How to Write a Personal Statement

When you're applying to university—either to an undergraduate or postgraduate programme—you will be asked to submit a personal statement via the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). It's an essay that allows you to share more about who you are and why you'd like to attend the university you're applying to. That said, it can be no longer than 4,000 characters (which is approximately 800s words)

The information you provide in your personal statement can help build on your other application materials, like your reference letters, and build a more cohesive picture to help the admissions committee understand your goals.

Discover more about personal statements, including why they're important, what to include in one, and tips for strengthening yours.  

What is a personal statement?

A personal statement is a brief written essay you submit along with other materials when you're applying to a college or university. Personal statements are a great opportunity for an admissions committee to hear your voice directly.

Preparing a strong personal statement is crucial for your application. Focus on two key elements:

1. Highlighting your academic achievements and relevant skills.

2. Showcasing your unique personality and what sets you apart.

Before writing, brainstorm what you want admissions tutors to know. Research the course description to tailor your statement to their specific interests. This pre-writing process ensures your statement is well-focused and impactful. If the university you're interested in attending doesn't require prompts, you will likely want to craft a response that has: :

• Brevity: Again, it’s only 4,000 words maximum, so being concise is key.

• Skills overview: Use it to inform of your academic skills thus far. 

• Subject knowledge: Showcase your understanding of the topic you want to study.

• Motivational factors: Outline the key drivers behind why you want to study that subject at college or university.

When applying through UCAS, you will submit a single essay within a 4,000-character limit. This essay will be sent to all the universities you’re applying to, so avoid mentioning specific university names. Additionally, UCAS doesn’t require multiple essay topics or supplemental essays, streamlining your application process.

It is worth noting, however, that UCAS is set to reform the Personal Statement system, with changes due to be introduced in the 2025 admissions cycle for 2026 entry. This is subject to change. 

Why is a personal statement important?

Personal statements are important for a number of reasons. Whereas other materials you submit in an application can directly address your academic abilities or how you perform as a student (via your references), a personal statement is a chance to be more personable. Personal statements typically:

• Permit you to share things that don't fit on your CV, such as personal motivations and values.

• Offer universities a chance to see why you're interested in a particular field of study and what you hope to accomplish after you graduate.

• Provide an opportunity for you to expand upon your past employment, volunteer experiences, or any skills you have that complement your studies.

• Allow universities to evaluate your writing abilities.

• Breathe life into a college application that is otherwise filled with facts and figures.

How to write a personal statement

As mentioned earlier, you must keep brevity in mind when drafting your personal statement, given the character limitations. In either case, use the steps below to begin building your composition.

Create a solid hook.

To capture the attention of an admissions committee member, start your personal statement with a hook that encourages further reading. A hook tends to be a colourful sentence or two at the very beginning that compels the reader to continue reading.

To create a captivating hook in your opening paragraph, try one of these methods:

• Pose a rhetorical question.

• Provide an interesting statistic.

• Insert a quote from a well-known person.

• Challenge the reader with a common misconception.

• Use an anecdote, which is a short story that can be true or imaginary.

Credibility is crucial when writing a personal statement as part of your college application process. If you choose a statistic, quote, or misconception for your hook, ensure it comes from a reliable source.

Follow a narrative.

The best personal statements typically read like a story while highlighting your personal skills and achievements.  Remember to showcase relevant work experiences, volunteer work, or future career aspirations, highlighting how they connect to the skills and goals that make you a perfect fit for this course. Keep your thoughts organised and improve the flow of your statement.

Common themes to consider briefly touching on for your personal statement include:

• Special role models from your past

• Life-altering events you've experienced

• Unusual challenges you've faced

• Accomplishments you're especially proud of

• Service to others and why you enjoy it

• What you've learned from travelling to a particular place

• Unique ways you stand out from other potential students

Be specific.  

Admissions committees read thousands of personal statements every year, which is why being specific on yours is important. If you make a declarative claim, make sure you back it up with examples or anecdotes.

For instance, avoid vague assertions like, "I'm interested in your school counselling programme because I care about children." Instead, point out experiences you've had with children that emphasise how much you care. For instance, you might mention your summer job as an activity leader at a camp or your volunteer experience mentoring younger children.

Include colour and vibrancy to keep your statement interesting. The use of detail shows how your unique voice and experiences can add value to the college or university you're applying to. 

Stay on topic.

It's natural to want to impress the members of the admissions committee who will read your personal statement. The best way to do this is to lead your readers through a cohesive, informative, and descriptive essay.

If you feel you might be going astray, ensure each paragraph in your statement supports your introduction. Here are a few more strategies that can help keep you on track:

• Know what you want to say and do research if needed.

• Create an outline listing the key points you want to share.

• Read your outline aloud to confirm it makes logical sense before proceeding.

• Read your statement aloud while you're writing to confirm you're staying on topic.

• Ask a trusted friend or family member to read your essay and make suggestions.

Be true to your own voice.

Because of the importance of your personal statement, you could be tempted to be very formal with structure and language. However, it's better to use a more relaxed tone than you would for a classroom writing assignment. 

Remember, admissions committees really want to hear from you. Writing in your own voice will help accomplish this. To ensure your tone isn't too relaxed, write your statement as if you were speaking to an older relative or trusted teacher. This way, you'll come across as respectful, confident, and honest. 

Tips for drafting an effective personal statement

Now that you've learned a little about personal statements and how to craft them, here are a few more tips you can follow to strengthen your narrative: 

1. Customise your statement.

You don't have to completely rewrite your personal statement every time you apply to a new college, but you do want to make sure that you tailor it as much as possible. For instance, if you talk about wanting to take a certain class or study a certain subject, make sure you adjust any specifics for each application.

2. Write in your voice.

Admissions committees are ultimately looking for students who will be a good fit for the university and the university can help guide towards their larger goals. In that case, cliches can get in the way of a reviewer understanding what you want from a university education. Watch out for cliches like "making a difference," "broadening my horizons," or "the best thing that ever happened to me." 

3. Stay focused.

Stay on topic and avoid including tangents in your personal statement. Stay focused by writing a first draft and then re-reading it. Does every paragraph flow from one point to the next? Are the ideas you're presenting cohesive?

4. Prepare in advance. 

A rushed statement could create a negative impression and potentially compromise your chances of admission. So, invest a decent amount into writing your statement. This upfront effort will pay off by creating a more impactful application that reflects your true potential. 

Polish your writing skills on Coursera

A stellar personal statement starts with sharp writing skills. Remember to keep it succinct, on-topic, declarative, and not too formal.

Enhance your writing ability with a globally available writing course from a top university, like Good with Words: Writing and Editing from the University of Michigan or Writing a Personal Essay from Wesleyan University, both offered on Coursera. You can get started for free to level up your writing.