How to write a personal statement

Sarah Jamieson

International Officer

University of East Anglia (UEA)

Email: s.jamieson@uea.ac.uk

Skype: sarah.jamieson.uea

What do the words ‘Personal Statement’ mean to you?

In pairs, you have up to 1 minute to discuss this with your neighbour.

What is a personal statement?

What is a personal statement?

Important

Individual

Scary

NervousConfident

Confused

Positive

Motivation

Accurate

Relevant

Structure

Examples

Research

PreparationQualities

Course choice

Future

DraftHonest Concise

A chance to show off why you are interested in the course, studying in the UK and how you can demonstrate that you would be a good student.

The Personal Statement helps universities make decisions about which students they make offers to.

One of the most important parts of your application!

Completely original. Definitely don’t copy from the internet!

PERSONAL!!!

What is a personal statement?

What to include

About the subject and course

What you want from your future (for example, which career?)

Work experience or voluntary work

Achievements you’re proud of (for example, hobbies, skills)

Why you’re special (for example, things that make you interesting)

Why you want to study in the UK

EVIDENCE

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What to include – writing about the course

Why have you your chosen course(s)?

Why are you interested in the subject?

Why are you suitable to study this course?

How do your current or previous studies relate to the course(s)?

Experience and understanding of the subject

EVIDENCE!!!

Slide 7

Part time work / Volunteering / Charity work / Fundraising

Music examinations

Sports teams

Awards

Positions of responsibility

Extended project / Coursework / Exams

Unique experiences

What to include – skills and why you’re special

What do admissions tutors look for?

They want the “best” applicant for their course (i.e. a student who will get a good degree):

Three key factors:

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Academic ability

Motivation

Research/wider understanding of subject area

70% academic, 30% other…

Top tips

Must be relevant

Must be clear why you want to do the course – enthusiasm

Must be positive, you must sell your skills and experiences

Be honest!

Spelling, punctuation and grammar!

Check the word limit (usually approximately

500 words or for UCAS up to 4000

characters or 47 lines)

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Slide 6

DO include responsibility, skills and suitability for the course

DO give evidence

DO include authors/writers/artists when talking about specific research

DO be clear

DO spell check

DO ask your teachers and parents to read your draft

Advice from Admissions Tutors

DON’T include the name of the school, college or university if you are using the same personal statement for more than one application

DON’T copy from the internet or your friends – Admissions Tutors will know!

DON’T lie, exaggerate or get someone else to write it for you

Advice from Admissions Tutors

“If applying for different subjects ensure that all subjects are covered in your statement”

“It is a pleasure (although a surprisingly rare one) to read a statement where the candidate’s voice comes across clearly – be yourself”

“We want to see an active, well rounded individual not just a good academic”

“I (admissions tutor) use a personal statement to get a sense of an applicant’s personality, their interests and how motivated they are”

More words of wisdom

To summarise

Your chance to sell yourself!

Limited amount of space, keep it short and snappy

Must be positive

Show an interest and enthusiasm for the subject

Spend time on it – it’s really important

It’s hard work but it’s worth it!

Any questions?

Sarah JamiesonInternational Officer

Admissions, Recruitment and MarketingUniversity of East Anglia (UEA)

Email: s.jamieson@uea.ac.uk

Web: www.uea.ac.uk/international/country/Kazakhstan

Examples….

“Nothing exists, and if it did, no one could know it, and if they knew it, they could not communicate it’ (Gorgias).

It is this ability of Philosophy to astound and turn conventional ideas on their head that makes it endlessly appealing, and which has ultimately formed the basis of my passion for philosophy. For years I have evidently philosophised, without realising. Films such as ‘The Matrix’, ‘The Truman Show’ and books such as ‘The Lord of the Flies’ and ‘1984’ left me reeling, and puzzling for days over subjects I later found out were called epistemology, meta-ethics and normative ethics.”

I want to study Biology because I am fascinated by the beautiful diversity of the living world. Not only am I excited by how Biologists explain the state of the world in which we live, but also by how Biology can be used to help us, especially with regard to research into drugs for diseases that are currently incurable.

…I have also spent time reading further into my subject: I am a subscriber to the New Scientist which I find useful for keeping on top of recent scientific developments. I have also started reading…

Examples….

‘I successfully combine college work with a regular evening job waitressing in a French restaurant where I am required to think on my feet, resolve challenging situations and often deal with people’.

‘Discovery. To me that is what Chemistry is about. You never know when something groundbreaking could be at your fingertips’.

‘Both educationally and socially, university life will help me to grow as a person. I hope to develop skills to carry me through life and career and help me to succeed in all my endeavours’.

‘Within school, being a prefect and peer mentoring younger students has helped me to gain leadership qualities and also build good communication skills with people of different ages’.

Examples….

“Since leaving school I have been very sad and depressed. I went to college and started a course in Business and Finance but I didn’t enjoy it so I stopped. I then had several jobs in offices. I hated them.”

“I like to try interesting and different things. I play video games and help my family.”

“What is the point of life? This is a question I have often asked myself.”

The bad…

“I have a part-time job at my local café. At times this can be very demanding. Some customers can be difficult about how thickly you make their sandwich and how much cheese you give them”