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How to write a personal statement

No one can tell us about your ambitions, skills and experience better than you. You have three questions and 4,000 characters to tell us your story – here’s how to make your words count.

What is a personal statement?

Students working together on a laptop at Brackenhurst campus

A personal statement is exactly that – a statement about you.

Your personal statement is submitted with your UCAS application and should explain why you're a great candidate for the course and what would make you a brilliant addition to the university.

UCAS personal statements comprise three questions, each requiring a minimum answer of 350 characters, but can be up to 4,000 characters long. Now is the time to be confident, share what's unique about you and showcase the skills and experiences that are relevant to your application. We're looking for well-written personal statements full of passion, individuality, and honesty.

Find out more about the application process and what we look for in personal statements on our how to apply page.

How to start writing your personal statement

Before you start writing your personal statement, consider these key points:

  • Why are you interested in the course?
  • What do you want to do when you graduate?
  • How can you demonstrate passion for the subject?

Make sure you also consider:

  • What is the course or university looking for in a student?
  • Do you have relevant personal qualities that can help you stand out? If so, what are they?
  • Do you have relevant skills, knowledge and experience that will help you excel?
  • Have you done any relevant voluntary or work experience that you can show off?

Six tips for writing your UCAS personal statement:

  1. Give yourself time to write it properly
  2. Write in a formal style
  3. Don’t copy. Avoid clichés. Keep your statement unique. Be honest, thorough and persuasive
  4. Believe in yourself – write naturally and positively. Showcase all your skills and experience
  5. Check that your spelling and grammar looks correct – ask someone you trust to read it, too.
  6. Remember, universities can only make a decision based on the information you give them.

How to answer personal statement questions

Answering personal statement questions is a skill, but the main aim is to make each of your answers well-structured, convincing, and easy to understand.

Whatever course you choose to study at university, you’ll be required to write essays, so this is a good opportunity to show that you can communicate effectively in writing. Consider what information is most relevant to your course. For example, if it’s important to demonstrate organisational skills or an interest in fashion, prioritise showing this through clear examples.

Why do you want to study this course or subject?

This is your opportunity to show us your passion for your subject, including what you might hope to achieve during your time with us and once you graduate. Everyone’s motivation is different, and we want to get to know you and what drives you.

How have your qualifications and studies helped you prepare for this course or subject?

While we will have information about your qualifications, it’s important for us to know about the transferrable skills and knowledge you’ll bring to NTU, as well as to tell us about your achievements.

What else have you done to prepare outside of education, and why are these experiences useful?

This question gives you the opportunity to tell us about all the information that might not be readily apparent by your qualifications and history. This section is likely to be highly personal, and a place where you can tell us more about you as a person and what you value.

The best personal statements are those that give our Admissions team an idea of who you are, why you want to study your course of interest, and what you’d ideally like to go on to do after university. Give us an outline of what motivates you to study and why.

Laura, NTU Admissions team

Using Generative AI and other tools in your statement

Using AI to write your UCAS personal statement can be considered cheating. If you submit AI-generated content as your own, it may be flagged and impact your university application.

UCAS requires applicants to confirm their personal statement is their own work and not generated by AI or copied, and their Verification Team checks for similarities across applications - if any are found, universities or colleges may be informed.

However, you can use AI to brainstorm ideas, structure your statement, or improve clarity. Just make sure the final content is genuinely yours. Universities want to hear your voice, not AI’s.

Learn more and get writing tips using our UCAS guide to using AI for your personal statement.

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