Personal statement

What is the personal statement? Why do we need to see it? Does it matter?

The personal statement is an important part of the application process; it is a tool to support your decision making in relation to which programme/s to apply for and at which universities. It also helps you focus on and understand the different skills and attributes you have that will help you succeed in your chosen programme of study.

For the majority of programmes, consideration of your application will focus on your achieved or potential academic results, as this is the best predictor for success in one of our degree programmes.

For programmes where personal statements are used as a significant element of the selection process, this will be clearly outlined in the entry requirements and/or associated admission criteria documents with clear information about how the personal statement will be used. For other programmes, the personal statement may be used in the rare event that a programme is oversubscribed and we are trying to select between candidates with similar academic profiles or if you narrowly miss the required grade/s for your chosen course and there are a limited number of places still available. In these instances, we may look at your personal statement to see if your interests and experience demonstrate any extra skills that could help you succeed on the course. It may also be used to understand extenuating circumstances and the context in which your qualification/s may have been achieved.

Dos and don'ts: a basic guide to follow when writing your personal statement

• Do thorough research into your chosen degree courses to ensure the course content and entry requirements match your interests/abilities.
• Do take time over your application, structure your application well and be prepared to write at least three drafts before submitting your form to your tutor.
• Do take time to check for spelling and grammatical errors.
• Do print out a copy to check for errors and ask a friend/relative/teacher for their feedback.
• Do be positive - about the course and all you have to offer.
• Don't give excuses - always be positive about what you have done and achieved.
• Don't waffle - make sure that all information noted is relevant and you show how skills learnt from hobbies/outside interests are transferable to your chosen degree.
• Don't tell lies - you might get caught out, especially if asked to elaborate on your personal statement at an interview. Remember that UCAS uses a similarity detection service to detect copied work.