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Personal statement toolkit

Use our toolkit to help your students shine in their personal statement.

The personal statement is a vital part to a student's application. The three questions provide scaffolding and structure, to help guide a student and support them to include the information, examples, and experiences that universities and colleges want to see. 

In this toolkit we'll equip you with internal training resources, classroom materials, webinars you can watch back or sign up for, and plenty of examples and guidance to help your students create a successful personal statement.

The personal statement questions

Question 1: Why do you want to study this course or subject?

This is the opportunity for students to showcase their passion, curiosity, interest, and knowledge of their chosen subject area and to demonstrate to universities and colleges why it’s a good fit for them and their future ambitions.

Examples of what they might talk about here are:

  • Their motivations for studying this course(s): Have they been inspired by a key role model or moment in their life? Maybe it’s a subject they love and want to pursue further. We’re all driven by something and it’s important for students to talk about how their path has led them to this course or subject area.
  • Their knowledge of this subject area and interests: Perhaps there’s a particular subject area they've researched and can’t wait to learn more about, or a book or subject expert doing great things that have sparked their interest? Universities and colleges want to see students have done their research so they can be confident this is something they will enjoy and excel in. This is a great place to highlight super-curricular activities as evidence of curiosity and interest in the subject outside of the classroom.
  • Future plans and why this course/subject is a good fit: If they already have a particular profession in mind, they could talk about how they'll use their studies to launch their career. If they don’t, think about what’s important to them and their future, and how the knowledge gained from their chosen course(s) will help them to achieve this.

Here are some more examples for this section:

  • Personal life experiences e.g. being a carer, the environment where you grew up or lived, an inspirational friend, colleague or family member, a book you read, a news article or blog/vlog, a YouTube video, a podcast, a show you saw, subject tasters
  • Understanding of the area and the qualities you might need to succeed in it – research into the course/area

 

Question 2: How have your qualifications and studies helped you to prepare for this course or subject?

This is the chance for students to show evidence of the relevant or transferable skills they've gained from their formal education and highlight their understanding of how this will help them succeed in this subject area.

Examples of what they might talk about here are:

  • How their studies or training relate to their chosen course(s) or subject area: This could be current or previous studies within a school, college, training provider, or even a short online university course – any form of formal education. The main thing here is to focus on what’s most recent and relevant to their chosen course(s).
  • What relevant or transferable skills they have that make them a great candidate: Maybe there are a couple of subjects that have helped them develop a core set of skills required for their chosen course(s). Or, a particular module that helped them understand where their interests and strengths lie.
  • Any relevant educational achievements: Universities and colleges will see students' grades elsewhere on their application, so don’t waste time talking about these. Consider accomplishments like winning a school or national competition, serving as a student ambassador or team captain, or landing the lead role in a play.

Here are some more examples for this section:

  • Specific modules or topics
  • Essays or projects that explore a particular view point or technique
  • EPQ – Extended Project Qualification
  • School, local, or national competitions e.g. UKMT
  • Private lessons and qualifications e.g. music, stage school or sports if relevant to the course
  • Tutoring or mentoring
  • Online courses leading to a qualification

Question 3: What else have you done to prepare outside of education, and why are these experiences useful?

This is students' chance to talk about any other activities they have undertaken outside of their formal education or personal experiences which further demonstrate their suitability for the course. This section is likely to be highly personal to them and anything they do include should reflect on why they're including it.

Examples of what they might talk about here are:

  • Work experience, employment, or volunteering: Whether it’s in-person work experience at their local school or virtual work experience through Springpod, or volunteering at a dog shelter, the key thing here is for them to reflect on their experiences and the skills gained relevant to their chosen course(s).
  • Personal life experiences or responsibilities: Is there a situation they've personally overcome that has influenced their decision? Are there responsibilities such as caring for a family member that has helped them develop essential qualities for the course like resilience and empathy?
  • Hobbies and any extracurricular or outreach activities: Think sports, reading, community work, summer schools – any activities outside of their studies that help further showcase why they'd make a great student.
  • Achievements outside of school or college: This could be a position of responsibility such as captain for their local club, a music, competition they won, or a qualification they've attained outside of the classroom.

Here are some more examples for this section:

  • Extra and super-curriculars
  • Volunteering
  • Personal life experiences e.g. caring for a family member, overcoming a challenge
  • Young enterprise
  • Work experience
  • Job/employment – part-time or full-time
  • Work-based learning/CPD
  • Shadowing
  • Online learning activities e.g. Springpod, MOOCs etc.
  • Tutoring
  • Trips and visits (online or in person) e.g. Museums, exhibitions, galleries, sites of historic interest, relevant sites connected to your course e.g. magistrate courts for law etc.
  • Podcasts, TED talks, documentaries etc.
  • Duke of Edinburgh/Duke of York awards

What are students expected to include in their answers?

The three questions will enable students to talk about why they're interested in the course they're applying to, linking their academic and extra-curricular experience to their chosen course. The personal statement is an opportunity for students to show admissions staff evidence that they're passionate, curious and knowledgeable about the subject area they're looking to study further and have the relevant skills and potential to be a great student who has a genuine interest in the subject and a desire to learn more. Students may feel an example could fit into more than one section — there's no right or wrong section to include something in, the important thing is to explain why they're including it and what they've learned from it.

It's important to note that any examples given by UCAS are merely guidance, and not everything suggested needs to be included in every personal statement. Requirements may differ for each university or college, as well as depending heavily on the course.

Guidance for students applying to conservatoires

Top tip

Students can use the 4,000 character count limit across all answers in any way they choose, and the amount they write for each question can vary depending on their chosen course or experience.

Top tip

Advise students not to waste characters on listing qualifications and subjects. Focus on giving examples depth and context in relation to students' chosen courses. Try the PEEL Method - Point, Evidence, Explain, Link.

Classroom resources

Introductory slides

This PowerPoint can be used in the classroom to give students an overview of what the personal statement looks like, and how they can go about their research and understanding how to evidence their skills.

Overview of the teaching scheme

We've created three initial lessons to support the research phase of personal statement writing.

Lesson 1: Skills

Lesson 2: Admissible evidence

Lesson 3: Building the foundations

Top tip

Remind students not to post their personal statement on the internet or on social media, or share their personal statement with others, unless they’re asking for feedback from people they trust.

Top tip

The three sections will be reviewed as one by universities and colleges, so ensure students aren't repeating information across their answers.

Resources and internal training

Watch our latest adviser live all about personal statements and applications.

Catch up on the latest webinars and training sessions

Watch Sam Sykes and Carolyn Mindos run through the personal statement changes

  • This presentation deck has been designed to support you through the changes to the personal statement for the 2026 cycle. You can copy and paste slides into your own materials and guides to support staff training and CPD.
  • This presentation deck has been designed to support parents and carers through the changes to the personal statement for the 2026 cycle. ​You can copy and paste slides into your materials and guides to tailor the deck to your requirements.

Student resources and personal statement guides

As well as classroom resources, we've also created a suite of videos and guides for students to help them answer the personal statement questions successfully. 

Students in classroom writing personal statements

Subject-specific personal statement guides

Looking for examples that students can use in their personal statements? Our subject-specific personal statement guides guide students through what sort of information, experiences, and examples they can think about including in their answers.

Subject-specific personal statement guides

Using AI and ChatGPT for the personal statement

Get more support on how students can use ChatGPT and AI tools to help them research their personal statement - and when they should avoid using AI.

ChatGPT and AI tools guidance

FAQs for personal statements

Will the three personal statement questions be assessed separately by admissions staff?

No; admissions staff will review the three questions as a whole, much like the current long form personal statement. 

Are any of the questions more important or weighted more highly?

This very much depends on the university or college the student is applying to, as well as the course they are looking to study. We would recommend checking providers' personal statement guidance and advice on this. For instance, courses like nursing or medicine will lean more heavily on the importance of question three due to the focus on work experience.

What are the three questions?

1. Why do you want to study this course or subject?
2. How have your qualifications and studies helped you to prepare for this course or subject?
3. What else have you done to prepare outside of formal education, and why are these experiences useful?

Does each answer have to be the same length?

The 4000 characters can be used across all the questions in whatever way works best for your student - as long as they hit the minimum character count, they can absolutely write more in one section than another depending on what's more important for them and the course they're applying for. 

Will the questions be included in the character count?

The questions will not be included in the character count; students will have the full 4000 characters as they do now. 

Is the personal statement format changing for conservatoire applications?

Yes, conservatoire personal statements will also follow the new format for 2026 entry applications, with all students answering the same three questions.

Should students include emojis in their answers?

No, emojis should not be included in students' UCAS personal statements. The personal statement is a formal piece of writing, and using emojis is generally discouraged.