Undergraduate and postgraduate personal statement

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A guide to writing your personal statement for undergraduate and postgraduate courses.

The personal statement is your opportunity to tell us about your suitability for the course that you hope to study.

You need to demonstrate your enthusiasm and commitment, and explain your reasons for choosing the subject.

You may or may not be interviewed so try to make your application stand out by giving detailed thought to your personal statement.

Collage of 2 | Close-up of a circuit board | A student in a factory

Tips for preparation

Make sure you understand what the course entails, check the prospectus, website or contact us if you would like further information or to be put in contact with the course leader
Make a list of ideas or items to be included so that you can determine what is relevant to include
Expect to produce several drafts before producing a final copy
Ask people you trust for feedback
But make sure the statement is your own work and accurately conveys your own personality and ideas

Explain your interest in the subject, why you want to study that course
Be prepared to answer questions on it if you are interviewed
Take care over your written work, thoroughly check it for grammatical errors
Include relevant hobbies and achievements which are relevant to the course; that is those which demonstrate your skills and personality and link this to the skills and experience required for the course
Include any work or life experience that is relevant, i.e. which says something about yourself and your ambitions or goals in life
include interesting detail on your experience or activities which demonstrates your suitability for the course, but keep your writing concise
Include any future plans or thoughts you may have on how you will use the knowledge and experience gained through the course
Do not exaggerate
Keep the statement focused, don’t get side tracked into things which are irrelevant