How to write a personal statement
How to write a standout UCAS personal statement
Writing a personal statement can be the most daunting aspect of applying to university. The Admissions Tutors at St Mary’s read thousands of statements each year. They've shared with us what they look for and how they make decisions when sifting through applications.
- What excites you about the course?
- Are there specific topics within your chosen subject area that you’re excited to explore further or for the first time?
- What plans and ambitions do you have for your future career?
Top tip: avoid using these commonly used opening sentences:
- For as long as I can remember…
- I am applying for this course because…
- I have always been interested in…
- Throughout my life I have always enjoyed…
- What do you enjoy about your current or recent studies that have motivated you to apply for your chosen degree?
- What skills have you gained from your current or recent studies that make you perfect for the course?
- What achievements are you proud of?
Top tip: Use strong examples to demonstrate your interest in the course, the skills you have that will make you successful on the programme, and the experiences you’ve had that relate to the subject.
- What wider reading or research have you completed in your subject area(s) of interest?
- Do you have any relevant work experience that relates to your degree choice?
- Do you have any relevant hobbies that relate to your chosen course, or that have given you transferable skills which have prepared you for university?
Top tip: Avoid using too many examples without explaining them in full. It’s better to use one strong example rather than throwing in lots of examples that leave the reader with questions.
When you submit your personal statement, you must confirm it is your own work - not copied from another source (including AI tools). UCAS runs checks for similarity and may notify the universities if large portions are not original.
Our top 10 tips for writing a Brilliant Personal Statement 🖊️
To help you get off to a strong start, we’ve put together our top tips for writing a stand out personal statement along with common pitfalls to avoid.
- Start with a spark - Don’t waste your opening line. Start by explaining why you care about the subject(s) you’re applying to study. You could even highlight a specific aspect of the course that interests you or share how it connects to your future career goals.
- Show, don’t just tell - Anyone can say they’re passionate. Show it. Use real examples such as a project, extra-curricular activity, or book you’ve read, to demonstrate your interest and engagement with the subject.
- Focus on your interest in the course - You can only write one application for all five (or four) of your university choices, so it’s important to focus on your interest in the course rather than specific universities or university locations.
- Keep it about you - Avoid long summaries of books, people or theories. Instead, reflect on how they influenced your thinking, skills or future ambitions.
- Link your experiences - Mentioning part-time jobs, volunteering, clubs, or competitions? Make sure you explain what skills they gave you and how they’ll make you successful on the course or at university more generally.
- Stay subject-centred - If you’re applying to different courses, find the common thread. Tailor your statement to what connects them: transferable skills, shared interests, or broader career goals.
- Mind the word count - You have 4,000 characters (roughly 500 words). That’s a page, not a novel. Every sentence should earn its place. Aim to be clear and concise by avoiding flowery language.
- Draft, rest, edit, repeat - Good writing doesn’t happen in one go. Step away from it for a few days, then come back with fresh eyes.
- Get feedback – but don’t let others rewrite it! - Your voice matters most. Ask teachers, friends and family to help check for spelling and grammatical mistakes. They might also spot things you’ve missed. Just make sure the final words are still yours!
- Finish with a forward look - Finish with something hopeful. What are you excited to study? What do you want to do with this knowledge? Leave admissions tutors with a sense of your ambition and curiosity.
I would say that the most important thing when writing your personal statement is to give examples of when you have demonstrated the skills or interests you are talking about. For example, if you want to demonstrate your passion for a certain subject, give an example of a book you have read on that subject and say what you found interesting about it. This can really make your personal statement stand out, as you are going beyond just listing your interests/skills by providing evidence of how you have applied them.