December 13, 2023
Crafting a Winning Personal Statement for UK Course Applications
Writing an Effective Personal Statement
Crafting a compelling personal statement is a vital step when applying for courses in the UK. This document serves as your opportunity to persuade the university or college to accept you as a student by showcasing your enthusiasm, commitment, and suitability for the chosen course. To ensure your personal statement stands out, consider including the following key elements:
What Information To Include
- What has influenced your decision to pursue this course and career?
Clearly articulate the reasons behind your decision to pursue the chosen course and career. Avoid generic statements like “I’ve always known that I wanted to…” and instead provide specific and genuine reasons for your interest in the field. - Explain why you are suitable for this course.
Demonstrate your suitability for the course by detailing the specific skills and abilities you possess that align with the requirements of the profession or sector. Discuss any transferable skills acquired through experiences such as communication, leadership, or organizational skills. - Explain the relevance of your previous education to your chosen course.
The admissions committee is interested in understanding how your past educational pursuits have equipped you with the knowledge, skills, and foundation necessary to succeed in the course you are seeking admission to. This is an opportunity for you to demonstrate the continuity and connection between what you have learned in your prior academic endeavors and how it has prepared you for the challenges and requirements of the prospective course.
For example, if you are applying for a Master’s program in Environmental Science and you have a Bachelor’s degree in Biology, you might explain how your undergraduate studies provided you with a strong understanding of fundamental biological principles, which forms a solid basis for delving into the more specialized and advanced topics covered in the Environmental Science program.
Highlight relevant work experience that you may have in this profession/sector.
Highlight any relevant work experiences, such as work shadowing or voluntary work, and emphasize the lessons learned from these experiences. Discuss how these experiences have shaped your understanding of the profession or sector.- Mention your interests that relate to your chosen course, which allow you to further demonstrate your skills and abilities.
Discuss your interests that directly relate to the chosen course, allowing you to further illustrate your skills and abilities. This can provide additional depth to your personal statement. - Highlight any achievements that you have including academic, professional or personal achievements – particularly if they relate to the course.
Academic Achievements:Highlight any notable accomplishments in your academic history, such as exceptional grades, awards, scholarships, or relevant coursework. If you have conducted research, participated in academic projects, or contributed to scholarly activities, these are worth mentioning.
Professional Achievements:
If you have work experience, emphasize achievements and milestones in your professional journey that are relevant to the course. This may include successful projects, promotions, leadership roles, or any recognition you have received in your professional sphere. Demonstrating your practical skills and accomplishments helps the admissions committee understand your real-world applicability to the course.Personal Achievements:
Personal achievements refer to accomplishments in non-academic and non-professional areas of your life. This could include personal projects, community service, volunteering, or any other extracurricular activities. If these achievements demonstrate qualities such as leadership, teamwork, or resilience and are connected to the course in some way, they can strengthen your candidacy. - Mention your interests that relate to your chosen course, which allow you to further demonstrate your skills and abilities.
Share hobbies, passions, or activities that align with the subject matter of the course you are applying for. This serves as an opportunity to showcase how your personal interests contribute to your overall skill set and make you a well-rounded candidate. - Highlight any achievements that you have including academic, professional or personal achievements.
Showcase notable accomplishments in various aspects of their life particularly if they relate to your course. - What are your future career plans once you have completed your chosen course?
Show that you have clear goals and are committed to completing the course. Articulate your envisioned career trajectory and demonstrate a sense of purpose and commitment.
TIPS:
- Use standard, Times New Roman, size 12 font when writing your statement – do not use bold, italics or underlining.
Write your statement in Microsoft Word first, and then copy and paste it into the application form. - The length of a personal statement may vary depending on the university or college but is usually no more than 4,000 characters (including spaces) or 47 lines of text (including blank lines).
- Research the website of the university/college that you are applying to and use information where appropriate;
o Read the mission statement – can you relate your own background and values to the values and ethos of the institution?
o Does the university/college offer particular academic or extra-curricular activities that you are interested in or can contribute to?
o Read the information provided about the course for which you are applying. It may provide an entry profile or explain what the university is looking for in their students and what qualifications or experience you’ll need for the course. Explain how you match this profile in your statement. - Always elaborate on your skills – say how and where you developed these skills and give examples (e.g. demonstrate excellent communication skills in particular for teaching).
- Use the ‘ABC’ rule when giving examples of your experience;
A – Activity (State the task completed.)
B – Benefit (What was the benefit of this task for you?)
C – Cause (How can you relate this task and benefit to the cause i.e. the course/profession you wish to pursue?)NB: On completion read your personal statement carefully, paying particular attention to spelling and grammar. Ask a trusted person or a professional to also check it for you.
Download personal Statement Worksheet
Download our worksheet to help you come up with the information to include in your personal statement