Personal statements
The personal statement is an integral element of the UCAS application form and inevitably the section that can prove to be the most challenging.
It is an opportunity for students to demonstrate to Admissions Tutors their passion and enthusiasm for their chosen course and to highlight the transferable skills that they have that will make them successful when studying.
As part of your personal statement students will be answering 3 questions:
- Why do you want to study this course this course or subject?
- How have your qualifications and studies helped you to prepare for this course or subject?
- What else have you done to prepare outside of education, and why are these experiences useful?
There isn’t one set formula for writing the perfect personal statement, each will require time, patience and several redrafts to ensure that the finished piece really is the best representation of a student’s capabilities.
It is recommended that student’s include a variety of examples to illustrate what fuels their ambition, where they have acquired their skills from and how their current studies will complement their Higher Education choices.
For more information about what to include in each section the UCAS website has created new guidance for 2026 applicants.