How to Write a UCAS Personal Statement

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Sristy Sharma
Updated on Jun 09, 2023 10:55 PM IST

Applying to universities in the UK? Your UCAS Personal Statement can play a decisive role in getting you into a leading UK university. Learn all about UCAS personal statement, how important it is and how you should write it to make it impressive. 

How to Write a UCAS Personal Statement

Tips to Write UCAS Personal Statement: You have probably heard the phrase "preparation is the key," and this is true when it comes to writing your UCAS personal statement. In brief, a UCAS personal statement is an opportunity to get identified for your unique skills and experiences. It's a crucial element of the application process since it allows you to communicate about yourself and your interests aside from your grades.  

When preparing to write your UCAS personal statement, there are two things to consider. The practical and factual facts you need to convey, as well as the more emotive, personal aspects of yourself that sets you apart from everyone else.  

Your UCAS personal statement, like any other statement of purpose, requires a clear framework, a well-thought-out approach, and an outstanding profile. You must have a solid understanding of five primary areas of interest, why this course and university are right for you, applicable skills, job or volunteer experience, and what makes you a good applicant. Here is a complete guide for all the aspirants that will enlighten you on all the issues and recommendations you should keep in mind while writing your UCAS personal statement.

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What is UCAS?

Universities and College Admissions Service (UCAS) is an organisation that acts as a primary selection panel for students who desire to apply for admission to UKs higher education institutions.

The selection process of applications received is a hectic one for any university, therefore the institutions of the UK outsource the process to UCAS. While the final admission is approved by the institutions themselves the organization screens the worthy applicants and then helps them to apply to their desired institutions.

Get FREE Expert Guidance on Writing a Good UCAS Personal Statement!

How is UCAS Personal Statement Important?

UCAS personal statement works in a similar manner to the Application Essay or SOP. The statement is viewed by the organisation and on its basis, UCAS decides whether they will support the student in the application process or not.

The following points can help you understand why UCAS Personal Statement is an important document from a student's perspective:

  • Since UCAS acts as a bridge, it can be your only chance of yours to get admission to the desired college.

  • Personal presence of yours is not possible, however, a personal statement can act as your voice in front of the assessment panel.

  • UCAS helps the selected students with the further application process. This can lessen the burden of a student by a lot.

  • UCAS has direct connections with the universities. The professionals of the organization are better aware of the requirements of the universities. This shall give you a better footing in the admissions process of the university.

  • UCAS does not scrutinize eligibility harshly. They simply ensure that you satisfy the minimum requirements and have the potential to make the education worthy.

  • Once you clear UCAS-selection criteria, you get the personal recommendation of UCAS, which shall work in your favour.

Points To RememberWhile Writing a UCAS Personal Statement

UCAS shall look forward to your application for certain points. While there is no hard and fast rule on what to include in your personal statement, the points mentioned below are an absolute requirement and must not be forgotten as the organization has been authorized specifically by the universities to scrutinise the applicants for this information.

Justify the Choice of University and Course

The university and subject that you are choosing must be justified. In order to do so following points can be helpful:

  • Reason why you are choosing to study in the UK rather than your country.

  • Reason why you are choosing the subject and what you aim to gain from it in the long run.

  • Reason behind your choice of university and how to view the institution to help you in the long run.

Apart from the general information, you may also convey your interest in the research and other events conducted by the university and its faculties. This will help in showcasing your interest to the point of background research.

Financial Sources

In order to support your admission process, UCAS shall need to confirm:

  • Presence of enough financial resources to fund your education and lifestyle during the course.

  • Details of such resources and their capabilities.

  • Your planning towards your stay in the UK and how you plan to utilize the resources.

  • Details of your insurance plans and other security deposits for immigration allowance.

The details need to be evidenced properly as universities expect the financial objectives to be cleared on the UCAS level itself and only skim through the details during their own application assessment process.

Future Plans

The points which need to be conveyed include:

  • UCAS generally attests to undergraduate applications, therefore the plan to pursue a Master's degree needs to be conveyed.

  • Your planned specialisation needs to be related to your future plans.

  • Justify and reason your claims in regard to your career.

The main objective of UCAS is to ensure that you are aware of what you are applying for and how you can translate the course into an effective career.

Satisfy Eligibility Standards

UCAS shall compare your details with that of the requirements presented by your chosen university. The organization shall require the furnishing of the following details:

  • GPA and Academic Transcripts.

  • English Language Proficiency Test Scores (IELTS, TOEFL, PTE or Duolingo English Test).

  • LOR and the number and undersigned being as per university requirements.

  • Presence of an Application Essay or SOP

The details of these documents need to be confirmed along with the claims made in UCAS Personal Statement.

Satisfy Potentiality Standards

The organization is responsible to test the presence of potential among the applicants. The potentiality standards to satisfy include:

  • Ability to critically think and present questions as well as solutions.

  • Ability to process the information provided dynamically.

  • Ability to make conversations and connections.

  • Ability to survive the new environment and adjust to cultural changes.

  • Ability to participate in activities beyond educational background.

  • Ability to initiate self-growth.

  • Ethical and moral turpitude.

Your personal statement and all the additional information need to be woven around the above-mentioned points.

Tips To Write an Impressive UCAS Personal Statement

Now that you know which points require your attention in the writing process, you can easily prioritise the contents of your UCAS Personal Statement. However, the story doesn't end here, you also need to know how to present these prioritised points for they only make up the format of your statement. It is actually the finer points that will make up the matter. So while you know what to write UCAS Personal Statement?, how to write UCAS Personal Statement? also needs a proper address. Hence, here are some tips which will help you in writing your UCAS Personal Statement:

  • UCAS has a word limit of a minimum of 4000 characters for the personal statement. You will have to ensure that this limit is met.

  • The character limit includes words, spaces and also punctuation. You will have to attend to how you'll use your writing tools and put them on paper accordingly.

  • Since the limit is set at a lower range(minimum), you are allowed to exceed it. However, caution needs to be taken. Since the limit is in characters, additional 700-1,000 characters are doable.

  • The language and grammar of the statement must be proper. UCAS tests the potential of the student and lacking a language base will not help your case.

  • UCAS determines the potential and seeks from the student a genuine determination to study the course. You will have to show your interest in the chosen subject properly.

  • Plan the format of your personal statement before actually writing it.

  • Present the statement like a story to make it more interesting.

  • It will take at least three drafts before you come up with a final UCAS Personal Statement. Hence, you must ensure to start writing it well in advance (at least 2 months before) to avoid the time pressure.

  • Be crisp and smart in writing the statement. Your content should be balanced between information and its background.

  • Tweaking the presentation is alright, however, information must not be tampered with.

While the above-presented tips and points will certainly be of help to you, the guidance of a professional is unmatched. It shall ensure that the final representation of your UCAS Personal Statement is an exact combination of what you and the university want.

Our experts are always ready to guide and support you in crafting the perfect UCAS personal statement. You can also connect with our global experts to get a personalised study plan to study in the UK or any other study destination of your choice. Register on our site or write to us at abroad@collegedekho.com.

Have Further Doubts about UCAS Personal Statement?

FAQs

What questions your UCAS personal statement should answer?

To get you started, consider answering the following questions:

  • Why did you choose this particular course?

  • What interests you about the topic? 

  • Is my prior or current education relevant to the course?

  • Do you have any job experience that might benefit you?

  • What life experiences do you have that you could share?

  • What accomplishments are you most proud of?

  • What abilities do you possess that make you ideal for the course?

  • What are your aims and ambitions for your future career?

How to open your UCAS personal statement?

The admissions committees at prestigious UK institutions will be examining a large number of personal statements, therefore it is critical to capture their attention right away. Remember that it can only be 4,000 characters long, or around two sides of A4. To fit everything in, you'll need to utilise your words carefully. Furthermore, do not overthink the opening. Simply begin by demonstrating your excitement for the subject, demonstrating your expertise and grasp, and expressing your goals. Avoid using clichés! Remember, this is only an introduction, so allow the admissions committee to read your personal statement to get to know you. 

Should my UCAS personal statement include my personal skills and achievements?

Yes, you should include your personal skills and achievements in your UCAS personal statement. Universities want to know what skills you have that will benefit you on the course or in general with university life. Do not forget to provide proof to show why you are so enthusiastic about the course(s) you have selected. Talk about your accomplishments with confidence. Include positions of responsibility that you now hold or have held both within and outside of school. It is essential to discuss your professional experience and future objectives. You should include information about employment, placements, work experience, or volunteer activities, especially if it is related to your degree. 

How to write about my work experience and future plans in the UCAS personal statement?

It is essential to discuss your professional experience and future objectives. You should include information about employment, placements, work experience, or volunteer activities, especially if it is related to your degree. Try to connect every experience to abilities or attributes that can help you succeed. If you already know what you want to do as a job, describe how you intend to use the information and experience you will obtain to begin your career.

Is time pressure a big challenge for students to write their UCAS personal statement?

Unfortunately, the Personal Statement (and other components of university preparation) occur amid the student's busiest academic year to date. Since students in their last year of secondary school are already under a lot of academic pressure, finding the time and headspace for the personal statement may be difficult, resulting in it being pushed to the last minute. The drawbacks of waiting until the last minute are obvious: the application will appear hurried, and the essential thought and planning will not be put into making the personal statement the best it can be. 

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