Help Writing Your UCAS Personal Statement
Categories: London Living, Universities
WHAT IS A UCAS PERSONAL STATEMENT?
A personal statement is a reflective essay created to sell yourself to your chosen universities. It aims to promote your hobbies and interests, motivational goals and why you feel that you’re the perfect candidate for your undergraduate course. With over 600,000 UK sixth form students applying to universities every year, a UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service) personal statement is key for institutions to select the right students for their undergraduate courses. Therefore, distinguishing yourself from the pack is key and this is the perspective you should hold when writing your personal statement.
HOW TO WRITE A PERSONAL STATEMENT FOR UNIVERSITIES
The UCAS personal statement is probably one of the most important documents that you will create during your undergraduate journey. It can validate a place at your chosen university and leave a great first impression with the institution. Though a daunting task, it presents an opportunity to showcase your skills, qualities, work experience and how all these elements will add value to your chosen course and institution. Given the pressure that comes with writing a good personal statement, it’s important to note that it’s not that hard once you’ve grasped the main tips and tricks. This guide will give you the necessary advice you need on how to write a personal statement and most importantly, stand out from the competition.
PERSONAL STATEMENT REQUIREMENTS
There are specific requirements in writing a personal statement that must be followed. For example, you cannot exceed 4,000 characters or 47 lines of text. You should pick a structure that will seamlessly formulate your argument in a logical order. This will impress admission staff as it shows them that you’re able to organise your points in an effective way. Additionally, these skills will come in handy when you’ll write up your future coursework and exams.
HOW TO STRUCTURE YOUR STATEMENT
Use paragraphs for easier scanning
There’s nothing more off-putting than coming across a bunch of bulky text, especially if you’re the admission tutor reading the 100th personal statement of the day. Incorporating a fair number of paragraphs will help illustrate your arguments in a clear and welcoming way. Bear in mind that paragraphs will eat into your 47 line limit, so use them wisely!
Have a beginning, middle and end
Think of it as if you are telling a convincing story, starting off with a whopping opener, feeding the details throughout the middle, and confidently signing it off, leaving the admissions counsellor yearning for more! If this is easier said than done, then you should at least ensure that you convey a sense of passion and enthusiasm in the opening in order to grab your reader's attention.
Try the ABC method
Action - Benefit - Course. This is a very important part of linking your extracurricular activities to your chosen university course. When writing up your experience, make sure that you use this structure to convey the value that it has with the degree subject you're looking to study.
WHAT SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN YOUR PERSONAL STATEMENT?
As you build out the contents of your personal university statement, try to think of it in four sections.
Section 1: Why do you want to study the course?
Let the admission tutors and counsellors know why you want to study this course at university. Why does it intrigue you and what have you learned so far? What are you most excited to learn next?
Section 2: Academics & Experience
According to career experts, 75% of your personal statement should be about your studies and 25% should be about your extracurricular activities. Discuss subjects that relate to the degree programme you want to pursue and include any activities or work experience gained that adds further value to your arguments.
Section 3: Hobbies & Interests
This is the part where the admission staff want to know more about you, outside of the academics. They want to know what makes you an interesting, well-round person. Ensure that your points are relevant to your university course and highlight skills gained from your hobbies or volunteer activities, as those skills will help you thrive at a higher education institution in the UK.
Section 4: Conclusion
Use this section to reiterate the key points you made previously and close it off with a confident outlook on the progression of your career. Alternatively, if you’re still unsure of your career path, end your essay by stating the invaluable skills and experience you hope to gain by going to university in the UK.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Have some questions? No sweat - you aren't the only one. Here are some common questions we receive.
- How do I write for multiple courses or unis?
Ensure that you’ve chosen similar subjects that share the same themes and the experience that they’re requesting. Avoid being too specific and don’t name the actual course that you’re applying for as that will surely give you away. - What are admission tutors and officers looking for?
University admission professionals are looking for applicants who present a positive attitude, motivation and commitment for their course and career. To them, these are applicants who are most likely to be successful in their university journey. Show them that you have invested your time in gaining knowledge for your chosen field. Admission staff also appreciate personal statements that include relevant experience such as work placements or voluntary work. - When should I start writing my personal statement?
You should start writing your statement in advance so that you have time to reflect upon your drafts or ask others for help when making final edits. If you are applying for medicine, veterinary science, and dentistry, then your final deadline is usually the 15th of October (especially if you are applying to Oxbridge). For other applicants, the deadline is generally the 15th of January.
SOME HELPFUL EXAMPLES
Need a little more help? We’ve got you covered! Below is a list of personal statement examples that you can use for inspiration. Remember, these personal statements are not to be copied; they are meant to share different structures and writing styles to help you with your own personal statement.
Psychology Personal Statement
Marketing Personal Statement
Journalism Personal Statement
Medicine Personal Statement
Voila! There are the key tips you need on how to write a strong university personal statement. Good luck!
Share this post!
Explore our blog
Select from below to filter by category.
Stay Informed
Subscribe now and get our monthly enewsletter with all our latest tips and guides.