If you’ve done your research and decided you want to go to university, what happens next? You’ll need to prepare your application, including your personal statement, so find out what it is and what to include here.
What is a Personal Statement?
Your personal statement goes alongside the basic information, educational history and current qualifications you submit as part of you r UCAS application. It’s an important part of your application as it’s your chance to tell admissions tutors (the people who choose which applicants get a place on the course) why you want to study the course and what makes you the perfect student for them to take on board.
How long should it be?
Unlike school essays, your length limit isn’t measured in words. Instead, you’ll have 47 lines or 4,000 characters to work with, which is around a page of A4 (unless you use a tiny font). It’s important that you don’t try to sneak in any extra characters, as the UCAS form will cut you off when you reach the limit.
What do I need to include?
With such little space to get across why you’re so passionate, it’s important to use your characters wisely. You will submit your qualifications separately, so don’t be tempted to tell them all about the subjects and modules you’ve studied. Instead, include why you’re so interested in this topic and what skills, qualities and experience make you well suited to studying at university.
A good place to start is by looking at the course information, finding out the key skills and what qualities are required to succeed on the course, and thinking of examples where you have demonstrated them.
How should I structure it?
Think of it as a mini-essay. You’ll want a clear beginning, middle and end, with sections that make it clear for the admissions tutor to follow. Pay most attention to the middle part, as this is where you’ll tell them exactly why you’re the perfect candidate for their course.
What if I’m applying for different courses?
You get only get to submit one Personal Statement alongside your UCAS application, which can be for up to five course choices. It’s really tricky to write one Personal Statement for completely different courses, which is why it’s advised to apply for similar courses or those within a certain subject area – i.e health courses, social science courses. If you’re set on the courses you want to apply for and they aren’t similar, try to stick with key themes and personal qualities that make you suitable for all.
Where can I find examples of Personal Statements?
There are plenty of examples out there on the internet and it’s fine to do your research to work out what you’re aiming for, but don’t be tempted to copy. UCAS has plagiarism software that detects similarities among statements, and your Personal Statement will be flagged and your application rejected if you’re caught copying.
What do I do once I’ve written it?
Show it to parents, teachers and career advisers. It’s a great idea to get other people’s opinions and take on board any comments they might have. The more eyes that see it, the more opportunities you have to improve.