Writing a 4000 character personal statement is a daunting task – especially if you’re unsure about how to structure it and what to include. Don’t worry – this post will help you get started and give you some guidance on what makes a good personal statement.

Stage 1 – Content

One of the hardest parts about the personal statement is figuring out what exactly to include. It’s a good rule of thumb to have at least 80% of your statement be about your academic interest – why have you chosen this subject area and how can you demonstrate your passion? The best way to do this is to read widely around your subject and learn more about what specifically interests and motivates you within the field. This could look like attending public lectures, reading books recommended in reading lists or listening to podcasts on topics you find interesting. 

Don’t fall into the trap of giving a laundry list of every book you’ve read or every podcast you’ve listened to – admissions teams want to see how you interact with and interpret academic ideas, not a Wikipedia page! Mentioning your achievements and extra curricular activities can be a way to demonstrate your skills and experience, to set you apart as a unique candidate.

Stage 2 – Planning

When getting started, it’s a good idea to have a list of skills, achievements, ideas and experiences you want to include as a starting point for the personal statement. You should also research different degrees and courses you want to apply to, so that you can decide how to make the content of your statement relevant. Many universities don’t accept additional written statements, so making your statement broad enough to cover all five course choices can be a challenge. 

This can be a time consuming stage within the process, but proper planning and research are essential to writing a clear, concise and convincing personal statement. Writing a couple of draft versions and getting feedback from teachers or friends is a helpful way to refine and improve on your work, and ensures the final version you submit is well thought out and persuasive.

Stage 3 – Structure

Structuring a personal statement doesn’t have to be complicated. Although many other guides emphasise having an “attention-grabbing” starting sentence or paragraph, the pressure of coming up with one can be hugely demotivating. The important thing to prioritise is structuring your thoughts logically and presenting a cohesive statement that emphasises why you want to study a particular course, where your passion lies within that subject area and what skills and experiences make you a strong candidate. A clear and concise introduction; followed by the main body discussing your academic interests and experiences; a brief section on relevant extracurricular activities to show your wider skillset; and a conclusion summarising your interest and motivations is one way to structure your statement. 

Don’t get hung up on writing the “perfect” first sentence – sometimes focusing on the main body first and then coming back to the introduction can be a great way to motivate yourself to write without feeling demotivated.

Stage 4 – Proofreading

It doesn’t matter how great your experiences and skills are, or how passionate you seem about a given topic if your statement is riddled with grammatical and spelling errors. Proofread multiple times, especially with someone else so that they can spot the mistakes you might not have noticed. Staying within the character limits is also important, so put your statement in the personal statement section of the UCAS application to check that it follows those guidelines.

Good luck writing your personal statement and remember to take regular breaks and take care of yourself – this can be a stressful time!