare this combination is, with very few courses for this combination available, the approach to take slightly longer to establish can work.

For this reason, I find the work of Henry Moore fascinating. I am intrigued by his pieces, especially the essence of the ‘Reclining Nude’ model, as the empty holes inflicted on the abstract human body encouraged my enthusiasm for artistic interpretation. This has led me to contemplate the subtlety, complexity and merit of the role of an artist. Developing an art piece is just as complex and refined as writing a novel or developing a theory in Philosophy. For this reason, History of Art conjoins with Philosophy, as the philosophical approach towards an art piece is what adds context to the history as well as purpose behind it.

Finally, we’re given the academic content. Cleverly, the content links both the History of Art and Philosophy together through a discussion of the work of Henry Moore. Finding examples that conjoin the subjects that make up a joint-honours application is a great idea and works well here.

Studying Philosophy has allowed me to apply real life abstractions to my art, as well as to glean a deeper critical analysis of art in its various mediums. My IB Extended Essay examined the 1900s Fauve movement, which made a huge breakthrough in France and Hungary simultaneously. This was the first artistic movement which was truly daring and outgoing with its vivid colours and bold brush strokes. My interest expanded to learning about the Hungarian artists in this movement led by Henri Matisse. Bela Czobel was one of the few who travelled to France to study but returned to Hungary, more specifically Nagybanya, to bestow what he had learned.

Again in this paragraph, the author connects the subjects. Students who are able to undertake a research project in their high school studies (such as the IB Extended Essay here, or the A Level Extended Project or AP Capstone) can describe these in their UCAS personal statements, as this level of research in an area of academic study can enliven and add depth to the writing, as is the case here.

As an international student with a multicultural background, I believe I can adapt to challenging or unfamiliar surroundings with ease. I spent two summers working at a nursery in Hungary as a junior Assistant Teacher, where I demonstrated leadership and teamwork skills that I had previously developed through commitment to sports teams. I was a competitive swimmer for six years and have represented my school internationally as well as holding the school record for 100m backstroke. I was elected Deputy Head of my House, which further reflects my dedication, leadership, teamwork and diligence.

As in the previous examples, this statement gives a good overview of the applicant’s extracurricular activities, with a mention of skills that will be beneficial to her studies at university. She then concludes with a brief final sentence:

I hope to carry these skills with me into my university studies, allowing me to enrich my knowledge and combine my artistic and philosophical interests.

UCAS PERSONAL STATEMENT EXAMPLE FOR LIBERAL ARTS

A good range of UK universities now offer courses called ‘Liberal Arts’ (or similar titles such as ‘Flexible Combined Honours’), which allows students to study a broader topic of study–perhaps combining three or four subjects–than is typically available in the UK system.

This presents a challenge in the personal statement, as within the 47 line / 4000 character limit, the applicant will have to show academic interest and knowledge in a range of subjects while also making the case to be admitted for this combined programme of study.

As a child I disliked reading; however, when I was 8, there was one particular book that caught my attention: The Little Prince. From that moment onwards, my love for literature was ignited and I had entered into a whirlwind of fictional worlds. While studying and analysing the classics from The Great Gatsby to Candide, this has exposed me to a variety of novels. My French bilingualism allowed me to study, in great depth, different texts in their original language. This sparked a new passion of mine for poetry, and introduced me to the works of Arthur Rimbaud, who has greatly influenced me. Through both reading and analysing poetry I was able to decipher its meaning. Liberal Arts gives me the opportunity to continue to study a range of texts and authors from different periods in history, as well as related aspects of culture, economy and society.

Here we have a slightly longer than usual opening paragraph, but given the nature of the course being applied for this works well. A personal story segueing from literature to modern languages to history and cultural studies shows that this student has a broad range of interests within the humanities and thus is well-suited to this course of study.

Liberal Arts is a clear choice for me. Coming from the IB International Baccalaureate Diploma programme I have studied a wide range of subjects which has provided me with a breadth of knowledge. In Theatre, I have adapted classics such as Othello by Shakespeare, and playing the role of moreover acting as Desdemona forced me to compartmentalise her complex emotions behind the early-modern English text. Studying History has taught me a number of skills; understanding the reasons behind changes in society, evaluating sources, and considering conflicting interpretations. From my interdisciplinary education I am able to critically analyse the world around me. Through studying Theory of Knowledge, I have developed high quality analysis using key questions and a critical mindset by questioning how and why we think and why. By going beyond the common use of reason, I have been able to deepen greaten my understanding and apply my ways of knowing in all subjects; for example in science I was creative in constructing my experiment (imagination) and used qualitative data (sense perception).

Students who are taking the IB Diploma, with its strictures to retain a broad curriculum, are well-suited to the UK’s Liberal Arts courses, as they have had practice seeing the links between subjects. In this paragraph, the applicant shows how she has done this, linking content from one subject to skills developed in another, and touching on the experience of IB Theory of Knowledge (an interdisciplinary class compulsory for all IB Diploma students) to show how she is able to see how different academic subjects overlap and share some common themes.

Languages have always played an important role in my life. I was immersed into a French nursery even though my parents are not French speakers. I have always cherished the ability to speak another language; it is something I have never taken for granted, and it is how I individualise myself. Being bilingual has allowed me to engage with a different culture. As a result, I am more open minded and have a global outlook. This has fuelled my desire to travel, learn new languages and experience new cultures. This course would provide me with the opportunity to fulfil these desires. Having written my Extended Essay in French on the use of manipulative language used by a particular character from the French classic Dangerous Liaisons I have had to apply my skills of close contextual reading and analysing to sculpt this essay. These skills are perfectly applicable to the critical thinking that is demanded for the course.

Within the humanities, this student has a particular background that makes her stand out, having become fluent in French while having no French background nor living in a French-speaking country. This is worth her exploring to develop her motivation for a broad course of study at university, which she does well here.

Studying the Liberal Arts will allow me to further my knowledge in a variety of fields whilst living independently and meeting people from different backgrounds. The flexible skills I would achieve from obtaining a liberal arts degree I believe would make me more desirable for future employment. I would thrive in this environment due to my self discipline and determination. During my school holidays I have undertaken working in a hotel as a chambermaid and this has made me appreciate the service sector in society and has taught me to work cohesively with others in an unfamiliar environment. I also took part in a creative writing course held at Keats House, where I learnt about romanticism. My commitment to extracurricular activities such as varsity football and basketball has shown me the importance of sportsmanship and camaraderie, while GIN (Global Issue Networking) has informed me of the values of community and the importance for charitable organisations.

The extracurricular paragraph here draws out a range of skills the student will apply to this course. Knowing that taking a broader range of subjects at a UK university requires excellent organizational skills, the student takes time to explain how she can meet these, perhaps going into slightly more detail than would be necessary for a single-honours application to spell out that she is capable of managing her time well. She then broadens this at the end by touching on some activities that have relevance for her studies.

My academic and personal preferences have always led me to the Liberal Arts; I feel as though the International Baccalaureate, my passion and self-discipline have prepared me for higher education. From the academics, extracurriculars and social aspects, I intend to embrace the entire experience of university.

In the final section, the candidate restates how she matches this course.

Overall, you can see how the key factor in a UCAS statement is the academic evidence, with students linking their engagement with a subject to the course of study that they are applying to. Using the courtroom exercise analogy, the judge here should be completely convinced that the case has been made, and will, therefore issue an offer of admittance to that university.

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Quotes In A Personal Statement: What You Need To Know

There is a great deal of debate around the use of quotes in personal statements, with assumption and misinformation rife. Unless the application guidelines specifically prohibit the use of quotes in a personal statement, you are free to use them, but only if they add value . Here’s the answer to how you should use quotes in a personal statement…

You can use quotes in a personal statement to evidence your wider reading and subject knowledge or to put your personal experiences into context for the reader. Quotes can also help you compare opinions, define positions and engage the reader when used appropriately.

There’s lots of detail on how to use quotes for each of these purposes, as well as the pitfalls to avoid, below…

Use a Quote to Evidence Wider Reading and Knowledge

Using a quote to show that you have undertaken and understood an aspect of wider reading related to your application is a powerful way to engage the reader. You need to make sure that the quote is relevant and that it actually demonstrates that you have read a book or article, not that you just used the first result that came up when you Googled it. Evidencing that you have a comprehensive understanding of the sector or industry into which your subject falls and the contemporary challenges within your field of study is vital, and using a brief quote to support your own original opinion is an ideal way to do this.

Look at the image below.

I’ve used the search term ‘quotes on Geography’ and immediately I have a range of options from which to choose. Maybe I think the first one looks good; it’s a relevant quote, and a well-known source. The problem here is that thousands of other people will do the same, and including this quote doesn’t show any evidence of a depth of knowledge or understanding in the eyes of an admissions officer. It is also far too long for most personal statement length limits, and you may end up with too much of your content being someone else’s words.

It would be far more compelling to have read a significant book on contemporary geography , and to be able to use a specific, relevant quote from somewhere within that book. That would show wider reading and knowledge, but also a far higher level of commitment to your intended course of study than a quick internet search.

Use a Quote to Contextualise Personal Experience

A quotation can be used to convey an aspect of your own life experience more convincingly than a simple description of a moment or encounter might. If you have been inspired by a person in real life, online, in a storybook, in your research or in popular culture, and it’s relevant to the point you want to make , then use a quote. Some examples of the kinds of quotations that might underpin a powerful point in a personal statement might be…

Everyone has the right to compassionate healthcare, free at the point of delivery. Someone Inspiring

Perhaps you attended a lecture in the past, or heard a speech that you’ve always remembered, and words similar to the ones above motivated you to pursue a study of Medicine. You might well want to use the quote to introduce and outline your commitment, your focus or your ambition.

You can make a difference to the world if you study hard. A Parent or Grandparent

Maybe you had a parent or grandparent who gave you this piece of advice and you’ve never forgotten it. Perhaps it plays a part in your desire to study Engineering or Physics. If so, it might be a legitimate quote to use to introduce your connection with the subject.

To read is to enter another world. To write is to open the door to that world for generations to come. Your favourite Author

This could easily be a quote from the introduction to a childhood book that might have prompted your creativity or inspired your imagination. As a consequence, this could be a wonderfully relevant quote to use in a personal statement related to the creative arts or literature. Any quote can be compelling to the reader and illustrate your connection to a subject or industry if it genuinely acts as a relevant link between your experiences, the course and your academic ambitions.

Use a Quote to Compare and Contrast Viewpoints

If your personal statement is one which could successfully utilise opposing viewpoints to show understanding and wider research, then quotations can be an excellent way to evidence a depth of understanding whilst writing in a concise way. Don’t use too many quotes to achieve this, as you will end up with a personal statement that seems repetitive and tells the reader more about the quotes than about the applicant, but judicious use of this technique can certainly be effective.

Suppose you are writing a personal statement related to Theatre Studies. To show your understanding of key practitioners and artistic movements, as well as your own approach to practice, you might begin with a comparative quote. Maybe something like…

You could then go on to discuss your own experiences in more detail, relating them to the demands of the course. By comparing other perspectives through the use of quotations, not only do you show a depth of understanding, but you provide a context for your own approach.

If you want to illustrate opposing viewpoints whilst also offering a relevant opinion, your passage might look something like this…

Mistakes You MUST Avoid When Using Quotations

Now that you have some examples of the most effective ways to use quotes in your personal statement, it is worth finishing with a consideration of the mistakes to avoid when using quotations…

Do not use quotes if they cause your personal statement to pass the word limit or veer off-topic. They should be avoided if too much of your own voice is lost, or their use becomes repetitive. Quotations that are commonly used, used without relevance or used inaccurately will harm, not support your application.

If you would like some advice on getting started with your personal statement , then check this post out, or use this resource to develop some excellent sentence starters.

Last of all, don’t forget to check out Grammarly . It’s a tremendously effective, free software application that helps you get your spelling and grammar to a precise and accurate level. I often recommend it to the applicants I work with, especially if the are plannin gto move in into higher education, where it is an essential for essays and papers. You can check out the benefits here or clik the banner.

Good luck with your personal statement, and don’t forget to contact me if you’d like some 1-1 support. You’ve got this! D

Research and content verified by Personal Statement Planet.

David Hallen

I've worked in the Further Education and University Admissions sector for nearly 20 years as a teacher, department head, Head of Sixth Form, UCAS Admissions Advisor, UK Centre Lead and freelance personal statement advisor, editor and writer. And now I'm here for you...

How to write a good UCAS Personal Statement

Last revised June 2019.

The Personal Statement is the only part of the UCAS application form which gives you a chance to say something about yourself, and at the same time make a positive impression. It is vital to get it right and this guide explains how to put a good UCAS Personal Statement together. As our advice article Six Top Tips for an outstanding UCAS form explains, your Personal Statement may well be the deciding factor in getting you a university offer.

Tackle the UCAS Personal Statement in stages

Getting started can be tough, but if you approach the task in stages, you will find it easier. Get started early so that you can give the process the time it will need. You can't do this well in one big session! UCAS advise you to start a month before you submit the application. We agree, and even earlier is better. Starting before the summer holidays is ideal: it gives you time to do all the necessary thinking and to beef up your statement if you need to. Don't leave the UCAS Personal Statement to the last minute!

You'll fill in your UCAS Form online, UCAS online provide a personal statement worksheet and personal statement tool, but they're just worksheets with headings. We think it is better to start off by working off-line so that you don't feel under pressure (the UCAS online form times out without saving after 35 minutes of inactivity!). You can paste the results into UCAS online later.

Here are the stages to follow to put a great UCAS Personal Statement together

Find out the admissions selection criteria for your course
List everything that might possibly go into the Statement.
Decide what to actually include in your Personal Statement
Sort out the order for your points
Decide on style and supporting detail
Write your first draft

Each stage is described in detail in the sections below. Just click the + to expand a section.

Stage 1: Find out the admissions selection criteria for your course The very first thing to do is to check out what the university website says about the courses you are applying for, and look at the course entry profiles you’ll find there and on the UCAS website. What you say on the form about your reasons for choosing the course and about your interests, skills and experience, must match up to the criteria admissions tutors use to assess your application.

Write down this vital information and keep checking it as your Personal Statement takes shape. Ask yourself ‘does what I’m saying fit in well with the admissions profile?’ and keep working until you can say ‘ yes ‘.

Stage 2: List everything that might go in the Statement Start off by making a list of everything you might include, under two headings:

My reasons for choosing the course
My interests, achievements and experience

Don’t worry about the detail, or quality of expression of what you jot down. You’ll sort those out later. Just write down as many ideas as you can under each heading, in whatever order the ideas come to you.

My reasons for choosing the course:

You need to explain why you have chosen the course you want. Even if it follows directly from one of your A levels you should explain why you want to spend three more years studying that subject. Read the university course descriptions carefully, and if it’s an subject you haven’t studied before you definitely need to show you know what’s involved. In this part of the Statement you want to show that:

You’re enthusiastic about the course
You know what the course involves
You’ve got the necessary skills to do well in that course

Here are some ideas:

Reasons related to your A levels. Are there aspects of the A-level subjects you are taking (the content and the approach to learning) which you particularly like and which are relevant to the degree you want to study? If so, write about them in your Statement. It is not enough to say ‘I like History, therefore I’m applying for a History degree’. You need to say why you like History.
Career plans: Need mentioning, even if you are still undecided. If you have a career in mind you should describe why you are attracted to that career. This is really important for ‘professional’ careers (Law, Medicine, etc.). Just write down what you sincerely feel. Later on you can worry about making your reasons compelling to the reader
Experience: Include any relevant experience via family and friends, work experience or shadowing, etc. This is essential for medicine-related courses and valuable for any other career- oriented course. Have you any other experiences (such as part-time job) which help reinforce your commitment to your chosen degree?
Relevant skills: Check the Course Entry Profiles again. Do they mention any specific skills? It might be that there’s something you’ve done outside the classroom which can show you’ve got what admissions tutors want.

If you are applying for more than one subject area you have two choices. One is to emphasise the subject which is most competitive, while at the same time making the point that you have a real interest in the safety-net subject too. The second is to find reasons which are applicable to both courses (but beware of vague generalities). Advice on what to say may be necessary here!

Other interests, achievements and experience:

Work through the checklist below to write down a list of things you might include. Don’t worry about the order at this stage:

Responsibilities: In school, as a member of a club, in the community
Voluntary work: For example, with children, old people, the disabled
Sport: Sport you play in or out of college. Any special achievements such as college/club/ etc teams
Awards: For example, music, Duke of Edinburgh, sport, drama
Work: Spare-time jobs, work experience, etc
Hobbies, etc: The things you get up to in your spare time, activities in or out of school etc
Other interests: For example, reading, listening to / making music
Travel: Holidays, field-trips, exchanges, education abroad.

Show the list to friends, teachers, parents, etc. and ask for suggestions. They may well remind you of things you had forgotten or that you thought weren’t important. You are not expected to be an expert in everything you include here, so don’t shy away from mentioning minor interests. On the other hand, the UCAS Personal Statement is a major source of discussion at interview (though interviews are rare in most subjects) , and your referee will read your Personal Statement before finalising your reference, so don’t make stuff up.

Stage 3: Decide what to include in your UCAS Personal Statement Now that you have a list of possible things to say, you need to think about how to use the ideas. Don’t worry yet about the exact words or order of sentences, but think about how the things you have listed might fill the available space when you write about them.

Here’s where the course entry profile comes in. At least half of the UCAS Personal Statement needs to show that you have chosen carefully and that you meet the course entry profile. Your reasons for choosing the subject are directly relevant here, and your ‘other interests’ list might well provide some relevant points too.

The more competitive the course is, the more you need to emphasise your academic and personal suitability.To quote an admissions tutor: “We typically say that about 75-80 per cent should be related to your academic study and interest in the course and for 20-25 per cent to be related to non-academic life.”

Other Achievements, experience and interests will occupy most of the rest of the Statement, leaving a final line or two for a conclusion. You can enter up to 4,000 characters (including spaces) or 47 lines of text (including blank lines between paragraphs), whichever comes first. This limit applies to the official UCAS form you fill in online. If you’re writing offline you may find that your software doesn’t count spaces or uses different line lengths.

With any luck you will find that your points just about fit the space – you don’t have to fill every line, but a half-filled page looks thin.

If you have too much material, drop the points which are old / trivial / repetitive. Thin out points which emphasise the same area of achievement (eg lists of sporting interests, books read etc ).

You can save a surprising amount of space by getting rid of ‘nothing-words’ ( as one student puts it ) like ‘particularly’ and ‘really’ and ‘very’ and ‘relatively’, and your Statement will have more impact too. In the next stage you will focus on finding the right words for the points you want to make. It’s essential to keep language simple and direct.

If you don’t have enough material , review your lists from Step 1. Did you leave out something because you felt it wasn’t important? You don’t have to be an expert to be able to include an interest – you just need to be able to say a little bit about it.

Another option is simply to say more about each of the points you have got. Supporting detail is an important part of the UCAS Personal Statement anyway (see below). But….it is better to be concise than to fill up space with generalisations – quality is more important than quantity.

If you are asking for ‘deferred entry’ (you have decided you want to have a GAP year) you must include a brief comment on your plans for the year off. This often fits naturally at the very end of the Personal Statement.

Stage 4: Sort out the order for your points You want the Statement to read well, rather than come across like a set of bullet points . Try to connect what you have to say so that there is a flow of ideas, but don’t waste space on long connecting sentences.

Start with your reasons for choosing the course, particularly if you have good supporting information (e.g. helping in a hospital supports an application to study medicine).

Putting the rest of the Personal Statement in order may be more awkward, but the following example shows how to tackle it. Suppose you have these points to fit in:

School volleyball team
House representative
I like reading
Scuba diving
Have travelled
Helped at play-school
Got first aid certificate
Duke of Edinburgh bronze award.

You could start with 2 leading to 6 (both school-based and responsible), on to 7 and 8 (same sort of things, and 6, 7 might have counted towards the award). Then move onto sport. 1 first (still linked to school), then 4 (personal leisure), which might lead to 5 (places where you dived?). This leaves 3, which doesn’t follow on quite so naturally, but is linked, just about, through it being a leisure activity.

Each person is different, has different points to make, different details to add, but the principle of finding links to make the ideas flow into each other is the same for all .

Finding a good way to start and finish your UCAS Personal Statement needs thought. The first sentence should ease the reader into what follows. Ideally it should say something which makes him or her think “that’s interesting, I’m looking forward to reading the rest”. That’s a tricky sentence to come up with, but don’t get too stressed trying to come up with something startling – it’s the impression the whole statement makes which is important, not just the first line of it.

The ending is probably a bit easier. Like the conclusion to an essay, you need to finish in a way that rounds the writing off . There’s no best approach to this, but a good option is go back to your reasons for choosing that degree, or for going to university generally, especially if you can refer to something relevant that you will do between now and when the course begins.

If you’re finding it hard to come up with a good order for the things you want to say, try putting each chunk of information into a separate paragraph, print out the result, cut it up into paragraphs and move them around on your desk to try different arrangements. You’re looking for a combination which works when you read it out loud to yourself and to others. That may feel like an awkward thing to do but it’s an excellent way to check whether your Personal Statement works.

Stage 5: Decide on style and supporting detail You now need to decide on the general style to aim at and the amount of detail to include for each point you make.

The best style to aim for is one of relaxed intelligence. Spelling, accuracy of grammar and effective vocabulary are very important in creating the right impression. There’s more about these qualities later.

Supporting detail makes the UCAS Personal Statement individual and convincing. It’s vital to strike a personal note: it makes you stand out from the crowd. Supporting detail makes your writing come alive . For example, don’t just write down ‘I like reading’ but include what you read. Ditto for music: what do you listen to? It doesn’t have to be high-brow.

When describing experiences, add something about what you got out of it – a highlight, an impression, a useful skill. ‘I have had a regular Saturday job’ is not as good as ‘I have a regular Saturday job working as a cashier at a local supermarket. Even better is to add ‘This has given me an insight into the importance of good customer relations and of the potential of information technology to transform jobs.’ This allows your commitment and enthusiasm to show through. ‘Show not tell’ sums this up. “Don’t just tell me what you did – show me how why it’s relevant to the application.”

Avoid clichés, especially if you feel tempted to talk about how travel ‘enables me to experience and understand other cultures’. Everyone says that. Find something fresh to say.

If you have fewer things to say you can go into more detail. However, the writing must remain concise, and it is better to leave empty space than to fill it all with vague sentences.

Helpful comments from admissions tutors include:

‘The section should provide insight into the student’s thinking in relation to themselves and their future.’
‘It should be more than just a description of experiences; achievement and effect upon the individual should be emphasised.’
‘Originality – eg, starting with a quotation from Goethe – should not be discouraged but should only occur where the applicant feels comfortable with the expression of originality. A touch of humour in reflecting on achievement or lack of achievement is probably the simplest and most natural way of making the statement really personal. It is, however, an approach which applicants should use sparingly and with care.’

Step 6: Write your first draft

You know what you want to say and how to order your material. Now put it into effective prose by writing it out as a first draft. Here are some ‘Do’s and ‘Don’ts.

Do pay attention to the flow of ideas.
Do ensure that your grammar is correct and that your spelling is accurate. Don’t just rely on spell-check – Admissions staff might be amused by an applicant who promises “I can bare anything I’m asked to” but they won’t be impressed.
Do use appropriate vocabulary. Use words with precise meanings, but avoid pretentious language or giving the impression you just swallowed a dictionary. When you get others to read your Personal Statement, ask them to pick out anything they think sounds forced or false.
Do include supportive detail.
Do be positive about yourself and show real enthusiasm for and knowledge of your chosen subject area.
Do use humour if you like, but use it sparingly. An admissions tutor might not share your sense of fun.
Don’t use repetitive language (I like, I like, etc).
Don’t use clichés.
Don’t write things out as long lists. Short but connected sentences are better.
Don’t ask rhetorical questions. ‘So why am I suited to become a law student?’ is a waste of words.
Don’t make unsupported claims for yourself. ‘I am the best student you will see all year’ doesn’t go down too well, even if you think you can prove it!
Don’t strike a negative or apologetic note. If you feel it’s essential to explain something problematic about your background, find a positive way to do so.
Don’t copy someone else’s UCAS Personal Statement or use something you find on the internet, or pay to get it done! UCAS use plagiarism software to check every Personal Statement for copying – and will penalise you if you do.
Don’t make mistakes in grammar and spelling.
Don’t use slang/abbreviations etc.
Don’t overdo the humour. You want to be taken seriously.
Don’t spend ages describing things you did when you were much younger. Recent is best.
Don’t repeat any information that can be found elsewhere on the form (like results) – it is a waste of space.
Don’t name specific universities in your Statement. The other universities won’t like it

Talk to your adviser about all the above, but don’t expect him or her to write the whole thing for you.

Getting this first draft down on paper is the hardest bit. You may need to polish it up and rewrite it later, but that’s not as tough as this first draft

Read your draft out loud to yourself. That’s the best way to see whether it makes sense and whether it sounds ‘natural’ rather than a lumpy list of statements. Then show your first draft to people whose opinion you respect and ask for feedback. If the feedback makes sense, rewrite the statement! But don’t rewrite every time someone makes a suggestion: it’s your statement after all.

The admissions tutor must ‘hear’ your authentic voice when reading your Statement.

Very few people get the UCAS Personal Statement right first time. If you find yourself sweating blood over it you will be in good company, but don’t skimp on the effort. You will be lucky to get away with rewriting it only twice.

For more about the UCAS Form and Personal Statement in particular, visit the UCAS website.

Six top tips for an outstanding UCAS form

Further advice articles

FAQs about A-level retakes and options for resitting
Exam remarks - what to do, and when - updated for 2023
Appealing against your A-level or GCSE results in 2023
One year A-levels courses at CIFE colleges
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How I wrote my UCAS personal statement

Need help writing a great UCAS personal statement? Pharmacy student Parsa is on hand to share her personal statement tips with you.

Hi, my names Parsa, I am a 4th year pharmacy student at University of Central Lancashire. Writing a personal statement can be very stressful and time consuming, I hope my tips help you to write the very best statement.

What is a UCAS personal statement?

A personal statement is precisely what it sounds like: personal. Personal to your strengths, weaknesses, hobbies, and passions. Your personal statement is a great way to display your passion for your chosen subject and show the university you’re applying to why you’re the best match.

First things first

Do your research to find the right course for you, this is the most important factor to ensure you get the most out of your university life and set the foundations for your future career path.

Applying for university can be very daunting, it’s essential to research as much as possible what course you would like to apply to. Think of your strengths, weaknesses, what professions you find interesting. Have you ever imaged yourself as a pharmacist, doctor, nurse, engineer, occupational therapist, or vet? I would recommend spending some time looking through university a course catalogues and visiting Open Days. This will help narrow down your options and help you decide which route you’re interested in going down.

Look at different prospectuses and visit Open Days to find the course for you

Let’s start writing

When I began my personal statement, I started by mapping out my experiences, skills, and goals.

After mapping out the above, I started writing the introduction. Within this paragraph I reflected on my experiences, both academic and extracurricular. I thought about the skills I had developed and the achievements I was proud of. I spent some time planning out these ideas, working out how to connect these experiences to my chosen field of study which is Pharmacy. I found mind maps very useful as a great planning resource. I began with a captivating introduction to grab the reader's attention, making sure it showcased my passion for Pharmacy. You should discuss any research/academic interests you have and how they align with the courses offerings. This provides an insight on how passionate you are to pursue this course.

Map out your experiences before you start your statement

Demonstrate your commitment

Throughout the personal statement, I used specific examples and anecdotes that showcased my knowledge and personal growth. I made sure to connect these experiences to my future goals and how they would align with me being a pharmacist. You should aim to include any relevant work experience or volunteering activities that demonstrates your commitment to your chosen course. I included specific examples of projects I had been involved in and how they had impacted my understanding and passion for becoming a pharmacist. This helped to show my enthusiasm and motivation for pursuing further studies within the pharmacy industry.

Be authentic

Throughout my statement, I focused on being authentic, genuine and allowing my personality to shine through. I avoided clichés and instead focused on providing unique insights into my journey and motivations. I also paid attention to the structure and flow of my writing, ensuring that each paragraph transitioned smoothly into the next.

Once I had completed my first draft, I proofread it multiple times to ensure it was clear and error-free. I checked for grammar, spelling and any punctuation errors.

Ask for your friends, mentors and family to proofread your personal statement

Get feedback from your peers

I sought feedback from trusted mentors, friends, and family members to gain different perspectives and make improvements. I made sure to conclude my personal statement with a strong closing statement that summarized my main points and left a lasting impression on the reader. I ended my personal statement on a positive and memorable note.

Rome wasn’t built in a day

An excellent personal statement will not be ready within a couple of hours, it can take a few days, and this is okay. Sometimes taking a break can help refresh and energise your brain. Remember Rome was not built in a day. Good luck!

Top tips for an excellent personal statement:

You can apply for up to 5 courses on UCAS, however you can only submit 1 personal statement. Ensure all your points cover all your choices, limiting confusion for the reader.
Have teachers, friends and family proofread. Be open to take feedback on board and then initiate this once you have understood the feedback.
Show passion in your chosen subject, be open and honest as to why they should choose you. Why do you think you’re the best fit out of thousands applying?
Use tools like Grammarly, an amazing website, assisting writers with eliminating spelling, punctuation, and grammar mistakes.
Don’t wait until last minute to write your personal statement, as you don’t want it to seem rushed. Planning out is essential, I’d recommend mapping out your personal statement on a A3 sheet of paper, this helped me create a strong structure, limiting any repetitiveness.

Be confident in sharing your unique experiences and how they have shaped your aspirations. Good luck, we are to support you every step of the way!

How to write your personal statement

How to apply to university

Why choose us?

Quotation marks

To enclose an exact copy of words written or said by someone else

Quotes of all lengths, from a single word to a whole paragraph, should be shown between single quotation marks 'like this'.

Quotations of several paragraphs are written with opening quotation marks at the beginning of every paragraph, but closing quotation marks only at the end of the final one.

Direct speech is written with single quotation marks, and is introduced by a comma or a colon:

The customer service adviser said, 'I can alter that immediately'.

Use double quotation marks for quotations within quotations.

Punctuation within quotation marks

Commas and full stops go inside or outside quotation marks as appropriate. When quoted words are used as part of a longer sentence, it may be necessary to change pronouns, cases or tenses. Changes should be enclosed in square brackets.

Sam says his interest in geography was sparked by 'wonderful school trips', and then describes how he did some voluntary work in archaeology which, 'unsurprisingly, heightened [his] awareness of how the landscape had been used in the past'.

The position of question marks and exclamation points depends on whether the question or exclamation is part of the quotation, or part of the sentence containing the quotation.

The personal statement included misspellings such as 'aragant'! The reference stated, 'This student is exceptional!'

Avoid using quotation marks around product names, such as Apply, Track, Tariff, ot titles of reports and books etc.

Biden falters as Trump unleashes falsehoods during presidential debate

Medium Text

First 2024 presidential debate in Atlanta

NAME-CALLING

Reporting by Helen Coster and Steve Holland, additional reporting by Nandita Bose, Rami Ayyub, James Oliphant, Eric Beech, Stephanie Kelly, Nathan Layne, Kanishka Singh, Moira Warburton; Writing by Joseph Ax and Andy Sullivan; Editing by Ross Colvin, Kieran Murray and Howard Goller

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. New Tab , opens new tab

Thomson Reuters

Helen Coster is a U.S. Presidential Election Correspondent at Reuters, where she writes a mix of spot news, enterprise and analysis stories, with a focus on the Republican Party and conservative media. Prior to 2024 she covered the media industry for Reuters, and was also a Senior Editor on Reuters’ Commentary team. A graduate of Princeton University, she has reported from six countries, including Pakistan, India, and Greece.

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during the Constitutional Convention of UNITE HERE in New York

World Chevron

City of London financial district seen in London

UK election brings few hopes or fears to cautious City of London

The UK financial sector is warming to Labour's pro-business overtures and pledges to provide stability and support, but many in the City remain wary it could be targeted to prop up Britain's stretched public finances further down the line.

Personal statement advice: English

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What do English tutors look for in a personal statement?

If you're about to start drafting your personal statement, thinking about this question is a good place to kick off your thought process. Here's what a couple of admissions tutors we spoke to said...

‘A succinct and focused statement that:

specifies the kind of books you enjoy
details the specific aspects of literary study that appeal to you and, crucially, why
is written in good English (naturally), using correct punctuation and uncomplicated syntax.

‘You should be specific about the texts, contexts, and critical tendencies that really excite you. We read hundreds of statements each year, but genuine passion and detail will always catch our eye.

Which texts and authors should you cover?

Do use your statement as an opportunity to discuss one or two specific writers you're interested in – and preferably one who isn’t on the GCSE or A-Level English syllabus. It's a great way of demonstrating your interests and what inspires you about the study of literature.

Be genuine. Tutors want to hear an account in your own words of those books and features of literature that you found most enjoyable. But, while you might want to try and think outside the box by picking a more unusual novelist or poem, don't be obscure just for the sake of it. An insightful, imaginative, and critical response to literature is what will impress, not what's on your bookshelf.

As Keele University says, it’s fine to talk about your wider cultural insights too, such as plays you’ve seen or pieces of journalism you’ve liked.

What else should you include?

A strong opening – like the literary greats, you need to engage the reader from the very first line. Avoid gimmicks by keeping it specific. 'I don’t want a philosophical essay on the joys of reading, I want to know what turns you on about literature – start with that', one admissions tutor told us.
Evidence that demonstrates you're an analytical reader – not just someone who enjoys reading. For example, University of Bristol admissions tutors want to see some evidence of your analytical approach to the books you've read, and for you to express this in a way that shows clear thinking and understanding.
Your long-term career goals – if you have a profession in mind, do expand on this (warning: just saying you 'want to be a journalist' will make you sound like thousands of others). If you don't know what you want to do yet though, don't worry.
Your ambitions – according to Dr Emma Bainbridge, an English Admissions Officer at the University of Kent, expanding on what you hope to achieve while studying literature, not just what you already know, will impress.

English personal statement pitfalls to avoid

A boring opening – avoid 'I have always loved literature/reading' or 'I have always had a passion for literature…'.
Irrelevant context – talking about the Beatrix Potter book you were given when you were six probably won’t impress.
Overblown language – English applicants need a strong writing style, but don't go overboard. Cut lines like 'I was totally encapsulated by To Kill a Mockingbird' or 'my achievements at school were vast', and limit reaching for that 'synonyms' button.
Cut the cheese – the University of Southampton very sensibly suggests avoiding rhetorical phrases like 'So why English and philosophy, then?' You are applying to an English department, not The Apprentice.
Poor spelling and grammar – it is an English degree, after all!

Extracurricular interests

Most universities like to see some detail of this, but keep it interesting and brief – probably 20% maximum – and ask yourself why it’s relevant. For example, your experience listening to or coaching readers in your local primary school will probably make more impact than playing badminton.

How much you dedicate in your statement to outside interests will also depend on the kind of English degree you're applying for, or whether you're combining it with another subject.

Dr Antonella Castelvedere at University Campus Suffolk, whose degree course focuses on English language as well as literature, is looking for students to reflect on both elements, and mentions book group membership, theatre attendance, cultural projects or voluntary work in schools as examples of the kind of activities that would impress – along with anything that demonstrates inquisitiveness or critical thinking.

Put your personality into it

The English department at Royal Holloway reinforces Dr Thurston's point above about being turned off by ‘deep and meaningful philosophical statements’. The bottom line is, they would much rather read about you, your tastes in reading, your cultural activities, your aspirations, and some of your relevant personal experiences.

In summary, do try to give them a sense of your analytical approach and the breadth of your literary or cultural interests. But engage them with your passion and enthusiasm too.

Read more advice about writing your personal statement , and our English subject guide , covering courses, entry requirements, and careers.