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What to include in a Personal Statement

Personal Statement Tips

Nail your uni application with our personal statement examples.

Discover personal statements by subject, from A to Z. Find inspiration for your own application with these successful personal statement examples from real students.

A-Z of Personal Statements

Learn from previous student personal statements here. We have collated over 700 personal statement examples to help you on your university journey and to help you with how to write a personal statement.

These personal statement examples will show you the kind of thing that universities are looking for from their applicants. See how to structure your personal statement, what kind of format your personal statement should be in, what to write in a personal statement and the key areas to touch on in your statement.

A personal statement is a chance to tell your university all about you - a good personal statement is one that showcases your passion for the subject, what inspired you to apply for the course you’re applying for and why you think you would be an asset to the university.

Our collection includes personal statement examples in Mathematics, Anthropology, Accounting, Computer Science, Zoology and more.

Writing a personal statement has never been easier with our vast collection of personal statement examples.

Personal Statement

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Personal Statement Help

What is a personal statement.

A personal statement is an essay written by a student applying to either a college or university. A personal statement is written and then uploaded to UCAS and is then attached to any university applications that the student may then make.

If you need more information check out our personal statement advice articles .

How to write a personal statement

There isn't a clearly defined personal statement template for you to use as each person's statement is different.

When it comes to writing a personal statement for universities, your personal statement should touch on your passions, your interest in the course, why you're applying for the course and why you would be an asset to the university you're applying to.

Talk about the clubs and societies that you belong to, any work experience you may have and any awards you might have won.

If you're still looking for information check out our article on how to write a personal statement .

How to start a personal statement

When it comes to starting your personal statement, the best thing to do is to be succinct and to have enough tantalising information to keep the reader informed and eager for more.

Your introduction should touch on your personal qualities and why you are applying for the subject you're applying for. Keeping things short and sweet means that it also allows you to break your personal statement up, which makes it easier for the reader.

We have plenty of advice for students that are wondering about what to include in a personal statement .

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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, what is a personal statement everything you need to know about the college essay.

College Admissions , College Essays

In addition to standardized test scores and transcripts, a personal statement or essay is a required part of many college applications. The personal statement can be one of the most stressful parts of the application process because it's the most open ended.

In this guide, I'll answer the question, "What is a personal statement?" I'll talk through common college essay topics and what makes for an effective personal statement.

College Essay Glossary

Even the terminology can be confusing if you aren't familiar with it, so let's start by defining some terms:

Personal statement —an essay you write to show a college admissions committee who you are and why you deserve to be admitted to their school. It's worth noting that, unlike "college essay," this term is used for application essays for graduate school as well.

College essay —basically the same as a personal statement (I'll be using the terms interchangeably).

Essay prompt —a question or statement that your college essay is meant to respond to.

Supplemental essay —an extra school or program-specific essay beyond the basic personal statement.

Many colleges ask for only one essay. However, some schools do ask you to respond to multiple prompts or to provide supplemental essays in addition to a primary personal statement.

Either way, don't let it stress you out! This guide will cover everything you need to know about the different types of college essays and get you started thinking about how to write a great one:

• Why colleges ask for an essay
• What kinds of essay questions you'll see
• What sets great essays apart
• Tips for writing your own essay

Why Do Colleges Ask For an Essay?

There are a couple of reasons that colleges ask applicants to submit an essay, but the basic idea is that it gives them more information about you, especially who you are beyond grades and test scores.

#1: Insight Into Your Personality

The most important role of the essay is to give admissions committees a sense of your personality and what kind of addition you'd be to their school's community . Are you inquisitive? Ambitious? Caring? These kinds of qualities will have a profound impact on your college experience, but they're hard to determine based on a high school transcript.

Basically, the essay contextualizes your application and shows what kind of person you are outside of your grades and test scores . Imagine two students, Jane and Tim: they both have 3.5 GPAs and 1200s on the SAT. Jane lives in Colorado and is the captain of her track team; Tim lives in Vermont and regularly contributes to the school paper. They both want to be doctors, and they both volunteer at the local hospital.

As similar as Jane and Tim seem on paper, in reality, they're actually quite different, and their unique perspectives come through in their essays. Jane writes about how looking into her family history for a school project made her realize how the discovery of modern medical treatments like antibiotics and vaccines had changed the world and drove her to pursue a career as a medical researcher. Tim, meanwhile, recounts a story about how a kind doctor helped him overcome his fear of needles, an interaction that reminded him of the value of empathy and inspired him to become a family practitioner. These two students may seem outwardly similar but their motivations and personalities are very different.

Without an essay, your application is essentially a series of numbers: a GPA, SAT scores, the number of hours spent preparing for quiz bowl competitions. The personal statement is your chance to stand out as an individual.

#2: Evidence of Writing Skills

A secondary purpose of the essay is to serve as a writing sample and help colleges see that you have the skills needed to succeed in college classes. The personal statement is your best chance to show off your writing , so take the time to craft a piece you're really proud of.

That said, don't panic if you aren't a strong writer. Admissions officers aren't expecting you to write like Joan Didion; they just want to see that you can express your ideas clearly.

No matter what, your essay should absolutely not include any errors or typos .

#3: Explanation of Extenuating Circumstances

For some students, the essay is also a chance to explain factors affecting their high school record. Did your grades drop sophomore year because you were dealing with a family emergency? Did you miss out on extracurriculars junior year because of an extended medical absence? Colleges want to know if you struggled with a serious issue that affected your high school record , so make sure to indicate any relevant circumstances on your application.

Keep in mind that in some cases there will be a separate section for you to address these types of issues, as well as any black marks on your record like expulsions or criminal charges.

#4: Your Reasons for Applying to the School

Many colleges ask you to write an essay or paragraph about why you're applying to their school specifically . In asking these questions, admissions officers are trying to determine if you're genuinely excited about the school and whether you're likely to attend if accepted .

I'll talk more about this type of essay below.

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What Kind of Questions Do Colleges Ask?

Thankfully, applications don't simply say, "Please include an essay about yourself"; they include a question or prompt that you're asked to respond to . These prompts are generally pretty open-ended and can be approached in a lot of different ways .

Nonetheless, most questions fall into a few main categories. Let's go through each common type of prompt, with examples from the Common Application, the University of California application, and a few individual schools.

Prompt Type 1: Your Personal History

This sort of question asks you to write about a formative experience, important event, or key relationship from your life . Admissions officers want to understand what is important to you and how your background has shaped you as a person.

These questions are both common and tricky. The most common pit students fall into is trying to tell their entire life stories. It's better to focus in on a very specific point in time and explain why it was meaningful to you.

Common App 1

Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

Common App 5

Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.

University of California 2

Every person has a creative side, and it can be expressed in many ways: problem solving, original and innovative thinking, and artistically, to name a few. Describe how you express your creative side.

University of California 6

Think about an academic subject that inspires you. Describe how you have furthered this interest inside and/or outside of the classroom.

Prompt Type 2: Facing a Problem

A lot of prompts deal with how you solve problems, how you cope with failure, and how you respond to conflict. College can be difficult, both personally and academically, and admissions committees want to see that you're equipped to face those challenges .

The key to these types of questions is to identify a real problem, failure, or conflict ( not a success in disguise) and show how you adapted and grew from addressing the issue.

Common App 2

The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?

Harvard University 7

The Harvard College Honor Code declares that we “hold honesty as the foundation of our community.” As you consider entering this community that is committed to honesty, please reflect on a time when you or someone you observed had to make a choice about whether to act with integrity and honesty.

Prompt Type 3: Diversity

Most colleges are pretty diverse, with students from a wide range of backgrounds. Essay questions about diversity are designed to help admissions committees understand how you interact with people who are different from you .

In addressing these prompts, you want to show that you're capable of engaging with new ideas and relating to people who may have different beliefs than you.

Common App 3

Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?

Johns Hopkins University

Tell us about an aspect of your identity (e.g., race, gender, sexuality, religion, community) or a life experience that has shaped you as an individual and how that influenced what you’d like to pursue in college at Hopkins.  This can be a future goal or experience that is either [sic] academic, extracurricular, or social.

Duke University Optional 1

We believe a wide range of personal perspectives, beliefs, and lived experiences are essential to making Duke a vibrant and meaningful living and learning community. Feel free to share with us anything in this context that might help us better understand you and what you might bring to our community. 

Prompt Type 4: Your Future Goals

This type of prompt asks about what you want to do in the future: sometimes simply what you'd like to study, sometimes longer-term career goals. Colleges want to understand what you're interested in and how you plan to work towards your goals.

You'll mostly see these prompts if you're applying for a specialized program (like pre-med or engineering) or applying as a transfer student. Some schools also ask for supplementary essays along these lines. 

University of Southern California (Architecture)

Princeton Supplement 1

Prompt Type 5: Why This School

The most common style of supplemental essay is the "why us?" essay, although a few schools with their own application use this type of question as their main prompt. In these essays, you're meant to address the specific reasons you want to go to the school you're applying to .

Whatever you do, don't ever recycle these essays for more than one school.

Chapman University

There are thousands of universities and colleges. Why are you interested in attending Chapman?

Columbia University

Why are you interested in attending Columbia University? We encourage you to consider the aspect(s) that you find unique and compelling about Columbia.

Rice University

Based upon your exploration of Rice University, what elements of the Rice experience appeal to you?

Princeton University

Princeton has a longstanding commitment to understanding our responsibility to society through service and civic engagement. How does your own story intersect with these ideals?

Prompt Type 6: Creative Prompts

More selective schools often have supplemental essays with stranger or more unique questions. University of Chicago is notorious for its weird prompts, but it's not the only school that will ask you to think outside the box in addressing its questions.

University of Chicago

“Vlog,” “Labradoodle,” and “Fauxmage.” Language is filled with portmanteaus. Create a new portmanteau and explain why those two things are a “patch” (perfect match).

University of Vermont

Established in Burlington, VT, Ben & Jerry’s is synonymous with both ice cream and social change. The “Save Our Swirled” flavor raises awareness of climate change, and “I Dough, I Dough” celebrates marriage equality. If you worked alongside Ben & Jerry, what charitable flavor would you develop and why?

What Makes a Strong Personal Statement?

OK , so you're clear on what a college essay is, but you're still not sure how to write a good one . To help you get started, I'm going to explain the main things admissions officers look for in students' essays: an engaging perspective, genuine moments, and lively writing .

I've touched on these ideas already, but here, I'll go into more depth about how the best essays stand out from the pack.

Showing Who You Are

A lot of students panic about finding a unique topic, and certainly writing about something unusual like a successful dating app you developed with your friends or your time working as a mall Santa can't hurt you. But what's really important isn't so much what you write about as how you write about it . You need to use your subject to show something deeper about yourself.

Look at the prompts above: you'll notice that they almost all ask you what you learned or how the experience affected you. Whatever topic you pick, you must be able to specifically address how or why it matters to you .

Say a student, Will, was writing about the mall Santa in response to Common App prompt number 2 (the one about failure): Will was a terrible mall Santa. He was way too skinny to be convincing and the kids would always step on his feet. He could easily write 600 very entertaining words describing this experience, but they wouldn't necessarily add up to an effective college essay.

To do that, he'll need to talk about his motivations and his feelings: why he took such a job in the first place and what he did (and didn't) get out of it. Maybe Will took the job because he needed to make some money to go on a school trip and it was the only one he could find. Despite his lack of enthusiasm for screaming children, he kept doing it because he knew if he persevered through the whole holiday season he would have enough money for his trip. Would you rather read "I failed at being a mall Santa" or "Failing as a mall Santa taught me how to persevere no matter what"? Admissions officers definitely prefer the latter.

Ultimately, the best topics are ones that allow you to explain something surprising about yourself .

Since the main point of the essay is to give schools a sense of who you are, you have to open up enough to let them see your personality . Writing a good college essay means being honest about your feelings and experiences even when they aren't entirely positive.

In this context, honesty doesn't mean going on at length about the time you broke into the local pool at night and nearly got arrested, but it does mean acknowledging when something was difficult or upsetting for you. Think about the mall Santa example above. The essay won't work unless the writer genuinely acknowledges that he was a bad Santa and explains why.

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Eloquent Writing

As I mentioned above, colleges want to know that you are a strong enough writer to survive in college classes . Can you express your ideas clearly and concisely? Can you employ specific details appropriately and avoid clichés and generalizations? These kinds of skills will serve you well in college (and in life!).

Nonetheless, admissions officers recognize that different students have different strengths. They aren't looking for a poetic magnum opus from someone who wants to be a math major. (Honestly, they aren't expecting a masterwork from anyone , but the basic point stands.) Focus on making sure that your thoughts and personality come through, and don't worry about using fancy vocabulary or complex rhetorical devices.

Above all, make sure that you have zero grammar or spelling errors . Typos indicate carelessness, which will hurt your cause with admissions officers.

Top Five Essay-Writing Tips

Now that you have a sense of what colleges are looking for, let's talk about how you can put this new knowledge into practice as you approach your own essay. Below, I've collected my five best tips from years as a college essay counselor.

#1: Start Early!

No matter how much you want to avoid writing your essay, don't leave it until the last minute . One of the most important parts of the essay writing process is editing, and editing takes a lot of time. You want to be able to put your draft in a drawer for a week and come back to it with fresh eyes. You don't want to be stuck with an essay you don't really like because you have to submit your application tomorrow.

You need plenty of time to experiment and rewrite, so I would recommend starting your essays at least two months before the application deadline . For most students, that means starting around Halloween, but if you're applying early, you'll need to get going closer to Labor Day.

Of course, it's even better to get a head start and begin your planning earlier. Many students like to work on their essays over the summer, when they have more free time, but you should keep in mind that each year's application isn't usually released until August or September. Essay questions often stay the same from year to year, however. If you are looking to get a jump on writing, you can try to confirm with the school (or the Common App) whether the essay questions will be the same as the previous year's.

#2: Pick a Topic You're Genuinely Excited About

One of the biggest mistakes students make is trying to write what they think the committee wants to hear. The truth is that there's no "right answer" when it comes to college essays . T he best topics aren't limited to specific categories like volunteer experiences or winning a tournament. Instead, they're topics that actually matter to the writer .

"OK," you're thinking, "but what does she mean by 'a topic that matters to you'? Because to be perfectly honest, right now, what really matters to me is that fall TV starts up this week, and I have a feeling I shouldn't write about that."

You're not wrong (although some great essays have been written about television ). A great topic isn't just something that you're excited about or that you talk to your friends about; it's something that has had a real, describable effect on your perspective .

This doesn't mean that you should overemphasize how something absolutely changed your life , especially if it really didn't. Instead, try to be as specific and honest as you can about how the experience affected you, what it taught you, or what you got out of it.

Let's go back to the TV idea. Sure, writing an essay about how excited you are for the new season of Stranger Things  probably isn't the quickest way to get yourself into college, but you could write a solid essay (in response to the first type of prompt) about how SpongeBob SquarePants was an integral part of your childhood. However, it's not enough to just explain how much you loved SpongeBob—you must also explain why and how watching the show every day after school affected your life. For example, maybe it was a ritual you shared with your brother, which showed you how even seemingly silly pieces of pop culture can bring people together. Dig beneath the surface to show who you are and how you see the world.

When you write about something you don't really care about, your writing will come out clichéd and uninteresting, and you'll likely struggle to motivate yourself. When you instead write about something that is genuinely important to you, you can make even the most ordinary experiences—learning to swim, eating a meal, or watching TV—engaging .

#3: Focus on Specifics

But how do you write an interesting essay? Focus.

Don't try to tell your entire life story or even the story of an entire weekend; 500–650 words may seem like a lot, but you'll reach that limit quickly if you try to pack every single thing that has happened to you into your essay. If, however, you just touch on a wide range of topics, you'll end up with an essay that reads more like a résumé.

Instead, narrow in on one specific event or idea, and talk about it in more depth . The narrower your topic, the better. For example, writing about your role as Mercutio in your school's production of Romeo and Juliet is too general, but writing about opening night, when everything went wrong, could be a great topic.

Whatever your topic, use details to help draw the reader in and express your unique perspective. But keep in mind that you don't have to include every detail of what you did or thought; stick to the important and illustrative ones.

#4: Use Your Own Voice

College essays aren't academic assignments; you don't need to be super formal. Instead, try to be yourself. The best writing sounds like a more eloquent version of the way you talk .

Focus on using clear, simple language that effectively explains a point or evokes a feeling. To do so, avoid the urge to use fancy-sounding synonyms when you don't really know what they mean. Contractions are fine; slang, generally, is not. Don't hesitate to write in the first person.

A final note: you don't need to be relentlessly positive. It's OK to acknowledge that sometimes things don't go how you want—just show how you grew from that.

#5: Be Ruthless

Many students want to call it a day after writing a first draft, but editing is a key part of writing a truly great essay. To be clear, editing doesn't mean just making a few minor wording tweaks and cleaning up typos; it means reading your essay carefully and objectively and thinking about how you could improve it .

Ask yourself questions as you read: is the progression of the essay clear? Do you make a lot of vague, sweeping statements that could be replaced with more interesting specifics? Do your sentences flow together nicely? Do you show something about yourself beyond the surface level?

You will have to delete and rewrite (potentially large) parts of your essay, and no matter how attached you feel to something you wrote, you might have to let it go . If you've ever heard the phrase "kill your darlings," know that it is 100% applicable to college essay writing.

At some point, you might even need to rewrite the whole essay. Even though it's annoying, starting over is sometimes the best way to get an essay that you're really proud of.

What's Next?

Make sure to check out our other posts on college essays , including our step-by-step guide to how to write your college essay , our analysis of the Common App Prompts , and our collection of example essays .

If you're in need of guidance on other parts of the application process , take a look at our guides to choosing the right college for you , writing about extracurriculars , deciding to double major , and requesting teacher recommendations .

Last but not least, if you're planning on taking the SAT one last time , check out our ultimate guide to studying for the SAT and make sure you're as prepared as possible.

Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points? We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Alex is an experienced tutor and writer. Over the past five years, she has worked with almost a hundred students and written about pop culture for a wide range of publications. She graduated with honors from University of Chicago, receiving a BA in English and Anthropology, and then went on to earn an MA at NYU in Cultural Reporting and Criticism. In high school, she was a National Merit Scholar, took 12 AP tests and scored 99 percentile scores on the SAT and ACT.

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How to write a great personal statement

Student Admissions & Access

Your personal statement is your opportunity to tell us more about yourself and why you are interested in studying your chosen subject. In this article, we offer you some tips and advice on how to start building your personal statement and make the best impression with your application.

Where to start

Don’t let the blank page put you off. Just start writing and try not to overthink it - you can always change and refine your statement later.

You might want to begin by thinking about the following questions to help you make a list of what to include:

• What do I know about the course and its modules?
• Why do I want to study the subject?
• What do I like about the subject?
• What do I already know?
• What have I read, watched or attended that is relevant to the subject?
• What excites me about the subject?
• What are my academic strengths?
• What makes me a good fit for studying this course?

Start turning your list into sentences. Think about how each thing in your list relates to your subject, and start to form concise sentences. Aim to organise the sentences into paragraphs and form a logical structure to make a case for your suitability for the course.

Aim for one idea per sentence, and one major theme per paragraph. If you can, try to tie it all together with common themes and ideas. For example, you may have learned a topic during your A Levels, then read a book about it and independently researched more about the theory, which sparked some ideas and questions of your own. You may have read a number of books on a similar theme - think about any parallels or contrasts between them.

Image captions

Draft, draft, draft

Get everything down on paper first. Then go back to draft and start to rework it. Don’t let your personal statement become a long list of ideas – that was your starting point. Think about the most important points you’ve made, and work on developing those. Remember that sometimes, less is more. At this point, you may have to delete whole sections, so don’t become too attached to what you have written.

When working on your draft, try to be clear and concise – remember, you only have limited space.

The beginning at the end

Often it’s easier to write the main body of your statement first, and come back to the opening later. The first sentence should really show your enthusiasm for the course, so talk about something that excites you.

In conclusion…

Don’t forget your conclusion. Try to tie everything together at the end, and finish on a positive note that leaves the admissions tutor with a positive impression. If you approach your personal statement as a short academic essay about yourself and your motivations, we should be left with a clear sense of where your passion lies and your suitability for the course.

Check before you submit

Before you submit your application, it’s a good idea to carefully proof your personal statement and to share it with someone else – that could be a family member, friend or teacher. You don’t always have to follow their advice, it’s personal after all, but you may find that they have some good ideas and they might spot mistakes you’ve missed.

• Show your passion, don’t just tell us.
• Be yourself and sound like yourself – you don’t have to use the thesaurus for every word!
• Make sure you can talk about everything in your personal statement in detail, as you’ll be asked about it at your interview.
• Link any extra-curricular activities to your study – maybe your part time job taught you time management or communication skills.
• Make sure it relates to the course you have applied for.
• Check your spelling and grammar, and use clear, plain English.
• Avoid sweeping, general statements, make every word count.

Watch this video from UCAS for some more great tips to get you started:

If you choose to apply to cambridge, we can’t wait to find out all about you.

The information in this article is correct at the time of publishing. Last reviewed July 2023. For more information about applying to the University of Cambridge, visit our website .

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• Knowledge Base
• Applying to graduate school
• How to Write Your Personal Statement | Strategies & Examples

How to Write Your Personal Statement | Strategies & Examples

Published on February 12, 2019 by Shona McCombes . Revised on July 3, 2023.

A personal statement is a short essay of around 500–1,000 words, in which you tell a compelling story about who you are, what drives you, and why you’re applying.

To write a successful personal statement for a graduate school application , don’t just summarize your experience; instead, craft a focused narrative in your own voice. Aim to demonstrate three things:

• Your personality: what are your interests, values, and motivations?
• Your talents: what can you bring to the program?
• Your goals: what do you hope the program will do for you?

This article guides you through some winning strategies to build a strong, well-structured personal statement for a master’s or PhD application. You can download the full examples below.

Urban Planning Psychology History

Table of contents

Getting started with your personal statement, the introduction: start with an attention-grabbing opening, the main body: craft your narrative, the conclusion: look ahead, revising, editing, and proofreading your personal statement, frequently asked questions, other interesting articles.

Before you start writing, the first step is to understand exactly what’s expected of you. If the application gives you a question or prompt for your personal statement, the most important thing is to respond to it directly.

For example, you might be asked to focus on the development of your personal identity; challenges you have faced in your life; or your career motivations. This will shape your focus and emphasis—but you still need to find your own unique approach to answering it.

There’s no universal template for a personal statement; it’s your chance to be creative and let your own voice shine through. But there are strategies you can use to build a compelling, well-structured story.

The first paragraph of your personal statement should set the tone and lead smoothly into the story you want to tell.

Strategy 1: Open with a concrete scene

An effective way to catch the reader’s attention is to set up a scene that illustrates something about your character and interests. If you’re stuck, try thinking about:

• A personal experience that changed your perspective
• A story from your family’s history
• A memorable teacher or learning experience
• An unusual or unexpected encounter

To write an effective scene, try to go beyond straightforward description; start with an intriguing sentence that pulls the reader in, and give concrete details to create a convincing atmosphere.

Strategy 2: Open with your motivations

To emphasize your enthusiasm and commitment, you can start by explaining your interest in the subject you want to study or the career path you want to follow.

Just stating that it interests you isn’t enough: first, you need to figure out why you’re interested in this field:

• Is it a longstanding passion or a recent discovery?
• Does it come naturally or have you had to work hard at it?
• How does it fit into the rest of your life?
• What do you think it contributes to society?

Tips for the introduction

• Don’t start on a cliche: avoid phrases like “Ever since I was a child…” or “For as long as I can remember…”
• Do save the introduction for last. If you’re struggling to come up with a strong opening, leave it aside, and note down any interesting ideas that occur to you as you write the rest of the personal statement.

Once you’ve set up the main themes of your personal statement, you’ll delve into more detail about your experiences and motivations.

To structure the body of your personal statement, there are various strategies you can use.

Strategy 1: Describe your development over time

One of the simplest strategies is to give a chronological overview of key experiences that have led you to apply for graduate school.

• What first sparked your interest in the field?
• Which classes, assignments, classmates, internships, or other activities helped you develop your knowledge and skills?
• Where do you want to go next? How does this program fit into your future plans?

Don’t try to include absolutely everything you’ve done—pick out highlights that are relevant to your application. Aim to craft a compelling narrative that shows how you’ve changed and actively developed yourself.

My interest in psychology was first sparked early in my high school career. Though somewhat scientifically inclined, I found that what interested me most was not the equations we learned about in physics and chemistry, but the motivations and perceptions of my fellow students, and the subtle social dynamics that I observed inside and outside the classroom. I wanted to learn how our identities, beliefs, and behaviours are shaped through our interactions with others, so I decided to major in Social Psychology. My undergraduate studies deepened my understanding of, and fascination with, the interplay between an individual mind and its social context.During my studies, I acquired a solid foundation of knowledge about concepts like social influence and group dynamics, but I also took classes on various topics not strictly related to my major. I was particularly interested in how other fields intersect with psychology—the classes I took on media studies, biology, and literature all enhanced my understanding of psychological concepts by providing different lenses through which to look at the issues involved.

Strategy 2: Own your challenges and obstacles

If your path to graduate school hasn’t been easy or straightforward, you can turn this into a strength, and structure your personal statement as a story of overcoming obstacles.

• Is your social, cultural or economic background underrepresented in the field? Show how your experiences will contribute a unique perspective.
• Do you have gaps in your resume or lower-than-ideal grades? Explain the challenges you faced and how you dealt with them.

Don’t focus too heavily on negatives, but use them to highlight your positive qualities. Resilience, resourcefulness and perseverance make you a promising graduate school candidate.

Growing up working class, urban decay becomes depressingly familiar. The sight of a row of abandoned houses does not surprise me, but it continues to bother me. Since high school, I have been determined to pursue a career in urban planning. While people of my background experience the consequences of urban planning decisions first-hand, we are underrepresented in the field itself. Ironically, given my motivation, my economic background has made my studies challenging. I was fortunate enough to be awarded a scholarship for my undergraduate studies, but after graduation I took jobs in unrelated fields to help support my parents. In the three years since, I have not lost my ambition. Now I am keen to resume my studies, and I believe I can bring an invaluable perspective to the table: that of the people most impacted by the decisions of urban planners.

Strategy 3: Demonstrate your knowledge of the field

Especially if you’re applying for a PhD or another research-focused program, it’s a good idea to show your familiarity with the subject and the department. Your personal statement can focus on the area you want to specialize in and reflect on why it matters to you.

• Reflect on the topics or themes that you’ve focused on in your studies. What draws you to them?
• Discuss any academic achievements, influential teachers, or other highlights of your education.
• Talk about the questions you’d like to explore in your research and why you think they’re important.

The personal statement isn’t a research proposal , so don’t go overboard on detail—but it’s a great opportunity to show your enthusiasm for the field and your capacity for original thinking.

In applying for this research program, my intention is to build on the multidisciplinary approach I have taken in my studies so far, combining knowledge from disparate fields of study to better understand psychological concepts and issues. The Media Psychology program stands out to me as the perfect environment for this kind of research, given its researchers’ openness to collaboration across diverse fields. I am impressed by the department’s innovative interdisciplinary projects that focus on the shifting landscape of media and technology, and I hope that my own work can follow a similarly trailblazing approach. More specifically, I want to develop my understanding of the intersection of psychology and media studies, and explore how media psychology theories and methods might be applied to neurodivergent minds. I am interested not only in media psychology but also in psychological disorders, and how the two interact. This is something I touched on during my undergraduate studies and that I’m excited to delve into further.

Strategy 4: Discuss your professional ambitions

Especially if you’re applying for a more professionally-oriented program (such as an MBA), it’s a good idea to focus on concrete goals and how the program will help you achieve them.

• If your career is just getting started, show how your character is suited to the field, and explain how graduate school will help you develop your talents.
• If you have already worked in the profession, show what you’ve achieved so far, and explain how the program will allow you to take the next step.
• If you are planning a career change, explain what has driven this decision and how your existing experience will help you succeed.

Don’t just state the position you want to achieve. You should demonstrate that you’ve put plenty of thought into your career plans and show why you’re well-suited to this profession.

One thing that fascinated me about the field during my undergraduate studies was the sheer number of different elements whose interactions constitute a person’s experience of an urban environment. Any number of factors could transform the scene I described at the beginning: What if there were no bus route? Better community outreach in the neighborhood? Worse law enforcement? More or fewer jobs available in the area? Some of these factors are out of the hands of an urban planner, but without taking them all into consideration, the planner has an incomplete picture of their task. Through further study I hope to develop my understanding of how these disparate elements combine and interact to create the urban environment. I am interested in the social, psychological and political effects our surroundings have on our lives. My studies will allow me to work on projects directly affecting the kinds of working-class urban communities I know well. I believe I can bring my own experiences, as well as my education, to bear upon the problem of improving infrastructure and quality of life in these communities.

Tips for the main body

• Don’t rehash your resume by trying to summarize everything you’ve done so far; the personal statement isn’t about listing your academic or professional experience, but about reflecting, evaluating, and relating it to broader themes.
• Do make your statements into stories: Instead of saying you’re hard-working and self-motivated, write about your internship where you took the initiative to start a new project. Instead of saying you’ve always loved reading, reflect on a novel or poem that changed your perspective.

Your conclusion should bring the focus back to the program and what you hope to get out of it, whether that’s developing practical skills, exploring intellectual questions, or both.

Emphasize the fit with your specific interests, showing why this program would be the best way to achieve your aims.

Strategy 1: What do you want to know?

If you’re applying for a more academic or research-focused program, end on a note of curiosity: what do you hope to learn, and why do you think this is the best place to learn it?

If there are specific classes or faculty members that you’re excited to learn from, this is the place to express your enthusiasm.

Strategy 2: What do you want to do?

If you’re applying for a program that focuses more on professional training, your conclusion can look to your career aspirations: what role do you want to play in society, and why is this program the best choice to help you get there?

Tips for the conclusion

• Don’t summarize what you’ve already said. You have limited space in a personal statement, so use it wisely!
• Do think bigger than yourself: try to express how your individual aspirations relate to your local community, your academic field, or society more broadly. It’s not just about what you’ll get out of graduate school, but about what you’ll be able to give back.

You’ll be expected to do a lot of writing in graduate school, so make a good first impression: leave yourself plenty of time to revise and polish the text.

Your style doesn’t have to be as formal as other kinds of academic writing, but it should be clear, direct and coherent. Make sure that each paragraph flows smoothly from the last, using topic sentences and transitions to create clear connections between each part.

Don’t be afraid to rewrite and restructure as much as necessary. Since you have a lot of freedom in the structure of a personal statement, you can experiment and move information around to see what works best.

Finally, it’s essential to carefully proofread your personal statement and fix any language errors. Before you submit your application, consider investing in professional personal statement editing . For $150, you have the peace of mind that your personal statement is grammatically correct, strong in term of your arguments, and free of awkward mistakes.

A statement of purpose is usually more formal, focusing on your academic or professional goals. It shouldn’t include anything that isn’t directly relevant to the application.

A personal statement can often be more creative. It might tell a story that isn’t directly related to the application, but that shows something about your personality, values, and motivations.

However, both types of document have the same overall goal: to demonstrate your potential as a graduate student and s how why you’re a great match for the program.

The typical length of a personal statement for graduate school applications is between 500 and 1,000 words.

Different programs have different requirements, so always check if there’s a minimum or maximum length and stick to the guidelines. If there is no recommended word count, aim for no more than 1-2 pages.

If you’re applying to multiple graduate school programs, you should tailor your personal statement to each application.

Some applications provide a prompt or question. In this case, you might have to write a new personal statement from scratch: the most important task is to respond to what you have been asked.

If there’s no prompt or guidelines, you can re-use the same idea for your personal statement – but change the details wherever relevant, making sure to emphasize why you’re applying to this specific program.

If the application also includes other essays, such as a statement of purpose , you might have to revise your personal statement to avoid repeating the same information.

If you want to know more about college essays , academic writing , and AI tools , make sure to check out some of our other language articles with explanations, examples, and quizzes.

College essays

• College essay examples
• College essay format
• College essay style
• College essay length
• Diversity essays
• Scholarship essays

Academic writing

• Writing process
• Avoiding repetition
• Literature review
• Conceptual framework
• Dissertation outline
• Thesis acknowledgements
• Burned or burnt
• Canceled or cancelled
• Dreamt or dreamed
• Gray or grey
• Theater vs theatre

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Guide to Writing a Winning Personal Statement for University

In this article, we provide a complete guide to writing a winning personal statement for university including tips, advice and personal statement examples.

Every year, millions of students around the world apply to colleges and universities.

They may be future lawyers, doctors, teachers, engineers or entrepreneurs. Each of them writes a personal statement as part of the application process. Without it, their application can not be accepted.

Yes, your grades matter. But the personal statement is critical to being accepted to your dream school. Keep reading for help and support to plan, draft and write your perfect one.

Table of Contents

What is a personal statement, what is the format of a personal statement, how to start a personal statement, what are the elements of a great personal statement, what are some tips on how to write a winning personal statement, example personal statements, faqs (frequently asked questions), more personal statement tutorials.

A personal statement provides an overview of a candidate’s qualifications, interests, and experiences in relation to what they are applying for, in order to be selected.

It is an opportunity for the applicant to demonstrate their understanding of the subject matter or role, and express their motivation.

The personal statement should be tailored specifically for each application, typically with a length between 400-1000 words.

It should include relevant personal experiences and research that will help explain why the candidate believes they would be suitable for the program or position.

To create a winning personal statement for the university, it has to be clear, concise and focused on your own relationship to the relevant field.

Ideally, it’s one side of A4 or between 400 and 1,000 words and should highlight your relevant experience, achievements and passions.

Additionally, mentioning why the program they are applying to is a good fit for them is important.

The writer should also include information regarding the research focus of the program as well as any faculty or other resources available.

Personal statements should be well-written with stories that illustrate your strengths in order to impress their chosen university’s selection committee. For example, a scholarship program committee will want to know why you would be a better choice than other applicants.

Below is a simple three-section format to help you write a winning personal statement for university applications.

• Introduction: Who you are and why you want to study the chosen course at the university
• Body : Discuss experiences in your background that are relevant to your chosen course and highlight why you’re a great candidate
• Conclusion: Extra-curricular/ non-academic activities you have done that make you a great fit for the course

Step 1: Brainstorm potential topics and stories

Brainstorming potential topics and stories is important when starting a personal statement because it allows the writer to get their thoughts out of their head and onto paper.

This creates focus on what should be included in the essay, as well as interesting stories that capture attention.

Think of every example, team or achievement as another piece of the puzzle to get you to a ‘yes’ – acceptance onto your dream course or that perfect job.

• Have you won any prizes or awards? For example, a former student of ours won a public speaking award after entering a city-wide debate competition.
• Have you done any volunteer work? For example, someone I used to teach loved animals and helped raise money for their local shelter. A celebrity retweeted one of their fundraising pages and they raised more than $5,00 overnight to pay for pet food and medical bills.
• Have you held a position of responsibility at school?

Informal examples work too – have you organised an English study group for some of your classmates? This is a great way to show that you are a committed student and can support your peers.

• Do you have a part-time job?
• Have you helped make any changes in your community?
• What’s the most extraordinary thing that has ever happened to you?
• What have been the most important life lessons for you?
• How has technology changed the way you do something?

For example, one of my students from Vietnam has used Zoom to practice English and do language exchanges with online friends in Canada.

There are several ways to approach this task. Brainstorming with a friend or family member can also improve your stories and help write statements for maximum impact.

Find a quiet room, either at home or at school, and take your time. Some students find that more than one brainstorming session is useful.

Even if your personal statement needs to be written in English, it doesn’t mean that you can’t brainstorm in your first language, whether that is Urdu, Hindi, Vietnamese or anything else.

Step 2. Prepare by researching and outlining so your statement makes sense

First, it is important to consider who the intended audience is (what school or program are they representing?). You should include facts that demonstrate you are an ideal candidate for them.

Brainstorming ideas and collecting relevant information can help with organizing thoughts into introduction, body, and conclusion sections ahead of writing each paragraph.

Thinking about key events in life and how those unique experiences have shaped your interests can also help inform what to write about.

Another set of eyes on your work is always a good idea. Ask for feedback from friends, teachers at your high school or family.

Finally, try to mention technology somewhere in your answer. It’s an important part of modern life and most schools want to know their future students are comfortable using a range of devices and apps.

Step 3: Shortlist your ideas

It is important to shortlist ideas when starting a personal statement because it helps the writer identify which topic has the most relevance and potential for expansion.

Having multiple topics to choose from means more creative freedom for the author.

By narrowing down options beforehand, you will choose the most appropriate examples for that specific school or course. These will showcase your strengths and personality in an effective way.

Step 4: Free-write about your possible essay topics

Freewriting is an important tool for university applicants to explore their possible essay topics. Freewriting can help organize thoughts and reveal which topics are most interesting to the writer.

It is also a beneficial way of getting ideas out of one’s head and onto paper while allowing the writer to come up with interesting stories that show something meaningful about themselves.

BONUS! Freewriting may also generate ideas for possible essay topics that could not be captured by other parts of the application. Therefore, it is important for applicants to try freewriting when crafting their personal statements to help reflect on who they are and what makes them unique.

Hit the big three: story, implication and connection to college/major

A great personal statement should contain three elements:

• an anecdote or story
• explanation as to why that anecdote is important to who you are
• a connection between this information and why you are applying to a certain college.

It should also include information about your academic and professional background as well as any extracurricular activities. Your essay needs to communicate that you are an individual with many skills and interests, showing your potential for success in college and your hope to make a contribution to your new team.

Get personal and speak like you

When writing a personal statement for the university, it is important to get personal and speak like yourself. Showing off your true personality, values and experiences can help you stand out from other applicants and make your application more memorable.

Writing in a genuine tone that reflects who you are will give the reader an insight into your character.

Using specific details and examples to illustrate your points will also help to create a compelling statement that speaks directly to the admissions committee.

Powerful storytelling can be used to connect with the reader on an emotional level as well, making them more likely to remember what they’ve read about you.

Prepare by researching the college or program you’re applying to

Remember your audience! It is important to research the college or program you are applying to help the admissions committee better understand your qualities and experiences.

Even if you’ve never seen the campus with your own eyes, there are always Youtube videos and websites to give you a better picture of where you want to go.

If you have a good understanding of what the particular institution or program expects from its applicants, you’ll write a more effective and persuasive personal statement.

For example, one student I know was watching a video of a blogger at her 1st choice school and happened to notice a poster asking for volunteers to help at the local soup kitchen. She was able to mention her own experience volunteering in her home town and connected it with the university volunteer program, which really impressed the committee!

Prepare by answering specific questions

Some of the questions above can help organize and focus your thoughts.

Questions for applicants such as what have they chosen to spend their time on, what defining moments in life have changed them, and what strengths they possess can provide insight into the motivations behind their desire to attend a particular school or pursue an activity.

Also, think about quotes or stories that inspire you which could be included in your statement. Gathering feedback from family, friends, professors and employers can also prove helpful.

Draft the statement

When drafting a great personal statement, it is important to evaluate any areas that need improvement and rewrite them accordingly. Try to avoid too much passive voice, unnecessary words, repetition and long sentences.

The statement must be clear enough to be understood by readers who have never met the applicant. It should be sincere and enthusiastic, well-organized and concise, focusing on the strengths of the applicant in relation to the course they are applying for.

Proofread and edit the document

Proofreading and editing a personal statement are important to ensure accuracy and clarity. Here are a few tips for editing your personal statement.

• Taking a break before beginning proofreading allows the author to return to the text with a fresh perspective.
• When revising your personal statement keep in mind that any reader should be able to comprehend it without prior knowledge of you or your experiences.
• Use online tools to improve your grammar, fix mistakes, and choose the appropriate tone for your personal statement.
• Ensure the essay follows all of the rules laid out in the essay brief, including adhering to the specified word count. Many organisations, they want to know that you can follow instructions as well as achieve excellent grades.

Perfection can only do so much

An application is the start of a journey – you have a long road ahead! It is important to not strive for perfection when writing a personal statement because it can lead to hesitation, and a lack of creativity and can make it difficult to communicate ideas effectively.

Fix errors with help from others

It is important to get help from others when editing a personal statement because they could spot mistakes that could otherwise go unnoticed. Get help from family, teachers or professional proofreading services so your statement is as good as possible.

Be brave and submit the statement

Being brave – the best candidates step out of their comfort zone and take risks. It shows the admissions committee that the applicant is daring enough to stand out from the crowd by having the confidence to be honest and open in their writing.

This guide includes personal statement examples to show you what is expected in a personal statement and help you showcase your writing skills. They demonstrate the different types of writing required for a personal statement.

These example personal statements can be used as inspiration when crafting your own submission, helping you to make an informed decision about which topics you are passionate about.

• Residency personal statement examples
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• Internal medicine personal statement
• Resume personal statement examples

Many people refer to a conclusion as a call to action. This is true of both your personal statement and this conclusion!

Having read this article, we hope you will look at more of our examples and tips in the links and related pages, and get started writing a winning personal statement that will make the recruiters at your chosen college or company decide that you have what it takes to join them.

What are some common essay topics for personal statements?

These include reflecting on a time when they faced a challenge and learned from it, as well as questioning or challenging an existing belief or idea.

Additionally, essays can be written about any topic of personal importance such as an accomplishment or something that interests the student.

Whatever the chosen topic, the essay should be well-organised and clear.

What are some things to consider when writing a personal statement?

You must know what the program is looking for, from the course description, and to answer each prompt.

Stories can be used to demonstrate why an applicant would make a good fit for a particular program, so it is useful to think about key points that make them stand out and why they should be offered a place at that university.

What is the word count limit for personal statements?

It is recommended that a personal statement be around 500 words in length. A good range of experiences to cover within this length is three to four, however, one or two can still provide enough depth for a great personal statement.

What are some common mistakes people make when writing personal statements?

People commonly make mistakes when writing personal statements, such as using big words just to show off instead of genuine language that reflects the individual.

It is essential to take time to revise the statement carefully before submitting it and ensure that everything would be clear and understandable to a reader who has never met the person.

Additionally, honesty is vital when crafting a personal statement. While it’s true that some students may have had very unique experiences, involving heroic actions in war or a trauma such as a hunger strike, the college or organisation wants to get to know YOU a bit better and you can only be who you are.

How can you make your personal statement stand out?

It is important to avoid using clichés and instead focus on unique talents and experiences. To make the statement stand out, one should use techniques that differ from the norm.

For example, one can use vivid imagery, detailed descriptions of past experiences or interesting anecdotes to demonstrate qualities and skills in a more creative way. Additionally, using active language when writing can help draw the reader’s attention, not forgetting to proofread several times.

One example we loved was an essay explaining how a student had used their love of graffiti to help them study for tests, describing how their study group had created an ‘intricate wall of words encapsulating a year of learning’.

Why do personal statements matter?

Personal statements are incredibly important for college applications as they provide insight into a student’s qualities and motivations.

Personal statements give admissions officers an opportunity to learn more about applicants beyond what is presented in their transcripts, SAT scores, and letters of recommendation.

A compelling personal statement can help an applicant stand out from the crowd by displaying storytelling skills and unique life experiences. It also allows students to explain their motivations for wanting to attend college, which is invaluable information when making decisions on acceptance.

How do you organise a personal statement?

When creating a personal statement, it’s important to structure your essay in a way that answers the prompt while also showcasing your strengths.

• Start by considering who you are writing for – is it a college application, or a job application? The tone of your personal statement should reflect this audience.
• When organizing ideas into topics relevant to the program you are applying for, prioritize evidence of your work experience and skills that will be attractive to the reader.
• Finally, make sure the required information is included in an organized fashion so it is easy for the reader to understand.

How do you write a 250-word personal statement?

Writing a 250-word personal statement for the university can be daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. A few simple tips can help make the task easier.

• Start by showing your enthusiasm for the subject and share your ambitions.
• Focus on what you can say in the limited word count.
• When writing about experiences and accomplishments, aim to cover three or four of them in a concise way and avoid overthinking the opening.
• To ensure that everything fits within 250 words, try writing about one specific 24-hour time period that covers two separate experiences.
• Keep it relevant and simple – don’t forget to explain why you’re interested in the school – and you’ll have a winning personal statement!
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A guide to writing the best personal statement for your college application (with template and examples!)

Why is boasting about a best friend SO much easier than writing about yourself? Unfortunately, writing about yourself is exactly what a personal statement essay requires you to do–whether it’s for your college admissions application, or for a scholarship application to pay for college . Here’s our guide, to ensure you’re well-equipped to write a killer personal statement!

First off, what’s the purpose of a personal statement?

What topics can i write about, how do i decide what to focus on, in my college essay, okay, i’ve got my personal statement topic. but now i have to actually write it. 😱what do i do .

• Do you have personal statement examples? 

Now it’s your turn.

Your personal statement should share something about who you are, something that can’t be found in your resume or transcript.

For colleges:

• It should paint a picture for colleges to understand who we are and what we bring to the table. This is why it’s often better to tell a story, or give examples, rather than just list accomplishments.
• It should complement the other parts of your application. Consider your college application as a whole. Your personal statement, application short answers, and supporting documentation should together tell a story about who you are. This also means not being super repetitive with your personal statement and your short essays. (For instance, if you have to answer 3 questions AND submit a personal statement, maybe they shouldn’t ALL focus on music.)

For scholarship applications:

• It should indicate why you’re deserving of the scholarship. This often means making sure your essay relates to the scholarship provider’s goals. (Get more help on writing a killer scholarship essay here , and then make sure you’re applying as efficiently as possible. )
• It should showcase your strengths. This doesn’t mean it can’t acknowledge any weaknesses, but it surely shouldn’t only focus on negative aspects!

It can be overwhelming to figure out where to start. First, figure out what your choices are. Some colleges may have very specific college essay prompts. That said, many students apply using the Common App, which this year offers these 7 topics to choose from : 

• Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.
• The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience? ( Psst – If you choose this topic, you can sign up for Going Merry and apply for a scholarship bundle : one essay, multiple scholarships! )
• Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?
• Describe a problem you’ve solved or a problem you’d like to solve. It can be an intellectual challenge, a research query, an ethical dilemma – anything that is of personal importance, no matter the scale. Explain its significance to you and what steps you took or could be taken to identify a solution.
• Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.
• Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?
• Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you’ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

You’ll notice that #7 is a catch-all that allows you to submit any personal statement about anything at all . 

So maybe that doesn’t help you narrow it down. 

Here’s a 3-step solution:

STEP 1. Brainstorm about your life

Dedicate 5-10 minutes each to brainstorming about these 4 sets of questions.

You can do this by yourself (writing down your thoughts), or do this exercise out loud with a friend or family member, and then jot down notes as you’re talking. If you “think out loud” better than you do on paper, brainstorming with someone else may be the way to go! 

(A) What were defining moments in your life?

How did these moments in your life changed you, what did you learn from it, and how has it shaped your future plans? Some topics might include:

• An accident or injury
• A best friend you made (or lost)
• A defining talk with a peer
• Something new you tried for the first time
• Revealing a sexual or gender identity, to friends or family
• Discovering something about your family ( e.g., see Jesus’s story )
• Moving to a new city
• Traveling somewhere, or learning about a new culture ( e.g., see Gabby’s story )
• Your first pet (new responsibilities as a fur mom or dad)

(B) What have you chosen to spend time on?

Remember to focus not just on the what , but also the why – What were your motivations? How did you feel? What have you learned? Some topics on this might include: 

• The moment you joined band, color guard, or the soccer team. 
• A time you struggled with that activity – e.g., Maybe you got passed over for captain of the soccer? Or maybe you got an injury and had to sit out on the sidelines? 
• Maybe a moment you really fell in love with that activity – e.g. Maybe the first time you investigated a story for the school newspaper and realized journalism was your calling?

(C) Whom or what are you inspired by?

How did you find out about this person or thing? Why are you inspired? In what ways are you inspired? Is there anything that inspiration has made you do (e.g. join a club, do an activity or internship on the topic)? Some topics on this might include: 

• Technology – Maybe a specific App made you inspired to learn to code? 
• Person in your life – Maybe meeting someone (or knowing someone in your family) has affected you? 
• A show, movie, book, or podcast that inspired you to look at life differently
• A dance or song that has made you interested in performing arts

(D) What are you proud of?

Make a list of all the things you’re proud of. These can be milestones, hobbies, qualities, or quirks that are what make you, you. Topics to consider might be:

• Times you saved the day – like that epic left-handed catch you made on the field
• Personal qualities – Maybe you’re really funny, or amazingly calm under pressure. What are some examples of times when you showed those qualities?
• Random life things you’re amazing at – Baking a mean chocolate brownie. Guessing how many gumballs are in a jar. Tell a story when that amazing talent was handy!

Don’t worry if some of your ideas repeat between sections. This is just a way to get ideas flowing! 

STEP 2. Shortlist your ideas

Identify your strongest ideas out of the bunch. This should probably be very few (2-4).

STEP 3. Freewrite about your possible essay topics.

Once you’ve brainstormed some ideas and identified 2-4 winners, we agree with Find the Right College – just start freewriting! Start by writing a few sentences or paragraphs about any of your shortlisted topics, and let the words flow. Write for about 15 minutes, on each shortlisted topic. Don’t worry about structure or organization – this is just an exercise so you feel comfortable getting the thoughts out of your head and onto paper. 

It will also allow you to see which of the topics seems to have the most “legs” — often, you’ll notice that your best topic will:

• Be the easiest to write about (those 15 minutes flew by!)
• Lead you to tell at least one interesting story
• Feel like it genuinely reveals something important about who you are
• Not be captured easily by other parts of your application (you’ll need a full 500 words to really be able to tackle this meaty topic)

Well, let’s start here: What makes a personal statement good or even great ?

Here are some things to keep in mind: 

1. Get personal.

Remember the “personal” in personal statement. We all have a story to tell, and we all have a different journey that led us to where we are today. We might think “someone already wrote about this” or we might think our story isn’t unique, but IT IS.

2. Speak like you.

Write your personal statement in a genuine tone that reflects who you are . There’s no right or wrong tone – just make sure your tone represents YOU. This means, in particular, not using big words just to show off. Often, this just seems like you’re trying to hard. (Or, even worse, you accidentally use the word incorrectly!)

3. Think about your audience.

Who will you be writing your personal statement for? What message do you want to convey? If it’s for to the college admissions committee, how do you show you’ll align well with the culture of the school? If it’s for a scholarship provider, how do you show you support their mission?

4. Hit the big three: Story, Implication, Connection to college/major.

Most successful college essays do at least 3 things: 

• Mention at least one anecdote or story. (“Show, don’t tell.”)
• Explain why that anecdote or story is important to who you are.
• End (or begin) by connecting this information, to why you are applying to this specific college. This may include information about the major (why you think their department/program is great), or more general information about what attracts you to the school (e.g., location, sports, extracurricular activities, Greek life). Get specific so the school knows you’re really interested in them! This is the one piece of your personal statement that probably shouldn’t be cut & paste.

Here’s an example of how to use that personal essay template:

• Story: When I was 11, my family traveled to Italy and visited museums — one specific painting made me fall in love with art. ( 1-2 paragraphs )
• Why important: After that trip, I did lots of art and studied lots of art. Mention specific extracurriculars. ( 3 paragraphs )
• Why this college: I want to apply to X college because of its excellent art program, which I can also complement by joining Y and Z clubs. Since it’s in New York, it’ll also offer my the opportunity to visit the countless art museums like MOMA. ( 1 paragraph )

5. Hit the length.

Make sure you keep within the required length. Normally if you aim for 500 words, you’re golden. Some college or scholarship applications will allow you to write up to 600 or 650 words.

6. Edit your work.

Once you’ve written your personal statement, step away from it. There was a time when we used to rely on pencil and paper to write down all of our ideas and information (including first-draft college essays). Now, we mainly rely on screens, so our eyes grow tired, causing us to miss typos and grammar mistakes.

So save that document in an easy-to-find folder on your computer. Then stepping away from your computer and taking a break helps relax your mind and body and then refocus when you come back to edit the document.

( Psst – If you’re applying for scholarships with Going Merry, we’ve got built-in spellcheck, and we allow you to save essays in your documents folder, so no work will get lost! )

We can’t stress this one enough: Don’t submit your personal statement without checking your spelling, grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, etc.! All the grammar things! Your personal statement reflects who you are, from the topic you choose to the style you write it in, so impress colleges (or scholarship providers) with excellent structure and great grammar!

7. Then, ask someone else to edit it too.

We recommend asking a friend, counselor, or parent to read your personal statement before you submit the document. One more set of eyes will really help you get a second opinion on the tone, writing quality, and overall representation of who you are in your personal statement.

8. Be brave, and hit that “submit” button on your personal statement!

Finally, when everything is completed, click submit! Don’t hold back!

9. Remember, personal statements for your college app, can also be reused as scholarship essays.

Get double-use out of your personal statement. Going Merry is your home for all things scholarships–fill out a profile, get matched to eligible scholarships, and apply. You can even save essays so that you can easily upload the same one for multiple scholarship applications. (We were inspired by the Common App to make applying for scholarships easier.)

Register for an account here , get the full lowdown on how it works , or just sign up for the newsletter below (to get 20 scholarship opportunities delivered to our inbox each each week!).

Do you have personal statement examples ? 

Oh yes we do. First, here are some excerpts of personal statements from members of our very own Going Merry team!

Charlie Maynard, Going Merry CEO – wrote about what matters most to him and why, for his grad school application.

• The open paragraph read: “Being open to new ideas and able to take advantage of opportunities is what is most important to me. The most extraordinary times in my life have come as a result of moments when I’ve seized opportunities. This has been evident in my educational life, my travels around the world and my professional career.”
• This anchored the main topic of his essay. He then went on to explain examples.

Charlotte Lau, Going Merry Head of Growth – wrote for her college Common App personal statement:

“As a child, I was never close with my father, though we were always on good terms. He made me laugh and taught me all the things that made me into a young tomboy: what an RBI is, how to correctly hook a fish when I feel it biting, what to bring on a camping trip. But whenever I was upset, he wouldn’t know how to comfort me. He is a man of jokes and words, not of comforting motions.

But as I grew older and I too became infatuated with words—albeit in written form—our topics of conversation became more diverse and often more profound. We continued to watch sports games together, but during commercials, we’d have epistemological and ethical discussions more fitting for a philosophy class than a chat during a Knicks’ time-out. During these talks, my father would insert stories about his youth. They’d always be transitory or anecdotal, told as if they were beside the point. Still, I’d eagerly commit them to memory, and, over time, I began to get a sense of who my father was—and, in turn, who I am.”

Now, here are some excerpts from other sample personal statements:

These 3 are college essays about personal characteristics:

Essay 1: Humorous essay about getting a D and learning a lesson

“Getting a D probably isn’t the worst thing in the world, but it’s not something anyone wants to see, let alone put, on a college application. It came back to me, scrawled in red, on the first big history test of the year. The one the teacher had assured us was a third of our grade. I could already see my chances of a four-year college going up in smoke and my school year hadn’t even started yet.

What happened? I’m not a D student. I’ll get the occasional C as well as the occasional A. D’s are out of character for me, and enough of a stomach punch to really get my attention. The short version is, I didn’t study, and I don’t remember precisely why. There is always a reason not to study, isn’t there? I didn’t study and I went into a test woefully unprepared and got beaten up.

I had two options here. I could accept that I was in fact a D student despite what I had thought. Or I could study hard for the next test and try to bring my grade up by the force of the average.”

Essay 2: Why a talent (in this case, one at football) is also a responsibility

“Talent is not remarkable. It’s usually the first thing anyone compliments. “You’re so talented.” It doesn’t mean what they think it means. It doesn’t mean I worked hard. It means I was lucky, or blessed, or anything else you want to call it.

I have talent. I’ve known since I was old enough to hold a football. The game just makes intuitive sense to me. The pathways of the players, both my team and the others, where the ball has to go, and what I’m doing. In the silence before a snap, I’m already playing out what is going to happen, watching the holes in my lines, tracing the route of my receivers. […]

It is far too easy to view talent as an excuse. For me, it is a motivator. For my talent, I will accept nothing less than a dream that only a tiny percentage of people ever get to experience. To get there, I’m willing to work hard and wring every last accomplishment from myself.

Talent is a responsibility. Because you had nothing to do with acquiring it, you are compelled to achieve every last bit you can with it. While I had grown used to thinking varsity would be it, that was not the case. Now, I can focus on the goal while I accomplish the steps.”

Essay 3: On living with depression

“Before I was diagnosed, I had been told it was a normal part of growing up. I was told that teens are moody. I would grow out of it. I couldn’t imagine anyone growing out of what I was feeling. I couldn’t imagine anyone surviving.

Diagnosis and medication have saved my life, allowing me to see the world as people without my brain chemistry would. […] what I found was a place of tiny kindnesses.

It might sound bad—as though kindness can only exist in the smallest forms. This is not what I mean. There are extraordinary people out there who devote their lives to doing very large, very important things for others. I’m not talking about them, partially because they are extraordinary. They are not the norm.

What is normal are the tiny kindnesses. These do not cost a person much of anything. A slice of time, a moment of openness, and little else. They are a smile when you’re feeling down, a comforting hand on the shoulder, a moment to talk.”

And here are 3 college personal statements, about what drove their interest in their intended major: 

Essay 4: On why this applicant wants to study music

“My great-great-uncle Giacomo Ferrari was born in 1912 in Neverland, NY, the youngest of four sons. His parents had emigrated from Italy with his two eldest brothers in the early 1900s in search of a better life in America. Their struggles as immigrants are in themselves inspiring, but the challenges they faced are undoubtedly similar to those that many other immigrant families had to overcome; because of this, the actions that my relatives embarked upon are that much more extraordinary. Giacomo’s oldest brother Antonio, my great-grandfather, decided to take a correspondence course in violin, and to teach his youngest brother Giacomo how to play as well. Giacomo Ferrari eventually became an accomplished violinist and started a free “Lunchtime Strings” program for all the elementary schools in the Neverland area, giving free violin lessons and monthly concerts.

As a native English speaker who has had the privilege of studying viola and violin with trained, private teachers, I can only imagine the perseverance it took for my great-grandfather and great-great uncle to learn an instrument like the violin out of booklets and lessons that were not even written in their native language. Their passion and dedication to learning something new, something not part of their lives as blue-collar, immigrant workers, and their desire to share it with others, has inspired me as a musician and a person. It is this spirit that has motivated me to pursue an MA at Composition at the University of XXX.”

Essay 5: On why this applicant wants to be an allergy specialist

“Suddenly I started scratching my neck, feeling the hives that had started to form. I rushed to the restroom to throw up because my throat was itchy and I felt a weight on my chest. I was experiencing anaphylactic shock, which prevented me from taking anything but shallow breaths. I was fighting the one thing that is meant to protect me and keep me alive – my own body.

[…] After that incident, I began to fear. I became scared of death, eating, and even my own body. As I grew older, I became paranoid about checking food labels and I avoided eating if I didn’t know what was in the food. I knew what could happen if I ate one wrong thing, and I wasn’t willing to risk it for a snack. Ultimately, that fear turned into resentment; I resented my body for making me an outsider.

In the years that followed, this experience and my regular visits to my allergy specialist inspired me to become an allergy specialist. Even though I was probably only ten at the time, I wanted to find a way to help kids like me. I wanted to find a solution so that nobody would have to feel the way I did; nobody deserved to feel that pain, fear, and resentment. As I learned more about the medical world, I became more fascinated with the body’s immune responses, specifically, how a body reacts to allergens.”

Essay 6 : On why this applicant wants to study medicine  

“My passion for teaching others and sharing knowledge emanates from my curiosity and love for learning. My shadowing experiences in particular have stimulated my curiosity and desire to learn more about the world around me. How does platelet rich plasma stimulate tissue growth? How does diabetes affect the proximal convoluted tubule? My questions never stopped. I wanted to know everything and it felt very satisfying to apply my knowledge to clinical problems. distinct concepts together to form a coherent picture truly attracts me to medicine.

It is hard to separate science from medicine; in fact, medicine is science. However, medicine is also about people—their feelings, struggles and concerns. Humans are not pre-programmed robots that all face the same problems. Humans deserve sensitive and understanding physicians. Humans deserve doctors who are infinitely curious, constantly questioning new advents in medicine. They deserve someone who loves the challenge of problem solving and coming up with innovative individualized solutions. I want to be that physician. I want to be able to approach each case as a unique entity and incorporate my strengths into providing personalized care for my patients. Until that time, I may be found Friday mornings in the operating room, peering over shoulders, dreaming about the day I get to hold the drill.”

You made it this far. Now, it’s time to write your personal statement!

Ready to reuse your personal statement for scholarship applications? Sign up for Going Merry today for free to keep track of your scholarship applications and essays. We’re your one-stop shop for scholarship searches and applications.

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Academic Personal Statement Guide + Examples for 2024

You have a bright future ahead of you in academia and you’ve already found the program of your dreams.

The only problem? 

You have to write an impressive academic personal statement that sets you apart from a sea of applicants.

We know that writing about yourself might not come naturally. And when the academic program you have your sights set on is on the line, it doesn’t make it any easier.

But there’s no need to worry!

We’ve prepared this guide to help you write your academic personal statement and secure your spot in your program of choice.

In this article, we’re going to cover:

• What Is An Academic Personal Statement?
• 7 Steps to Writing the Best Academic Personal Statement
• An Example of a Stellar Academic Personal Statement

Let’s dive in.

You’ll need an academic CV alongside your personal statement. Create one with ease with Novorésumé !

What Is an Academic Personal Statement?

A personal statement is an essential part of the academic application process.

Much like a motivation letter , your academic personal statement serves to demonstrate why you’re the right candidate for the course and sell yourself as a capable student.

Your goal is to show the admissions committee that they’ll benefit from having you in their university as much as you’ll benefit from joining the program.

Academic Vs CV Personal Statement

The term ‘personal statement’ can mean different things depending on your field.

In the world of job hunting, a personal statement usually refers to a few sentences that go at the top of your CV . This paragraph is meant to convey your top skills, relevant experiences, and professional goals to a hiring manager from the get-go and increase your chances of getting an interview.

However, in the world of academia, a personal statement refers to a more in-depth description of you as a candidate. 

In a nutshell, an academic personal statement shows the admissions committee your academic achievements so far, as well as what motivated you to apply and pursue this position.

Personal statements are also often required when applying for certain jobs, much like writing a cover letter . If you’re looking at a position as a faculty member in a university or other academic institution, for example, you might be asked to provide an academic personal statement.

7 Steps to Write an Academic Personal Statement

Preparation is the key to success and this is exactly where our guide comes in handy.

So just follow these steps and you’re sure to secure your spot:

#1. Read the Brief (Carefully!)

Academic personal statements aren’t necessarily a one-size-fits-all piece of writing. 

Typically, every institution has its specific requirements on what candidates should include in their academic personal statement.

To make sure you’re on the right track with your academic personal statement, read the brief carefully. Consider taking notes and highlighting important points from your program’s brief as you go through it.

Pay attention to any specific question the university wants you to answer. If you don’t address everything the admissions board expects, your personal statement will look sloppy and you’ll be considered an inattentive candidate.

Be sure to re-read the brief after you’ve finished writing your academic personal statement, too. This way you can make sure you’ve answered everything adequately and you’ll have the opportunity to correct any slips.

#2. Research the Program

Make sure you do your homework on the academic program you’re applying to.

You can’t write a good academic personal statement without research, let alone a great one. Much like researching your employer , taking the time to learn more about your desired school and personalizing your application can make a huge difference.

For example, you can dive into how your values align with that of the school you’re applying to, and how your experience and interests relate to specific things about the program. The more you focus on how you’re the right fit for this specific position, in this specific program – the better.

Carefully read through the school and program’s official pages since everything you would need to know is probably on the school’s official website. You can also ask current and former students for help but remember that whatever they say should never replace official information when crafting your academic personal statement.

#3. Plan Your Statement

An academic personal statement is meant to explain your academic interests and shouldn’t contain irrelevant details about your personal life.

Focus on why you want to study the course you’ve chosen and provide any information about your achievements so far.

Ask yourself the following questions to get the ball rolling on what to write:

• Why do you want to study (or work) in this program? How will it benefit you?
• How do your skills match the position?
• What makes you stand out from other applicants?
• What are your exact career aspirations?
• How can you and your work benefit the institution you’re applying to?
• If you changed fields, how did you decide to apply in this direction?
• What insight can you bring thanks to your different experiences?
• How will this change of field help your future career?

Write down your answer to these questions in the first draft of your academic personal statement.

#4. Look at Example Statements

Don’t hesitate to read other people’s academic personal statements online. They’re a great source of inspiration and can help get rid of any remaining writer’s block.

If you’re struggling to understand how to meet the language and formatting requirements for your academic personal statement, seeing actual examples is the best way to learn.

But be careful – don’t copy any lines you read, no matter how impressive you think they are. 

Most universities run every academic personal statement through intensive plagiarism checking, and even a paraphrased sentence could lead to your application being rejected for plagiarism.

So pay more attention to the overall structure of the academic personal statements you read, rather than copying the exact wording.

#5. Structure the Contents

There should be a cohesive argument that your entire essay follows. Each sentence and paragraph should complement and build on the one that comes before it.

The structure of your personal statement should include:

An intriguing introduction to you as a candidate

The introductory paragraph should grab the admission committee’s attention and keep them engaged.

Here you should be sure to avoid cliches like saying how you’ve “always dreamt” of graduating from this university or of studying this exact program. Instead, give an example of what really influenced you to pursue this dream.

Here’s an example:

• I’ve always loved reading and since I was a child, it’s been my dream to graduate from Oxford University and contribute to the world of literary analysis. That’s why I spent the past year volunteering at my local writers’ society and giving constructive feedback during workshops and book discussions.
• It wasn’t until I failed my first essay assignment in secondary school that I realized the depth that lies beneath each sentence in a given text. I began to delve into the rich layers of literary texts and the intricacies of literary analysis became my passion. Although initially challenging, the depth of understanding that this field offers about human emotions, cultural contexts, and narrative structures enthralled me. I found myself questioning the narrative structures and character motivations that I had previously taken for granted, and I was eager to understand how the subtle and often overlooked elements within a text could have a profound impact on its overall interpretation. This need to fundamentally understand a given author’s work has stayed with me since and led me to pursue literary analysis as a postgraduate student.

An engaging body

The main part of your academic personal statement should detail your interests, experience, and knowledge, and how they make you suitable for the position.

This is where you should expand on your motivation and use the following tips:

• Why this university? Provide strong reasons for your choice, related to your future career or the institution’s reputation.
• Mention your relevant studies and experience. This includes projects, dissertations, essays, or work experience.
• Give evidence of key skills you have, such as research, critical thinking, communication, and time management, and explain how you can contribute to the department with them.
• Say what makes you unique as a candidate and provide an example.
• Explain who have been the main influences who put you on this path and why they’ve influenced you.
• Mention other relevant experiences, such as memberships in clubs related to the subject, awards you might have won, or impressive papers you’ve written.
• Talk about your career aspirations and how the program ties into your goal of achieving them.

Depending on the guidelines of the specific university, you could also divide your academic personal statement’s body with subheadings, such as:

• Academic background
• Research interests
• Methodological approaches
• Research experience
• Personal experience
• Extracurricular activities 
• Relevant skills
• Career aspirations

A logical conclusion

Your academic personal statement needs a conclusion that ends on an enthusiastic note.

Make sure the conclusion reiterates the main points from the body of your text.

Your relevant accomplishments and desire to attend this specific program should be clear to any reader.

#6. Pay Attention to the Language

When writing the first draft of your academic personal statement, pay attention to the language and tone you’re using.

An academic personal statement is also a formal text, so your writing should reflect that. Colloquialisms aren’t appropriate, as they would take away from the well-mannered impression you want to give the admissions committee.

However, you also want your personal statement to be straightforward and avoid any complex jargon from your field of study.

For example, your opening sentence shouldn’t be overly complicated. You should communicate everything as clearly as possible, and be inclusive to those outside of your field of study since they might be on the admissions board that’s reading your academic personal statement.

Make sure that the tone throughout your text is positive and conveys your enthusiasm for the program. Your academic personal statement should show the admissions committee that you really want to be there, and why that’s beneficial to everyone involved.

#7. Proofread Your Statement

This step probably isn’t surprising to you but it’s worth paying attention to.

Your academic personal statement is a very formal document and it should be spotless. 

So, make sure it adheres to academic writing conventions . For example, contractions like “I’m” instead of “I am” are informal, and should be avoided.

Mistakes like these are very common when writing about yourself, particularly when you’re used to describing yourself in informal environments.

Carefully proofread your academic personal statement, then run it through a grammar checker like Grammarly or Quillbot, then proofread it again.

The tiniest grammar mistake or typo could make the admissions board reject your application.

Academic Personal Statement Example

Ever since my first encounter with the enchanting worlds spun by Flaubert, Balzac, and Proust, my intellectual pursuits have gravitated toward French literature. With an undergraduate degree focused on French Language and Literature, I have been fortunate to explore my passions both theoretically and empirically, embedding them within broader themes of cultural theory and comparative literature. It is with great excitement that I apply for the postgraduate research position in the French Literature program at Kent University, with the aim of contributing novel scholarly perspectives to this captivating field.

Academic Background and Research Interests

During my undergraduate studies, I delved deeply into the realms of 19th-century Realism and Naturalism. My senior thesis, which examined the dialectics of morality and social structures in Balzac's "La Comédie Humaine," was not merely an academic exercise; it served as a crucible where my theoretical understandings were rigorously tested. This research experience intensified my interest in the complex interplay between literature and societal norms, a theme I am eager to further explore in my postgraduate work.

Methodological Approaches

My academic approach is fundamentally interdisciplinary. I strongly believe that literature should not be studied in a vacuum; rather, it should be contextualized within historical, sociological, and psychological paradigms. During a semester abroad in Paris, I took courses in cultural anthropology and French history, an enriching experience that complemented my literature-focused studies. This holistic approach will enable me to contribute a multifaceted perspective to the research endeavors at Kent University.

Previous Research and Scholarly Engagements

My scholarly activities have also extended beyond the classroom. Last summer, I participated in an international conference on French Literature and Post-Colonial Theory, presenting a paper on the depictions of colonial landscapes in Dumas' adventure novels. The opportunity to engage with academics from various disciplines provided me with fresh insights and underscored the importance of collaborative research. Further, I've had the honor of having a review article published in the Sheffield Journal of Contemporary Literary Explorations, where I critiqued a groundbreaking new translation of Verne's works.

Extracurricular Contributions and Skills

In addition to my academic achievements, I have sought to enrich my department’s intellectual community. I served as the editor of our departmental journal and organized a series of seminars featuring guest speakers from the worlds of academia and publishing. My strong organizational skills, combined with proficiency in both written and spoken French and English, make me a versatile candidate capable of adding value to the French Literature program’s broader objectives.

To summarize, my deep-rooted passion for French literature, fortified by rigorous academic training and interdisciplinary methodologies, makes me an ideal candidate for the postgraduate research position in your esteemed program. The prospect of contributing to academic discourse at Kent University is an opportunity I find deeply compelling. I am especially excited about the potential for collaborative research and interdisciplinary inquiries, which aligns perfectly with my academic philosophy. I am fully committed to leveraging my skills, experiences, and enthusiasm to make a substantive scholarly contribution to the study of French Literature. Thank you for considering my application; I am keenly looking forward to the possibility of furthering my academic journey in this vibrant intellectual community.

FAQs on Academic Personal Statements

If you’re wondering anything else about academic personal statements, check out the answers to the most frequently asked questions related to them here:

#1. How do you start a personal statement for an academic job?

Applying for an academic job is different from applying for a position as a student. First, you need to establish your qualifications and enthusiasm for the role immediately.

Start by explaining your current status, for example, as a postdoctoral researcher or an experienced member of the faculty, and specify the position you are applying for. Then follow up with your research interests or personal philosophy towards teaching.

You can add a personal anecdote or compelling fact that summarizes your academic journey so far, or your passion for the field. After that, your academic personal statement can go deeper into the qualifications from your academic CV and how you’re a great fit for the position.

#2. How do I introduce myself in an academic personal statement?

The introduction of your academic personal statement is the key to grabbing the attention of the admissions committee.

Start by stating the field or subject that interests you, and why. You can share a specific personal anecdote or observation that led you to this academic pursuit and set the stage for the detailed explanation in your main body.

The goal of your introduction is to give the reader a sense of who you are, what drives you, and why you would be a valuable addition to their department.

#3. Is an academic personal statement like an essay?

Yes, an academic personal statement can be considered a type of essay.

Both essays and academic personal statements are structured forms of writing that are meant to deliver a coherent argument and are divided into an introduction, body, and conclusion. They provide supporting evidence to prove the point and maintain a logical flow to guide the reader to the final conclusion.

However, essays tend to be objective and explore a specific topic or question in depth. Academic personal statements use similar techniques but they present the candidate’s qualifications, experiences, and aspirations in a way that’s meant to persuade the admissions committee.

#4. How long is an academic personal statement?

Typically, an academic personal statement is between 500 and 1000 words long.

The exact length of the text varies depending on the university and program you’re applying to. You should always check the specific requirements for your desired program, and stick to the guidelines you find.

However, if the university you’re applying to doesn’t specify a word count, you should aim for one to two pages.

#5. What do I avoid in an academic personal statement?

Since your personal statement is a crucial part of your academic application, it’s important to avoid any common mistakes.

Make sure the content of your academic personal statement isn’t too generic. Its goal is to give insight into you as an individual, beyond what can be read in your CV . 

You should also avoid cramming too many points in your text. Your academic personal statement should follow a logical flow, and focus on the relevance of what you’re sharing about yourself and how it relates to the academic program you’re pursuing.

Key Takeaways

And that concludes our guide to writing an academic personal statement!

We hope you feel more confident when crafting your application for that academic program or faculty position you have your sights set on.

Now let’s recap what we talked about so far:

• Academic personal statements are very different from CV personal statements. While CV personal statements are brief paragraphs at the top of the page, an academic personal statement is an in-depth text that details why you’re interested in a given position, and what makes you a good candidate.
• The guidelines on academic personal statements vary according to the institution you’re applying to. Read the brief very carefully, and pay attention to what it says about word count and questions your personal statement should answer. Any mistakes here could result in rejection.
• There are differences between applying for a postgraduate program and applying for a faculty position. But in both cases, you should research the exact place you want to apply to and adjust your application accordingly to match the institution’s values.
• Always proofread your academic personal statement before sending it, even if you’re sure there are no errors.

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Personal Statements: Why Universities Ask for Them and How to Write One

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Writing personal statements are often a key a part of university applications, and especially so for business school admissions . But what are they, why do universities ask for them, and how do I write one?

In this guide, we’ll cover exactly that to help you understand the importance of personal statements and tips to help you get started writing yours!

What Is a Personal Statement?

A personal statement involves writing about your experience, skills, achievements, and ambitions. It’s usually required to apply for business school , and it’s an opportunity to sell yourself to the university and persuade the admissions board that you’re a suitable applicant.

Personal statements differ from CVs. They’re instead structured in paragraphs, and it’s not just about listing experiences. It’s about describing how these have given you skills that will help you at university and throughout the course.

Why Do Universities Ask for Them?

Personal statements help universities decide on applicants who are the most suitable for the institution and specific course .

As many business school programs are over-subscribed, these often play a crucial role in the selection process. If you’re applying for a high-demand course, your personal statement may just be the deciding factor on whether you get an interview or not!

Personal statements allow you to share more information than can be squeezed on a CV and gives universities a more detailed look at what makes certain applicants stand out from others.

A good personal statement should convey enthusiasm and passion for the course subject and the applicant’s suitability for the program. University admissions are also often looking for evidence of leadership, teamwork, communication, commitment, motivation, research into the subject matter, and any relevant key skills.

How Do I Write a Personal Statement?

It can be difficult to know how to get started writing your personal statement. So, here are some tips to help you!

1. Plan it out and have a clear structure.

Have your motives for applying for the course clear in your mind. Being confident in your choice makes this easier, so spend some time researching the course further. Then, start planning out what details you’re going to include in your personal statement. This will help provide you with something to refer back to and allows you to order your thoughts into a clear structure. Then, set out to write approximately 500 words, and always finish with a small paragraph summarizing the key points you want the admissions team to remember.

2. Cover the topics universities want to hear about.

There are a number of topics you need to cover in a personal statement. This includes reasons for wanting to study the course, why you’re suitable, why you want to study in that country, current or previous studies, related interests and hobbies, academic and professional achievements, and work experience. Don’t be generic. Try to make it as personal as possible as universities want to learn about you and how you fit with what they value.

3. Show off enthusiasm, motivation, and what makes you unique.

Make sure you’re showing how excited you are about the prospect of joining the program and the motivation that drives you. Your statement should also be personal and a true reflection of yourself. So, be original and avoid the cliches admissions teams see again and again. Think outside of the box and focus on what sets you apart.

4. Make sure everything you share is relevant.

As there’s often a word or character limit for personal statements, don’t waste any space on information or details that aren’t relevant to your chosen course and career path. So, double check that everything you’re including really is relevant.

5. Review your grammar.

Spelling and grammar matters, so you’ll need to look over your personal statement and go through multiple rounds of editing. It’s also often helpful to ask others to proofread your statement and provide feedback, so you can fix errors and make improvements.

6. Try to convince, not inform.

When writing a personal statement, focus on convincing the admissions teams that you are a great candidate for their course and not just informing them of your experience. This can be challenging if you haven’t done this style of writing before, so take your time working on this. And find ways you can “show” and not just “tell”.

7. Talk to alumni or current students.

Find alumni or current students you can chat to and ask them how studying at the university is or was and how they achieved their goals while or after they studied. Universities love to know that you talked with alumni or current students. It shows you’ve thoroughly researched the institution.

8. Don’t forget to include your goals and aspirations.

Within your personal statement, make sure to add what your aspirations are and what you hope to achieve by studying there. This should include your professional, academic, and personal goals and can show universities what your motivations and objectives are.

9. Get help from educational consultants.

Writing personal statements is often tricky and overwhelming, so getting help from expert educational consultants can provide you with valuable feedback. This can allow you to improve your statement and the rest of your application.

Unify is here for you! We partner with the top educational consultants in the world to ensure you prepare the best application possible for business school. So, let us help you improve your personal statement and CV and prepare for interviews. Get in touch with our team of college counselors and career coaches for free advice and hands-on support for preparing a strong business school application.

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Personal statements for university applications

Forming a key part of your university application, you should use the UCAS personal statement to showcase how your skills, experience and aspirations make you a good fit for the course

What is a university personal statement?

With two sides of A4 to work with, this is your opportunity to tell course tutors in your own words the reasons why you feel you'd be an asset to their university.

How long should a personal statement be?

There's no maximum word count, but you'll need to remain within the 4,000 character limit (including spaces and punctuation) allowed in your UCAS application, as well as keeping the statement to a total of 47 lines of text.

UCAS recommends that you write your personal statement in Microsoft Word before copying and pasting it into the online application form. This is because the application page times out after being inactive for 35 minutes. You'll still need to account for how individual characters are counted differently between Microsoft Word and the online form.

What do I write about?

When considering what to include in your personal statement, take time to think about the reasons you're applying to university and what makes you a suitable candidate.

To make this work for different courses and universities, you'll need to find some common ground by providing examples of why you'll be a success - demonstrating enthusiasm for the choices you've made and how they fit in with your career ambitions.

You'll need to talk about the relevant skills, experience and achievements you've gained through extra-curricular activities - whether these are sporting, musical or creative.

As well as going through your academic record to date, your personal statement also gives you the opportunity to mention any work experience or volunteering you've undertaken, detailing what you've learned from it. For instance, you may have been involved with the Young Enterprise programme at school and have a better idea of how to manage your money.

It's never too late to show you're actively preparing for higher education. Get involved with an extra-curricular club, secure a part-time job or do some volunteering. You could even complete a free online course in a relevant subject with an organisation such as FutureLearn or the Tech Nation Digital Business Academy .

If you're an international student, you could discuss why the UK is your preferred study destination ahead of universities in your own country. Don't forget to mention the English language tests, courses and qualifications you've taken.

Finally, if there are any personal or financial circumstances that have had a strong bearing on your performance at school or college, you can outline these in this statement.

How do I write a personal statement?

By breaking your personal statement down into sections, you can ensure you cover the most relevant points.

Course-relevant skills and credentials should be given prominence in the overall structure. You can use the course descriptions to help you.

However, as you only have the one personal statement for all your choices, if you've selected a variety of subjects that aren't that similar, you'll need to focus on the transferable skills and common qualities typically valued by universities - for example, creativity or problem-solving.

Adopt a simple, concise and natural style for writing your statement, while still showing enthusiasm. Allow your personality to shine through.

It can often take a number of redrafts until the statement is ready, so allow plenty of time to write it properly, and set yourself a schedule.

Get used to reading your statement aloud and asking for feedback from family, teachers and advisers before redrafting to make sure your writing flows well. You'll also need to check for the correct punctuation, spelling and grammar and not just rely on a spellchecker.

Keep an up-to-date copy of your statement saved so you can refer back to it during the interview process.

How do I start a personal statement?

At this point, think about why you're applying for the course, and how you became interested in it in the first place. Was it through work experience or studying the subject at A-level?

Once you've noted down your reasons for choosing the course, you can move on to your skills and what makes you stand out positively from other applicants, providing evidence of where each attribute has been utilised.

After you've written this down, condense it so it's less wordy. You can then attempt to write a punchy opening paragraph showcasing your excitement at the prospect of going to university, and an understanding of what you're getting yourself into.

Get off to the best start by using the UCAS personal statement builder .

What should I avoid?

• As you'll only have the one statement, it's important not to mention universities by name - unless you plan on applying to just a single institution.
• Remember that admissions staff may not share your sense of humour, so steer clear of anything that might get misinterpreted.
• Refrain from using clichés or making arrogant or exaggerated statements.
• Resist any temptation to use somebody else's work as your own. The UCAS Similarity Detection Service utilises the Copycatch system, which will compare your statement against those stored within a comprehensive library of statements - those sent to UCAS and elsewhere (including paper publications).
• Be careful not to ramble. Structuring your work so you know how much space you have for each section will make sticking to your main points much easier.

University personal statement examples

While you can find some examples online - from the likes of Reed.co.uk and King's College London - it's important to use your own words and not copy them directly.

Indeed, the UCAS personal statement worksheet can prove just as useful when it comes to helping you decide what to put in your own personal statement.

You can simply print out this personal statement template and jot down any ideas into the various sections as you think of them.

Find out more

• Read the full lowdown on how to apply for university .
• Get tips on preparing for a university interview .
• For further advice on writing a university personal statement, visit UCAS .
• Take a look at The Topic for the latest news, insights and opinions.

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Writing the Personal Statement

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This handout provides information about writing personal statements for academic and other positions.

The personal statement, your opportunity to sell yourself in the application process, generally falls into one of two categories:

1. The general, comprehensive personal statement:

This allows you maximum freedom in terms of what you write and is the type of statement often prepared for standard medical or law school application forms.

2. The response to very specific questions:

Often, business and graduate school applications ask specific questions, and your statement should respond specifically to the question being asked. Some business school applications favor multiple essays, typically asking for responses to three or more questions.

Questions to ask yourself before you write:

• What's special, unique, distinctive, and/or impressive about you or your life story?
• What details of your life (personal or family problems, history, people or events that have shaped you or influenced your goals) might help the committee better understand you or help set you apart from other applicants?
• When did you become interested in this field and what have you learned about it (and about yourself) that has further stimulated your interest and reinforced your conviction that you are well suited to this field? What insights have you gained?
• How have you learned about this field—through classes, readings, seminars, work or other experiences, or conversations with people already in the field?
• If you have worked a lot during your college years, what have you learned (leadership or managerial skills, for example), and how has that work contributed to your growth?
• What are your career goals?
• Are there any gaps or discrepancies in your academic record that you should explain (great grades but mediocre LSAT or GRE scores, for example, or a distinct upward pattern to your GPA if it was only average in the beginning)?
• Have you had to overcome any unusual obstacles or hardships (for example, economic, familial, or physical) in your life?
• What personal characteristics (for example, integrity, compassion, and/or persistence) do you possess that would improve your prospects for success in the field or profession? Is there a way to demonstrate or document that you have these characteristics?
• What skills (for example, leadership, communicative, analytical) do you possess?
• Why might you be a stronger candidate for graduate school—and more successful and effective in the profession or field than other applicants?
• What are the most compelling reasons you can give for the admissions committee to be interested in you?

General advice

Answer the questions that are asked

• If you are applying to several schools, you may find questions in each application that are somewhat similar.
• Don't be tempted to use the same statement for all applications. It is important to answer each question being asked, and if slightly different answers are needed, you should write separate statements. In every case, be sure your answer fits the question being asked.

Tell a story

• Think in terms of showing or demonstrating through concrete experience. One of the worst things you can do is to bore the admissions committee. If your statement is fresh, lively, and different, you'll be putting yourself ahead of the pack. If you distinguish yourself through your story, you will make yourself memorable.

Be specific

• Don't, for example, state that you would make an excellent doctor unless you can back it up with specific reasons. Your desire to become a lawyer, engineer, or whatever should be logical, the result of specific experience that is described in your statement. Your application should emerge as the logical conclusion to your story.

Find an angle

• If you're like most people, your life story lacks drama, so figuring out a way to make it interesting becomes the big challenge. Finding an angle or a "hook" is vital.

Concentrate on your opening paragraph

• The lead or opening paragraph is generally the most important. It is here that you grab the reader's attention or lose it. This paragraph becomes the framework for the rest of the statement.

Tell what you know

• The middle section of your essay might detail your interest and experience in your particular field, as well as some of your knowledge of the field. Too many people graduate with little or no knowledge of the nuts and bolts of the profession or field they hope to enter. Be as specific as you can in relating what you know about the field and use the language professionals use in conveying this information. Refer to experiences (work, research, etc.), classes, conversations with people in the field, books you've read, seminars you've attended, or any other source of specific information about the career you want and why you're suited to it. Since you will have to select what you include in your statement, the choices you make are often an indication of your judgment.

Don't include some subjects

• There are certain things best left out of personal statements. For example, references to experiences or accomplishments in high school or earlier are generally not a good idea. Don't mention potentially controversial subjects (for example, controversial religious or political issues).

Do some research, if needed

• If a school wants to know why you're applying to it rather than another school, do some research to find out what sets your choice apart from other universities or programs. If the school setting would provide an important geographical or cultural change for you, this might be a factor to mention.

Write well and correctly

• Be meticulous. Type and proofread your essay very carefully. Many admissions officers say that good written skills and command of correct use of language are important to them as they read these statements. Express yourself clearly and concisely. Adhere to stated word limits.

Avoid clichés

• A medical school applicant who writes that he is good at science and wants to help other people is not exactly expressing an original thought. Stay away from often-repeated or tired statements.

For more information on writing a personal statement, see the personal statement vidcast .

How To Write A Personal Statement For A University

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It's time to get personal

I can’t even write a bio for my Instagram; how will I write a personal statement for the university? Let us assure you that writing a personal statement is relatively easy and uncomplicated. A personal statement can be for university admission or scholarship application. This blog will be your ultimate guide to writing a killer personal statement for a university. 

What is a personal statement?

The admission panelists already know your name and your UCAS ID. What do you want them to know about you which is not recorded on the paper yet? That is exactly what a personal essay does for you. It tells the admissions officer something about you that a student's resume or CV cannot.

These 500-1000 words of your personal essay will be responsible for convincing the admissions officers that you are a great applicant and will be an asset to the university. One of the keys to your dream college such as Kingston University or Oxford University is a killer personal statement. This is your chance to brag about yourself (but subtly). To get into your dream college, read our blogs on Best Courses, Eligibility at Kingston University and Oxford University admission requirements in 2023.

How to write a personal statement?

Writing a personal statement for university can be a crucial step in your application process. While seeking assistance from a personal statement writing service is an option, it is crucial to maintain the authenticity of your personal statement. It is now time to put the “personal” in the personal statement for a university. So now that we are not scared of the blinking cursor let us now see how to write a personal statement for university step by step.

Brainstorm the topics

The first step is to brainstorm about the above topics for your personal essay and then note down the points. Go on a nostalgic flashback trip about your life and write down whatever thoughts come into your mind. It can be about how an incident changed your life or about your life story, or your passions and interests. ‍ Start by choosing 2 to 4 topics and start noting down points on those selected topics. For example, if one of the topics you choose is my warrior story, then you can start by writing the pointers about the incidents and how did they help or change you. ‍ Sometimes, it is difficult to fathom thoughts or things about yourself. You can ask your family and friends to help you by asking them about what they admire about you or your talents and skills. (we all like a little ego boost, don’t we?) 

Short-list the topics

Once you have written the pointers on some of the topics you liked, it is now time to choose a topic to write your personal essay. You need to select the topic which came easy to you. They should be something about which the pointers came easily to you and which you closely feel connected with. 

This topic should genuinely reveal something about yourself and should be the easiest to write about. So choose carefully. 

Now that we finally have a winner, it is time to start writing our personal statement for a university. Start by free-writing about your topic. Just let the words drop out of your brain onto the paper. Let your grammar nazi self aside for a while and write whatever comes to your mind about that particular topic for your personal essay. 

Take a deep breath and let the words flow like a river. This exercise will help you put down everything in your head onto paper. This will help you not leave out any points, whether big or minute, about the topic of your personal essay. 

Structure and Restructure

It is now time to structure and restructure your personal essay. Make a proper outline and structure, and organise all your data into a basic framework. Prepare and set a tone for your personal statement for a university by keeping your audience in mind. 

Try to understand what your reader wants to read and what you want to show them. Make sure these two things run parallel. According to this, now you will need to structure and restructure your blog. Organize your personal essay into three sections that are introduction, body and conclusion. 

This is the part where you will actually write your personal statement for a university. Again, this draft does not have to be grammatically or overall perfect. Start framing your free written thoughts into proper sentences and put them into the structure you formed.  

Start your essay in such a way that the reader gets hooked on your personal essay from the start. You can also add some anecdotes or some subtle jokes to make the essay more interesting. Your main motto is to connect to the reader and make them connect to you. 

Writing does not come easy to everyone. We all have our days of getting writer’s block. (trust us!). The best way to get out of it is to free-write. Write anything that comes to your mind, and don’t worry about the grammar; you have time for that. You can do this! 

Re-read the rough draft you have written and revise the content. Reframe the sentences if you feel the need to restructure the content if it needs to be restructured. This part will help you remember some details which you might have forgotten to add. Check out for the unnecessary words and sentences. Check the tone of the personal essay to see if it is exactly how you had imagined. Watch out for the active and passive voices throughout the essay.

It is now time to awaken your grammar nazi and let them quality-check your work. Once your personal statement is polished, it is now time to proofread and quality checks any grammatical and technical mistakes. Not all of us can be grammar wizards, so you use Grammarly to correct any grammatical mistakes. Grammarly Checks for all grammatical issues gives you correction suggestions and checks the tone and the paraphrasing. 

Take suggestions

It is recommended to ask someone else to proofread your work, such your someone from your family, a friend or your teacher, before submitting it. It is always a great idea to take a second opinion on the content, the writing quality and the tone of the essay. They are the ones who know you the best, so they can also help you understand if the personal statement is a true representation of yourself or not. 

With each passing second, your heart might thump louder. But, it is not or never. Be confident in yourself and just hit the send button and leave a big sigh of relief. 

Craft a compelling personal statement and explore student accommodations to begin your university adventure!

Book through amber today!

Tips and tricks for writing a personal statement

Here are some tips and tricks you can use to write your personal statement for university.

• It is okay to take your own time to write a personal essay.
• It should be a true reflection of yourself, so always be honest.
• You can use a thesaurus to find synonyms, a perfect word or an expression.
• Find a perfect opening sentence.
• Put anecdotes and relatable expressions.
• Read your essay out loud to check your personal essay's tone and framing structure.
• Humour in your personal statement should be subtle and not forced.
• Make sure you reach the word limit and do not exceed it. 
• Do not read your essay again once you have submitted your personal statement for a university.
• Try to stay away from a potentially controversial topic.

Difference between SOP and Personal Statement

Eh! Potato or potahto? Even though these two serve a similar purpose, there is a distinct difference between an SOP and a Personal Statement. An SOP is a detailed description of your motivation, goals, experience, achievements and extracurricular activities. Whereas a personal statement is an essay which tells the officers about your motivation, inspiration and goals.

As the name suggests, a personal statement is more towards a personal side than an SOP. A personal statement tells more about your life story, inspiration, and motivation, whereas an SOP goes into greater detail about your goals and motives. 

If you are interested in turning you SOP into a masterpiece, check out this webstory on how to write a winning SOP !

Topics to choose for a personal statement

Are the blank page and the blinking cursor mocking you? Wait! Don’t throw the keyboard yet! We know it can be overwhelming to choose a topic for your personal statement for university, but as we said, this blog is here to make things easier for you. You can choose to write on any of the topics or fusion one or some of them in your personal essay.

1. Story of my life: If you have a moving and meaningful background, talent or any interest that makes you who “you” are, then you should definitely write about it. The admissions committee wants to know about you beyond your resume. You can write about your hobby or something which makes you unique. You can write about something that is relevant in your personal essay and not eerie. (we know that you can probably touch your elbow with your tongue, but that definitely won't go in your personal statement).

2. My warrior story: If you came in like a wrecking ball toward any obstacles or your problems and fought your way through, you can write about your journey. You are trying to show that you are not a quitter, and this prompt may show that you are courageous and perseverant in your personal statement for university.

3. Lesson learnt: There might be some things you must have written in bold and gold which you learnt after a setback; write that down. Maybe someone else might find that gold and write it in bold. Agreeing that you were and then changing your perspective to what was right can let the committee know that you are adaptable.

4. Problem Solver: You can choose this prompt if you’ve solved a problem or a dilemma, be it academic, intellectual or a work problem which was important to you no matter the scale of the problem. You can describe the problem and the approach you took to solve it. 

5. Attention seeker: If there is a topic or a concept you just get lost in and end up losing track of time, you can write about it. Tell them how passionate you are about something. Everybody loves someone who is truly passionate and thoughtful about something. This might also give the impression that you are eager to learn more. 

6. Inspire me: Is there someone who has inspired you? Do you see someone as your role model? You can write your essay on someone who inspires you or why, how they have inspired you, and how your life or perspective has changed. Or how has the person you admire influenced you?

7: Defining moments: have you encountered an incident or a moment which changed your life? If yes, you can write about the incident and how it shaped you or what you learned from it.

Personal essay examples

Now, let us see some personal essay examples for a university. These university personal statement examples will help you understand how to write one.

1: This is an excerpt from a personal statement template for a university written by a student for Architecture.

“The opportunity to leave a lasting impact is a privilege, and architects are gifted with this in every building they design. This is why I want to study architecture: you have the ability to change the course of someone’s life, purely with what you envisage. An article by Michael Bond discussed this. ‘The hidden ways that architecture affects how you feel’, describes how the design, space and presentation of a building can all have great effects on a persons mood and thoughts, looking at the Pruitt-Igoe apartment blocks as an example.”

2: This excerpt taken from an aeronautical student is very engaging because of the story format in their personal statement.

“From when I took my first flight at six years old, I became unconditionally mesmerised by planes and how they work. Over time, this interest has “skyrocketed”, whether it be through watching planes land and take off at airports, or obsessively watching air crash investigation programmes on television. When I saw there was a course specifically designed for the wonder that is aerospace, I knew it was perfect for me. I could learn about everything that has fascinated me for years.”

3: This is a Criminology/ Psychology personal essay example by a student.

“Examining behaviour and the reasons people act in the way they do has always fascinated me, especially in regards to crime. By taking Psychology at A-Level this allowed me to investigate further into behaviour. Additionally, completing a Future-Learn course on 'Forensic Psychology' by the Open University gave me a thorough understanding on the aspects behind this part of Psychology such as cognitive interviews and unconscious transference. This course gave me the opportunity to experiment with how I would fare identifying possible criminals from a line-up, giving me the chance to see if I could physically solve a crime. My EPQ was titled 'Does the CSI effect exist?'

4: This personal statement template for a university shows what incidents led them to choose Biomedical Sciences.

“My goal in studying Biomedical Science is to achieve a deeper knowledge of the human body. I respect people who dedicate their lives to help others in need and using their knowledge for the greater good. Since I was born and raised in the Philippines, I understand the need for Biomedical Science especially in lower economically developed countries where health issues such as malaria and tuberculosis have affected the country. Having an awareness of this issue at a young age has led to my curiosity in Biomedical Science.”

5: This excerpt of the personal statement shows what relevant experiences the student has gained previously in Graphics Designing.

“During my placement I learnt how fundamental research is and how it is conducted during the whole design process. After the placement I was more decisive about wanting to delve into the world of Graphic Design, hence I set about finding a work placement that solely focused on Graphic Design. My second placement was at Virgin Media, where I worked with graphic designers and UX designers and was introduced to the field of digital design. I attended meetings where briefs were being discussed and was able to follow the journey of the graphic designers to witness how they went about delivering the brief; and helping design assets for the website. The placement allowed me to comprehend what digital design consisted of and learn about the works of alternative designers such as UX designers.”

6: This is an example excerpt for a Psychology personal statement for a university

“I have held a deep-rooted interest in human psychology as my younger cousin, whom I see frequently, has autism, whereas his brother does not. To compare, both are alike in the sense that they have been raised in the same conditions, given equal amounts of affection and treated no differently to one another. This has shown me the full extent of this spectrum condition, and the irregularity of the behaviour that the condition causes continues to fascinate me.My interest was intensified upon reading ‘The Man That Mistook His Wife for a Hat’ by Oliver Sacks. This developed my curiosity into neurological diseases, leading me to later read ‘Hallucinations’. This gave me an insight into the world of those that suffer from these afflictions and how they operate despite such hardship, while providing a humane and personal angle. To further my knowledge of psychology, I have chosen to base the research for my Extended Project Qualification on dream analysis, an area that I find particularly intriguing.”

7: An personal essay example of Fashion Buying/ Merchandising personal statement for a university

“What we choose to wear mirrors how we wish to be perceived. Fashion is a continuation of personality; individuals can take the same item of clothing from a retailer and envision it completely differently, thus making it unique to them. Another aspect of fashion that I find interesting is its many forms of influence, such as culture. On their travels, buyers see something that inspires their trend board and feeds into the design process. This shows the power that buyers and merchandisers have in controlling what reaches consumers. The dynamic nature of the industry makes the risk taken rewarding when it's a success. It's this uncertainty that I think makes the roles of buyers and merchandisers so exciting.”

8: An excerpt from a personal essay example of a Law personal essay

“My attraction to law originates from my interest in justice and rewards.  Human behaviour is always alternating and law is able to constantly focus on the rights of people and the bettering of society. Human rights is a challenge we face currently and law has continuously throughout time been able to rightly justify the actions of people to a great amount of satisfaction.  Law is a natural part of the ethical system as, laws are followed by everyone. Therefore, I decided to pursue a career in the legal field as I will be personally reinforcing right-doing, and also assisting others in times of difficulty. Acquiring knowledge about the subject of law I believe will increase my way of interpreting and reasoning as an individual, thus improving my morality and virtues.”

9: This is an example of a personal essay for Korean studies.

“The way we communicate as a population has always fascinated me. Despite language and cultural barriers, we continue to stay connected through current affairs and ever-evolving social media. Throughout my life, I have devoted countless hours to studying languages and cultures that differ from my own, in order to better my knowledge of the world and learn how ones upbringing has such a colossal impact on the diversity of humanity. This is the root from which grew my love for both Korean and International Relations.”

10: This is an example of a Mechanical Engineering Personal Statement

“I hope a degree from your University will allow me to transfer key abilities from a place of study into, eventually, a place in industry. After much extended research, my admiration for the engineering innovator, Karl Benz, has been truly established. Commonly regarded as the originator of the first automobile powered by an internal combustion engine, his contributions to the vast domain that is engineering are simply colossal. One creation of his that captivated my mind tremendously was the ‘Blitzen Benz’; a vehicle fabricated solely for the purpose of speed. Assembled in 1909, this automobile boasted a 21.5L engine that produced 200 horsepower. At a time when the iconic Ford Model T was only generating around 22 horsepower, the pure muscle and craftsmanship that had been put into the Blitzen was enough to achieve a record breaking land speed of 141.94 mph; “faster than any plane, train, or automobile” at the time.”

The best way to write a personal statement for a university is to be co confident and believe in yourself. We hope this blog helps you write a killer personal statement for your university and get into your dream university. We believe in you, and you can do this. 

Frequently Asked Questions

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Personal Statement for University Sample PDF: Download for Free

• Updated on  
• Mar 28, 2024

Writing a compelling essay significantly increases your chances of admission to your desired university. This essay entails your skills, talents, motives, goals, and achievements. It allows universities to access your profile and understand it better. If you are looking for samples of personal statements, then you are at the right place. Here, we will provide you with the personal statement for the university sample pdf to give you an idea of how to effectively write one. Remember, writing an effective essay will allow you to stand out from other applicants. So, let’s begin this blog without any further delay. 

This Blog Includes:

What is a personal statement, download personal statement for university sample pdf, important tips.

A personal statement is a brief written essay that accounts for your interests, achievements, skills, talents, and goals. This essay is usually included in applications for universities and resumes.  The length of your personal statement depends on the university you are applying for, however, it is generally 500 to 1,000 words long.

Also Read: A Complete Guide to Writing a Personal Statement: Importance, Steps, and Tips

Your statement will play a key role in securing your admission to your desired university. So, it becomes crucial to write a compelling statement that effectively details your profile. You can download the individual statement for university sample pdf from the link given below.

Now that you have seen the samples of the personal statements, its time to look at some important tips you should keep in mind to effectively write them, which are as follows: 

• You should use an active voice to engage the reader and directly identify your accomplishments, which can make your essay more effective. 
• Use short and simple sentences to effectively convey your points.
• Make sure you write in a positive tone, showing enthusiasm and gratitude for the opportunity. 
• Try to make your essay more personal and unique to stand out from the crowd. 

Relevant Reads: 

Answer: Your statement should account for your interests, skills, achievements, talents, and goals, which allows the reader to understand your profile. 

Answer: In the introduction, you should talk about your aim, experiences, skills, and the reason why you are the right candidate. 

Answer: Your conclusion should be a clear restatement of why you applied and what you intend to achieve. 

So, this was all about the personal statement for university sample pdf. Many Indian students dream of pursuing education in foreign nations due to the exposure and career growth they offer. Consider joining a free counselling session with Leverage Edu if you plan to study abroad .

Abhishek Kumar Jha

Abhishek Kumar Jha is a professional content writer and marketer, having extensive experience in delivering content in journalism and marketing. He has written news content related to education for prominent media outlets, garnering expansive knowledge of the Indian education landscape throughout his experience. Moreover, he is a skilled content marketer, with experience in writing SEO-friendly blogs. His educational background includes a Postgraduate Diploma in English Journalism from the prestigious Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), Dhenkanal. By receiving an education from a top journalism school and working in the corporate world with complete devotion, he has honed the essential skills needed to excel in content writing.

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Gre prep online guides and tips, 3 successful graduate school personal statement examples.

Looking for grad school personal statement examples? Look no further! In this total guide to graduate school personal statement examples, we’ll discuss why you need a personal statement for grad school and what makes a good one. Then we’ll provide three graduate school personal statement samples from our grad school experts. After that, we’ll do a deep dive on one of our personal statement for graduate school examples. Finally, we’ll wrap up with a list of other grad school personal statements you can find online.

Why Do You Need a Personal Statement?

A personal statement is a chance for admissions committees to get to know you: your goals and passions, what you’ll bring to the program, and what you’re hoping to get out of the program.  You need to sell the admissions committee on what makes you a worthwhile applicant. The personal statement is a good chance to highlight significant things about you that don’t appear elsewhere on your application.

A personal statement is slightly different from a statement of purpose (also known as a letter of intent). A statement of purpose/letter of intent tends to be more tightly focused on your academic or professional credentials and your future research and/or professional interests.

While a personal statement also addresses your academic experiences and goals, you have more leeway to be a little more, well, personal. In a personal statement, it’s often appropriate to include information on significant life experiences or challenges that aren’t necessarily directly relevant to your field of interest.

Some programs ask for both a personal statement and a statement of purpose/letter of intent. In this case, the personal statement is likely to be much more tightly focused on your life experience and personality assets while the statement of purpose will focus in much more on your academic/research experiences and goals.

However, there’s not always a hard-and-fast demarcation between a personal statement and a statement of purpose. The two statement types should address a lot of the same themes, especially as relates to your future goals and the valuable assets you bring to the program. Some programs will ask for a personal statement but the prompt will be focused primarily on your research and professional experiences and interests. Some will ask for a statement of purpose but the prompt will be more focused on your general life experiences.

When in doubt, give the program what they are asking for in the prompt and don’t get too hung up on whether they call it a personal statement or statement of purpose. You can always call the admissions office to get more clarification on what they want you to address in your admissions essay.

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What Makes a Good Grad School Personal Statement?

A great graduate school personal statement can come in many forms and styles. However, strong grad school personal statement examples all share the same following elements:

A Clear Narrative

Above all, a good personal statement communicates clear messages about what makes you a strong applicant who is likely to have success in graduate school. So to that extent, think about a couple of key points that you want to communicate about yourself and then drill down on how you can best communicate those points. (Your key points should of course be related to what you can bring to the field and to the program specifically).

You can also decide whether to address things like setbacks or gaps in your application as part of your narrative. Have a low GPA for a couple semesters due to a health issue? Been out of a job for a while taking care of a family member? If you do decide to explain an issue like this, make sure that the overall arc is more about demonstrating positive qualities like resilience and diligence than about providing excuses.

Specific Examples

A great statement of purpose uses specific examples to illustrate its key messages. This can include anecdotes that demonstrate particular traits or even references to scholars and works that have influenced your academic trajectory to show that you are familiar and insightful about the relevant literature in your field.

Just saying “I love plants,” is pretty vague. Describing how you worked in a plant lab during undergrad and then went home and carefully cultivated your own greenhouse where you cross-bred new flower colors by hand is much more specific and vivid, which makes for better evidence.

A strong personal statement will describe why you are a good fit for the program, and why the program is a good fit for you. It’s important to identify specific things about the program that appeal to you, and how you’ll take advantage of those opportunities. It’s also a good idea to talk about specific professors you might be interested in working with. This shows that you are informed about and genuinely invested in the program.

Strong Writing

Even quantitative and science disciplines typically require some writing, so it’s important that your personal statement shows strong writing skills. Make sure that you are communicating clearly and that you don’t have any grammar and spelling errors. It’s helpful to get other people to read your statement and provide feedback. Plan on going through multiple drafts.

Another important thing here is to avoid cliches and gimmicks. Don’t deploy overused phrases and openings like “ever since I was a child.” Don’t structure your statement in a gimmicky way (i.e., writing a faux legal brief about yourself for a law school statement of purpose). The first will make your writing banal; the second is likely to make you stand out in a bad way.

Appropriate Boundaries

While you can be more personal in a personal statement than in a statement of purpose, it’s important to maintain appropriate boundaries in your writing. Don’t overshare anything too personal about relationships, bodily functions, or illegal activities. Similarly, don’t share anything that makes it seem like you may be out of control, unstable, or an otherwise risky investment. The personal statement is not a confessional booth. If you share inappropriately, you may seem like you have bad judgment, which is a huge red flag to admissions committees.

You should also be careful with how you deploy humor and jokes. Your statement doesn’t have to be totally joyless and serious, but bear in mind that the person reading the statement may not have the same sense of humor as you do. When in doubt, err towards the side of being as inoffensive as possible.

Just as being too intimate in your statement can hurt you, it’s also important not to be overly formal or staid. You should be professional, but conversational.

Graduate School Personal Statement Examples

Our graduate school experts have been kind enough to provide some successful grad school personal statement examples. We’ll provide three examples here, along with brief analysis of what makes each one successful.

Sample Personal Statement for Graduate School 1

PDF of Sample Personal Statement 1 – Japanese Studies

For this Japanese Studies master’s degree, the applicant had to provide a statement of purpose outlining her academic goals and experience with Japanese and a separate personal statement describing her personal relationship with Japanese Studies and what led her to pursue a master’s degree.

Here’s what’s successful about this personal statement:

• An attention-grabbing beginning: The applicant begins with the statement that Japanese has never come easily to her and that it’s a brutal language to learn. Seeing as how this is an application for a Japanese Studies program, this is an intriguing beginning that makes the reader want to keep going.
• A compelling narrative: From this attention-grabbing beginning, the applicant builds a well-structured and dramatic narrative tracking her engagement with the Japanese language over time. The clear turning point is her experience studying abroad, leading to a resolution in which she has clarity about her plans. Seeing as how the applicant wants to be a translator of Japanese literature, the tight narrative structure here is a great way to show her writing skills.
• Specific examples that show important traits: The applicant clearly communicates both a deep passion for Japanese through examples of her continued engagement with Japanese and her determination and work ethic by highlighting the challenges she’s faced (and overcome) in her study of the language. This gives the impression that she is an engaged and dedicated student.

Overall, this is a very strong statement both in terms of style and content. It flows well, is memorable, and communicates that the applicant would make the most of the graduate school experience.

Sample Personal Statement for Graduate School 2

PDF of Sample Graduate School Personal Statement 2 – Musical Composition

This personal statement for a Music Composition master’s degree discusses the factors that motivate the applicant to pursue graduate study.

Here’s what works well in this statement:

• The applicant provides two clear reasons motivating the student to pursue graduate study: her experiences with music growing up, and her family’s musical history. She then supports those two reasons with examples and analysis.
• The description of her ancestors’ engagement with music is very compelling and memorable. The applicant paints her own involvement with music as almost inevitable based on her family’s long history with musical pursuits.
• The applicant gives thoughtful analysis of the advantages she has been afforded that have allowed her to study music so extensively. We get the sense that she is insightful and empathetic—qualities that would add greatly to any academic community.

This is a strong, serviceable personal statement. And in truth, given that this for a masters in music composition, other elements of the application (like work samples) are probably the most important.  However, here are two small changes I would make to improve it:

• I would probably to split the massive second paragraph into 2-3 separate paragraphs. I might use one paragraph to orient the reader to the family’s musical history, one paragraph to discuss Giacomo and Antonio, and one paragraph to discuss how the family has influenced the applicant. As it stands, it’s a little unwieldy and the second paragraph doesn’t have a super-clear focus even though it’s all loosely related to the applicant’s family history with music.
• I would also slightly shorten the anecdote about the applicant’s ancestors and expand more on how this family history has motivated the applicant’s interest in music. In what specific ways has her ancestors’ perseverance inspired her? Did she think about them during hard practice sessions? Is she interested in composing music in a style they might have played? More specific examples here would lend greater depth and clarity to the statement.

Sample Personal Statement for Graduate School 3

PDF of Sample Graduate School Personal Statement 3 – Public Health

This is my successful personal statement for Columbia’s Master’s program in Public Health. We’ll do a deep dive on this statement paragraph-by-paragraph in the next section, but I’ll highlight a couple of things that work in this statement here:

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• This statement is clearly organized. Almost every paragraph has a distinct focus and message, and when I move on to a new idea, I move on to a new paragraph with a logical transitions.
• This statement covers a lot of ground in a pretty short space. I discuss my family history, my goals, my educational background, and my professional background. But because the paragraphs are organized and I use specific examples, it doesn’t feel too vague or scattered.
• In addition to including information about my personal motivations, like my family, I also include some analysis about tailoring health interventions with my example of the Zande. This is a good way to show off what kinds of insights I might bring to the program based on my academic background.

Grad School Personal Statement Example: Deep Dive

Now let’s do a deep dive, paragraph-by-paragraph, on one of these sample graduate school personal statements. We’ll use my personal statement that I used when I applied to Columbia’s public health program.

Paragraph One: For twenty-three years, my grandmother (a Veterinarian and an Epidemiologist) ran the Communicable Disease Department of a mid-sized urban public health department. The stories of Grandma Betty doggedly tracking down the named sexual partners of the infected are part of our family lore. Grandma Betty would persuade people to be tested for sexually transmitted diseases, encourage safer sexual practices, document the spread of infection and strive to contain and prevent it. Indeed, due to the large gay population in the city where she worked, Grandma Betty was at the forefront of the AIDS crises, and her analysis contributed greatly towards understanding how the disease was contracted and spread. My grandmother has always been a huge inspiration to me, and the reason why a career in public health was always on my radar.

This is an attention-grabbing opening anecdote that avoids most of the usual cliches about childhood dreams and proclivities. This story also subtly shows that I have a sense of public health history, given the significance of the AIDs crisis for public health as a field.

It’s good that I connect this family history to my own interests. However, if I were to revise this paragraph again, I might cut down on some of the detail because when it comes down to it, this story isn’t really about me. It’s important that even (sparingly used) anecdotes about other people ultimately reveal something about you in a personal statement.

Paragraph Two: Recent years have cemented that interest. In January 2012, my parents adopted my little brother Fred from China. Doctors in America subsequently diagnosed Fred with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). My parents were told that if Fred’s condition had been discovered in China, the (very poor) orphanage in which he spent the first 8+ years of his life would have recognized his DMD as a death sentence and denied him sustenance to hasten his demise.

Here’s another compelling anecdote to help explain my interest in public health. This is an appropriately personal detail for a personal statement—it’s a serious thing about my immediate family, but it doesn’t disclose anything that the admissions committee might find concerning or inappropriate.

If I were to take another pass through this paragraph, the main thing I would change is the last phrase. “Denied him sustenance to hasten his demise” is a little flowery. “Denied him food to hasten his death” is actually more powerful because it’s clearer and more direct.

Paragraph Three: It is not right that some people have access to the best doctors and treatment while others have no medical care. I want to pursue an MPH in Sociomedical Sciences at Columbia because studying social factors in health, with a particular focus on socio-health inequities, will prepare me to address these inequities. The interdisciplinary approach of the program appeals to me greatly as I believe interdisciplinary approaches are the most effective way to develop meaningful solutions to complex problems.

In this paragraph I make a neat and clear transition from discussing what sparked my interest in public health and health equity to what I am interested in about Columbia specifically: the interdisciplinary focus of the program, and how that focus will prepare me to solve complex health problems. This paragraph also serves as a good pivot point to start discussing my academic and professional background.

Paragraph Four: My undergraduate education has prepared me well for my chosen career. Understanding the underlying structure of a group’s culture is essential to successfully communicating with the group. In studying folklore and mythology, I’ve learned how to parse the unspoken structures of folk groups, and how those structures can be used to build bridges of understanding. For example, in a culture where most illnesses are believed to be caused by witchcraft, as is the case for the Zande people of central Africa, any successful health intervention or education program would of necessity take into account their very real belief in witchcraft.

In this paragraph, I link my undergraduate education and the skills I learned there to public health. The (very brief) analysis of tailoring health interventions to the Zande is a good way to show insight and show off the competencies I would bring to the program.

Paragraph Five: I now work in the healthcare industry for one of the largest providers of health benefits in the world. In addition to reigniting my passion for data and quantitative analytics, working for this company has immersed me in the business side of healthcare, a critical component of public health.

This brief paragraph highlights my relevant work experience in the healthcare industry. It also allows me to mention my work with data and quantitative analytics, which isn’t necessarily obvious from my academic background, which was primarily based in the social sciences.

Paragraph Six: I intend to pursue a PhD in order to become an expert in how social factors affect health, particularly as related to gender and sexuality. I intend to pursue a certificate in Sexuality, Sexual Health, and Reproduction. Working together with other experts to create effective interventions across cultures and societies, I want to help transform health landscapes both in America and abroad.

This final paragraph is about my future plans and intentions. Unfortunately, it’s a little disjointed, primarily because I discuss goals of pursuing a PhD before I talk about what certificate I want to pursue within the MPH program! Switching those two sentences and discussing my certificate goals within the MPH and then mentioning my PhD plans would make a lot more sense.

I also start two sentences in a row with “I intend,” which is repetitive.

The final sentence is a little bit generic; I might tailor it to specifically discuss a gender and sexual health issue, since that is the primary area of interest I’ve identified.

This was a successful personal statement; I got into (and attended!) the program. It has strong examples, clear organization, and outlines what interests me about the program (its interdisciplinary focus) and what competencies I would bring (a background in cultural analysis and experience with the business side of healthcare). However, a few slight tweaks would elevate this statement to the next level.

Graduate School Personal Statement Examples You Can Find Online

So you need more samples for your personal statement for graduate school? Examples are everywhere on the internet, but they aren’t all of equal quality.

Most of examples are posted as part of writing guides published online by educational institutions. We’ve rounded up some of the best ones here if you are looking for more personal statement examples for graduate school.

Penn State Personal Statement Examples for Graduate School

This selection of ten short personal statements for graduate school and fellowship programs offers an interesting mix of approaches. Some focus more on personal adversity while others focus more closely on professional work within the field.

The writing in some of these statements is a little dry, and most deploy at least a few cliches. However, these are generally strong, serviceable statements that communicate clearly why the student is interested in the field, their skills and competencies, and what about the specific program appeals to them.

Cal State Sample Graduate School Personal Statements

These are good examples of personal statements for graduate school where students deploy lots of very vivid imagery and illustrative anecdotes of life experiences. There are also helpful comments about what works in each of these essays.

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However, all of these statements are definitely pushing the boundaries of acceptable length, as all are above 1000 and one is almost 1500 words! Many programs limit you to 500 words; if you don’t have a limit, you should try to keep it to two single-spaced pages at most (which is about 1000 words).

University of Chicago Personal Statement for Graduate School Examples

These examples of successful essays to the University of Chicago law school cover a wide range of life experiences and topics. The writing in all is very vivid, and all communicate clear messages about the students’ strengths and competencies.

Note, however, that these are all essays that specifically worked for University of Chicago law school. That does not mean that they would work everywhere. In fact, one major thing to note is that many of these responses, while well-written and vivid, barely address the students’ interest in law school at all! This is something that might not work well for most graduate programs.

Wheaton College Personal Statement for Graduate School Sample 10

This successful essay for law school from a Wheaton College undergraduate does a great job tracking the student’s interest in the law in a compelling and personal way. Wheaton offers other graduate school personal statement examples, but this one offers the most persuasive case for the students’ competencies. The student accomplishes this by using clear, well-elaborated examples, showing strong and vivid writing, and highlighting positive qualities like an interest in justice and empathy without seeming grandiose or out of touch.

Wheaton College Personal Statement for Graduate School Sample 1

Based on the background information provided at the bottom of the essay, this essay was apparently successful for this applicant. However, I’ve actually included this essay because it demonstrates an extremely risky approach. While this personal statement is strikingly written and the story is very memorable, it could definitely communicate the wrong message to some admissions committees. The student’s decision not to report the drill sergeant may read incredibly poorly to some admissions committees. They may wonder if the student’s failure to report the sergeant’s violence will ultimately expose more soldiers-in-training to the same kinds of abuses. This incident perhaps reads especially poorly in light of the fact that the military has such a notable problem with violence against women being covered up and otherwise mishandled

It’s actually hard to get a complete picture of the student’s true motivations from this essay, and what we have might raise real questions about the student’s character to some admissions committees. This student took a risk and it paid off, but it could have just as easily backfired spectacularly.

Key Takeaways: Graduate School Personal Statement Examples

In this guide, we discussed why you need a personal statement and how it differs from a statement of purpose. (It’s more personal!)

We also discussed what you’ll find in a strong sample personal statement for graduate school:

• A clear narrative about the applicant and why they are qualified for graduate study.
• Specific examples to support that narrative.
• Compelling reasons why the applicant and the program are a good fit for each other.
• Strong writing, including clear organization and error-free, cliche-free language.
• Appropriate boundaries—sharing without over-sharing.

Then, we provided three strong graduate school personal statement examples for different fields, along with analysis. We did a deep-dive on the third statement.

Finally, we provided a list of other sample grad school personal statements online.

What’s Next?

Want more advice on writing a personal statement ? See our guide.

Writing a graduate school statement of purpose? See our statement of purpose samples  and a nine-step process for writing the best statement of purpose possible .

If you’re writing a graduate school CV or resume, see our how-to guide to writing a CV , a how-to guide to writing a resume , our list of sample resumes and CVs , resume and CV templates , and a special guide for writing resume objectives .

Need stellar graduate school recommendation letters ? See our guide.

See our 29 tips for successfully applying to graduate school .

Ready to improve your GRE score by 7 points?

Author: Ellen McCammon

Ellen is a public health graduate student and education expert. She has extensive experience mentoring students of all ages to reach their goals and in-depth knowledge on a variety of health topics. View all posts by Ellen McCammon

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Personal statements scrapped over growing ChatGPT use

Singapore management university provost timothy clark says reforms will push students away from using generative ai in admissions statements.

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A Singapore university is scrapping its use of personal statements in undergraduate admissions amid concerns about applicants’ growing use of ChatGPT.

Under new changes for this autumn’s entry, Singapore Management University (SMU) has abolished the essay used by applicants to explain their values, approach to learning and achievements beyond academia, and replaced it with shorter structured answers related to a potential student’s intended course.

The reforms are intended to reduce the use of ChatGPT and other generative artificial intelligence chatbots – some of which are expressly geared around creating personal statements – as the questions in the new format are “much easier for applicants to answer”, explained the university’s provost, Timothy Clark.

“There’s less of a temptation or need to go to AI for help,” said Professor Clark, a former pro vice-chancellor at Durham University . “In fact, it’s probably even faster for students to just come up with their own short response rather than having to think of the right prompt to input into ChatGPT in order for a plausibly useful response to be generated.”

Campus resource collection: AI transformers like ChatGPT are here, so what next?

However, the use of generative AI would not be banned when answering the new questions in the new format, said Professor Clark, who insisted that the university was “not against students using generative AI to spark ideas and for inspiration”.

“What we do want to see, however, is authenticity and a strong personal voice, which is hard to do with generative AI still in the early stages at this moment,” he said, adding that he hoped the answers would “provide a little glimpse into the applicant’s personality and potential fit for both the student and the university” ahead of an admissions interview.

SMU is one of the first universities to scrap the personal statement directly in response to the rise of artificial intelligence, although the UK’s admissions body, Ucas, is withdrawing the essay for 2025 entry onwards on the basis that the 4,000-character essay unfairly advantages middle-class students.

In the first admissions window since generative AI went mainstream last year, SMU’s clarification on how it will treat AI-generated admissions content remains unusual within higher education. Only a handful of US universities have publicly banned AI use by students in admissions, although Ucas currently advises that “generating…all or a large part of your personal statement from an AI tool such as ChatGPT, and presenting it as your own words, could be considered cheating by universities and colleges and could affect your chances of an offer”.

Conversely, university admissions teams are increasingly using AI to help select promising students despite concerns that algorithms might inadvertently discriminate against certain groups .

Reflecting on how SMU used AI, Professor Clark said an applicant’s academic performance was still the most important piece of data to assess “the applicant’s intellectual potential and readiness for university-level work”.

“This is the starting point for most selective universities around the world,” he said, adding that SMU also used individual and group interviews to gauge university readiness.

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Alpha-synuclein distribution and seeding activity in rectal biopsies in Parkinson's disease

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Background: Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by the accumulation of alpha-synuclein (aSyn) pathology, not only in the brain but also in the intestinal tissues. This study investigates the use of unique aSyn antibodies and an aSyn seed amplification assay (SAA) for detecting pathological aSyn in rectal biopsy samples from PD patients and healthy individuals. These samples were preserved using formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded (FFPE) methods. Materials and Methods: The study analyzed the seeding capacity of FFPE submucosal rectal biopsies from 24 PD patients and 20 healthy controls using an aSyn SAA. It examined the distribution of aSyn using immunohistochemistry with antibodies targeting specific conformations and phosphorylated forms of aSyn at S129 and Y39. Additionally, the proximity-ligation assay was employed for phosphorylated S129 aSyn. Results: Pathological forms of aSyn were found in all FFPE biopsies from PD patients, as confirmed by SAA, and these were linked to the severity of motor symptoms (MDS-UPDRS-III). However, the immunoreactive patterns of conformation-specific or phosphorylated aSyn in rectal biopsies did not show notable differences between PD patients and healthy subjects. Conclusion: Pathological aSyn strains are detectable in FFPE rectal biopsies from PD patients with high accuracy using aSyn-SAA. However, the utility of immunohistochemical detection with current antibodies for identifying pathological aSyn forms appears limited. The findings advocate for the use of aSyn-SAA as a diagnostic tool for PD, contributing to a deeper understanding of the gut-brain connection in the disease.

Competing Interest Statement

The authors have declared no competing interest.

Funding Statement

This project was supported by a grant of the Faculty of Medicine, Kiel University (K126422) to FC and ES. Funders and supporting institutions had no influence on the design, conduct, or analysis of the study.

Author Declarations

I confirm all relevant ethical guidelines have been followed, and any necessary IRB and/or ethics committee approvals have been obtained.

The details of the IRB/oversight body that provided approval or exemption for the research described are given below:

The study was approved by the local ethics committee of the faculty of medicine, Christian-Albrechts University of Kiel, Germany (D452/19).

I confirm that all necessary patient/participant consent has been obtained and the appropriate institutional forms have been archived, and that any patient/participant/sample identifiers included were not known to anyone (e.g., hospital staff, patients or participants themselves) outside the research group so cannot be used to identify individuals.

I understand that all clinical trials and any other prospective interventional studies must be registered with an ICMJE-approved registry, such as ClinicalTrials.gov. I confirm that any such study reported in the manuscript has been registered and the trial registration ID is provided (note: if posting a prospective study registered retrospectively, please provide a statement in the trial ID field explaining why the study was not registered in advance).

I have followed all appropriate research reporting guidelines, such as any relevant EQUATOR Network research reporting checklist(s) and other pertinent material, if applicable.

Data Availability

All data produced in the present study are available upon reasonable request to the authors

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Factsheet: Joint Update by the Department of State and the Department of Health and Human Services on Negotiations Toward a Pandemic Accord

What is the Pandemic Accord?

In December 2021, World Health Organization (WHO) Member States decided at a Special Session of the World Health Assembly to establish an intergovernmental negotiating body (INB), representing all regions of the world, to draft and negotiate a WHO convention, agreement, or other international instrument on pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response. More information about the INB process can be found here .

Why is the United States participating in these negotiations?

Pandemic preparedness was a day one priority for the Biden-Harris Administration and the United States remains committed to concluding an ambitious Pandemic Accord and amended International Health Regulations by the May 2024 deadline. For more than two decades, the United States has been the largest contributor to efforts to improve public health and other medical capabilities globally, because infectious disease outbreaks can occur anywhere and these capabilities are critical to lowering the risk that an outbreak can become a pandemic and affect all of us. U.S. national security and prosperity depends on all countries being prepared to prevent biological events when possible and to rapidly detect and respond to emerging infectious disease threats when they occur. Unfortunately, that’s not currently the case.

Detecting infectious disease threats quickly, and sharing that information widely, is critical to limiting global transmission, and to rapidly developing necessary diagnostics, vaccines, treatments, personal protective equipment (PPE), and other countermeasures to mitigate adverse health effects. Once available, facilitating equitable domestic and global access to medical countermeasures is the best way to minimize global morbidity and mortality, as well as reduce the economic and other disruptions that we have experienced in previous pandemics. Collectively, these actions will make the United States, and the world, safer from the risk posed by the spread of harmful pathogens.

The United States is seeking the following key outcomes in the negotiations:

• Enhance the capacity of countries around the world to prevent, prepare for, and respond to pandemic emergencies and provide clear, credible, consistent information to their citizens.
• Ensure that all countries share data and laboratory samples from emerging outbreaks quickly, safely, and transparently to facilitate response efforts and inform public health decision making regarding effective disease control measures, including the rapid creation of safe and effective vaccines, diagnostic tests, and treatments.
• Support more equitable and timely access to, and delivery of, vaccines, diagnostic tests, treatments, and other mitigation measures to quickly contain outbreaks, reduce illness and death, and minimize impacts on the economic and national security of people around the world.

What actions does the United States support in the Pandemic Accord, in order to ensure the world can respond more effectively in the next pandemic?

The negotiations are ongoing, and WHO Member States, including the United States, have not yet agreed on the language in a final agreement. However, the United States has brought solutions to the table in these negotiations, including:

• Support for an access and benefits sharing system that pairs strong commitments to share information, pathogen samples, and genetic sequence data before and during a pandemic and contractual commitments from manufacturers participating in the system to set aside a dedicated percentage of production for equitable distribution during pandemics.
• Support for a stronger systems of voluntary technology transfer, as well as new voluntary schemes to promote and facilitate sustainable manufacturing, while protecting incentives for innovation, which proved so critical during the COVID-19 pandemic. Forced or coercive transfer of technology and know-how is ineffective and impractical.
• Support for sharing the outputs from publicly funded research, especially during emergencies, and indeed the United States already requires sharing of publications from U.S. government funded research.
• Support for strengthening and expanding research capacities for addressing pathogens with pandemic potential, in accordance with appropriate biosafety and biosecurity measures, and taking steps that will enable both more rapid and higher quality research during responses that provide critical evidence to inform decision making.
• Support the development of a coordination mechanism that would promote harmonization and coordination for financing prevention, preparedness, and response as the means of aligning existing funding mechanisms with the Accord and amended International Health Regulations, while underscoring that the coordination mechanism will operate across a variety of financing sources. The United States also supports utilizing surge financing commitments in the early stages of a pandemic (see more on U.S. actions to support surge financing here ).
• Continued commitment to work with other countries through the World Trade Organization and the World Intellectual Property Organization to address issues related to intellectual property. Intellectual property is a critical cornerstone of innovation and provides a strong incentive for medical countermeasures development, especially in pandemics.

What is the United States doing to expand access to medicines for people living around the world?

Like every nation’s leaders, the Biden-Harris Administration’s most fundamental responsibility is to protect the American people. To do that, we must secure the United States against the next pandemic by working with other countries to help detect threats as soon as they emerge, contain those threats at their source, and respond quickly to mitigate the impact of future biological incidents on the global and U.S. healthcare, educational and economic systems.

In a future pandemic, we will ensure that all Americans have access to the vaccines, tests and treatments they need. Additionally, by working to make vaccines and treatments available as early as possible in the next pandemic for the highest risk populations, wherever they are in the world, we can save lives and reduce the risk of new variants emerging elsewhere that can threaten American lives.

We are taking steps to develop a more efficient and predictable process for financing global vaccines in the next pandemic, which will mean:

• Leveraging pre-negotiated purchasing agreements to enable a more rapid start to donations of vaccines and other countermeasures when needed;
• Negotiating more favorable pricing before and during the next pandemic; and
• Benefitting American companies -- by more clearly communicating demand for their products, companies will have more reliable order volume at the beginning of a pandemic emergency as well as access to new markets.

The United States is leveraging its purchasing power to facilitate rapid production, distribution and administration of vaccines for Americans, as well as those living around the world, in order to limit the spread of future pandemic pathogens, and mitigate their impact, resulting in lower risk to Americans and the world in the next pandemic.

The most effective and sustainable way to increase manufacturing capacity for vaccines and other medical countermeasures is by expanding local manufacturing of routine health products, as well as facilitating and incentivizing demand for and procurement of those locally-manufactured products, in order to maintain a true warm base that can be shifted to producing pandemic-specific products when needed. More information on United States actions to expand access to medical countermeasures globally is available here .

The United States’ positions in these negotiations are built upon decades of commitments and investments in enhancing global health systems. If included in the final negotiations, they would make a meaningful difference across all regions, spurring cooperation, incentivizing participation and moving us well beyond the status quo. We are hopeful that all countries will demonstrate a shared commitment to progress through these negotiations. 

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