• Applying to Uni
  • Apprenticeships
  • Health & Relationships
  • Money & Finance

Personal Statements

  • Postgraduate
  • U.S Universities

University Interviews

  • Vocational Qualifications
  • Accommodation
  • ​​​​​​​Budgeting, Money & Finance
  • ​​​​​​​Health & Relationships
  • ​​​​​​​Jobs & Careers
  • ​​​​​​​Socialising

Studying Abroad

  • ​​​​​​​Studying & Revision
  • ​​​​​​​Technology
  • ​​​​​​​University & College Admissions

Guide to GCSE Results Day

Finding a job after school or college

Retaking GCSEs

In this section

Choosing GCSE Subjects

Post-GCSE Options

GCSE Work Experience

GCSE Revision Tips

Why take an Apprenticeship?

Applying for an Apprenticeship

Apprenticeships Interviews

Apprenticeship Wage

Engineering Apprenticeships

What is an Apprenticeship?

Choosing an Apprenticeship

Real Life Apprentices

Degree Apprenticeships

Higher Apprenticeships

A Level Results Day 2024

AS Levels 2024

Clearing Guide 2024

Applying to University

SQA Results Day Guide 2024

BTEC Results Day Guide

Vocational Qualifications Guide

Sixth Form or College

International Baccalaureate

Post 18 options

Finding a Job

Should I take a Gap Year?

Travel Planning

Volunteering

Gap Year Guide

Gap Year Blogs

Applying to Oxbridge

Applying to US Universities

Choosing a Degree

Choosing a University or College

Personal Statement Editing and Review Service

Guide to Freshers' Week

Student Guides

Student Cooking

Student Blogs

  • Top Rated Personal Statements

Personal Statement Examples

Writing Your Personal Statement

  • Postgraduate Personal Statements
  • International Student Personal Statements
  • Gap Year Personal Statements

Personal Statement Length Checker

Personal Statement Examples By University

Personal Statement Changes 2025

Personal Statement Template

Job Interviews

Types of Postgraduate Course

Writing a Postgraduate Personal Statement

Postgraduate Funding

Postgraduate Study

Internships

Choosing A College

Ivy League Universities

Common App Essay Examples

Universal College Application Guide

How To Write A College Admissions Essay

College Rankings

Admissions Tests

Fees & Funding

Scholarships

Budgeting For College

Online Degree

Platinum Express Editing and Review Service

Gold Editing and Review Service

Silver Express Editing and Review Service

UCAS Personal Statement Editing and Review Service

Oxbridge Personal Statement Editing and Review Service

Postgraduate Personal Statement Editing and Review Service

You are here

  • Mature Student Personal Statements
  • Personal Statements By University
  • Accountancy and Finance Personal Statements
  • Actuarial Science Personal Statements
  • American Studies Personal Statements
  • Anthropology Personal Statements
  • Archaeology Personal Statements
  • Architecture Personal Statements
  • Art and Design Personal Statements
  • Biochemistry Personal Statements
  • Bioengineering Personal Statements
  • Biology Personal Statements
  • Biomedical Science Personal Statements
  • Biotechnology Personal Statements
  • Business Management Personal Statement Examples
  • Business Personal Statements
  • Catering and Food Personal Statements
  • Chemistry Personal Statements
  • Classics Personal Statements
  • Computer Science Personal Statements
  • Computing and IT Personal Statements
  • Criminology Personal Statements
  • Dance Personal Statements
  • Dentistry Personal Statements
  • Design Personal Statements
  • Dietetics Personal Statements
  • Drama Personal Statements
  • Economics Personal Statement Examples
  • Education Personal Statements
  • Engineering Personal Statement Examples
  • English Personal Statements
  • Environment Personal Statements
  • Environmental Science Personal Statements
  • Event Management Personal Statements
  • Fashion Personal Statements
  • Film Personal Statements
  • Finance Personal Statements
  • Forensic Science Personal Statements
  • Geography Personal Statements
  • Geology Personal Statements
  • Health Sciences Personal Statements
  • History Personal Statements
  • History of Art Personal Statements
  • Hotel Management Personal Statements
  • International Relations Personal Statements
  • International Studies Personal Statements
  • Islamic Studies Personal Statements
  • Japanese Studies Personal Statements
  • Journalism Personal Statements
  • Land Economy Personal Statements
  • Languages Personal Statements
  • Law Personal Statement Examples
  • Linguistics Personal Statements
  • Management Personal Statements
  • Marketing Personal Statements
  • Mathematics Personal Statements
  • Media Personal Statements
  • Medicine Personal Statement Examples
  • Midwifery Personal Statements
  • Music Personal Statements
  • Music Technology Personal Statements
  • Natural Sciences Personal Statements
  • Neuroscience Personal Statements
  • Nursing Personal Statements
  • Occupational Therapy Personal Statements
  • Osteopathy Personal Statements
  • Oxbridge Personal Statements
  • Pharmacy Personal Statements
  • Philosophy Personal Statements
  • Photography Personal Statements
  • Physics Personal Statements
  • Physiology Personal Statements
  • Physiotherapy Personal Statements
  • Politics Personal Statements
  • Psychology Personal Statement Examples
  • Radiography Personal Statements
  • Religious Studies Personal Statements
  • Social Work Personal Statements
  • Sociology Personal Statements
  • Sports & Leisure Personal Statements
  • Sports Science Personal Statements
  • Surveying Personal Statements
  • Teacher Training Personal Statements
  • Theology Personal Statements
  • Travel and Tourism Personal Statements
  • Urban Planning Personal Statements
  • Veterinary Science Personal Statements
  • Zoology Personal Statements
  • Personal Statement Editing Service
  • Personal Statement Writing Guide
  • Submit Your Personal Statement
  • Personal Statement Questions 2025
  • Personal Statement Changes 2024

Finance Personal Statement Examples

personal statement for master degree in finance

ScholarshipTab

How To Write A Personal Statement For Masters (17 PDF Sample Examples)

Published: 14 Mar 2022 Study Abroad 98,985 views

How To Write A Personal Statement For Masters (17 PDF Sample Examples)

A personal statement for masters program is one of the most important parts of your college application and writing a good one is what’s the exception between receiving an offer and being rejected.

If you’ve been tasked with presenting a personal statement, you should keep in mind that whatever you submit must put you forward as the right candidate for the course. Additionally, it should convince the admissions officers that you deserve a place on your program of study.

Achieving the above, is a skill most postgraduate students are yet to acquire but thankfully this article on How To Write A Personal Statement For Masters covers everything you need to know on doing this.

In this article you’ll learn:

  • What is a personal statement?
  • Tips for making your personal statement for masters stand out
  • How to write a personal statement for masters
  • Personal statement for masters sample
  • Examples of personal statement for masters
  • Conclusion – things to avoid when writing a personal statement for masters

Read:  Admission Interview Tips .

What Is a Personal Statement?

A personal statement AKA admissions or application essay or statement of purpose is a type of essay or written statement a candidate presents to a college, university, or graduate school they are applying to, explaining why they want to attend that school, study a particular course, and why they would be a perfect fit for these things.

A personal statement for masters is an essay you submit specifically for your postgraduate application. Writing one presents the opportunity for you to promote yourself to a school and show the admissions teachers that you are the perfect candidate for a course.

Tips For Making Your Personal Statement For Masters Stand Out

Before we get into how you should write a statement of purpose for masters, we would first like to share with you certain tips to include in your essay to make it stand out from that of other applicants and be convincing enough to any admissions officer that reads it. The tips we have mentioned here, cover general things like starting and ending your personal statement, timing, length, and what to include and what not to include in the essay, etc.

1. Starting And Ending A Personal Statement

When starting a personal statement, you would want to right off the bat grab the reader’s attention. To do this, start the statement by writing about your degree of choice, next why you want to study it and then how you got interested in it.

The next 2 sentences after that should cover a summary of your background in the chosen field, and you conclude by saying what you plan to do once you acquire your graduate degree.

Also start with that the evaluators reading want to hear first, then every other information should come second. You will notice we’ve used in the sop examples for masters we will share with you later in this article.

2. Plan Ahead

A personal statement is not something you rush while writing, which means if you want to get something good before you application then you must start to decide things like the length and how long it should take to complete.

Let us throw more light on this…

For length, a personal statement should be brief ranging somewhere between 500 -700 words, although schools often detect how long it should be. So, this is dependent on the institution you are applying to.

In terms of what to say in a statement, you could include personal experiences like why you were driven to apply for the program, an experience you had with a scholar in your chosen discipline, a course you took that inspired you to pursue masters, or a key moment during your studies which further motivated you.

No matter what you decide to write, just keep in mind that you need to take your time to craft something good even if it means creating several drafts before the real thing and do not forget to proofread the statement for errors.

3. Research Your Program Of Study

Researching your program of study is one way to establish that you truly understand the discipline you’re getting into and prove to the admissions officer that you thoroughly thought about it before applying.

And because you want to put yourself forward as a serious candidate, one way to make you research easier is for you to visit the website of the department you are applying to. This page will contain information about faculty members, their specialisation, and publications.

From the intel, you gathered there you can now identify which professors match your interests and which ones you will benefit the most from learning under. After you’ve found this out, relate the same in a sentence or two in your statement of purpose for masters.

Example: “I would be honoured to study under the tutelage of Professor Nadia whose work I found resonated strongly with my beliefs and intended projects in this course”.

4. Avoid Clichés, Junks, And Many Details

When writing a statement of purpose for master degree try to avoid clichés, junks, and unnecessary details so that you don’t lose or bore your readers in between. Be as concise as possible, even if it’s your chance to express yourself.

A personal statement is an opportunity for the admissions committee to get information that tells the that you are suitable for the course. So, when you overpower your statement with too many words, stories, and useless details, you come off as someone who is just trying to meet the word count.

5. Include Your Personal History Only If It Adds To The Statement

Do not include your personal history in your statement of intent for masters if it is not relevant to your purpose of study. This means no need for you to tell that story about that time you helped someone treat a cut and immediately realised that you wanted to be a doctor or nurse or how you developed a taste for reading at a very young age.

We can guarantee you that the hundreds of other applications competing for the same spot you are felt the same way, so saying those things really doesn’t make you unique.

On the other hand, if you are going to add personal history to your statement, you can put in things like an internship you did and the experience you got from the job, a major research project you ran by yourself, publications you’ve read or published, conferences you’ve attended or presentations you’ve done. These experiences are more concrete and are directly related to your program of study. They also set you apart from other applicants.

6. Don't Use The Same Personal Statement For All Your Applications

One common mistake applicant make that you shouldn’t is using the same statement of purpose for master degree for all your applications. Using the same information repeatedly even if you are going to change the university names is risky and could land you in a big mistake on a day you forget to be thorough.

All programmes have their own unique set of questions they want to see answered and information they need in your personal statement.

And even if some of them like extracurricular activities, proposal for project, why you are applying to the school, your unique qualities, and research works you’re doing might appear the same, do not use one statement to respond to all of them.

Write a new unique personal statement every time you want to apply.

Check out:  How to Write a Good CV for Students - Resume Examples for Students (PDF).

How To Write A Personal Statement for Masters

When writing a personal statement for masters there are several steps and ground rules you need to follow to ensure that it comes out good enough to impress the admissions team of a school, and ultimately convince them to give you a spot on your program of study.

If writing one is something you are currently struggling with and can’t seem to get down the process of it right no matter what, this section on how to write a personal statement for masters, discusses in detail everything you need to get help with yours.

There are 4 parts to consider when writing your personal statement and we have listed them below:

1. Planning A Personal Statement

A personal statement is a piece of writing showing your academic interests and is only for application purposes which means there is no room for any autobiographical information in it about your personal life. Be as to-the-point as possible when writing it and stick to telling the school why you are the right person for the course, plus any other extra information detailing your achievements.

Before You Start:

Allot plenty of time to write your msc personal statement so that you don’t rush it. Remember, this simple piece of writing is your one shot at convincing a school that you are the best applicant they’ve seen and as such can either make or break your application.

Read the information expected of you from the university, rules and guidelines given, selection criteria and understand what they mean. Also research the institution.

Do a thorough research on the course you are applying for; this will help you explain better why you want to study it. The tutors interviewing you can tell when you are lying and presenting yourself as uninformed can cost you the admission.

Ensure that you don’t use the same personal statement for all your applications.

When Writing:

When writing the statement there are some questions to ask yourself that can help you plan it better. Those questions are:

  • Why you want to study a master’s and how does it benefit you in future?
  • How does the course you have chosen fit into your pre-existing skill set?
  • How do you stand out from the crowd as an applicant - e.g., work experiences you’ve had in the same field you are applying for?
  • What do you aspire to do or be as a future career and how will the course help you achieve that?
  • How can your work or skillsets contribute positively to the department/ university you are applying to, or society at large?

On the other hand, if you are applying for the masters to change from the field you studied in your undergraduate to another field, you should tell the school why you decided to take a different path in your studies.

Questions to ask yourself for this include:

  • Your reason for deciding to change your discipline.
  • How your undergraduate degree will be material for bringing fresh insights into your masters course.
  • How changing your study path will help you attain your future career.

2. Structuring A Personal Statement

Having good structure for your personal statement for master degree is important because it ensures that everything from the beginning, middle, and ending of the statement is written and equally falls in place perfectly.

We’ve left some tips for you below to help you:

Start your personal statement with an attention-grabbing introduction that is not dramatic or cliché. That means you should not begin with any of these over-used phrases we’ve listed out below:

For as long as I remember…

Since my childhood…

I want to apply to this course because I’ve always felt a strong connection to it…

All my life, I have always loved…

My interest in (course) always ran deeper than…

I’ve always been zealous about…

Ever since I was a child, I’ve always wanted to pursue a career in…

My past educational experiences have always…

You would want to be as snappy as possible with your opening because the admission officer has over a hundred applications to read and can’t waste all their time on yours. This means you should avoid overpowering it with unnecessary facts, quotes, and stories from your life.

The middle part of your ma personal statement is where the main content of the write-up should be. This is where you show your dedication to the course you’ve chosen, what motivated you to choose it, and why you are the right candidate for it.

When writing the middle part of a graduate personal statement, you should:  

  • Give concrete reasons why you want to study a course at the University. The reason could be because of how the course is aligned to your future career or the University’s reputation in teaching that program.
  • Mention relevant things like projects, dissertations, or essays you’ve done, and any work experience you have.
  • Show proof of your core skills like and how they can contribute to the department.
  • Prove what makes you a unique candidate.
  • Discuss who your main influences for wanting to study the course are and why.
  • Add experiences like memberships to clubs that are related to your field, papers you’ve written before, awards, scholarships, or prizes.
  • Draw focus to how the course links to your past and future.
  • Mention your academic and non-academic skills and how they fit the course.

For Formatting:

  • Keep the statement length between 250 -500 words or as directed by the school.
  • Sentences should be no more than 25-30 words.
  • Use headings to break up the content – Why this university? Why this subject? Etc.
  • Make claims and provide evidence to back each of them up. This can be done by discussing your work experience and academic interests.

Language and tone to use:     

  • The tone for your masters application personal statement should be positive and enthusiastic, to show you eagerness to learn and so that you convince the evaluators that you have what it takes to succeed.
  • Use exciting and refreshing language, and an engaging opening line.
  • Ensure you grammar, punctuations, and spellings are accurate.
  • Avoid exaggerated claims you cannot backup.
  • Don’t use cliché generic terms and keep your focus on the course.

Keep the ending of your essay for master degree application concise and memorable, leaving no doubt in the admission officers mind that you deserve a spot on the program.

To create the best ending summarise all your key points without dragging it our or repeating yourself. The ending should be simple, end on a positive note and make it clear that the school will be lucky to have you on their program.

Personal Statement for Masters Sample

In this section, we have left a masters personal statement example for you, which you can use as material to write yours for any course of study you are applying to a school for.

Personal Statement PDF

You can also download this statement of purpose sample for masters degree pdf here and take your time to read it later – Personal Statement For Masters Sample .

See Also:  Student CV Template .

Examples of Personal Statement for Masters

We have taken the time to source for some of the best postgraduate personal statement examples, which you can use in addition to the personal statement for masters program example as a template to write yours.

While you scroll through our list, you will find the perfect masters essay example for any field you wish to apply for, from business administration, to Psychology, to information technology, and lots more.

1. msw personal statement

We have found one of the best msw personal statement examples out there for you.

social work masters personal statement .  

2. personal statement for masters in public health

mph personal statement examples

3. personal statement for masters in management

Personal statement for master degree sample for masters in management .  , 4. personal statement for masters in education example.

personal statement for masters in education example

5. psychology masters personal statement

psychology masters personal statement example

6. sample personal statement for masters in data science data science masters personal statement

7. speech and language therapy personal statement statement of purpose for masters sample: speech and language therapy

8. business administration personal statement personal statement for masters in business administration

9. personal statement for masters in cyber security pdf masters degree personal statement examples for cyber security

10. personal statement for masters in finance msc finance personal statement examples

11. statement of purpose for masters in information technology pdf msc personal statement examples for information technology

12. international development personal statement statement of purpose for masters example

13. msc international business management personal statement international business management personal statement examples

14. computer science masters personal statement

statement of purpose for masters in computer science pdf

15. personal statement for masters in economics statement of purpose sample for masters degree in economics

16. mha personal statement statement of purpose format for masters in health administration    

Conclusion – Things to Avoid When Writing A Personal Statement For Masters When writing a personal statement for university masters, there are some things you should avoid, so that you don’t ruin your essay. We have listed out those things below: •    Avoid negativity. •    Following an online template blindly. •    Do not include unnecessary course modules, personal facts, or extra-curricular activities in your personal statement. •    Do not lie or exaggerate an achievement or event. •    Do not include inspirational quotes to your statement. •    Avoid using clichés, gimmicks, humour, over-used word such as 'passion' or ‘driven’. •    Do not make pleading statements. •    Avoid mentioning key authors or professors in your field without any explanation. •    Avoid using sentences that are too long. •    Avoid flattering the organisation or using patronising terms. •    Do not repeat information in your statement that you have already listed in your application. •    Avoid waffling i.e., writing at length. •    Don’t start writing your personal statement at the last minute.  

Related Articles:

How to Write a Good Letter of Recommendation for Students (10 PDF Sample Examples).

How to Write a Good Financial Aid Appeal Letter (13 PDF Sample Examples).

How to Write a Good Personal Statement for a Scholarship ( 7 PDF Sample Examples).

How To Write A Good Motivation Letter For Scholarship (4 PDF Sample Examples).

How To Write A Letter Of Intent For Scholarship (4 PDF Sample LOI Example).

Latest Blog Posts

  • Canada Work Visa Application Process
  • Best MBA in USA 2024 - 2025
  • H4 Visa Interview questions and answers (PDF for download)
  • Online Masters in Psychology 2024-2025
  • 26 Medical Schools In Canada For International Students
  • 32 Artificial Intelligence Free Course With Certificate
  • 20 MBBS In Abroad For Indian Students At Low Cost 2024
  • 36 Best Fashion Schools In The World
  • Best Scholarships
  • DAAD Masters & PhD Scholarships for Sub-Saharan African Students 2024
  • Leventis Foundation Scholarships 2024-2025
  • University of Michigan International Student Scholarships 2024
  • Brunel University London Life Long Learning Bursary 2024
  • University of Stirling Karen Napier MSc Scholarship 2024
  • Stephen Young Global Leaders’ Fully-funded Scholarship Program in UK 2024
  • University of British Columbia Schmidt Science Fellowship program for Canadian and International Students 2024
  • IHE Delft MENA Scholarship for African Students 2024

Scholarship Tips

Scholarships by country to study.

  • United Kingdom
  • United States
  • South Africa
  • Netherlands
  • New Zealand

Scholarships by Category

  • Postgraduate
  • Undergraduate
  • College School
  • Entrepreneurs
  • Bachelors Degree
  • Women Scholarships
  • Fully Funded

Scholarships by Country of Origin

  • African Students
  • Developing Countries

Scholarships by Institution / Company

  • Flinders University
  • German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)
  • University of Edinburgh
  • Australian National University (ANU)
  • The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS)

Scholarships by School

  • University of Melbourne
  • University Of Queensland, Australia
  • University of Kent
  • Monash University
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use

Scholarships

  • Undergraduate Scholarships
  • Masters Scholarships
  • MBA Scholarships
  • Ph.D Scholarships
  • Fellowship Scholarships
  • Fully Funded Scholarships
  • F1 Visa Interview Questions And Answers
  • Scholarship Application Letter
  • Letter Of Intent For Scholarship
  • Personal Statement For Masters
  • Motivation Letter For Scholarship
  • Scholarship Acceptance Letter

Other Locations

  • Scholarships in UK
  • Scholarships in Canada
  • Scholarships for Nigerian Students
  • Scholarships for African Students
  • Study Abroad Community
  • AI Content Shield
  • AI KW Research
  • AI Assistant
  • SEO Optimizer
  • AI KW Clustering
  • Customer reviews
  • The NLO Revolution
  • Press Center
  • Help Center
  • Content Resources
  • Facebook Group

Guide to Better Finance Master’s Personal Statements

Table of Contents

A  Finance master’s personal statement  is an essay crafted by a prospective student applying for a master’s degree. 

The statement’s purpose is to provide insight into the applicant’s personality and how they can contribute to the program. It also demonstrates their experience and expertise in the field. 

Applicants should tailor their personal statements to each specific university and their unique requirements. This will help make it stand out from those of other applicants.

The Importance of a Personal Statement

Personal statements aren’t redundant. While applications and resumes already enumerate an applicant’s qualifications, the main advantage derived from personal statements lies in compelling exposition. 

The exposition of your qualifications matters significantly. It can influence the impression you establish on readers. Moreover, it allows you to highlight specific skills and experiences to paint yourself as a prime candidate.

Personal statements are also a way to demonstrate a genuine dedication to mastering the subject or course . 

The best thing about personal statements is that they are reasonably straightforward despite their value. The following section provides a few tips for crafting effective personal statements.

Tips for Writing a Finance Masters Personal Statement

people using laptop

Highlight Your Finance Accomplishments and Knowledge

Explain how your experience has given you a unique perspective on the subject. Showcase your achievements and competencies, such as internships or volunteer work related to Finance. These will show your passion for the industry and your dedication to learning. 

Reference Research Experience

Referencing any related studies you’ve conducted or written about demonstrates your industry exposure. This will show that you are equipped to succeed in an advanced program and shows your hunger for knowledge. 

Use Concrete Examples

Concrete examples are valuable because they are a reliable basis for your general performance. Include a few to support any skills, characteristics, and values you claim to possess. 

Add an Opportunity Statement

Explain how a Finance Master’s degree can benefit your career, business, or academic life. Show your readers the allure that led you to pursue a Finance Master’s degree in the first place. This is valuable information because it gives admissions board representatives and recruiters a glimpse into your motivations.

Write With Clarity and Structure

To craft a clear, structured statement, you must use active language, well-rounded sentences, appropriate transition words, and utilize common English idioms when applicable. Avoid sounding overly robotic or overusing technical jargon. Let your personality shine through while demonstrating your mastery of the material.

This ensures you deliver a clear message and keeps your reader invested in your personal statement from the first sentence to the last.

If you’re still struggling with writing a  Finance Masters personal statement , don’t fret. Here are a few examples you can gain inspiration from.

Sample Finance Masters Personal Statement

I am an experienced professional with a decade of experience in the financial industry. I have always been passionate about pursuing further education to ensure I stay at the highest level of the market. Last year, I pursued a Masters’s degree in Financial Management (M.Sc.) from an internationally renowned school. 

I wanted to gain a better understanding of this area and expand my knowledge of economics and accounting principles. This will help me develop greater capability in dealing with processes in the ever-changing global environment. 

By taking up this degree, I will also have the opportunity to sharpen my skills through various job roles. I will also gain access to professionals who can provide real-world insight into the area. 

Moreover, My ability to apply within any business setting sets me apart from the rest of the market. I have a strong service orientation and focus on developing innovative solutions. These are qualities that are essential to excel within the management sector. After completing my M.Sc., I would be more than ready to take on future challenges and deliver excellent results.

I come from an international background and have been immersed in investment banking for the past six years. My work experience and Business undergraduate degree create a solid financial knowledge foundation. I want to build upon this foundation, so I seek an MSc in Finance. I recognize the need for more formal training to reach my long-term goals in the finance sector. 

Through my experiences, I believe I understand the challenges faced in working within the global banking system. I have become adept at anticipating and dealing with potential problems as they arise. My current role requires that I be able to analyze different markets and predict outcomes accurately. I feel confident doing this after having undertaken significant research in this area. 

Additionally, I manage portfolios and negotiate deals between clients and other businesses, a task further enhanced by my fluency in English and Spanish. 

I relish the opportunity to further develop my understanding of Finance through a Master’s program. It will allow me to explore new topics like derivatives trading and financial engineering. I also look forward to pushing myself academically and developing professional connections. These networks could be vital when it comes time to pursue my career aspirations. 

This course offers me the chance to gain the skills needed to do precisely that. Pursuing an MSc in Finance is the right decision for me.

I believe my qualifications in Financial Economics and varied work and activity exposure make me an ideal candidate for a Master’s Degree in Finance. During my time at school, I learned the fundamentals of business finance and economics as well. I build on this by reading content from some of the world’s leading financial institutions. 

My success in these areas allowed me to skip a grade, giving me more time to pursue extra-curricular activities. I worked with a small company in India that specializes in financial consulting. This hands-on experience gave me great insight into corporate Finance’s complexities. It also helped me develop good communication skills and sharp problem-solving abilities. 

I am excited to use my knowledge, expertise, and experiences to advance my understanding of the financial industry further. As a student, I will be committed to maximizing my potential by taking advantage of every opportunity the university offers. By working hard and combining real-life examples with classroom learning, I aim to establish myself as an engaged and capable student. Upon graduation, I can become a valuable asset to any financial organization or institution.

Personal statements are vital to Master’s applications and other selective ventures because they express your best qualities . Mastering the art of crafting compelling personal statements will help you go far in your academic and professional experiences. Make sure to apply our tips to maximize your chances of success. Good luck!

Guide to Better Finance Master’s Personal Statements

Abir Ghenaiet

Abir is a data analyst and researcher. Among her interests are artificial intelligence, machine learning, and natural language processing. As a humanitarian and educator, she actively supports women in tech and promotes diversity.

Explore All Write Personal Statement Articles

How to draft meaningful length of law school personal statement.

Are you confused on how to write a law school personal statement? One of the essential elements of your application…

  • Write Personal Statement

Effective History and International Relations Personal Statement to Try

Are you considering studying history and international relations? Or you may be curious about what a degree in this field…

Guide to Quality Global Management Personal Statement

Are you applying for a global management program and want to stand out from the crowd? A well-written personal statement…

How to Draft Better Examples of Personal Statements for Residency

Achieving a residency can be a massive accomplishment for any aspiring medical professional. To secure your spot in one of…

Tips for Drafting a Free Example of Personal History Statement

A personal history statement can be crucial to many applications, from university admissions to job search processes. This blog will…

Writing Compelling Dietetic Internship Personal Statement

Applying for a dietetic internship is a rigorous process and requires submitting a personal statement, which is an essential part…

Call us : +88 (0) 1712969390, +44 (0) 7495942849, +44 (0) 7459725824

[email protected]

Sign in  |  Sign up     

personal statement for master degree in finance

Personal Statement of Purpose Finance and Accounting MSc

  • Sample personal statement

personal statement for master degree in finance

28 July, 2022

Personal statement of purpose finance and accounting msc share.

  • 12 May, 2013

With my deep interest, I want to pursue the course Finance and Accounting MSc at the University of Brighton because this course has access to modern computing facilities and specialist computing packages. And this course will provide me with the skills to make these investment decisions across various business areas. This degree will give me develop an in-depth knowledge of financial theory and practice, research methods, financial markets, financial accounting and management accounting. Moreover, I found this Finance and Accounting MSc will help me to specialise and meet the growing demand for finance professionals with strong research skills. I can also progress with or continue by studying for a Ph.D. I want to develop my career in this sector and the accounting and financial services sectors require a high level of understanding of theory and practice. And this MSc course can make me professional. I believe that this course will help me become professional and proficient in my future career.

Following my Intermediate and Secondary education from the Business Studies group, I completed my Bachelor’s degree major in Accounting in February 2022 from National University, Gazipur, Bangladesh. In my home country, there are many open places to develop a career in accountancy but they require a professional applicant. From this MSc course, I can meet the growing demand for finance professionals with strong research skills. So, I decided to complete my further higher studies by choosing this Finance and Accounting MSc at the University of Brighton. While studying, I was involved in various co- curricular activities to enrich my knowledge and skills. Attended and organized different types of seminars and workshops, participated in different voluntary services and activities, and actively participated. From my last education qualification, I have realized that I need to gain knowledge about business accounting and finance part as well as I want to grow my career in this area. I also have my English language concern and I attend a UKVI IELTS test where my overall band score is 6.0. I think I should gain more knowledge in the field so I decided to continue my further studies with this course. I am confident that my professional goal makes me a suitable candidate for the course.

By reviewing the university website, I have seen the course Finance and Accounting MSc at the University of Brighton is ideal preparation for continuing my studies at MPhil or Ph.D. level, also I will be able to work as a professional researcher in finance. The course will prepare me for a specific level of accounting and financial roles, accountancy firms, consultancies and finance departments in the private and public sectors. Studying in a simulated business environment will teach me to explore business practices from regulatory and risk management issues to how financial markets operate and what makes them crash. This course has been designed to help me develop the necessary skills to solve the financial accounting standards, complex business problems in recent facing situations. Modules on the course involve both taught sessions and guided independent study. The core module units include Economics of Financial Markets, Financial Theory and Practice, Research Methods for Finance and Economics, Dissertation or Work Placement Project. Mandatory specialism modules are- Contemporary Issues in Accounting, International Investment and Trading, Economics of Money, Interest Rates, Banking and Financial Institutions. Completion of my dissertation will teach me the undertake research leading to practicable recommendations based on sound analysis and judgment. All of these modules will help me to broaden my knowledge of accountancy understanding in an international context which will prepare me for my employment in an increasingly internationalized business world. Hopefully, I have been able to clear the purpose of my admission to the university. Moreover, during times of crisis, accountancy is seen as a stable profession. By completing this course, I will be able to work with reputed organisations in my home country ranging from accountancy, banking, financial management, and management consultancy. So, I believe this course will be the right choice for my career plans and objectives.

UK’s academic reputation is globally renowned and it is known that having a graduate degree from a UK university will definitely propel one’s career to a significant level. However, the study environment in my country follows the theoretical system of education which is quite different and no soft skills are acquired. The UK maintains a quality management system with high standards in all fields. In recent years, all companies in Bangladesh are emphasizing hiring of Bangladeshi graduates with degrees from abroad, as they see the transferrable skills carried forward from the international education will play a key role in transforming their approach to the business and believe these graduates are capable of doing so. The transferable skills from the UK are key to advancing graduates through organizational growth and gaining a competitive advantage. This reason attracted me to pursue a degree in the UK. A recent survey of International Graduation Results in 2019 produced by iGraduate by Universities UK International shows that 82% of international graduates say their UK degree is valuable for financial investment and a similar number of graduates say they are satisfied or very satisfied with their careers. About 83% think a UK degree has helped them get a job. These aspects have driven my ambition to get a degree from a UK institution.

University of Brighton is one of the re-known top universities in the UK. As my study destination is the UK and I wish to study at the University of Brighton, because it offers an experience that goes way beyond the classroom. Their core values are part of a dynamic, diverse and creative community that embraces partnership working and that makes a positive difference to society. From there, I will be able to gain real-world knowledge and transferable skills that employers look for in graduate recruits. And by the time I graduate, I’ll feel confident and fully prepared to start my career anywhere in the world. The university won a Silver Award in Teaching Excellence Framework, which means that the learning environment and the teaching I will receive are consistently better than the national requirements for UK Higher Education. The university has around 18,000 students and 2,400 staff studying and working at four campuses in Brighton and Eastbourne. Also, according to Destination Leavers from Higher Education 2017-2018, 94% of University of Brighton graduates get engaged in work or further study within the first 6 months. I will also be able to make connections with local, national and international companies, as the university has links with over 1800 businesses, including Fujitsu, BT, Sky, Boots, IBM, and the NHS, while the university educates professionals from 90% of FTSE 100 companies. The university puts students on a fast track that is designed to get a postgraduate degree into faster employment with excellent career opportunities. Moreover, the University brings the workplace into classrooms so it will be beneficial for me to attain my personal career objectives by practicing in this type of learning environment. I am looking forward to studying and wish to experience all the opportunities the University of Brighton has to offer.

Find more resources

  • MSc International Marketing programme
  • BA (Hons) Business Management Programme (Final Year)
  • LLM International Human Rights Law
  • SOP - MSc Computing and Information Communication Technology
  • SOP - MSc Human Resource Management

Read similar resources

personal statement for master degree in finance

BA (Hons) Business Management (Final Year)

Business success requires a breadth of knowledge and abilities of efficient management to survive in fierce global co...

BA (Hons) Business and Marketing

Modern business is a dynamic environment in which customer wants and needs constantly change at an ever-faster pace. ...

Association of Chartered Certified Accountants

Following my MSc in Financial Management qualification in 2012, I have been in constant search for a real career for ...

Are you looking to study abroad?

Touch your dream with University Admission Expert

  • Offering 15,000+ courses at 100+ study locations
  • Maintaining 99% visa success rate
  • Serving with 14+ years accumulative admission experience
  • Providing end-to-end services, almost 24/7

Newsletter Subscription

Keep up to date with the latest news on UK student visa, courses, universities, scholarships, start dates, study guides etc.

Post Comment

personal statement for master degree in finance

Clearing Universities & Courses

Clearing advice.

Recommended Clearing Universities

Popular Course Categories

Course search & discover.

Start the search for your uni. Filter from hundreds of universities based on your preferences.

Search by Type

Search by region.

Recommended Universities

personal statement for master degree in finance

Ravensbourne University London

London (Greater) · 88% Recommended

personal statement for master degree in finance

City, University of London

London (Greater) · 92% Recommended

personal statement for master degree in finance

University of Surrey

South East England · 98% Recommended

Search Open Days

What's new at Uni Compare

personal statement for master degree in finance

University of Sunderland

Unlock your potential at one of the world’s best young universities (THE, 2023).

personal statement for master degree in finance

Surrey has been shortlisted for the University of the Year 2023 - find out more here!

Ranking Categories

Regional rankings.

More Rankings

Top 100 Universities

Taken from 65,000+ data points from students attending university to help future generations

About our Rankings

Discover university rankings devised from data collected from current students.

Guide Categories

Advice categories, recommended articles, popular statement examples, statement advice.

personal statement for master degree in finance

What to include in a Personal Statement

personal statement for master degree in finance

Personal Statement Tips

Personal statement examples finance personal statements.

Discover personal statement examples written by students accepted onto finance and related courses. Read through the examples to help shape your own personal statement.

Finance Personal Statements

Submitted by Samuel

Finance and Investment Personal Statement

Studying finance has always been a goal for me as it consists of elem...

Finance Personal Statement Advice

Writing a personal statement for accounting and finance can be stressful, but there are ways to reduce the pressure. Just read our advice for writing a business and finance personal statement, and check out the range of accounting and finance personal statement examples that we’ve lined up here for you… When you apply to uni, you need to submit your educational info, a teacher’s reference, and your finance personal statement. It’s the part of your UCAS application where you can really shine, because in this document, you can emphasise all your skills and highlight your potential for the future. And it’s not just college-leavers who need to think about writing up their skills and achievements. A MSc finance personal statement may be required for masters courses, and you might also need to submit personal statement examples for finance jobs. Start by reading a bunch of our helpful finance personal statement examples and accounting personal statement examples. It can seem a strange way of writing at first, but you’ll get used to the shape and sound of them, which will help you write your own. Are you well-read? If not, ask your teacher for recommendations for books to read for accounting and finance personal statement topics. Showing enthusiasm and/or expertise will make you stand out. Always send your sample personal statement for accounting and finance to your teacher so they can give you some constructive feedback, making your final submission as strong as possible. The very best examples of accounting and finance personal statements show passion for the subject. So an LSE finance personal statement might mention your savings strategy, a household budget you made for your family, or some work experience you did with a local accountancy firm. There are many ways you can demonstrate skill in your accounting and finance degree personal statement. Take evidence from any clubs or hobbies that you pursue (this can show organisation and time management); from part-time work (which can show determination, or numerical or interpersonal skills, depending on the job); from awards; reading; or experiences. If you have any shortfalls in your grades, don’t avoid them. It’s best to make use of your banking and international finance personal statement to address the elephant in the room: course leaders are likely to be more forgiving if they understood why there was a problem (else, they might assume the worst).

Want to learn more about a university?

Get your questions answered by sending them an enquiry now.

undergraduate Universities

Undergraduate uni's.

Photo of Ravensbourne University London

Ravensbourne

Photo of City, University of London

245 courses

Photo of University of Surrey

Uni of Surrey

437 courses

Photo of University of Kent

Uni of Kent

417 courses

Photo of The University of Law

Uni of Roehampton

268 courses

Photo of ARU Writtle

ARU Writtle

104 courses

Photo of West London Institute of Technology

West London IoT

Photo of University of Leicester

Uni of Leicester

267 courses

Photo of University of Chester

Uni of Chester

399 courses

Photo of Goldsmiths, University of London

Goldsmiths, UOL

273 courses

Photo of Northeastern University - London

Northeastern Uni

Photo of Middlesex University

Middlesex Uni

469 courses

Photo of University of Suffolk

Uni of Suffolk

109 courses

Photo of University of Bedfordshire

Uni of Bedfordshire

336 courses

Photo of University of Bradford

Uni of Bradford

197 courses

Photo of Cardiff Metropolitan University

Cardiff Met Uni

304 courses

Photo of University of Sunderland

Uni of Sunderland

200 courses

Photo of University of East London

Uni of East London

317 courses

Photo of University of Winchester

Uni of Winchester

161 courses

Photo of Bangor University

528 courses

Photo of Leeds Arts University

Leeds Arts University

Photo of Kingston University

Kingston Uni

378 courses

Photo of University of Hertfordshire

Uni of Hertfordshire

419 courses

Photo of SOAS, University of London

238 courses

Photo of Coventry University

Coventry Uni

445 courses

Photo of University for the Creative Arts

Uni for Creative Arts

323 courses

Photo of Leeds Beckett University

Leeds Beckett Uni

327 courses

Photo of New Model Institute for Technology and Engineering, NMITE

Heriot-Watt Uni

208 courses

Photo of Staffordshire University

Staffordshire Uni

272 courses

Photo of University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD)

414 courses

Photo of Swansea University

Swansea Uni

780 courses

Photo of Anglia Ruskin University

Anglia Ruskin Uni

460 courses

Photo of University of Westminster

Uni of Westminster

Photo of University of the West of England (UWE), Bristol

UWE, Bristol

249 courses

Photo of University of Essex

Uni of Essex

797 courses

Photo of University of Central Lancashire

Uni of C.Lancashire

438 courses

Photo of Wrexham University

Wrexham Uni

168 courses

Photo of University of South Wales

355 courses

Photo of University of Huddersfield

Uni of Huddersfield

458 courses

Photo of Escape Studios

Escape Studios

Photo of University of Portsmouth

Uni of Portsmouth

542 courses

Photo of University of Brighton

Uni of Brighton

253 courses

Photo of Bath Spa University

Bath Spa Uni

295 courses

Photo of Edge Hill University

Edge Hill Uni

243 courses

Photo of LIBF

Uni of Hull

Photo of Nottingham Trent University

Nottingham Trent

539 courses

Photo of Edinburgh Napier University

Edinburgh Napier

184 courses

Photo of University of Reading

Uni of Reading

393 courses

Photo of Queen's University, Belfast

Queen's Uni

411 courses

Find the latest from Uni Compare

Image of University of Sunderland

University of Roehampton

Interested in studying Engineering? Roehampton are building a new sustainable engineering and technology building - learn more here!

Image of Goldsmiths, UOL

Goldsmiths offers creative, cultural and social courses - click here to learn more!

Have a language expert improve your writing

Run a free plagiarism check in 10 minutes, generate accurate citations for free.

  • 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

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

McCombes, S. (2023, July 03). How to Write Your Personal Statement | Strategies & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved April 2, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/graduate-school/personal-statement/

Is this article helpful?

Shona McCombes

Shona McCombes

Other students also liked, how to write a graduate school resume | template & example, how (and who) to ask for a letter of recommendation, master's vs phd | a complete guide to the differences, unlimited academic ai-proofreading.

✔ Document error-free in 5minutes ✔ Unlimited document corrections ✔ Specialized in correcting academic texts

Stanford University

Latest information about COVID-19

Writing Your Personal Statements

Your personal statement must demonstrate to the admissions committee that you have considered graduate school and their specific program seriously. It’s your opportunity to summarize your academic and research experiences. You must also communicate how your experiences are relevant to preparing you for the graduate degree that you will be pursuing and explain why a given program is the right one for you.

The personal statement is where you highlight your strengths. Make your strengths absolutely clear to the reviewers, because they will often be reading many other statements. Your self-assessments and honest conversations with peers and advisors should have also revealed your strengths. But you must also address (not blame others for) weaknesses or unusual aspects of your application or academic background.

Your personal statement should focus on two main aspects: your competence and commitment.

1. Identify your strengths in terms of competence that indicate that you will succeed in the grad program and provide examples to support your claims. Start your statement by describing your strengths immediately. Because faculty will be reading many statements, it’s important to start off with your strengths and not “bury your lede.” Consider traits of successful graduate students from your informational interviews, and identify which of these traits you have. These traits could involve research skills and experiences, expertise in working with techniques or instruments, familiarity with professional networks and resources in your field, etc.

  • Check your responses from the exercises in the self-assessment section. You may wish to consult notes from your informational interviews and your Seven Stories . Write concise summaries and stories that demonstrate your strengths, e.g. how your strengths helped you to achieve certain goals or overcome obstacles.
  • Summarize your research experience(s). What were the main project goals and the “big picture” questions? What was your role in this project? What did you accomplish? What did you learn, and how did you grow as a result of the experience(s)?

Vannessa Velez's portrait

My research examines the interplay between U.S. domestic politics and foreign policy during the Cold War. As a native New Yorker, I saw firsthand how dramatically my city changed after 9/11, which prompted my early interest in U.S. policy at home and abroad. As an undergraduate at the City College of New York, I planned to study international relations with a focus on U.S. foreign affairs. I also quickly became involved in student activist groups that focused on raising awareness about a wide range of human rights issues, from the Syrian refugee crisis to asylum seekers from Central America.

The more I learned about the crises in the present, the more I realized that I needed a deeper understanding of the past to fully grasp them. I decided to pursue a PhD in history in order to gain a clearer understanding of human rights issues in the present and to empower young student-activists like myself.

— Vannessa Velez, PhD candidate in History

Addressing weaknesses or unusual aspects

  • Identify weaknesses or unusual aspects in your application—e.g., a significant drop in your GPA during a term; weak GRE scores; changes in your academic trajectory, etc. Don’t ignore them, because ignoring them might be interpreted as blind spots for you. If you’re unsure if a particular issue is significant enough to address, seek advice from faculty mentors.
  • Explain how you’ll improve and strengthen those areas or work around your weakness. Determine how you will address them in a positive light, e.g., by discussing how you overcame obstacles through persistence, what you learned from challenges, and how you grew from failures. Focusing on a growth mindset  or grit  and this blog on weaknesses might also help.
  • Deal with any significant unusual aspects later in the statement to allow a positive impression to develop first.
  • Explain, rather than provide excuses—i.e., address the issue directly and don’t blame others (even if you believe someone else is responsible). Draft it and get feedback from others to see if the explanation is working as you want it to.
  • Provide supporting empirical evidence if possible. For example, “Adjusting to college was a major step for me, coming from a small high school and as a first-generation college student. My freshman GPA was not up to par with my typical achievements, as demonstrated by my improved  GPA of 3.8 during my second and third years in college."
  • Be concise (don’t dwell on the issues), but also be complete (don’t lead to other potentially unanswered questions). For example, if a drop in grades during a term was due to a health issue, explain whether the health issue is recurring, managed now with medication, resolved, etc.

2. Explain your commitment to research and their graduate program, including your motivation for why you are applying to this graduate program at this university. Be as specific as possible. Identify several faculty members with whom you are interested in working, and explain why their research interests you.

  • Descriptions of your commitment should explain why you’re passionate about this particular academic field and provide demonstrations of your commitment with stories (e.g., working long hours to solve a problem, overcoming challenges in research, resilience in pursuing problems). Don’t merely assert your commitment.
  • Explain why you are applying to graduate school, as opposed to seeking a professional degree or a job. Discuss your interest and motivation for grad school, along with your future career aspirations.

Jaime Fine's portrait

I am definitely not your traditional graduate student. As a biracial (Native American and white), first-generation PhD student from a military family, I had very limited guidance on how best to pursue my education, especially when I decided that graduate school was a good idea. I ended up coming to this PhD in a very circuitous manner, stopping first to get a JD and, later, an MFA in Young Adult Literature. With each degree, I took time to work and apply what I’d learned, as a lawyer and as an educator. Each time, I realized that I was circling around questions that I couldn’t let go of—not just because I found them to be fascinating, but because I did (and still do!) feel that my research could help to bridge a gap that desperately needs bridging. Because my work is quite interdisciplinary, I strongly feel that I wouldn’t have been able to pursue this line of research without the degrees and life experience I gained before coming to this program.

— Jamie Fine, PhD candidate in Modern Thought and Literature

Statement of Purpose: subtle aspects

  • Think in terms of engaging faculty in a conversation rather than pleading with them that you should be admitted. Ask reviewers to read drafts with this concern in mind.
  • With later drafts, try developing an overall narrative theme. See if one emerges as you work.
  • Write at least 10 drafts and expect your thinking and the essay to change quite a bit over time.
  • Read drafts out loud to help you catch errors.
  • Expect the "you' that emerges in your essay to be incomplete. . . that’s OK.
  • You’re sharing a professional/scholarly slice of "you."
  • Avoid humor (do you really know what senior academics find funny?) and flashy openings and closings. Think of pitching the essay to an educated person in the field, but not necessarily in your specialty. Avoid emotionally laden words (such as "love" or "passion"). Remember, your audience is a group of professors! Overly emotional appeals might make them uncomfortable. They are looking for scholarly colleagues.

Stanford University

© Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305

  • Undergraduates
  • Ph.Ds & Postdocs
  • Prospective Students & Guests
  • What is a Community?
  • Student Athletes
  • First Generation and/or Low Income Students
  • International Students
  • LGBTQ Students
  • Students of Color
  • Students with Disabilities
  • Student Veterans
  • Exploring Careers
  • Advertising, Marketing & PR
  • Finance, Insurance & Real Estate
  • General Management & Leadership Development Programs
  • Law & Legal Services
  • Startups, Entrepreneurship & Freelance Work
  • Environment, Sustainability & Energy
  • Media & Communications
  • Policy & Think Tanks
  • Engineering
  • Healthcare, Biotech & Global Public Health
  • Life & Physical Sciences
  • Programming & Data Science
  • Graduate School
  • Health Professions
  • Business School
  • Meet with OCS
  • Student Organizations Workshop Request
  • OCS Podcast Series
  • Office of Fellowships
  • Navigating AI in the Job Search Process
  • Cover Letters & Correspondence
  • Job Market Insights
  • Professional Conduct & Etiquette
  • Professional Online Identity
  • Interview Preparation
  • Resource Database
  • Yale Career Link
  • Jobs, Internships & Other Experiences
  • Gap Year & Short-Term Opportunities
  • Planning an International Internship
  • Funding Your Experience
  • Career Fairs/Networking Events
  • On-Campus Recruiting
  • Job Offers & Salary Negotiation
  • Informational Interviewing
  • Peer Networking Lists
  • Building Your LinkedIn Profile
  • YC First Destinations
  • YC Four-Year Out
  • GSAS Program Statistics
  • Statistics & Reports
  • Contact OCS
  • OCS Mission & Policies
  • Additional Yale Career Offices

Writing Personal Statements for Graduate School

  • Share This: Share Writing Personal Statements for Graduate School on Facebook Share Writing Personal Statements for Graduate School on LinkedIn Share Writing Personal Statements for Graduate School on X

Personal Statements

Preparing a well-written and effective personal statement (sometimes referred to as statements of purpose or personal essays) that clearly articulates your preparation, goals, and motivation for pursuing that specific graduate degree is critically important. You will need to spend a considerable amount of time and effort in crafting these statements. The focus, structure, and length of personal statements vary from program to program. Some will have prompts or questions you need to answer, while others will leave the topic open-ended. The length varies widely as well. Read instructions carefully and make sure to adhere to all parameters laid out in the application guidelines.

Clear writing is the result of clear thinking. The first and most important task is to decide on a message. Consider carefully which two or three points you wish to impress upon the reader, remembering that your audience is composed of academics who are experts in their fields. Your statement should show that you are able to think logically and express your thoughts in a clear and concise manner. Remember that the reader already has a record of your activities and your transcript; avoid simply restating your resume and transcript. Writing your statement will take time; start early and give yourself more than enough time for revisions. If no prompts are given, you can use the questions below to begin brainstorming content to include in your statement; for more information, see our Writing Personal Statement presentation Prezi  and our three-minute video on Writing Personal Statements .

  • What experiences and academic preparation do you have that are relevant to the degree you’re seeking?
  • Why are you choosing to pursue a graduate degree at this time?
  • Why do you want to pursue this particular degree and how will this degree and the specific program fit into your career plans and your long-term goals?
  • What specific topics are you aiming to explore and what does the current literature say about those topics?

After you’ve written a first draft, start the work of editing, refining, simplifying, and polishing. Provide specific examples that will help illustrate your points and convey your interests, intentions, and motivations. Is any section, sentence, or word superfluous, ambiguous, apologetic, or awkward? Are your verbs strong and active? Have you removed most of the qualifiers? Are you sure that each activity or interest you mention supports one of your main ideas? Spelling and grammatical errors are inexcusable. Don’t rely on spell-check to catch all errors; read your statement aloud and have it reviewed by multiple people whose opinion you trust. If possible, have your statement reviewed by a writing tutor. For individual assistance with writing your personal statement, consult with the writing tutor in your residential college  or the Writing Center within the Yale Center for Teaching and Learning .

' src=

Office of Career Strategy

Visiting yale.

personal statement for master degree in finance

Our Services

  • How We Work

Tips on Writing Personal Statement for Masters in Finance

personal statement for masters in finance

Tips on How to Write Personal Statement for Masters in Finance

  • Show your enthusiasm. It’s important to convey to your readers why you are interested in pursuing a Master’s degree in finance. It’s not just about saying you are passionate about it in your MSC finance personal statement. You have to show it through your words.
  • Share experiences outside the classroom. Your personal statement shouldn’t just be a rehash of what you’ve written in your resume. Take this opportunity to show your skills outside the classroom.
  • Display your knowledge about the subject. It’s not just about showing interest that is important in your personal statement. You should also show your knowledge about the subject as well as your commitment to learning more about this field.
  • Understand the basics. When writing your personal statement, it is important that you follow through with your writing. Make sure that you follow grammar rules and proper format.
  • Outside interests. Another tip to writing your personal statement is to show your character outside the classroom. Share some interesting tidbits about your extracurricular activities that you can relate to finance.

Who Can Write MSC Accounting and Finance Personal Statement

For many applicants, writing their personal statement remains a huge obstacle especially when they can’t find words to explain what they have in mind. This can be frustrating especially since you need to show why you are the best choice for the program. Fortunately, there is a way to solve this problem and that is by hiring a professional writing service online. However, you need to be careful which one you’re going to hire because not all writing services can do justice to your statement. If you want the best outcome for your personal statement, we are more than happy to take on the work for you. The writers who we work with are all degree holders and are knowledgeable in developing personal statements from scratch. You only need to send your information to us and we’ll assign a writer who has background in finance to you.

Professional Writers

Your personal statements for Masters in Finance as well as a  personal statement for Masters in public health should best be left in the hands of professional writers if you want to have a well-written paper to go along with your application. It’s understandable that you will consider hiring a writing service to work on your personal statement since this plays a role in your chances of being considered for the program. With our writers, you will see how amazing your statement will turn out to be and with your feedback during the writing process, you can expect only the best from us. There is no need for you to worry about how your personal statement will turn out especially when you have our team to help you right from the start. Just send us your orders, pay the fee, and we’ll get right on it. For sure you will love the outcome of your order from us.

Hire our writing service and we’ll show you how to write the best personal statement for Masters in Finance!

personal statement for master degree in finance

  • Personal Statement
  • Letter of Intent
  • Statement of Purpose
  • Admissions Essay
  • Easy Ordering
  • Flexible Discounts
  • Fair Pricing
  • Dedicated Writers
  • Personal Approach
  • On Time Delivery
  • Variety of Services
  • Unlimited Revisions
  • Free Proofreading
  • Free Formatting
  • Free Plagiarism Report

Working Process

  • Make an Order
  • Talk to Your Writer
  • Get the First Draft
  • Provide Feedback
  • Receive Final Document
  • Get Your Dream Education
  • Testimonials
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions

personal statement for master degree in finance

Student Good Guide

The best UK online resource for students

  • How To Write Masters Personal Statement

A strong Masters personal statement is an essential part of your postgraduate application . It is your chance to convince admissions tutors that you are the right fit for the course and deserve a place in their programme. 

In this comprehensive guide on how to write a Masters personal statement in the UK, we covered everything you need to know to write a successful postgraduate personal statement. Plus, real student examples. 

We really understand how challenging and stressful can be to write a personal statement for a master. Let’s start. 

What is a Masters Personal Statement?

A personal statement is a written type of essay that you submit as part of your postgraduate application. It is an opportunity to introduce yourself to the university and demonstrate to admissions tutors that you are a good fit for the course. Admission tutors need to choose among lots of applicants, essay can make a big difference in your postgraduate application. 

How long should a personal statement be for masters?

You should aim to write a masters personal statement of around 500 words.

However, some universities may require more, often up to 1000 words. Hence, it is important to check the application guidelines before writing your statement for a specific university and course.

How should I structure my masters personal statement?

When it comes to writing your personal statement for masters or postgraduate, it’s important to have a clear and logical structure in mind. 

Starting with a strong introduction that captures the reader’s attention and explains why you’re interested in the specific Masters programme you’re applying to. 

Use the following paragraphs to discuss your academic and professional background , highlighting the skills, experience and knowledge that make you a strong fit for the programme. Emphasize how the course aligns with your future career goals .

Keep in mind that you have a limited word count, so make every sentence count . Use short, concise paragraphs that are easy to read and understand. 

In your personal statement conclusion, summarise why you’re the ideal candidate for the programme and leave the admission tutors with a good impression.

Keep it short and to the point. 

Aim for a total of four or five paragraphs in your personal statement for master degree.

When applying for a Masters degree , use standard fonts and text size of 11 or 12. If you’re applying through UCAS postgraduate service , font style won’t be an issue as text is automatically formatted.

Question to ask before writing

Consider asking yourself the following questions before writing your personal statement for master’s degree:

  • What inspired you to choose this specific Masters’s programme?
  • What aspect of the subject matter excites you?
  • How did your undergraduate studies shape your decision to apply for this programme or university?
  • Do you have any relevant work experience that can strengthen your postgraduate application?
  • What personal experiences can you share that align with your decision to apply to this programme?
  • What accomplishments can you highlight that demonstrate your qualifications for this course?
  • Why did you choose to apply to this university in particular?
  • What are your future career goals?

Recommended reading:

  • A Simple Guide For Students To Overcoming Challenges In Studying Abroad
  • UCAS Will Replace Personal Statements in 2024: What Students Need to Know
  • Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on student life essay
  • How To Write A Personal Statement For Psychology
  • How To Write A Dentistry Personal Statement
  • How to Write a Personal Statement for a PhD
  • 9 reasons to study in the UK
  • UCAS Personal Statement: A Writing Guide And Tips For Success
  • Tips for Writing a Personal Statement for the University
  • How to Write a Personal Statement That Stands Out

What should I include in a personal statement for masters?

When writing your personal statement for masters degree , it is important to tailor it to the postgraduate course you are applying for. 

Some general guidance on what you should include in your personal statement for masters:

Your reasons for applying for a particular postgraduate programme and why you deserve a place above other applicants. Write about your academic interests , career goals and the university’s reputation , and write about which aspects of the specific course you find most appealing.

Address how undergraduate study has prepared you for a postgraduate course, mentioning your independent work (e.g. dissertation) and topics that most interested you.

Highlight relevant skills and experience that will enable you to make an impact on the specific course, summarising your abilities in core areas including organisation, communication, time management, and critical thinking. 

You can also cover any grades, include awards, work placements, extra readings, or conferences that you’ve attended and how these have contributed to your Master’s study.

Explain your career aspirations and how the course will help you achieve them. Describe how studying your chosen course fits in with your long-term ambitions and career path.

Tie in your undergraduate studies – for example, if you did your dissertation on something and you’d like to expand on it in your master’s. Trying to link the two together is distinct from the undergraduate personal statement. Shona Barrie – Director Of Admissions, University Of Stirling

How to start a personal statement for a master?

At the start of your personal statement for a Masters’s programme , it’s important to make a strong and lasting first impression . Admissions tutors read hundreds of applications per course, so you want to make sure that your opening sentence is concise , clear , and impactful .

Instead of trying to come up with a catchy opening, focus on getting straight to the point and highlighting your qualifications for the course. Avoid over-the-top statements, gimmicks, or popular quotes as they can come across as contrived and make it harder for admissions tutors to take you seriously.

Here are a few examples of strong opening sentences to consider:

“With a background in Environmental Science and a passion for sustainable energy solutions, I am excited to apply for the Masters programme in Renewable Energy at your university.”

“As someone who has always been interested in the field of Artificial Intelligence and has gained experience in coding and machine learning, I am eager to further my studies in the Masters program in AI at your university.”

“Through my undergraduate studies in Psychology and my professional experience as a mental health counsellor, I have developed a strong interest in neuropsychology. That’s why I am excited to apply for the Masters course in Clinical Neuropsychology at your university.”

In each of these examples, you can see that the students are specific about their backgrounds, interests, and experiences, and how they align with the postgraduate programme they are applying to.

How to end a personal statement for masters

When it comes to ending your personal statement for a Masters application, it’s important to impress university admissions tutors. 

Your conclusion in the master’s personal statement should be short , and to the point , and leave no doubt in the mind of the admissions tutor that you are the perfect candidate for the course.

One way to do this is by summarising your key points and highlighting how they demonstrate your qualifications for the programme. Keep it concise and avoid repeating yourself or going off-topic. 

Instead, focus on making it clear why you would be a good student at the university.

To give you an idea of what a strong conclusion can include , we wrote a few examples :

“With my background in X and passion for Y, I am confident that I would thrive in the Masters programme at your university. I look forward to the opportunity to contribute to the department’s research and further my professional growth.”

“I am eager to bring my experience in X and my interest in Y to the postgraduate course at your university. The opportunity to learn from and collaborate with esteemed faculty members is truly exciting for me.”

“As someone who has always been passionate about Y and driven to make a difference in the field of Y, I am confident that the X course at your university is the perfect fit for me. I look forward to the opportunity to grow as a professional and make an impact.”

Work Experience in a personal statement for masters

Including your professional experiences in your masters personal statement can provide valuable insights into your interests and understanding of your chosen area of study. 

This is especially crucial when applying for postgraduate courses, as it demonstrates your proactivity and dedication to your future academic or career goals, which universities look for in postgrad applicants.

Instead of simply listing your work experiences, it’s important to reflect on them.

Share with admission tutors not only what you did on your job but also what you learned from it and how you plan to apply those lessons in your postgraduate studies. 

This highlights your ability to reflect and learn from your experiences, which is an essential skill for postgraduate students to have.

What should you avoid in a personal statement for Masters?

When writing your personal statement for a Masters courses, there are a few things to keep in mind to avoid and ensure it stands out and increases your chances of being accepted to the study programme.

  • Be original: Avoid using quotes in your statement, instead use your own words and voice. This will make your essay unique and more personal.
  • Avoid clichés : To make your statement stand out, avoid using templates or commonly used phrases. Instead, use your own words to express yourself.
  • Keep it concise: Keep your statement to around a single page and make sure it is relevant to the programmes you are applying for.
  • Be selective: Only include hobbies or experiences that are relevant to the courses you are applying for and explain why they are important to you.
  • Show, don’t tell: Instead of saying you’re passionate about the subject, show it through your words and experiences.
  • Tailor it: Make sure to tailor your personal statement for each programme you are applying for. 
  • Avoid lists: Instead of listing your qualifications, explain how they make you a strong candidate for the masters programme.
  • Proofread: Before submitting your application, make sure to proofread your personal statement for any errors or typos, and double-check that it is for the correct programme and university. It is always a good idea to get help from professionals, to check grammar and proofreading.

By following our guidelines on what to avoid, you can ensure that your personal statement is clear, concise, and tailored to the programme you’re applying for. Increasing your chances of being accepted.

Difference between personal statements for postgraduate and undergraduate

A personal statement for postgraduate study and one for undergraduate study are similar in that they both serve as a way for you to introduce yourself and demonstrate your qualifications , but there are some key differences to keep in mind when writing each .

For postgraduate study , personal statements tend to be more specific and targeted . Instead of providing a broad overview of your interests and experiences, you should focus on how your background, skills, and goals align with the specific courses and field of study you’re applying to. 

This requires you to do more research on the programme and its entry requirements, and you should highlight how you will be able to contribute to the university and chosen programme.

Postgraduate personal statements require a more detailed explanation of your academic and professional experience. This could include discussing your previous coursework, research experience, and any relevant work or internship experience, and how they have prepared you for masters study.

Also, you will need to mention in a postgraduate personal statement your long-term goals and career aspirations in more detail. This will give the admissions tutors a sense of how you plan to use the learnings from the programme to achieve your career goals.

Lastly, master’s personal statements tend to be shorter than undergraduate ones, usually around 500 words. It is assumed that as postgraduate students have more academic and professional experience, they do not need as much space to prove their worthiness.

While a personal statement for undergraduate study can be more broad and general, a personal statement for postgraduate study should be more focused, specific, and tailored to the course you’re applying for.

Other useful guides for reading:

  • The Best Oxford Colleges For Students in 2024
  • Top 10 Best Colleges at York University
  • University of York Acceptance rate
  • 12 Reasons Why King’s College London Is a Good Choice
  • Getting into King’s College London: A Detailed Guide With Tips
  • University Of Sheffield Acceptance Rate
  • The Best Non-Russell Group Universities in 2024
  • Cambridge Interview Guide: Dates, Questions, & Offers 2024
  • How to Get into Oxford University: Top 12 Tips for 100% Success
  • Cracking the Oxford Interview: A Comprehensive Guide 2024
  • The Best Oxford Colleges For Law: Comparing Top 6
  • University of Newcastle Acceptance Rate 2023
  • The Best Cambridge Colleges for Computer Science in 2024
  • What are the Russell Group Universities? List of Russell Group Universities 2024
  • University of Leeds Acceptance Rate In 2023

Masters personal statement example

I am eager to pursue a Master’s Degree in Finance as I believe it aligns perfectly with my career goals. The programme’s academic rigour and focus on corporate finance, coupled with its practical relevance to the current industry, make it the ideal choice for me. My background in the financial services industry, combined with my undergraduate studies in Electronics and Communications Engineering and my postgraduate diploma in Marketing and Finance, have prepared me well for this next step in my education.

I have a strong passion for problem-solving, mathematics, and analytical thinking, and I am eager to apply these skills within the field of finance. I believe that a Master’s Degree in Finance from your esteemed university will provide me with the necessary theoretical knowledge and practical experience to excel in the industry. I am particularly interested in gaining an in-depth understanding of current techniques and developments in finance, financial applications, and financial markets, as well as honing my research skills.

My ultimate goal is to secure a challenging and rewarding role within the finance profession. I understand that there is still much for me to learn, but I am excited to embrace new challenges and become a valuable contributor to the field. I am confident that this program will provide me with the knowledge and skills necessary to achieve my career goals.

Read other personal statement examples .

Research Course You’re Applying

It’s essential to research the programme and demonstrate your understanding of the field you are entering. This will show the admissions tutors that you are well prepared for the course and have a clear vision for your future research, study and goals.

One way to present your familiarity with the field is by mentioning specific scholars and researchers who work in the department. 

You can find this information on the university’s website, and by reviewing the research interests and publications of the faculty members. 

By aligning your interests with those of the faculty members, you can show that your research will fit well within the department and that you have a clear understanding of the master’s degree programme.

It’s also important to avoid generic statements such as applying to the school because it is the highest ranking or because you love the city where it is located. 

If you have already contacted a professor or faculty member in the department, make sure to mention it in your personal statement. This will show that you have taken the initiative to learn more about the programme and that you are eager to work with the department’s faculty.

What admissions tutors are looking for a master’s application?

One of the main things that admissions tutors are looking for is an explanation of how the course links your past and future. They want to see that you have a clear understanding of how the programme aligns with your interests , goals , and career aspirations . 

This can be demonstrated through your academic and non-academic experiences, as well as your skills, commitments, and enthusiasm for the field – we already discussed this in detail in previous parts of this guide.

Admissions tutors also want to see that you have a solid understanding of the institution’s area of expertise. This means showing that you have done your research on the university’s research focus and facilities, and how they align with your research interests. 

Other than that, they want to see evidence of your knowledge and genuine interest in the subject, perhaps including some academic references or readings.

Another key element that admissions tutors are looking for is evidence of your abilities, commitment, and enthusiasm.

Deadline For Postgraduate Applications

The deadline for postgraduate applications in the UK can vary depending on the university and programme to which you are applying. 

Some universities may have a fixed deadline while others may have rolling deadlines. It is important to check the specific deadline for the universities and courses you are interested to study. The UCAS postgraduate deadline is usually around the end of March, however, it’s always a good idea to verify with the university you are applying for.

It is also worth noting that some universities may have an earlier deadline for international students or certain programmes, so it is important to check the deadline for your specific situation.

Final Thoughts

A strongly written personal statement is an essential part of your postgraduate application. It is your chance to demonstrate your academic interests, abilities and goals, and demonstrate that you are a good fit for the course. 

Remember to tailor your statement to the course you are applying for, be concise, and focus on your strengths and how they align with the programme.

When it comes to applying for a Masters’s programme, the process is often different than that of undergraduate studies in the UK. Probably you will be submitting your application directly to the university. However, it is worth noting that UCAS Postgraduate, a service provided by UCAS , has a search tool for limited master’s programmes.

Most UK universities require a personal statement when applying to a masters degree programme. However, some universities instead have a predefined set of questions for applicants. 

You can submit a personal statement to as many universities as you are applying to for your Masters degree.

No, but if you have any questions regarding university programmes for masters, you can contact the admission manager and discuss. 

  • The University of Warwick

A guide to writing a Masters personal statement

Share this article:

If you are considering postgraduate study, you will need to think about writing an application that demonstrates why you are the right candidate for the course and their university. This is where your personal statement comes in. 

You’ll already have written a personal statement for your undergraduate application, so the concept should be familiar. However, there are some things you should be aware of when it comes to writing specifically for postgraduate study. 

In this guide, we’ll explain how to write a stand-out Masters personal statement and provide you with some valuable insights from our Masters Recruitment Manager Danielle, here at Warwick Business School (WBS).

What is a Masters personal statement?

An MSc personal statement, also known as a ‘statement of purpose’, supports your application to study a postgraduate course at university. It should highlight your key skills and experience whilst demonstrating your understanding of the course and conveying your academic skills and interests.

From her experience in the Recruitment and Business Development team at WBS, Danielle gives her take on a personal statement: 

Your personal statement is your opportunity to sell yourself and differentiate yourself from any other applicant, share your passion for joining WBS and link your life experiences and skills to how you could contribute to a cohort.

How long should a Masters personal statement be?

A personal statement for postgraduate study should fit within two pages of A4. Whilst you won’t be penalised if it is slightly longer, you should always make sure the content is relevant and doesn’t repeat information elsewhere in your application. 

What do you need to prepare before writing a Masters personal statement? 

Before writing your personal statement for postgraduate study, there are a few things you should consider.

Research your options

Take the time to read through course pages and brochures. You’ll find in-depth information on what the course involves and how it might align with your career goals. Danielle explains how understanding what the course involves is key in demonstrating your suitability and passion for a course: 

All of our course webpages feature extensive information on the course modules, so take the time to show you’ve done your research in your personal statement. Your personal statement is your chance to relate yourself to our core values and demonstrate what a strong candidate you will be for one of our programmes. Ensure you also use this as an opportunity to link our programme to your future career.

Course titles should not be taken at face value. Whilst some universities will have courses with the same titles, the content will differ. You need to demonstrate you understand what the course entails and why you want to apply for a particular course as. Danielle adds:

Take time to look at the content of the course you are applying for; although course titles may be the same at different universities the course content can be different. Do your research and demonstrate this in your personal statement, showing how invested you are in studying at WBS.

Consider what you want from your studies

The range of choice when it comes to postgraduate study is vast, and it can feel overwhelming when deciding which course is right for you. 

Whilst opinions from your friends and family are important, they shouldn’t be the ultimate deciding factor when choosing a course. Ultimately you need to consider what you really want and whether it aligns with your career goals. 

Begin to prepare your application

Once you have decided which course you would like to apply for and you’ve ensured you meet the entry requirements, you will need to begin preparing your application. This includes collecting the correct documentation such as a CV, transcript, personal statement, and reference.

What should you include in a Masters personal statement?

Recruitment and admissions teams receive thousands of applications each year so it is important that your personal statement is to the point and demonstrates what they are looking for in their students. 

Danielle gives some insight into what our recruitment team looks for in a personal statement for a Masters degree:

Aim to keep your personal statement to the point by making sure you answer the following questions, addressing the key points our Selection Committee will be looking for:

  • Why have you selected this course? What are your motivating factors?
  • How do you see this course benefitting your career plans?
  • What will you contribute to your cohort?

As well as addressing these key questions, you should also include the following:

Academic achievements 

You need to demonstrate how your undergraduate study has prepared you for a postgraduate course. You can do this by highlighting specific achievements, projects and pieces of work as well as mentioning any particular topics that interest you. 

Professional achievements

If you completed any professional work experience alongside your studies, it is a good idea to mention them here. Highlight any duties, tasks and responsibilities you had to demonstrate what you gained from this work experience. 

Relevant extracurricular activities

Including information about relevant extracurricular activities you are involved in can help to give a more rounded view of you as a person. This could include volunteering opportunities and any meaningful hobbies you have. 

Transferable skills

Your transferable skills should be highlighted throughout your personal statement. The types of things you could include are presentation skills, communication skills, analytical thinking and time management. Consider what you can bring to lectures and workshops. For example, if your course involves a lot of group work, use an example where you demonstrate your experience with this.

What should you avoid when writing a Masters personal statement?

Repetition of information.

When submitting both a CV and personal statement it can be easy to fall into the trap of just repeating the same information across both documents. Your personal statement is an opportunity for you to reflect and expand on what you have stated on your CV, rather than repeating the same information.

Not providing enough context

Simply listing your achievements without providing context will not prove to the recruitment teams that you are the right candidate for the course. Provide hard evidence to back up the statements you make and try to give two or three in-depth examples, rather than several weak answers. 

Not tailoring your application to the specific university or course

Recruitment and admissions teams are keen to hear why you have chosen a specific course and why you want to attend their university. You need to provide clear examples of what excites you about their institution and how you can align with their particular values.  

What do recruitment teams look for in a Masters personal statement?

University recruitment teams and selection committees review thousands of applications each year. To ensure your application stands out, you must show that you have taken the time to prepare and research your chosen university.

Recruitment teams want to see your passion for the subject and motivations for joining their institution. Detailing your experience and the skills you can bring will help to emphasise this. Danielle also suggests not overlooking the obvious when it comes to writing a personal statement:

It may sound simple but the first answer to this question is that the Selection Committee wants to see a well written, clearly structured personal statement which demonstrates good preparation and research.

What else do I need to include with my Masters application?

The documents you need to include in your application may vary by institution and course. But generally, as well as your personal statement, you will also need to include: 

  • Academic and professional references
  • Copies of your undergraduate degree certificate and academic transcripts
  • A list of final year modules if you're still studying for an undergraduate degree
  • A research proposal (not all courses will require this)

If you are an international student, there are some additional things you will need to provide including: 

  • A copy of your passport
  • Proof of your language proficiency through either a Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) certificate, or any others that meet requirements outlined on our course pages.

When are the deadlines for Masters applications?

Deadlines for Masters programmes vary quite widely between courses and universities. Information on specific deadlines can be found on their respective course pages and postgraduate brochures . You should aim to make an application early in the cycle to ensure there are still places available on the course.

Deadlines for scholarships and external scholarships can also vary, so if you wish to apply for these, you will also have to factor in these deadlines.

Frequently asked questions

Is there an interview for masters programmes.

At WBS, there are no interviews for MSc courses. Instead, all decisions are made based on the application you submit. Your undergraduate transcript will be reviewed in depth along with your CV and personal statement.

How many Masters can you apply for?

If you are applying to a UK university, you can apply for as many courses and universities as you like. However, you should not over-stretch yourself and you should only apply for courses that you are really passionate about.

Writing an appropriately tailored application can be time-consuming and attempting to write too many could jeopardise your chances of being successful. 

Do you have to pay for your Masters application?

We require an application fee of £75 to cover administrative costs. If you're applying to multiple Warwick courses, remember each course will warrant its own application fee. 

How do I apply for a Masters degree?

We have our own application system, and you can find linked 'how to apply' sections on all of our course pages. 

------------------------

Discover our range of MSc courses at Warwick Business School

Designed for the change makers of the future, our postgraduate courses will drive you to learn, question, debate and make an impact on the world around you.

Our challenging and rewarding courses will provide you with everything you need to take your personal and professional skills to the next level. 

Related Blogs

Alum Sophia shares her incredible journey at WBS - dive into collaboration, new experiences, and distinct academic opportunities

MSc Management student Aditya shares his advice on balancing his wellbeing alongside studies at Warwick Business School.

WBS MSc Mathematical Finance graduate Luxmi Kiran shares his top tips and advice for future students.

Best sop writing service provider in india - no.1 sop writer sopconsultants.com

Personal Statement for a Master of Finance

Struggling with writing an engaging personal statement for a master of finance? Are you not satisfied with the personal statement format for a master of finance? Want the best format for your personal statement writing service for a master of finance? Not sure if the current personal statement for a master of finance is sufficient to win the admission?

Stop worrying, and look at the bigger picture. We have a team of experienced writers that regularly writes personal statements for master of finance and other postgraduate courses. This team will work closely with you and meet all your requirements.

No matter where you want to study the master of finance, we can help you. We have worked with students looking to secure admission from world-renowned universities in such countries as the US, the UK, Australia, Canada, Ireland, and New Zealand along with others. This has helped us create the image that we have now.

Not including admission offer

If you want to obtain a Canadian study permit, you must get an admission offer from a college or university in Canada first.

Looking for the best finance personal statement? Here is the best examples. If you need help to from experts, contact us now

Finance Personal Statement Examples

Money is incredibly important in the world we live in. How can every company exist profitably? The results won’t take long to manifest if they have access to sufficient resources and funds. But one of the trickiest jobs in the company is handling the funds. It’s because how well the business functions immediately affects how we handle our finances. My ability to understand the world of finance was aided by having parents who are accountants. My exposure to the terms “finances” and “accountant” began at a young age. I wanted to learn what they did and what it meant, and my father in particular was interested in teaching me. He always taught  me properly. So, after hearing from him, I became curious about the subject. I believed that if I pursued that field of study, I could strengthen my professional relationship with my parents. Making decisions about what to pursue and my career was simple for me. My parents’ viewpoints and curiosities encouraged me to pursue a bachelor’s degree in accounting and finance. But I believed I should pursue a master’s in Finance from XYZ University in ABC in order to broaden my horizons and gain an international perspective on the topic.

I had many opportunities to get a taste of the real working world while earning my college degree. Being an intern at ABC Company was one such chance. It introduced me to the financial sector and assisted me in identifying a key aspect of my professional goals by making me more mindful of my desire to take part more actively in strategic decision-making. My capacity to operate under pressure, to handle strict deadlines, and to perform within resource limitations has improved due to my work at ABC Company. I have the flexibility to swiftly adjust to a demanding, fast-paced atmosphere where technologies, policies, and techniques are subject to sudden change.

By reading numerous financial journals and websites, I stay up-to-date on changes and trends in the financial sector. It keeps my knowledge current and relevant in today‘s society. The project I have done in my undergraduate degree has helped me learn more about financial markets and how businesses handle them. It helped me explore more areas of finances, especially the decision-making process in finance. I was amazed by the influence of finance on making decisions. Effective decisions help to get a more productive outcome for the company. As I explored the project, my curiosity increased and it turned into a passion. Hence, to advance my finance studies, I decided to pursue a master’s in Finance. 

My long-term goals are to establish a recognised financial consulting company in my home country that provides a range of banking and financial services to both private companies and government organisations. Years of expertise, establishing the appropriate contacts, and individual willpower, in my opinion, can help achieve this. I believe that having a master’s degree from XYZ University would make me more prepared to handle business, tactical, and financial prospects.

How to Write a Personal Statement for a Master of Finance?

If you are a student looking to get admission for a master of finance from a university, one of the first admission criteria is a personal statement. And the first question that pops in the student’s heads is how to write a master of finance personal statement?Well, writing a personal statement for a master of finance is a tough job. Let us tell you that in advance. As the statement is important for admissions, it has to be.However, it is not impossible like many in the industry make it to be. If a person is willing to work hard and put in the right efforts in a focused way, he/she can come up with an impressive, winning personal statement.

If you are going to do that, here are a few tips that you can use:

  • Thoroughly learn about the university personal statement guidelines
  • Conduct adequate research to learn about the university and the course
  • Develop a strategy that you can rely on to make the statement better
  • Have a list of things you wish to include and not in the statement with you
  • Find a format that adheres to the university guidelines perfectly well
  • Ensure that you revise and edit the statement as many times as possible

If you work hard and adhere to these tips, you are sure to come up with an impressive personal statement for a master of finance. We are confident that it will be much better even than the sample personal statements for master of finance that you have.

What Makes Us the Best to Write Personal Statements for Masters of Finance?

We know that every student wants to submit an awesome personal statement with their admission. Whether it is for master of finance or any other course, the statement has to be perfect to help them improve their chances of admission. And this is where we can help you with creating an impeccable statement.

Although there are many service providers in the field, what makes us different from the rest is our dedication to our students’ success. We want all our students to get admission for their preferred courses, and we are committed to that cause.

Apart from this, we also heavily lean onto our service qualities that we have gained over the years. These qualities are as given below:

tips on how to write a personal statement for master of finance

Domain Experience

The experience that we have in the field of writing personal statements for the masters of finance makes us a singular voice in the industry. The experience has helped us learn the challenges and opportunities in the field for the student. When we work on a project, we leverage these insights to delight our customers at all times.

Professional Team

We know that only a great team can deliver the best services to the clients no matter what they want. Hence, we have developed a strong team that consists of writers, editors, and customer care. We know that each of these teams has to work well and with each other to deliver the best experience for our clients.

World-Class Quality

We always are particular about the quality of the personal statements that we write. No matter where the student is going to study, the personal statement for master of finance that we write is always the best. We have a range of quality assurance systems in place to ensure that. This is why we are the most preferred in the field.

Affordable Service

Pursuing a higher education course in a foreign university is an expensive business. However, writing a personal statement for a master of finance to get admission to a course is economical with our team. Despite the quality, our services are highly affordable and economical to everyone who looks to study abroad.

Timely Deliverance

No matter how stringent and challenging your requirements are, we will deliver the statement on time. We have a unique personal statement writing process with us that helps us complete the project in time. This enables our clients to have plenty of time to review the statement before they submit it.

Customer Support

In our constant endeavors to create the most comprehensive customer experience, we have a customer support team with us. The team can be contacted at any time by our clients and they will help you with all your concerns. This helps us ensure that the clients get impeccable user-experience as well as top personal statements.

As you can see, each of these service traits plays greatly into each project that we undertake. This helps us meet each of the requirements of the clients perfectly well. And that’s why we are considered one of the best in the field.

We Also offer Personal Statement For

  • personal statement for mBA
  • personal statement for masters in finance
  • personal statement for master of psychology
  • personal statement for masters in public health
  • personal statement for masters in public administration
  • postgraduate personal statement
  • civil engineering personal statement
  • ucas personal statement
  • Imperial college Personal statement
  • kings college personal statement
  • harvard university personal statement
  • College admission personal statement
  • graduate school personal statement
  • oxford personal statement
  • UC History Personal Statement
  • Residency Personal Statement
  • Internal Medicine Residency Personal Statement
  • aacomas Personal Statement
  • crna personal statement
  • family medicine residency personal statement
  • eras residency personal statement
  • anesthesiology residency personal statement
  • emergency medicine residency personal statement
  • nurse practitioner personal statement
  • personal statement for nursing school
  • mental health psychiatric nursing personal statement
  • psychiatry residency personal statement
  • pediatrics residency personal statement
  • amcas personal statement
  • paramedic science personal statement
  • physiotherapy personal statement
  • architecture personal statement
  • economic personal statement
  • criminology personal statement
  • nyu law personal statement
  • georgetown law personal statement
  • harvard law personal statement
  • columbia LLM personal statement
  • Phd in Computer Science Personal Science
  • PhD in Biological Science Personal Science
  • PhD in Clinical Psychology Personal Statement
  • gi gastroenterology personal statement
  • cardiology personal statement
  • nephrology personal statement
  • nsf grfp personal statement
  • oncology personal statement
  • critical care personal statement
  • radiology personal statement
  • hematology personal statement
  • fulbright personal statement

Hire Our Personal Statement Writing Help for Master of Finance

If you are particular about getting admission for master of finance from a reputed university in the world, it is highly important that you write an engaging statement. The statement must convey the reasons that make you an ideal candidate in the most convincing of ways. And with our industry experience and insights, we can help you.

We have helped numerous students get admission to world-famous universities for master of finance and other courses.

You are sure to get an excellent personal statement that is:

All you need to do is to provide us with your requirements and the questionnaire that we have filled. We will work on the answers you provide us with to create a compelling story that will surely impress the admission committee. The personal statement for the master of finance will surely bolster your chances of admission.

Being the most reliable name in the field, we will also deliver the personal statement for master of finance in PDF and Doc formats, as well.

Get all the details you need about our services here. Contact us, here.

What is a personal statement for a Master of Finance program?

A personal statement is a written document that outlines your background, aspirations, and reasons for pursuing a Master of Finance degree. It provides insights into your suitability for the program and how it aligns with your career goals.

How important is the personal statement in my application?

The personal statement is a crucial component of your application. It allows you to showcase your motivations, experiences, and unique qualities that set you apart from other candidates.

What should I include in my Master of Finance personal statement?

Your personal statement should cover your academic and professional background, career objectives, your interest in the field of finance, and why you’re interested in the specific Master of Finance program.

Can I use the same personal statement for multiple universities?

While you can use a base personal statement, it’s recommended to tailor it for each university. Mention specific resources, faculty members, and aspects of the program that attract you.

How can I make my personal statement stand out?

Use concrete examples and anecdotes to showcase your skills, achievements, and experiences. Explain how your background aligns with the demands of a Master of Finance program.

How do I show my enthusiasm for the Master of Finance program?

Express your excitement by detailing specific aspects of the program that resonate with you, such as courses, faculty expertise, or research opportunities.

Can I get professional help for crafting my personal statement?

Seeking guidance is acceptable, but ensure that your personal statement remains true to your voice and experiences. Authenticity is key.

vasuki ram - professional and experienced content writer - sopconsultants

Vasuki Ram, senior writer and the founder of SOP Consultants is a B-tech Graduate who used to work in an MNC. Starting from 2013, she along with her team has assisted more than 10,000 students. Shift in her career was drastic. Read full story here.

  • Chandigarh Patiala Amritsar
  • Jammu & Kashmir
  • SOP for MBA
  • SOP for Law Internship
  • SOP for Tourism
  • SOP for Social Work
  • SOP for Graduate School
  • SOP for Phd
  • SOP for Engineering
  • SOP for Scholarship
  • SOP for Computer Science

professional academic writing service, best sop writing services

  • +91 9946991401
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Refund Policy

© Copyright 2024 SOP Consultants | Designed by NS

© Copyright 2023 SOP Consultants | Designed by NS

Testimonials

Free Resources

PrepScholar GRE Prep

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

personal statement for master degree in finance

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.

Quick side note: we've created the world's leading online GRE prep program that adapts to you and your strengths and weaknesses. Not sure what to study? Confused by how to improve your score? We give you minute by minute guide.

You don't NEED a prep program to get a great GRE score. But we believe PrepScholar is the best GRE prep program available right now , especially if you find it hard to organize your study schedule and don't know what to study .

Click here to learn how you can improve your GRE score by 7 points, guaranteed .

falcon-2339877_640

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.

fence-1670087_640

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.

mt-fuji-2232246_640

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.

piano-1655558_640

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:

Want to improve your GRE score by 7 points?  We have the industry's leading GRE prep program. Built by world-class instructors with 99th percentile GRE scores , the program learns your strengths and weaknesses through machine learning data science, then customizes your prep program to you so you get the most effective prep possible.

Try our 5-day full access trial for free:

  • 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.

fruits-2562540_640

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.

acoustic-guitar-336479_640

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.

Want to improve your GRE score by 7+ points?

Check out our best-in-class online GRE prep program . We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your GRE score by 7 points or more.

PrepScholar GRE is entirely online, and it customizes your prep program to your strengths and weaknesses . We also feature 2,000 practice questions , official practice tests, 150 hours of interactive lessons, and 1-on-1 scoring and feedback on your AWA essays.

Check out our 5-day free trial now:

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.

hand-1543062_640

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?

personal statement for master degree in finance

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

personal statement for master degree in finance

Lindner College of Business » Programs » Graduate Programs & Certificates » Specialized Master's Programs » MS in Finance

Master of Science in Finance

Why Lindner for Finance?

Designed for the world's future financial leaders, Lindner's Master of Science in Finance program provides students the training in both the theory and application of financial concepts needed to succeed in the industry. Our nationally-ranked program is among the top 10 best value programs in the country, allowing you to get the most out of your investment, while also putting your career at the forefront.

How does the Master of Science in Finance degree differ from an MBA degree?

The Lindner Master of Science in Finance program is for professionals who have a strong interest in finance and a desire to pursue a career as a finance professional. In contrast, the MBA degree is meant for individuals with leadership aspirations which require general management skills. The Master of Science in Finance program has a narrow focus on finance as opposed to  the broad exposure to all aspects of business (including finance, accounting, economics, marketing and management) supplied by the MBA curriculum.

When is the application deadline?

Information regarding upcoming application deadlines can be found on our graduate  admissions page .

Can full-time students begin the program in the spring semester?

Yes. But the program will require an extra semester to complete the degree based on course scheduling. 

Do I need an undergraduate degree in Finance in order to be accepted into the program?

No, the program welcomes applicants from all academic and professional backgrounds. Please note that students without an undergraduate business degree may be required to take additional business foundational courses. See the program curriculum for more information.

Do I need work experience in order to qualify for admission?

No, there is no specified minimum work experience requirement for admission into the program.

How many classes does the average student take each semester?

We recommend that full-time students take five or six courses (usually 15 credits) per semester. The University of Cincinnati Master of Science in Finance program is designed to be completed in two semesters with students taking five courses each semester. Please note that international students are generally required to carry a full course load in order to maintain their immigration status.

How long does it take to complete the degree requirements?

The program is designed to be completed by full-time students in two semesters. Students who have not already satisfied the prerequisites will need to satisfy those prior to beginning the program.

Can I earn the MS-Finance degree as a part-time student?

Yes. The pace at which part-time students progress towards their degree vary with their individual situations. By taking an average of six hours per semester, a part-time student can finish the program in five (5) semesters. If classes are taken during the summer as well, a part-time student could begin during the fall semester and finish during the second spring semester (about 20 months). Students who have not already satisfied the prerequisite requirements or who take fewer hours per semester will obviously take a little longer to complete the program.

Program highlights

Our program is flexible. You can complete the MS Finance program in as little as two semesters of full-time study, or five semesters as a part-time student.

Specialize your degree by taking specific courses to gain distinction in one of our four focus areas: Corporate Finance, Investments, Risk Management, and Real Estate.

The courses in the MS Finance curriculum prepare students for the Chartered Financial Analyst® (CFA), Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP), and Financial Risk Manager (FRM) examinations.

The MS in Finance program at Lindner prides itself on its diverse student population. The program qualifies as a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) designated program , allowing international students to extend their training in the U.S. by 24 months after graduation.

Career Connections

Seventy-five percent of our domestic MS Finance graduates accept a full-time position within three months of graduation. Our graduates earn an average starting salary in excess of $75,000 and are hired by many of the country's most respected companies.

  • American Modern Insurance Group Inc.
  • Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center
  • Citigroup Inc.
  • Ernst & Young LLP
  • Fidelity Investments
  • Fifth Third Bank
  • Fund Evaluation Group, LLC
  • Intelligrated
  • Johnson Investment Counsel Inc
  • WorldPay (formerly Vantiv)

Focus areas

The Lindner MS Finance program allows you to select an area of specialization, enabling you to build on the breadth and depth of the curriculum offered. Our strong core curriculum, coupled with the specialization options, provides the flexibility to design a program that enables you to achieve your career objectives. The MS Finance program currently supports the following focus areas:

  • Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP)
  • Corporate finance
  • Investments
  • Real estate
  • Risk management

The program requires all students to complete a capstone experience. Students will complete their capstone requirement by competing in the ACG Cup competition or completing a research project with an industry partner. In addition, all students will describe their capstone experience in an essay.

Organized by the Cincinnati Chapter of the Association of Corporate Growth, for the last ten years the University of Cincinnati has participated in the ACG Cup case competition. MS Finance students who participated in the 2017-2018 Cincinnati ACG Cup case competition and finished within the top four teams satisfied the first element of their capstone requirement. Students also need to complete their capstone essay for their capstone requirement to be fulfilled.

Research project

Students work with Finance faculty and an industry partner on a research project. The project will be presented to participants in the first week of spring semester, with project presentations being concluded by the first week of April. As with the ACG Cup, participants will need to complete their capstone essay for their capstone requirement to be fulfilled.

What you'll learn

This program blends theoretical and applied knowledge, preparing you to grasp theory and develop skills to apply financial concepts in real-world situations.

Partnership with GARP

The Lindner MS Finance program is an academic partner for the Global Association for Risk Professionals ( GARP ), which helps connect students and faculty to training and professional development opportunities, such as:

  • The ability to nominate up to six students and one faculty member for Financial Risk Manager (FRM) Part 1 exam scholarships.
  • Student eligibility for GARP research grants (up to $3,000 each per semester).
  • Annual complimentary copy of relevant study guides for MS Finance students.
  • Networking opportunities among GARP’s 257K global members.

Founded in 1996, GARP is a membership association for risk managers. GARP offers foundational and certificate programs in risk management, the best known of which is the FRM certification.

Program length

The program may be completed as either a full-time student or as a part-time student and can be completed in as little as nine months. This program is STEM designated and international students qualify for the STEM OPT extension.

Student Testimonials

Where are you from?

My birthplace is Patna, and I’ve lived most of my life in the heart of India, New Delhi.

What advice would you give to prospective students?

Identify what you are looking to get out of the MS Finance program. There is immense value to be derived from the program and if you know what you want, you can make the most of this top-notch opportunity.

The MS Finance program offers the opportunity to develop skills and knowledge that are applicable to the industry, and it bodes well if students know where they see themselves as future professionals.

What industry do you hope to start working in upon graduation?

I come with five years of work experience and an MBA in Finance prior to attending UC for my MS in Finance. I'm looking to work in the private equity industry.

Why did you choose UC, and this program?

UC truly showcases a beautiful mix of global representation, world-class facilities, and faculty members with glowing credentials. The campus is big, with a mix of new and old buildings, a wholesome culture unique to UC, and a special emphasis on safety.

As for the MS Finance program, its industry relevance, choice of subjects, and most importantly its faculty were the reasons why I chose UC.

What unique perspective do you bring to the MS Finance program at UC?

Having traveled extensively, I'm sensitive to the dynamics of cross-cultural exchange. Professionally, I have always looked to exceed myself. Both these characteristics have helped me make the most of the challenging, yet rewarding MS Finance program.

Further, as an ambassador for the MS Finance program, I intend to be a bridge for prospective students, helping them transition into this program that will leave them enriched with knowledge they can actually use in the industry. This program brings out the best in you and refines it.

What do you like most about the program?

The two-pronged agenda of this program as I see is to develop students into true-blue professionals that have unique personalities, and equip them in getting there.

The faculty are always available to guide you, in academics or career management. This personable approach is the hallmark of this program for me.

Michael Neugent

Assistant Professor-Educator and Director, MS Finance Program , Department of Finance, Real Estate, and Insurance and Risk Management

2314 Carl H. Lindner Hall

  • Starting a Business
  • Growing a Business
  • Small Business Guide
  • Business News
  • Science & Technology
  • Money & Finance
  • Subscribers For Subscribers
  • ELN Write for Entrepreneur
  • Store Entrepreneur Store
  • Spotlight Spotlight
  • United States
  • Asia Pacific
  • Middle East
  • South Africa

Copyright © 2024 Entrepreneur Media, LLC All rights reserved. Entrepreneur® and its related marks are registered trademarks of Entrepreneur Media LLC

Is a Master's Degree Worth It for Aspiring Entrepreneurs, or Does It Just Delay Success? Here's What You Should Know. Evaluating the tradeoffs of lost income and higher education

By Hanna Shanar • Mar 27, 2024

Key Takeaways

  • The decision to pursue a master's degree versus entering the workforce with a bachelor's degree involves a detailed analysis of both tangible costs and opportunity costs.
  • Beyond the straightforward financial investment required for education, it's important to consider the income you will forego during your time in school.
  • While financial considerations are crucial, you should also evaluate the value of education beyond monetary returns — like personal and professional growth, networking opportunities and access to specialized knowledge.

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

In the realm of entrepreneurship and career advancement, the decision to pursue higher education often comes down to a critical analysis of cost versus opportunity cost. This analysis becomes even more pertinent when considering the financial implications of obtaining a master's degree compared to entering the workforce with a bachelor's degree.

With the average income for bachelor's degree holders at $60,000 per year and the cost of a master's degree running at $30,000 per year over two years, the decision is not merely financial but strategic.

Understanding cost and opportunity cost

Before delving into the specifics, it's essential to differentiate between cost and opportunity cost. Cost refers to the tangible expenses incurred during the pursuit of education, such as tuition, books, and living expenses. Opportunity cost, however, represents the income or benefits one foregoes by choosing one path over another. For an aspiring entrepreneur or professional, understanding this distinction is vital for making informed decisions that align with long-term goals.

Related: Exploring the Intricate Interplay of Education, Income and Entrepreneurial Success

The financials: A closer look

The average cost of obtaining a master's degree is $60,000 over two years. This figure does not account for ancillary expenses, including potential interest on loans, which can further increase the total investment. On the surface, this cost is counterbalanced by the promise of a higher average income post-graduation, which stands at $80,000 for master's degree holders.

However, this simplistic view overlooks the opportunity cost associated with pursuing a master's degree. For two years, an individual forgoes an average income of $60,000 annually, amounting to $120,000 in lost earnings. This figure significantly impacts the net benefit of obtaining a master's degree, especially when considering the time value of money and potential investments that could have been made with the income earned during this period.

The entrepreneurial perspective

For entrepreneurs and those with a keen eye on career advancement, the decision to pursue a master's degree is not solely about immediate financial returns. The value of higher education often extends beyond the paycheck. Advanced degrees can provide invaluable networks, specialized knowledge and credibility that can be particularly beneficial in certain industries or entrepreneurial ventures.

Moreover, the skills and insights gained during the pursuit of a master's degree can lead to more significant opportunities, potentially resulting in ventures that far exceed the income differential between bachelor's and master's degree holders. Therefore, while the opportunity cost is a critical consideration, it's also essential to weigh these intangible benefits.

Calculating the break-even point

To make an informed decision, one must calculate the break-even point of their educational investment. This calculation considers the total cost of the degree, the opportunity cost of lost earnings and the differential in post-graduation earnings. Specifically, with a total financial investment of $180,000 — comprising $60,000 in tuition and $120,000 in lost income — it would take nine years of working at an $80,000 annual income to break even. When including the two years spent obtaining the master's degree, the total time investment to reach a break-even point is precisely 11 years.

This break-even analysis is crucial for those contemplating a master's degree, as it provides a clear timeline for when the financial benefits of the degree will start to outweigh the costs and lost earnings. It's a vital consideration that requires individuals to take a long-term view of their career trajectory and financial goals .

Related: The Most Effective Way to Become a Millionaire Is Still Through Education. Here's Why.

Beyond the numbers: The value of education

While the financial analysis of cost versus opportunity cost is crucial, the decision to pursue a master's degree should also consider personal and professional growth. Education is not merely a financial transaction but an investment in one's capabilities, worldview and potential to impact society. For those with a clear vision of their career path or entrepreneurial goals , the value of a master's degree might far exceed its initial cost and opportunity cost.

Moreover, in an increasingly complex and competitive global economy, the depth of knowledge and expertise gained through a master's degree can be a significant differentiator. This is particularly true for entrepreneurs who seek to innovate and lead in their respective fields.

Making the decision: A strategic approach

The decision to pursue a master's degree, with its inherent costs and opportunity costs, requires a strategic approach. Prospective students and entrepreneurs should:

Conduct a thorough financial analysis, including the calculation of the break-even point

Consider the intangible benefits of higher education, such as networking opportunities, skill development and access to resources

Reflect on their career goals and the role that a master's degree might play in achieving those objectives

Explore alternative paths to acquiring the desired skills and knowledge, such as professional certifications , online courses or practical experience

In conclusion, the analysis of cost versus opportunity cost in the context of higher education is a complex but essential exercise for entrepreneurs and professionals. By taking a holistic and strategic approach to this decision, individuals can align their educational pursuits with their long-term career and entrepreneurial aspirations, ensuring that their investment yields not just financial returns but personal and professional fulfillment .

Related: How to Get a Master's Degree Without Going Into Debt

Entrepreneur Leadership Network® Contributor

CEO & Founder of The Publicity Hub & Medicine Unlocked

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick Red Arrow

  • 'The IRS is Coming in Hot': Jason Tartick Says All Business Owners Should Do This 1 Thing Before Filing Taxes — Or Risk a Potentially Pricey Audit
  • Lock What Is a 'Dry Promotion' — and Has It Happened to You? Employees in This Specific Group May Be the Most Likely Victims .
  • I Was a 25-Year-Old Nurse When I Started a Side Hustle to Combat Anxiety. It Made $1 Million in 7 Months — Then Sold for a Life-Changing Amount.
  • Lock 2 Phrases I Learned From a Senior CIA Officer That Changed My Leadership Style
  • The U.S. Justice Department Is Suing Apple in a Groundbreaking iPhone Monopoly Lawsuit — Here's Why
  • Lock I Built My Company to 23 Profitable Stores. Here's My Advice to Small Business Owners Who Want to Grow Their Retail Presence.

Most Popular Red Arrow

How to build a workplace community where everyone thrives.

Hiring for cultural fit is the best way to create a mutual partnership between employer and employee.

Bankruptcy Isn't a Sign of Failure — It's a Strategy. Here's Why It Might Be The Right Move For You.

Are bankruptcies rising? Yes, but it's not what you think.

Barbara Corcoran Says 'Now Is the Best Time' to Buy as Home Prices Will Soon Go 'Through the Roof'

The real estate mogul says that playing the waiting game is not the best strategy.

CEO Gets Dragged After Posting 'Infuriatingly Cringe' Crying Selfie After Laying Off Employees

A LinkedIn post by Braden Wallake, the CEO of HyperSocial, is making the rounds for being out of touch.

'Wildly Inappropriate': Woman Says She Was Denied a Job Because She Didn't Wear Makeup During the Interview

Melissa Weaver was applying for a VP of HR job at a tech company via video.

These Are the Five Attributes of Highly Successful and Happy People

If you'd like to be happier or more successful this year, then ask yourself if you're truly exuding these five attributes. The happiest and most successful people I know execute on these game-changers exceptionally well.

Successfully copied link

comscore

IMAGES

  1. Free downloadable finance personal statement example

    personal statement for master degree in finance

  2. Personal Statement For Masters Degree In Finance

    personal statement for master degree in finance

  3. ⛔ Masters personal statement example. Personal Statement For Masters

    personal statement for master degree in finance

  4. Personal Statement For Masters Degree In Finance

    personal statement for master degree in finance

  5. Personal Statement For Masters Degree In Finance

    personal statement for master degree in finance

  6. Personal Statement Master In Finance

    personal statement for master degree in finance

VIDEO

  1. statement master class from Jungkook #rap #taekook #short #btsforever

  2. Top 2 Colleges with Finance Degree Institution

  3. Write an Incredible Personal Statement: 3 Steps with Examples

  4. Applying for a Masters Degree UK

  5. Can You Afford The Maruti WagonR ? 😳😱🔥

  6. finance job course new version class 1. Finance job course for finance mojers. earn 40k to 50k month

COMMENTS

  1. Finance Personal Statement Examples

    Postgraduate Accounting and Finance Personal Statement Example (Mature Student) 1. Currently, I am a final-year student, studying International Economics and Trade at xxx University. I would like to increase my professional potential in Finance related field by pursuing Master studies at your university...

  2. Personal Statement For Masters (17 PDF Sample Examples)

    Having good structure for your personal statement for master degree is important because it ensures that everything from the beginning, middle, and ending of the statement is written and equally falls in place perfectly. ... 10. personal statement for masters in finance msc finance personal statement examples.

  3. Guide to Better Finance Master's Personal Statements

    A Finance master's personal statement is an essay crafted by a prospective student applying for a master's degree. The statement's purpose is to provide insight into the applicant's personality and how they can contribute to the program. It also demonstrates their experience and expertise in the field. Applicants should tailor their ...

  4. Sample personal statement for Finance and Accounting MSc

    Personal Statement of Purpose Finance and Accounting MSc. Note: the example personal statement (statement of purpose) below is for guidelines only and to help you understand how to write one - do not copy any part of it. When applying to universities, write your own personal statement (statement of purpose) according to your profile for the ...

  5. Finance Personal Statement Examples

    A MSc finance personal statement may be required for masters courses, and you might also need to submit personal statement examples for finance jobs. ... There are many ways you can demonstrate skill in your accounting and finance degree personal statement. Take evidence from any clubs or hobbies that you pursue (this can show organisation and ...

  6. Master's Accounting and Finance Personal Statement

    It was my first degree which convinced me that my real career interests lie in the financial sector and that a Master's degree in Accounting and Finance is the logical next step towards the realisation of my ambitions. I was deeply interested to learn about the economic principles on which predictions about business patterns and probabilities ...

  7. Finance Personal Statement Examples For Univeristy & UCAS

    Finance Personal Statement Examples. 26 May,2023 Alan Withworth. Here are two finance personal statement examples from some of the best students in undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. Both examples you can use as inspiration and motivation to write your own personal statement for university .

  8. How to Write Your Personal Statement

    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 ...

  9. Writing Your Personal Statements

    Your personal statement should focus on two main aspects: your competence and commitment. 1. Identify your strengths in terms of competence that indicate that you will succeed in the grad program and provide examples to support your claims. Start your statement by describing your strengths immediately. Because faculty will be reading many ...

  10. Finance Personal Statement Examples

    Office Hours: 9am - 6pm, Monday to Friday UK Address Personal Statement Service. The Old Dairy 12 Stephen Road Headington, Oxford, OX3 9AY United Kingdom. VAT Number 425 5446 95. 24/7 0800 334 5952 London 020 364 076 91 [email protected]

  11. Writing the Perfect Personal Statement for Your Master's or PhD

    Don't use the same personal statement for 10 different Master's or PhD applications. A common mistake among applicants is applying to multiple study programmes using the same personal statement. I've personally heard advisors and tutors recommend 'writing one personal statement' and 'changing the name of the university' for each one.

  12. Writing Personal Statements for Graduate School

    Personal Statements. Preparing a well-written and effective personal statement (sometimes referred to as statements of purpose or personal essays) that clearly articulates your preparation, goals, and motivation for pursuing that specific graduate degree is critically important. You will need to spend a considerable amount of time and effort in ...

  13. Writing Personal Statement for Masters in Finance

    Show your enthusiasm. It's important to convey to your readers why you are interested in pursuing a Master's degree in finance. It's not just about saying you are passionate about it in your MSC finance personal statement. You have to show it through your words. Share experiences outside the classroom.

  14. How To Write Masters Personal Statement In 2024

    Keep it short and to the point. Aim for a total of four or five paragraphs in your personal statement for master degree. When applying for a Masters degree, use standard fonts and text size of 11 or 12. If you're applying through UCAS postgraduate service, font style won't be an issue as text is automatically formatted.

  15. Your Guide To Writing A Compelling Finance Personal Statement

    Finance Personal Statement is a great way to show your interest in finance and achievements. It is an opportunity to tell your story differently and to elaborate on why you have chosen this field ...

  16. A guide to writing a Masters personal statement

    An MSc personal statement, also known as a 'statement of purpose', supports your application to study a postgraduate course at university. It should highlight your key skills and experience whilst demonstrating your understanding of the course and conveying your academic skills and interests. From her experience in the Recruitment and ...

  17. Personal Statement for a Master of Finance

    The personal statement for the master of finance will surely bolster your chances of admission. Being the most reliable name in the field, we will also deliver the personal statement for master of finance in PDF and Doc formats, as well. Get all the details you need about our services here.

  18. 3 Successful Graduate School Personal Statement Examples

    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 ...

  19. Economics Masters Personal Statement Sample

    Economics Masters Personal Statement Sample. Written by Hannah Slack. This is an example personal statement for a Masters degree application in Economics. See our guide for advice on writing your own postgraduate personal statement. The notion of financial risk has always fascinated me.

  20. Master's in Finance

    Program highlights. Our program is flexible. You can complete the MS Finance program in as little as two semesters of full-time study, or five semesters as a part-time student. Specialize your degree by taking specific courses to gain distinction in one of our four focus areas: Corporate Finance, Investments, Risk Management, and Real Estate.

  21. Is a Master's Degree Worth It for Aspiring Entrepreneurs?

    With the average income for bachelor's degree holders at $60,000 per year and the cost of a master's degree running at $30,000 per year over two years, the decision is not merely financial but ...