Writing your Personal Statement

Your UCAS Personal Statement is an opportunity to tell universities why they should offer you a place on their course.

They are important – universities use personal statements to compare different applicants. That means you want yours to stand out.

Points to remember:

Start working on it early

There's a word limit - 4,000 characters or 47 lines

Make sure it's well written

Give examples - talk about your experiences

Be honest and don't copy

Avoid mentioning universities by name - remember you are applying to 5!

Before writing your statement you should:

Read about the course(s) which you are applying to

Create a list of your achievements, activities, interests, experience and skills which is relevant to the application

Create a plan, understanding the structure of the statement

What should I include in my personal statement?

For example:
- What interests you about the subject?
- What do you hope to do when you finish the course? Does it relate to your career plan?
- Why do you want to study at university level?
Make your reasons and your enthusiasm clear!
- Maybe an experience at school or in work sparked your interest in the subject?
- Maybe you’ve been influenced by someone you know and admire?
- If the course relates to the career you want to do, explain why you want to pursue that job.
- What else do you want to gain from going to university?
For example:
- Do you have relevant experience?
- What skills do you have that will suit the demands of the course?
- How have you demonstrated these through your activities and achievements?
You must show that you understand what the course involves and that you have the personality, the skills, the knowledge, and the experience to perform well in it.

Think about your activities.

Maybe you:
- play in a sports team or club
- play a musical instrument or attend dance lessons
- are a member of another club or society, in or outside school
- have gained relevant work experience
- have done some volunteering or helped in the community
- have won an award or completed a project e.g. Duke of Edinburgh or Young Enterprise
- have held a position of responsibility in or outside school e.g. as a mentor, a team captain, or a group leader
- have taken part in a university taster course, like the Top-Up Programme, or attended an event related to your subject
What skills have these activities helped you to develop and how do they relate to the demands of the courses you're applying to?

Think about what makes you unique and what achievements you’re proud of.

Why should universities offer YOU a place on their course?
For example:
- Do you want to complete the course to go into a job?
- Do you want to complete the course to gain additional subject experience, or specialise in a Masters subject?
This will also show your understanding of the course content, and highlight the research which you've done!

As a rough guide, the content of your personal statement should focus 80% on the course, and why you want to study it, and 20% on you and your skills.

How should my personal statement be structured?

You want your writing to be engaging. You want to show your enthusiasm and convey your personality. You want to hold the reader's attention.However, you don't want to sound too chatty or informal.

That means striking a balance. Use an enthusiastic tone of voice and use language that comes naturally to you - it doesn't need to be too complex. But remember that your priority is to get your message across in a clear way. So avoid colloquial language and be careful with using humour, quotes or anything unusual.
Remember, you only have 47 lines to tell the reader how great you are. You won't be able to mention everything you've ever done or achieved. So prioritise. Write about the skills, achievements and experiences that are most relevant to your application.
- Begin by stating clearly why you're applying to the course. Try and give the most compelling reason you can. Consider the 'What to include' tips above. Explain your interest, demonstrate your knowledge of the subject, and show your enthusiasm from the start.
- In the main body of your statement, include the strongest examples of your skills and experience first - the ones that are most relevant to the demands of the course.
- Structure your statement logically with separate paragraphs for separate themes e.g. a paragraph on your relevant experience, a paragraph on your activities in school, a paragraph on your activities outside school etc.
- Conclude with a final statement that sums up your enthusiasm, your suitability, and your commitment.
A poorly written statement will not make a good impression. So:
- Redraft your statement until you're happy with it.
- Read it aloud to yourself to check what it sounds like - it must read clearly and flow well.
- You can ask your teacher to proof-read this for you, or FOCUS West mentors in your school are able to provide feedback on statements!

Personal Statement Advice

What should I include in my personal statement?

How should my personal statement be structured?

Job Matcher

Personal Statement Advice

What should I include in my personal statement?

Why you are applying?

What makes you suitable for the course

What are your ambitions and motivations to study the course

How should my personal statement be structured?

Use the correct tone throughout

Structure it correctly

Check your spelling and grammar

Job Matcher