how to make a personal statement ucas

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Writing a personal statement takes practice. You’re putting yourself out there in a way that you’ve probably not had to do before. It’s both an art and a science, and the topic is YOU. With a bit of planning, it’s not just doable but a really good experience in learning about yourself.

So, how do you begin to sell yourself to someone you’ve never even met?

The short answer: With confidence and a bit of structure.

The longer answer: An admissions officer or hiring manager is looking to see what kind of person you are and why you want to do something. It’s not just what you say, but how you say it, why you think it’s important, and what you’ve done to show it. Don’t be afraid to share those ambitions and interests. Let them out!

My advice is to always think carefully about the course you want to study and if it’s something you find interesting.

Start with who you are as a person, your skills and interests, and why a subject or apprenticeship matches you. End it with how you hope this will influence the future, small or big, it’s the beginning step of something great.

Be authentic

No one knows you better than you know yourself, so show your interests, achievements, goals and personality.

Don’t get stuck in cliches like “I’ve always wanted to…” It’s not about the goal — your ambition is real and important. Tell them the why and why it matters to you.

Talk about your experiences and what they’ve meant to you. No two people have lived the same life and that makes your perspective unique.

You’ve 4,000 characters, which seems like a lot until it’s not enough. Before you start, set out the points you want to make, and work out what you need to say in order to land your point.

There’s no way like just starting, and once you get into it, the less awkward it is.

Your first draft won’t be your final draft, so don’t be discouraged if it doesn’t immediately come together.

“You are you.

Now, isn’t that pleasant?”

If you’re stuck, talk to someone. Friends, parents, teachers — they all see you in a different light.

Speaking to them can help you get an idea of some of your best qualities and how much you’ve grown.

It’s easier to write about yourself when you’re talking about things you’re passionate about.

If you love reading, building things, understanding why things are — then let it show.

Give yourself time

Explain the why

Don’t be shy

Talk about the future

Walk away from your computer for a day or two. Come back and ask yourself, “Can I say this in a more direct way?” If you can, then change it.

Do you love reading? Interested in sustainability? Ask yourself why you’re drawn to something and share it.

In or out of school. Climbed mountains? Part of a local climate change group? Chief recycler in the house? Think about including these — they say a lot about who you are.

Even if you’re still figuring things out, how you want to be contributing to the world or what you want from it is great to share.

Oh, and remember: you won’t be able to submit your personal statement if it’s over the word limit — the system literally won’t let you. Happy writing.

How to write a UCAS personal statement

Writing a great personal statement

Read our guide on what it is, what to include, how to start, length and what makes a good personal statement 

Once you've decided which universities and courses to apply for, completing your application is pretty simple – until it comes to how to write your UCAS personal statement.

This guide covers everything you need to know about how to write a personal statement for university. We look at what it is and how you can start your personal statement. We've also got questions to guide you and a suggested personal statement structure you can use so you know what to put in it.

If you'd like even more resources, support and UCAS personal statement examples, you can sign up to access our personal statement hub .

What is the UCAS personal statement?

How universities use your ucas personal statement, how to start a ucas personal statement.

• Get feedback on your UCAS personal statement

The personal statement is part of your UCAS application. It's how you show your chosen universities why you'll make a great student and why they should make you an offer.

Your personal statement also helps you think about your choice of course and your reasons for applying, so you know you’ve made the right decision.

Get feedback on your personal statement

Sign up to our personal statement hub to get feedback on your draft. You'll also get access to videos, help sheets and more tips.

Sign up now

UCAS personal statement word limit

Your personal statement length can be up to 4,000 characters long. 

This may sound a lot, but it's a word limit of around 550–1000 words with spaces and only about 1 side of typed A4 paper.

You need to keep it concise and make sure it's clear and easy to read.

Applying for multiple courses

Although you can apply for up to 5 courses on your UCAS application, you can only submit 1 personal statement. So it needs to cover all your course choices.

If you really want to show your commitment to applying for different courses, we will accept a second personal statement from you to reflect your application e.g. if you are applying for Law elsewhere, but Criminology and Criminal Justice with us.

Lots of students who apply to university have achieved the basic entry requirements and many more students apply than there are places available. Admissions teams can use your UCAS personal statement to get to know you and decide why you're more suitable than other applicants.

Some universities read every personal statement and score them. Then they use them alongside your qualifications and grades to decide whether to offer you a place or interview. Other universities put less emphasis on the personal statement and use it with students who have borderline entry requirements.

Universities might refer to your personal statement again on results day if you don't get the grades you need. So a good personal statement could clinch you a uni place even if your grades aren't what you hoped for.

Starting your personal statement can seem scary when you're staring at a blank screen. But, things will seem less daunting once you start.

• Set aside some time in a place where you're comfortable and won't be disturbed. Grab a notepad or computer.
• Write down anything and everything that's influenced your decision to go to university and study your chosen subject. Jot down your skills and experience too.
• Use the questions below to guide you. Don't worry about the personal statement length at this point – you can cut things out later.

When to start your UCAS personal statement

Ideally, you want to leave yourself plenty of time – a few weeks or even months – to plan and write your personal statement.

Try not to leave it to the last minute, as tempting as this may seem when you've got so many other things to think about.

Questions to guide you

Your motivation.

• Why do you want to study at university?
• Why do you want to study this subject?
• How did you become interested in this subject?
• What career do you have in mind after university?

Academic ability and potential

• How have your current studies affected your choice?
• What do you enjoy about your current studies?
• What skills have you gained from your current studies?
• How can you demonstrate you have the skills and qualities needed for the course?
• What qualities and attributes would you bring to the course and university?

Your experience

• What work experience (including part-time, charity and volunteer work) do you have and what have you learnt from it?
• What positions of responsibility have you held? (For example, prefect, captain of a team or member of a committee)
• What relevant hobbies or interests do you have and what skills have they helped you develop?
• What transferable skills do you have, such as self motivation, team working, public speaking, problem solving and analytical thinking?

Research and reading

• How do you keep up with current affairs or news in your chosen subject?
• What journals or publications relevant to your chosen subject do you read?
• Which people have influenced you, such as artists, authors, philosophers or scientists?

Now it's time to write your personal statement using your notes. It's best to draft it on a computer, and remember to save it regularly.

You can copy and paste it into your UCAS application when you're happy with it.

Personal statement structure

While there's no set template for a personal statement, you may find it useful to follow this personal statement structure when you decide what to put in your statement.

What to include in a personal statement

• Reasons for choosing this subject(s)
• Current studies and how these relate to your chosen subject(s)
• Experiences and how these relate to your chosen subject(s)
• Interests and responsibilities and how these relate to your chosen subject(s)
• Your future after university
• Summary including why you'll make a great student

Further tips for a good UCAS personal statement

• Use information on university websites and the UCAS website. This often includes the skills and qualities universities are looking for in applicants
• Ask friends, family and teachers to remind you of activities you've participated in. They might remember your successes better than you do
• Don’t include lists in your application, like a list of all your hobbies. Focus on 1 or 2 points and talk about them in depth to show their relevance to your application
• Explain and evidence everything. It’s easy to say you have a skill, but it's better to demonstrate it with an example of when and how you’ve used it
• Avoid clichéd lines such as ‘I've always wanted to be a teacher’ as it says nothing about your motivations or experiences
• If you’re applying for a joint degree or different subjects, give equal time to each area and try to find common aspects that show their similarities
• Never lie or plagiarise another statement – you'll be caught and it could result in your application being automatically rejected
• Proofread your personal statement by reading it out loud and ask friends, family or a teacher to check it for you

Sign up to our personal statement hub

Watch videos, get top tips and download our help sheets – that's what our personal statement hub is for. It's for you to write your story, so you can show your strengths, ideas and passion to your chosen universities.

You'll also be able send us your draft, so you can get feedback and feel confident about what you've written.

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How to write your personal statement

It can be hard to know where to begin when writing your UCAS personal statement. We've put together some top tips and advice to help you make the most of your personal statement.

As part of the UCAS application process, you'll need to complete a personal statement. Your personal statement might be the only chance you have to ‘speak’ directly to an Admissions Tutor so it’s important to get it right. Many people find it difficult to write about themselves. Particularly their own strengths, so don’t worry if you’re struggling for ideas. You can use this guide to help ensure you write a great personal statement. 

Guide to writing your personal statement

Discover how to write a great personal statement with our handy guide. It covers everything you need to know from structuring to tips on what to include.

Hear from our students

Writing about yourself in a personal statement can be difficult, I’ve put together some tips that I found useful when writing my own personal statement.

Hi, my names Parsa, I am a 4th year pharmacy student. Writing a personal statement can be stressful and time consuming, but it doesn't need to be. Read my tips to help you to write the very best statement.

Your personal statement questions answered

What is a personal statement.

A personal statement is a short written account used to support your university application. It is your opportunity to ‘sell’ yourself to universities. And to show how and why you are a good candidate for your chosen course. A well-written application may convince a university to make you an offer or invite you to an interview. 

How to start a personal statement?

It’s never too early to start work on your personal statement. In fact, we’d recommend you give yourself as much time as possible.

Before you begin it’s important you have an idea of the course or subject area you want to study. Your personal statement needs to be specific so knowing what course you’re interested in will make it easier to start writing. It’s a good idea to check out the course descriptions in university prospectuses or on their website. This way you can find out the skills and experience that you’ll need. You can then reflect on how these relate to your own interests and qualities. 

Where to begin?

• Start with an engaging and positive introductory sentence which makes the admissions Tutor want to read on.
• Make it different. The most overused opening phrases are: “From a young age I have always been interested in…” and “For as long as I can remember I have been fascinated with…”
• State your reasons for applying to your chosen course and what it is that motivates you.

What makes a good personal statement?

The great thing about a personal statement is that it’s exactly that - personal. This is your chance to stand out from the crowd and explain why you’re the right choice for your chosen course.

It’s important that the statement reflects you, so you need to write in your own individual style. However, there are certain facts Admissions Tutors will be expecting to see. So it's important that you include these to ensure you give the best account of yourself, your skills and your experience.

Everything that you write should be relevant and linked to the course(s) you are applying for. Whilst you will only submit one personal statement it will be seen multiple times by all the universities and courses you have applied for.

Here are some questions to think about to ensure your statement stands out:

• Why do you want to study the course? You need to show that you have a genuine interest in the subject area and the motivation to immerse yourself in it.
• What makes you suitable? This is your chance to show how your experiences have prepared you to meet the demands of the course.
• What makes you stand out? Think about what you can offer outside of the lecture theatre and how you will contribute to the university community as a whole.

Download our guide to writing your personal statement for more top tips.

How long should a personal statement be?

Your personal statement needs to stay within the 4000 character limit set by UCAS. This includes spaces and blank lines. This might seem like a lot, but it's only around 1 side of typed A4 paper. So you need to keep it clear and concise. Use the UCAS personal statement tool to help you keep within the limit as well as tips on how to structure your statement.

How to structure a personal statement?

There is no set layout for your personal statement. But here are some style and structure tips to help you along the way:

• Make sure you sound interested in the course. Admissions Tutors will recognise applicants who aren’t totally committed.
• Don’t use bullet points. A personal statement is a chance to show how you can make a reasoned argument in continuous writing.
• Avoid repetition.
• You need to show rather than tell the Admissions Tutor that you are a good candidate. So don’t just list all your skills and achievements. Pick the most relevant, explain them carefully and provide examples.
• Check your statement for spelling and grammar. And then check again.
• Ask your parents, friends and/or teachers to read through your finished statement. They can help to make sure it flows and that you’ve not forgotten anything.

Personal statement dos and don'ts

Read it out loud., check it’s all there., do some practice., be well prepared., don't be negative., don't complicate it., don't copy or paraphrase., don't include irrelevant facts..

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Start your UCAS application

You will need to start your UCAS application around September in the year before you want to apply to university. For example, if you want to start in September 2025, start your application in September 2024.

You can start you application as early as May, but you won't be able to submit until September.

You'll need to submit your form to college so they can add your reference.

Apply by the deadline

Make sure you submit your UCAS application online by the deadline. Deadlines vary each year and are different depending on the course you want to study.

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After you apply

Once you submit your application through UCAS, they will send you an acknowledgement. They will then forward your application to your chosen institutions.

Getting a decision on your application

Once you've submitted your application, you may have several stages before you find out if you have an offer.

Institutions will look at a number of things to make their decision. This includes your personal statement, reference and predicted grades.

Interviews and auditions

You might be invited to interview or audition to see if you're right for the course. This is also your chance to see if it's the right place for you.

Receiving an offer

If you submitted your application by the January deadline, you should receive all of your offers by March. Some courses and late applications may not receive responses until later in the cycle.

You can receive a conditional or unconditional offer, depending on whether you already have your grades or not.

Offer holder days

Some universities might invite you to an offer holder or applicant day . This is a great opportunity to get a taste for your course and meet your tutors. 

Accepting your offer

Usually, you'll need to reply to any offers you have received by May. This depends on when you submit your UCAS application.

If you have conditional offers, you'll be able to choose one university as your firm choice, and one as insurance .

If you've used all five choices on your application, and you're not holding any offers, then you can add extra choices to your application - free of charge.

Wait for your results and prepare to enrol

If you're waiting for your results, you should receive these in either July or August. This depends on what qualification you have taken. 

Your offer will either be confirmed or rejected based on your results.

If you don't receive the results you expected, or you apply after July, you will be entered into UCAS Clearing . This helps match you to university places that haven't yet been filled.

Once you've confirmed your offer at your chosen university, you will receive information about how to enrol .

• Accessibility Tools
• Current Students
• Undergraduate
• How to apply for your undergraduate course
• How to write your UCAS Personal Statement
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• How to accept your undergraduate offer
• Appealing A Level Results
• Results and final decision for undergraduate study
• Our undergraduate application timeline
• Undergraduate Guaranteed Offers
• Residential Category
• How to complete your UCAS application

How to write your personal statement for University

Your ucas personal statement, what is a personal statement.

A personal statement is an important part of your UCAS application, which will need to be submitted to study in the UK. It will support your application to study at university or college, and is a great way to showcase your personal qualities, skills and passions. Crucially, it gives you a platform to demonstrate to admissions tutors and lecturers how you are the perfect candidate for your chosen course or subject.

How long should a personal statement be?

Your personal statement can be around 47 lines (there is no word limit but there is a character limit of 4,000 characters, which is roughly 1 side of A4). You will only write one statement for all of your choices, so it needs to be relevant/applicable for all.

Tips on what makes a good personal statement

• Think about what gets you excited about the course you are applying for and just start writing - you will be amazed at how effective it is to get all your thoughts on paper. • Be positive when you describe how you get motivated about the course you want to study, and what inspired your decision. • Talk about your transferable skills and knowledge - e.g. leadership, teamwork, problem solving, communication, organisation, that will help you on the course. • Talk about you and what makes you unique, exciting, interesting. What makes you stand out? • Back it up with evidence - use evidence from relevant work experience, extracurricular activities, outside reading, and all the other things you do. • Don’t overcomplicate things, leave out flowery language and stick to plain English.

In summary, strive to make your personal statement authentic, a good combination of head and heart that captures your enthusiasm. Take your time and you’ll produce something special that sums up what you are all about.

How to write your personal statement

Writing a personal statement for your university application can be daunting, but it shouldn’t be. We would suggest that you complete this section once you have selected your university course choices, as this will allow you to tailor your personal statement to your chosen subject or course(s). You should explain your motivation for applying to University. It is important to showcase your drive and passion for the subject area, and any skills or experience you may have which will help you become a successful student. Suggested plan : How to begin your personal statement - Start off with a great opening sentence that conveys how excited you are about the course and shows that you really understand what you’re getting into. Middle - Your middle paragraphs should emphasise your skills and knowledge, provide evidence that proves your interest in the course and your personal qualities. How to end your personal statement – this bit is about what makes you unique, what will make you fit into the course you are interested in?

DOs & DON’Ts

• Be authentic • Be positive • Be enthusiastic • Be clear and concise • Plan your statement like an essay • Make sure your statement is appropriate for all of your course choices • List your skills and qualities but avoid sounding big-headed • Draft, redraft and seek feedback • Be careful when using quotes – only use those which are relevant, and well thought out • Back it up with evidence • Allow plenty of time

DON'T 

• Copy someone else’s statement – there is software that will catch you out on this! • Waffle – it is better to be short and relevant • Use clichés • Rely on spell check – proofread • Rush or underestimate the time it takes to write an excellent statement

We know that it's been difficult to carry on with sports and other hobbies during the lockdown periods. In your personal statement, can you tell us how you adapted your activities at this time? Did you do any virtual activities, remote training sessions or organise social events? Did you take the opportunity to listen to podcasts, broaden your reading or watch programmes about your chosen subject? Did you volunteer to support your local community or to help the NHS? We want to hear about your resilience, your patience and your adaptability. In your personal statement, consider telling us about: • How you adapted your activities at this time? • Any virtual activities, remote training sessions you attended or social events you organised? • How you took the opportunity to listen to podcasts, broaden your reading or watch programmes about your chosen subject? • Any volunteering to support your local community or to help the NHS that you did? We want to hear about your resilience, your patience and your adaptability.

How to create a winning personal statement

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UCAS personal statement checklist

Unless you’re applying for a course that interviews, your personal statement is the only opportunity you have to demonstrate your personality through your application. Once you’ve written your statement, why not use our checklist below to make sure you have got all the vital elements covered.

The personal statement on your UCAS application is your chance to really sell yourself to the universities you are applying to. We do read them and it can make the difference between receiving an offer and being unsuccessful.  Once you’ve got your ideas for your personal statement ready to go, use our handy checklist below to make sure you’ve covered all the important information.

• Have you said in the first two sentences what you would like to study? Remember, be innovative in the way you tell us.
• Have you proofread it? Get everyone involved: friends, family, teachers – anyone that’ll look at it. Try reading it aloud too – doing this will make it very clear if something isn’t quite right.
• Have you used full sentences, paragraphs and proper grammar? It is a formal document so should read like one.
• Have you double-checked your spelling and grammar? The UCAS application form doesn’t have a spellcheck function, so we recommend copying it into a word processor to use theirs (it will also give you the character count – remember you’ve only got 4000 – and that includes spaces!).
• Have you got the balance right? We recommend that your statement should focus 80% on the course, and why you want to study it, and 20% on you and your skills. Other universities might have different ideas on this though.
• Have you talked about why the course you are applying for is interesting to you – you need to convince Admissions Teams that you want to study this subject for at least the next 3 years.
• Have you told us how have you come to this decision on the course you are applying for? Have you shared your experiences – something unique to you?
• Have you provided evidence to any claims you make and told us how, as a result, you are more suitable to the course?
• Have you offered an opinion or discussed a contemporary issue around your subject? The best personal statements show what you’ve learned independently and how it’s informed your opinion.

Your Transferable Skills:

• Have you shown what makes you ideal for the course?
• Are the skills you’ve mentioned relevant to the course? Ask yourself the question ‘so what?’ If you can’t think about a reason to talk about a particular skill, the reader will wonder why you’ve mentioned it at all.

You can use the ABC test to see if you are making it relevant:

• A = Activity: This might be captaining a sports team, or being part of a drama club
• B = Benefit: This is the skill(s) you have gained from doing the activity
• C = Course: How the skill will help you to complete the course successfully

And finally, remember that this is a personal statement. It should be totally unique and all about you. Our final tip is this: If you were to anonymously give your personal statement to someone in your class, could they identify it as yours? If they couldn’t, we need to see more about you in there.

Read our tips for writing a UCAS personal statement

For more advice, see the UCAS tips for writing a personal statement

You might also be interested in:

• how to apply for undergraduate courses
• student support
• your offer and confirming your place
• transferring from other universities

UCAS personal statement examples

Having managed successfully to navigate through the 370,000 courses at over 370 providers across the UK, it is now time to make a start at drafting your personal statement.

Students often find this the most daunting of tasks within the application process. This guide will help you through putting together the statement that is going to help get you a place on your ideal course.

Knowing where to start and what to say to when setting out your reasons for applying and convincing the admissions tutor to offer you a place can be a challenge. Looking at examples of how other students have approached this can sometimes be helpful.

Example one

Things to consider when reading this example.

• Consider the structure – what are your thoughts around this?
• Think about spelling, grammar, and punctuation– how does this fare?
• What course do you think this personal statement may have been for?

“The best way to find yourself, is to lose yourself in the service of others.” Mahatma Ghandi

From a young age this quote has inspired my chosen career path to become a children’s nurse. Being one of many siblings I have the role of supporting my nieces and nephews when they become ill and providing comfort. Working with children in my family has motivated along this career path as it has taught me to take responsibility in life, become more organised and mature.

I am currently undertaking a health and social care course. This course has given me insight into the different aspects of health care and its overarching infra structure. Caring for children and young people helped me gain an understanding of the risk that children and young people may be put in and the exploitative and abusive behaviour that they may encounter. We focused on the tragic case of Victoria Climbie. This brought home the significance of multi agency working.

I am committed to ensuring that children and young people in my care are safe,healthy, enjoying and achieving, economic well being and putting in a positive contribution. A core element of the course has been work placement, working with children. This came in very useful for me because it taught me how to deal with children at different ages and what I need to do in order to meet their needs. During this work experience I was responsible for supporting and maintaining the children’s hygiene needs and encouraging them with their speech. I learnt different approaches to meeting the needs of children; for example I was taught to talk the children in a calm, but stern tone of voice when they misbehaved and to use very positive gestures and praise when children listened and kept to task.

I consider myself as having very good communications skills I am able to reassure people positively in any circumstance, I am the committed to ensuring that children and young people in my care are safe and healthy and I am confident when dealing with both children and parents, For example when a child injured herself in the nursery I shadowed one of the senior staff while they administered first aid, it was then my responsibility to explain to the caregiver exactly what had occurred.

I take part in many activities which are helping me to become independent ad preparing me for my course that I want to take part in, in university; I presently volunteer in a nursery. I take part in planning and creating activities and I have a duty to observe the children throughout the day and then give feedback to the parents and carers.

I have many qualities which will be ideal for my future career path I am honest, patient and a reflective individual, this is something that I feel is most important when dealing with children and adolescents.

I have many hobbies that I carry out in my spare time. I have taken part in being a team leader to raise money for a charity that supports children who have been abused because I believe strongly in the cause. We raised awareness, held a campaign, fundraising and protest.

I also enjoy travel, I have visited countries such as Egypt, Eritrea, Holland, Germany and Italy - this has allowed me to explore the outside world and has given me a taste of different cultures and traditions; and ultimately giving me a better understanding of diversity.

I would like to be given the opportunity to study at university because I believe it will be the perfect platform to launch my career. Having the chance to study Paediatric Nursing at university will allow me to fulfil my career path and make a change to my life as I will feel that I am achieving new things on a day to day basis with what I am able to offer children and young people when it comes to having a positive impact on their health.

Being given the opportunity of Working in an environment with children daily would be my dream goal in life that I wish to achieve.

Example two

• Thinking about the experiences gained from a gap year, how has this applicant drawn on these transferrable skills?
• How does experience both in and outside the classroom environment relate to the chosen subject area?

I am a hardworking, talented and motivated young woman looking forward to studying at degree level and taking an active part in university life.

I have a keen interest in the world around me, and enjoy taking part in a variety of activities for example: volunteering at my local brownies, volunteer marshal at Brighton Marathon; textile and weaving classes; completion of the Trinity Guildhall award at both Bronze and Silver level; and a Stand Up Paddle board instructor. These activities, coupled with part time work whilst at sixth form college, have not only been enjoyable but have also helped me to develop skills in communication, organisational, leadership and interpersonal skills.

Although having been accepted to start university in 2014 (Primary Education) I realised that I was not ready to fully commit to the course and took the decision to gain some real life experience and reflect on what I really want from university and my future career.

Since leaving sixth-form college I have been working full time as a waitress/ bar assistant at a local hotel, which has been hard but interesting work demanding stamina, patience and an open mind. I have also secured 3 weeks work at a trade exhibition in New York, where I will have the chance to attend networking dinner and I plan to go inter-railing across Europe in Summer 2015. As a result of these experiences I am more self-assured and resilient. I am ready to commit to full time study and have much to contribute to university life.

I realise that I am most interested in people, what makes them the people they are and how this manifests in their behaviour and opinions.

I enjoyed studying sociology at A level and gaining an insight into how the study of sociology helps us to understand how society works. This coupled with my recent experience in the hospitality world and observation of the behaviour of those who use and manage the service, has fuelled my desire to study Sociology in depth at degree level. I am completely fascinated by the behaviour of others and why we act the way we do. I believe that studying sociology at degree level will allow me to begin to explore and understand aspects of human social behaviour, including the social dynamics of small groups of people, large organisations, communities, institutions and entire societies.

I believe that the skills and knowledge that I will accrue whilst studying will be applicable to a wide variety of careers and that is why I have chosen to study the topic at degree level.

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Writing a Personal Statement for UCAS: The 10 Big Mistakes Students Should Avoid

James is senior content marketing manager at BridgeU. He writes and directs content for BridgeU's university partners and our community of international schools

• Writing a UCAS Personal Statement for a subject that isn’t the right fit
• Spelling & grammar mistakes
• Avoid pointless cliches
• Endlessly listing extracurriculars
• Over-using quotes or taking them out of context
• Telling the reader something they already know 
• Ignoring word limits
• Unnecessary origin stories
• Making things up
• Controversy

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Writing a UCAS Personal Statement requires a student to convey a lot of information in a short space of time. Mistakes are easy to make. Read our run down of the most common ones and how to avoid them

Writing a Personal Statement for UCAS is, in many ways, like asking a student to tell the story of their life in 4,000 characters or less. 

And if that sounds hard, it’s because it is. 

The UCAS Personal Statement is the  cornerstone of a UK university application . Students need to write a genuine, authoritative and compelling account of who they are and what they want from a UK university degree. They need to quickly grab the attention of the university admissions officer reading their Personal Statement, and they need to make sure they stand out from the hundreds of other applications that will be crossing that admission officer’s desk. 

In order to do this, the Personal Statement will require a student to master form, structure and content in such a way that makes their writing stand out. 

Understandably, students might feel an inordinate amount of pressure to get their Personal Statement right first time. 

Indeed, more often than not, it’s not a case of students being lazy when writing their UCAS Personal Statements. The problem is often that students will have a lot to say and will have put a lot of thought into their Statement, but may make some simple stylistic mistakes that could cost them when they finally submit their application. 

But if these mistakes are easy to make, they’re also easy to avoid. 

So we’re going to take you through the 10 most common (and potentially costly) mistakes that a student might make in their UCAS Personal Statement, and give you some tips on how to help your students avoid them. 

Bonus Resource –  To help your students avoid any major mistakes before they begin, our Personal Statement worksheet helps them to plan and write a truly compelling account of themselves.  Click here to download

1. Writing a UCAS Personal Statement for a subject that isn’t the right fit 

If students have done their research carefully and considerately, then this shouldn’t be a problem. Ideally, in the year leading up to the submission of the Personal Statement, your students will have shortlisted their university and course preferences to the point where they’re applying for a subject area they’re truly passionate about. 

But this first, major mistake is the natural conclusion of a student being pressured into a subject or career path by family, parents or even school peers. Hopefully this won’t happen – but if a student is writing their UCAS Personal Statement for a subject they’re not truly passionate about, then this should set off alarm bells. It will ultimately affect the quality of the Personal Statement. 

And, most importantly, admissions staff will easily spot a Personal Statement where the student’s heart isn’t in it. 

Top tip:  We at BridgeU are big fans of students finding their best-fit universities and courses (after all, it’s why we built our platform!). Students need to put a lot of time into making sure the UK course they are applying for is right for them. Starting a Personal Statement without having thoroughly researched university and course options is one of the most fundamental mistakes a student could make. 

2. Spelling & Grammar Mistakes 

This may seem like a rather obvious mistake, and one your students hopefully shouldn’t be making. 

But the tight time frames associated with a UCAS Personal Statement will make spelling and grammar mistakes more likely, especially if your students aren’t taking the time to proof-read their personal statement before submitting it. 

Spelling and grammar mistakes can really count against students, and can make their writing appear sloppy or poorly thought through. It’s an especially bad look if your students are applying for humanities or social sciences courses, or indeed any degree that requires a lot of extended writing! 

Top tip:  Encourage your students to print out their Personal Statement. Whilst we know that a lot of students do more things digitally these days (and BridgeU is an online platform after all!), reading a UCAS Personal Statement back as a living, printed document can really help students hone their eye for detail! 

3. Avoid exuberant language and pointless cliches 

“My love of Physics began when I used to look up at the night sky as a child, and found it simultaneously breath-taking and awe-inspiring.” 

“I’ve been passionate about the works of William Shakespeare since seeing my first production on stage. I’m fascinated by how Shakespeare remains relevant for today.” 

Can you see what’s wrong with these two examples? 

Whilst they are very positive and well-worded statements about why a student might want to study astrophysics, or Shakespearian literature, both these Personal Statement examples tip very quickly into cliche and generalisation. 

We’re not suggesting you shouldn’t encourage your students to use positive language when writing a UCAS Personal Statement, but this positive language needs to be backed up with clear, specific examples and rigorous analysis. 

Remember – the key to an excellent Personal Statement is showing, not telling. 

So why is Shakespeare still relevant to today? What specific examples could a student writing about a 16th century author use to demonstrate their relevance to the 21st century? 

Likewise, proclaiming a love for the wonders of the night sky is all well and good, but why did it make our example student want to study Physics? 

Top tip:  Encourage students to set a limit on the number of adjectives or descriptive phrases they use in their writing. It’s important to remember a Personal Statement has to accomplish a lot in a relatively short number of words. If students over-use words like ‘passionate’, ‘breathtaking’ and ‘awe-inspiring’ they’re just going to end up repeating themselves. 

4. Endlessly listing extracurricular activities

Extracurricular activities are a vital part of any Personal Statement. If used in the right way, they can help a student to stand out, and seem like a more well-rounded person. Extracurriculars can also help to showcase valuable soft skills that universities value in their students. 

But there’s no point using extracurriculars like a grocery list. Students endlessly describing their extracurriculars will mean nothing if they don’t link them back to the overall narrative of the Personal Statement. 

Again, it’s about showing, not telling. Saying ‘I have captained my school football team for three years’ means nothing if the writer doesn’t explain this activity within the context of the Personal Statement. 

Top tip:  When planning their Personal Statement, students need to think about the extracurricular activities that can demonstrate soft skills. What did they learn from doing this particular extracurricular activity? Do they think it will set them apart in their overall application? If the answer is no, then it’s best not putting it in. 

5. Over-using quotes or taking them out of context

Remember what we said about exuberant language and cliches? 

It’s the same with the use of quotes. 

Quotes can be a powerful tool to back up any argument, be it in a UCAS Personal Statement or any other kind of essay. 

But quotes used clumsily can often have the opposite effect, and make the writer of a Personal Statement seem pretentious or just quoting for the sake of it. 

Many students may feel tempted to open their Personal Statement with a quote from Mahatma Gandhi, or Martin Luther King. A student who is submitting an application for psychology may feel it necessary to begin their Personal Statement with a quote from Sigmund Freud. 

The trouble is that many UK university admissions tutors have probably seen the same quotes again and again. Again, if quotes aren’t used in context, or don’t serve the overall narrative of the Personal Statement, then it may be worth not putting them in. 

It’s also important to remember that universities want to hear from the student, not Sigmund Freud! If in doubt, a student writing a Personal Statement should use their own thoughts and insights, not someone else’s. 

Top tip:  Encourage students to use less well-known quotes in their Personal Statement. Quotes from less well-known, specialist thinkers within a subject discipline are more likely to show that a student is widely read and has a deep and rich knowledge of the subject they’re applying for. 

6. Telling the reader something they already know 

Demonstrating subject knowledge and background reading is vital for a UCAS Personal Statement. But this must fit in with the student’s overall story of  why  they want to study that particular degree. 

What students shouldn’t do is explain academic or scientific theories at length, or regurgitate existing arguments that have already been made by other writers in their chosen field of study. 

Students writing a UCAS Personal Statement need to operate from the assumption that the person reading it is probably an expert in their field. It’s only worth students talking about their wider reading, or their take on another piece of academic writing, if they can demonstrate its relevance to them. 

Top tip:  Students should avoid going into depth about other academic or scientific theories unless they have a bearing on the student’s own worldview, and can tell the reader something about why they want to study for that particular course. 

Video: Tips from UCAS on starting a Personal Statement

7. not paying attention to word/character limits .

It’s pretty hard to literally ignore the word/character limit for the UCAS Personal Statement, as there will come a point where students will simply run out of space. 

But some students can fail to pay attention to word/character limits to the extent that they don’t plan the form and structure of their UCAS Personal Statement properly. 

Planning the overall structure and flow of the Personal Statement before writing it is absolutely essential if students are to make the most of the space that UCAS allocates. Half finished thoughts and hastily written conclusions will do more harm than good when someone reads the Personal Statement. 

Top tip:  Run one class/workshop with students where they brainstorm and plan the overall structure of their UCAS Personal Statement. Break the components of a good personal statement down into chunks, and get students thinking about the optimal structure for making their Personal Statements as good as they can be! 

8. Unnecessary origin stories 

Everyone loves an origin story (why else would film studios keep remaking Spiderman?). But origin stories in UCAS Personal Statements can sometimes be a waste of time (this is in sharp contrast to an application like the Common App in the USA), where they love to hear a student’s origin story)

Remember our physics student from Tip no.3 who loved to gaze at the night sky? Childhood anecdotes are great, and can certainly add character to a student’s application. But they’re not always necessary to showcase a student’s devotion to their chosen subject. 

In fact, it’s fair to say that admissions tutors at UK universities are more interested in an applicant’s more recent contributions or achievements in their chosen field of study than snippets of their biography. 

Yet it remains the case that students sometimes feel the need to profess their lifelong devotion to a subject they’re hoping to study at university. It’s really not necessary. 

In fact UCAS themselves once published a list of the  most commonly used opening lines in a Personal Statement . Three of the most frequent openings were 

“I have always been interested in…” (used 927 times)

“For as long as I can remember I have…” (used 1,451 times) 

“From a young age I have always been interested in/fascinated by…” (used 1,779 times) 

Not only does drawing on childhood memories risk losing sight of more relevant information, it’s also something that lots of universities have seen before. 

9. Making things up 

We hope that none of your students would ever lie in their Personal Statement. But if someone feels the pressure to stand out from the crowd and really impress a university, then it could happen. 

Even small, believable exaggerations could come back to haunt a student if they were hypothetically invited to an interview further down the road. It could be as small as pretending to have read a particular book, or quoting/discussing a piece of research in their chosen subject field and not having fully engaged with it. 

Top tip:  When it comes to putting anything untruthful in a Personal Statement, we can only offer you one piece of advice to give to your students. 

Don’t do it! It’s not worth it, students will probably get found out and there’s likely plenty of achievements and skills that students can talk about in their Personal Statement. They just need to think long and hard about what it is! 

10. Being controversial or contrarian for the sake of it 

Being controversial or argumentative can seem like a good way to sit up and get the reader’s attention – but it’s not worth a student doing it unless they’ve really got the evidence and the argument to back it up. 

For example, arguing against a famous essay or piece of research in a student’s chosen subject might seem like a good way to score some brownie points. But why does a student take issue with this particular piece of research? And is it really wise to try and tackle it in the space of a 4,000 character Personal Statement. 

Top tip:  Students should definitely be independent and analytical when discussing their degree subject in their Personal Statement – after all, it’s the most surefire way to stand out. But taking a contrarian position, or trying to make an explosive new contribution to academic discourse in the course of one Personal Statement probably isn’t a good idea. 

Writing a Personal Statement for UCAS – final tips to avoid mistakes

What do these mistakes all have in common? 

The answer is they are the natural consequence of students forgetting some of the core principles of UCAS Personal Statement writing. 

• Students need to ensure their Personal Statements are well-structured and well-planned – so as to avoid spelling mistakes and/or falling foul of the character limit. 
• Students need to keep their Personal Statements as unique to them as possible – this means staying truthful to their own ambitions and worldview, and avoiding generalisations or cliches. 
• A good Personal Statement needs to be rooted in strong analysis and writing that makes good use of evidence and specific examples to back up an argument. 
• A standout Personal Statement needs to be compelling account of a student’s suitability for a course with a good story at the heart of it – it needs to show, not tell. 

Our Personal Statement template is a great resource if you want to help your students plan and write a truly individual Personal Statement, and avoid some of the mistakes we’ve listed here. Download it below! 

Bonus Resource!

How to write a Personal Statement Worksheet & Template

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How to Write a UCAS Personal Statement: Complete Guide on How to Write a UCAS Personal Statements

Universities & Colleges Admission Service or more commonly known as the UCAS. A personal statement is an essential element of your UCAS application that is an opportunity for you to express to admissions officers your goals, abilities, and experience.

A personal statement is used to bolster your admission to a university. It's an opportunity for you to explain why you want to study a specific course or subject, as well as what abilities and experience you have that demonstrate your zeal for your chosen sector. The UCAS Personal Statement is sometimes a student's only opportunity to impress a university.

In this blog, we will further look into what is the personal statement structure UCAS by smothering you with UCAS personal statement examples and also help you by providing you with necessary information about how to structure a UCAS personal statement by yourself, while mentioning a few UCAS personal statement examples.

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What is a UCAS Personal Statement?

The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) is an independent organisation that serves as the United Kingdom's common admissions service for higher education. It is the essential essay for your enrollment in British colleges and universities. It allows you to stand out from the crowd and demonstrate your expertise and passion for your field of study.

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How Does a UCAS Personal Statement Help in Admissions?

The essential admissions document, the UCAS Personal Statement, has a significant impact on whether a candidate is admitted or denied. This is why it is critical to craft the UCAS Personal Statement in such a way that it impresses the academic advisor of the UK college and receives immediate acceptance. Overall, one can highlight all of their admirable traits in their statement to convey to the evaluators that they are genuinely interested in the course.

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How to Write a UCAS Personal Statement: UCAS Personal Statement Format

One question that may be bothering you is, ‘how long should a UCAS personal statement be?’ Well, you only have 4000 characters or 47 lines, so you need to be succinct and utilise your words wisely. Your personal statement should adhere to this format:

Step 1: Plan

• Students need to do extensive study on the UK universities and programs they intend to apply to.
• Decide which pertinent information to put in their personal statement.
• Write a rough draft without editing in which they merely record their ideas and thoughts.

Step 2: Structure

Students must exercise considerable self-control when writing their UCAS Personal Statements since they must pack a plethora of details into a limited amount of space. This means that they must carefully consider how they arrange the final statement after writing a rough initial draft.

A compelling personal statement must follow a strict format, have an impactful opening and conclusion, and provide insight into the applicant's character and motivations for choosing the program for which they are applying.

Step 3: The Statement

A student's chance to tell a university about themselves, how their life events have influenced their passion for learning and ambitions, and why they should be admitted to the topic of their choice is the UCAS Personal Statement.

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What To Include in a UCAS Personal Statement

How long should a UCAS personal statement be, well, not too long, therefore it must implore all the essential aspects you want to demonstrate to get into your desired course.

• You can utilise the characteristics, competencies, and experience listed in the course descriptions to help you choose what to write.
• Include your goals and the aspects of the topic that attract you.
• Think about your qualifications.
• Describe any groups or societies you are a member of.
• Mention any relevant volunteer work or career experience you have.
• Include any higher education courses, apprenticeships, seminars, or similar experiences you may have had.
• Describe any personal situations in your personal statement that may have had an impact on your academic success.

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How to Start a UCAS Personal Statement?

The first and foremost step to start a UCAS Personal Statement is to begin with the course or program you’re choosing to study. Also, you should keep in mind to keep the starting very crisp and brief, precisely 47 words.

To start, you can add sentences relevant to why you want to pursue the particular subject, and even bring about a story to execute the example, and make it more engaging.

Also, watch this video below to know about all the elements to score a winning SOP! 

How to End a UCAS Personal Statement?

To end your UCAS personal statement, it is essential to list a few extracurricular activities, and internships that make you stand out from the crowd. Basically, through the last paragraph or the ending, you need to showcase and demonstrate your extra self, your skill set, and how you are different from other applicants. And then you can close your case by not repeating what you’ve already mentioned in your statement previously.

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UCAS Personal Statement Samples

Not too long is the answer to how long should your UCAS personal statement be. So, it is a necessity to write a statement that will knock the university’s socks off!

Below mentioned are the UCAS personal statements samples in writing ways simplified:

Initiate off by presenting oneself and your narrative. Talk about your reasons for being interested in the programs you're applying for.

Mention your qualifications.  Anything you did in high school that qualifies you for the role?

Talk about your long-term goals and what you want to do with your degree.

Conclude with an intriguing line to add just a little bit of sparkle. A good conclusion is a catchy sentence regarding your future goals.

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Given below are some UCAS personal statement samples for conclusion to help you understand how to write a personal statement UCAS:

UCAS Personal Statement Template

Before moving further, it is important for candidates to be well aware of the writing style and format of the UCAS personal statement. Do go through some UCAS personal statement examples to have a clear idea.

US Personal Statement V/S UCAS Personal Statement

The following are the elements that set UCAS personal statement apart from US personal statement:

• If you register to UK universities, you're applying to a specific degree program that you'll pursue for all or almost all of your time in college. Your preparation for your specific field of study should be the main topic of your UCAS personal statement.
• Someone will read your UCAS Personal Statement to determine whether you are qualified academically to pursue that field of study through the completion of your degree. It may occasionally be a real professor who is reviewing your paper.
• All the universities you're applying to will receive the one personal statement you submit. Without mentioning any specific institution, your essay must describe why you appreciate and are brilliant at this subject.
• Unless they highlight important aspects of your study habits or abilities, any extracurriculars that are not pertinent to the subject you are applying for are meaningless.
• The majority of the personal statement will be on your high school experiences, including what you did in class and frequently in advance of external tests. It is to be highly academic in nature.

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UCAS Personal Statement Tips: Writing the Best UCAS Personal Statements

Here are a few pointers that will help you in writing an efficient UCAS personal statement:

• Students must show that they are not just enrolling in college for the social aspect of it and that they have the work ethic and academic aptitude to succeed at a further level of schooling.
• It's crucial to demonstrate your capacity for managing your time and your workload.
• To increase their chances of getting into the degree they choose, all students must show enthusiasm for the subject they have selected, which goes above and beyond classroom education.
• The most crucial step in creating a UCAS application is to check everything. Every sentence must make sense and follow grammar rules.

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A good UCAS statement is critical to getting accepted into a UK university so it needs to have all necessary information without any unnecessary data that will hinder your chances at securing a spot into the course you’d like to enrol yourself into. For any further information subscribe to Yocket premium and get help from our team of experts.

Frequently Asked Questions About How to Write a Good UCAS Personal Statement

How long should my UCAS personal statement be?

A standard UCAS personal statement should be 47 lines and 4000 words long.

How to start a UCAS personal statement?

You first start by introducing yourself in your UCAS personal statement. After that gradually start mentioning your goals, strengths and capabilities.

How to justify good UCAS personal statement examples?

A good UCAS personal statement will always mention only relevant to the field pointers and nothing else.

Why do we require a UCAS personal statement?

UCAS Personal Statement has a significant impact on whether a candidate is admitted or denied.

How much help does UCAS personal statement examples international students?

It helps international students formulate an appropriate format for their application to a UK university.

Rohan Deshmukh

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