Writing your undergraduate personal statement
Our top tips for making the best possible impression.
Advice, tips and examples
What is a personal statement?
Your written personal statement is an important part of your UCAS application. It’s your opportunity to tell a university why you want to study a particular course, show passion for your chosen subject area, and demonstrate your relevant skills and experience.
Research your course options
Make sure that you check the detailed information on our online prospectus about your course choices. This will allow you to properly identify the qualities, skills, and experience you need to study the course.
It’s very important that you allow yourself plenty of time to research your course and write your personal statement. You may have to write several drafts until you get your statement right.
Length: How much should I write?
You only have 4,000 characters to make your case. You need to structure it well and check that each sentence adds something new. There is also a minimum limit of 1,000 characters.
Getting started
Make a list of what you plan to include - it might help to start by answering the questions below.
- Why you would like to study the course?
- What do you know about the subject?
- What skills and knowledge have you gained from your current studies and other activities that may be relevant to the course?
- What are your plans for the future and career aspirations?
- What academic skills do you have?
- What work experience, placements or voluntary work have you done?
- What are your interests and hobbies?
Once you’ve listed everything, think about what you have learnt from your experiences and how this relates to the course. Select relevant examples to include and organise the information so that you build a strong case for why you should be offered a place.
I found that by breaking each section down into individual pieces, it felt more approachable rather than writing the entire statement in one go. Once I’d broken it down, I then knitted it back together in a way that felt right with the examples I’d included.
I found that by breaking each section down into individual pieces, it felt more approachable rather than writing the entire statement in one go. Once I’d broken it down, I then knitted it back together in a way that felt right with the examples I’d included.
How to structure your personal statement
Introduction
Why do you want to study your course? Focus the reader’s attention in the opening paragraph - first impressions count.
Main body of application
- Why have you chosen the course you have listed?
- What is it about the subject that you like?
- How are your current studies relevant?
- Include details of any extra reading you have done about the subject.
- Outline your academic skills, for example working to deadlines, doing research and completing reports.
- What knowledge, skills and qualities do you have which are relevant to your course choice?
Work experience
- Do you have any experience relevant to your chosen subject?
- If you do, what skills have you developed and how will they help you to complete the course?
- What skills/personal qualities has your part-time job or voluntary work given you?
Interests and hobbies
- What other activities both in and out of college/school/work do you take part in?
- If you have a hobby or other interest, how has it helped your interpersonal skills or your ability to work in a team?
- If you are applying for deferred entry, explain your plans for your year out.
Conclusion
- Don’t let your personal statement fizzle out. Try to pull together everything that you have covered and finish on a positive note.
Personal statement: Dos and don’ts
- Make sure what you say is appropriate to all of your choices
- Be positive and enthusiastic
- Make sure that your statement flows naturally, try not to overuse ‘I’ at the start of sentences
- Provide examples to illustrate your points
- Have several attempts until you’re happy with it
- Leave plenty of time and keep deadlines in mind
- Get feedback from tutors, family and friends
- Feel that you have to use elaborate language to impress
- Just make a list of the things you’ve done – reflect on what you have learnt from your experiences
- Make simple mistakes - check your spelling and punctuation
- Make things up to make it sound better – the information could form the basis of an interview
- Use anyone else’s work – UCAS put all statements into software that looks for similarities in applications