Your Personal Statement
Admissions tutors at universities will read your UCAS form and make a decision about whether to offer you a place. The personal statement is your chance to sell yourself, highlighting your motivation and suitability for your chosen course. Most people find this hard as it seems like boasting, but if you don't tell them how good you are, they won't know!
Here are some useful Do's and Don'ts for perfecting your personal statement:
Do:
- use clear English and check your grammar, spelling and punctuation
- do a first draft, then polish it up later
- be enthusiastic about the course you're applying for and your current studies
- aim to write up to the word limit
- highlight research you've done, such as open days, visits or work shadowing
- mention any career plans and how these might link to your chosen course(s)
- make the most of relevant projects, work and voluntary experience
- show you can balance your studies with hobbies/interests, part-time work, volunteering etc
- ask your tutor to check it for you
Don't:
- panic, rush or copy someone else's
- waffle or lie
- leave it to the last minute
- write just a few sentences
- be negative
- expect to do it in one go!
.
Hints and tips...
...from Alix Delany, Head of Undergraduate Admissions at the University of East Anglia:
1. Be Bold - More often than not we are modest about our achievements. Don't be! You do not necessarily have to pack the personal statement full of them. What I like to see is some well thought out examples and most importantly how they might relate to the subject you would like to read at University. Ensure that you have clearly reflected on the skills and knowledge you've gained from the chosen experiences. Concrete examples rather than a 'wish' or 'dream' to study a subject will get you noticed.
2. Structure - Universities are reading a lot of personal statements so it’s really important to answer each of the three questions clearly and concisely, making clear in the first few lines both what you want to study and why. Don’t worry too much about what goes in which section – your statement is read as a whole, so you don't need to repeat information or experiences that you have featured elsewhere. If you are going to be interviewed for a course the interviewer will read the statement beforehand, and may even refer to it during your interview, so it’s crucial that rather than listing every activity or relevant experience, you pick a few that you can speak about the best.
3. Audience - It's very difficult to know who is going to read your personal statement. Indeed it is likely that a number of people in each University will, and they will have their own interpretation of what you are saying. Show your personal statement to as many people as you can and ask them if the key messages are coming through loud and clear. See if they can 'paint a picture' of you from the words written down and use their feedback to refine the statement.
In my view a personal statement is your chance to promote yourself and the contribution you can make to a University. Look on it as a positive experience giving you the opportunity to talk about the next steps in your life and career.
Remember to make sure that your personal statement is your own work as detection tests are used by UCAS and can carry serious consequences if you are caught using other people's work.
To help you get started....
UCAS advice on personal statements
Lots of useful information about writing your personal statement including a personal statement tool, downloadable mind map and worksheet.
https://www.ucas.com/undergraduate/applying-university/writing-personal-statement/how-write-personal-statementStudential personal statement writing guide
Includes FAQs, lots of tips and advice and example statements by subject. Studential also offers costed personal statement editing and critique packages.
https://www.studential.com/personal-statements/writing-guideThe Uni Guide
Includes tips and advice by subject.
https://www.theuniguide.co.uk/advice/personal-statementsProspects - What can I do with my degree?
Find out what type of careers you can do with your degree subject.
https://www.prospects.ac.uk/careers-advice/what-can-i-do-with-my-degreeFind out about the new personal statement format with three separate questions for 2026 entry