Writing a personal
statement
As part of the
application process, all
applicants must write a
personal statement.
This statement should
help maximise your
chances in the
application process. The personal statement is a very
significant part of the application. It is
your opportunity to tell universities about
your suitability for the course(s) that you
hope to study. You need to demonstrate
your enthusiasm and commitment and,
above all, ensure that you stand out from
the crowd.
While every effort has been made to
ensure that the accuracy of the
information provided here is correct, you
should note that it is advisable to check
with the Universities and Colleges
Admissions Service (UCAS) and
individual universities for confirmed
details. You should include in your personal
statement:
The application process and personal
statement
Applications to undergraduate degree
courses will be made online through the
UCAS website. In the application you will
be asked to complete a number of
sections including personal details,
course details, education and
qualification details.
The personal statement can be up to
4,000 characters in length (including
spaces) or 47 lines of text (including
blank lines), whichever comes first.
• why you want to study the course/s
you have applied for – this makes it
important to ensure that your course
choice/s do not vary wildly;
• evidence that you clearly understand
what the subject entails and any career
exploration you have undertaken;
• confirmation that you have the skill set
to succeed in your studies (eg
organisational, communication, team
working, time management) using
examples where possible; and
• any extracurricular interests or
achievements (sport, music, part-time
work), especially those which identify
positions of leadership or responsibility
you have held. Remember to relate
how these achievements/skills
acquired may help you in your studies.
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Where the demand for a particular
course is very high, your personal
statement takes on extra significance.
For many vocational/professional
courses (eg medicine, teacher training,
allied health professions), specific career
exploration is required.
For example, for applications to Allied
health profession courses, universities
will want to see evidence that you have
experience which demonstrates:
• specific experience in your chosen
career area (eg visiting hospital
departments or work shadowing); and
• general experience of working with
others (eg nursing homes, day-care
centres, voluntary work).
You would be expected to highlight what
you have learnt from this experience. You
should also be able to show that you
have an empathetic nature and an ability
to work well with other people.