ucas personal statement deadline

• UCAS application

Personal statement

Academic reference, special circumstances.

• Declaring your disability

If you want to study at Oxford, you need to apply a year before the start date of your course by completing an online  UCAS application form .

Applications open in May so you can start work on the form from then. You won't be able to submit your application until early September. 

There is a strict submission deadline of 6pm (UK time) on 15 October. Your application must be complete - including the academic reference - and submitted before the deadline. Late applications cannot be accepted.

The deadline for applications is 6pm (UK time) on 15 October and this must be strictly adhered to.

Completing a UCAS application for Oxford follows the same process as for other universities, we just have an earlier  submission deadline of 15 October .

Please note that you should not send us as part of your application any certificates, transcripts or other documents for qualifications that you have already taken. The only exception to this is if you already have a degree from a university – see the 'Other forms' section on this page.

We will contact you for evidence of your qualifications if you are offered a place at Oxford.

Before you start:

• Choose  which course  you would like to study. You can only apply to one course at Oxford, and you can't apply to Oxford and Cambridge in the same year. Read more  information on all our courses . 
• Check the  admission requirements  for your course. Specific grades and subjects required are also shown on each  course page .
• Decide whether to express a preference for a particular  college  or make an open application. If you make an open application, you will be assigned to a college which has had relatively fewer applications for your course in the year you apply.

What will the UCAS application ask for?

• Personal details including an email address. Make sure you check this address frequently.
• Details about your education, and any qualifications you have already achieved. 
• A personal statement where you tell us why you are interested in your chosen course. Read our guidance on writing your personal statement .
• Your reference. Remember that your teacher or adviser will need some time to complete your reference, and this must be completed before the deadline. Read our guidance on academic references .
• A fee payment to UCAS is required to complete the process.

Read guidance from UCAS on  filling in your application .

• Admissions tests

For most courses at Oxford you are required to take an  admissions test  test as part of your application. Registration for tests is not automatic and is not part of the UCAS process.

Other forms 

If you are applying for a second undergraduate degree, please send a copy of the transcript from your first degree to the college that is considering your application, to arrive by 10 November.

No other references, transcripts, or certificates are required or accepted except for students applying for  Graduate-entry Medicine (A101)  or  Choral or Organ Awards .

One section of the application is called your personal statement. This is where you can write whatever you’d like to say about yourself and your motivation to study your course.

People sometimes think that there is a trick to writing a personal statement for Oxford, or that we are looking for some special secret formula, but this is not the case.

It’s important to remember that you can only write one personal statement and so the same wording will be seen by all the universities you apply to.

Your personal statement should therefore focus on the course you want to study, not the universities themselves. Please read this  helpful advice from UCAS . Please also view UCAS’ guidance on the use of assistive technology (including artificial intelligence) when writing your personal statement. 

Provided that your academic referee can give us some background on the impact of COVID-19 on your education in their reference, you do not need to specifically refer to this in your personal statement. If the pandemic has shaped how you think about your subject or offered you relevant opportunities to show your interest in your subject area, you can of course include this as part of your motivation for applying for the course. Otherwise, follow the advice given below.

How important is the personal statement?

Universities build a picture of you as a student from all the different information you provide, to help decide whether or not to offer you a place.

The picture is made up of several different pieces:

• your personal statement,
• your academic record,
• your predicted A-level grades (or equivalent),
• and your teacher's reference.

For most courses at Oxford you will also need to take an admissions test or submit written work ( check the details for your course ).

If your application is shortlisted, your interview will also be taken into account. This means that your personal statement is important but it’s not everything: it’s just one part of the overall picture.

What are Oxford tutors looking for?

Tutors at Oxford are only interested in your academic ability and potential. They want to see that you are truly committed to the subject or subjects you want to study at university but it’s not enough just to say that you have a passion for something. 

You need to show tutors how you have engaged with your subject, above and beyond whatever you have studied at school or college. This can include any relevant extra-curricular activities.

Try to avoid writing your personal statement as though you are ticking things off a list. There is no checklist of required achievements, and tutors will not just scan what you have written to look for key words or phrases.

Tutors will read your personal statement to try to understand what has motivated you to apply for their course. It’s a good idea to evaluate your experiences, to show what you have learned from them and how they have helped develop your understanding of your subject.  

Where should I start?

Think about talking to your friends about what you want to study at university: what would you tell them?

What have you read or watched or seen that has inspired you? (This might have been at school, at home, in a museum, on TV, in a book, on YouTube or a podcast or anywhere else. You can also take a look at our  suggested reading and resources .) Why was it interesting? What do you want to find out next? What did you do?

If you find this difficult, it might be time to think about whether or not you’ve really chosen the right course. If you can’t think of anything that has inspired you, this lack of enthusiasm will probably come across in your personal statement, or it will become clear at interview, and you’re unlikely to gain a place at Oxford. If you find it easy to answer these questions, you will have a long list of ideas to help you write your personal statement.

When you start to write, remember not just to list your achievements but show how they have affected you, how you have benefited, and what you’d like to learn next. Be honest about yourself and what has inspired you, whether that’s been text books, museums and literature, or websites, podcasts and blogs.

Be sure to tell the truth, as tutors might check later, so don’t exaggerate and certainly don’t make any false claims. Don’t hold back either – this is no time for modesty.

When you've written a first draft, have a look back at the  selection criteria  for your course and think about the evidence you've given for each of the criteria. Have you covered everything?

Should I include extra-curricular activities?

We typically suggest that you focus around 80% of your personal statement on your academic interests, abilities and achievements. This can include discussion of any relevant extra-curricular activities. The remaining 20% can then cover any unrelated extra-curricular activities.

There’s a myth that Oxford is looking for the most well-rounded applicants, and that you will only be offered a place if you have a long list of varied extra-curricular activities. In fact, extra-curricular activities are only helpful in so far as they demonstrate the  selection criteria  for your course. 

If you are applying to other universities as well as to Oxford (you can make five choices on your UCAS form) then you may need to find out whether the other universities have different selection criteria. If they do, then you might want to provide some information about your extra-curricular interests – but keep it to a minimum.

The space in your personal statement is limited, so think carefully about what you want to include.

Do I need experience of work and travel?

We understand that not everyone has the opportunity to do work experience or to go travelling so these activities are not a requirement for any of our courses. Tutors won’t be impressed by your connections, or the stamps in your passport, but they will be impressed by how you’ve engaged with your subject.

For example, some of our applicants for Medicine may have had work experience placements in prestigious hospitals but not be able to evaluate their time there. If you have no more experience than some simple voluntary work, or even just discussing medical matters with your friends and family, you can still write an effective personal statement by reflecting critically on what you have learned and discussed. 

To give another example, for the History of Art course, tutors will not want to hear about all the galleries and exhibitions that you have visited around the world if you cannot discuss the art that you saw. You can come across more effectively in your personal statement by evaluating art you have seen, even if you’ve only seen it online or in books without ever leaving the school library.

Don’t be put off by any friends who you think have more impressive things to say in their personal statements. Remember that tutors do not have a checklist of achievements that they are looking for: they want to see how you have engaged with your subject. 

I’m applying to different courses at different universities – how should I write my personal statement?

If you are thinking of applying for completely different courses at different universities (eg Physics and Accounting, or Biology and Music) we’d encourage you to reconsider.

It’s important to choose a subject area that you really want to study, and focus on that one area when making your applications. Also, you can only write one personal statement which will be seen by all the universities to which you apply, so it needs to be relevant for all your courses.

If you are thinking of applying for related courses at different universities then we suggest that you avoid using course titles in your personal statement. We recommend that you write about your interest in the general course themes, and how you have engaged with relevant subject areas, so that your personal statement is equally relevant for each of your course choices. 

Does my personal statement need to stand out?

Students sometimes feel that they need to say something dramatic to stand out from the crowd and be really memorable in their personal statement but this is not true. Applying to Oxford is not like a talent show where you may only have a few seconds to make an impression.

Tutors consider each application carefully on its individual merits, looking for evidence of your commitment and ability. If you use your personal statement to demonstrate your academic abilities and your engagement with your subject(s), then your application will be memorable for all the right reasons.

How many versions should I write?

Ask a teacher to read through what you’ve written, listen to their feedback and then make any updates that they suggest. You may need two or three tries to get it right and it can take longer than you think, especially with the limited number of characters.

It can be tricky to get in everything you want to mention, but don't spend too much time trying to make your personal statement completely perfect - it's only one of the things that the tutors will consider.

Some dos and don'ts

• Do apply for a course you really want to study.
• Do be yourself: tell the truth about your interests.
• Do sell yourself: this is not the time for modesty.
• Do re-read your personal statement before an interview – the tutors may ask you to talk about things you've mentioned
• Do read the  UCAS guidance on personal statements .
• Don't be tempted to make anything up, as you might be asked about it at interview.
• Don't copy anyone else’s personal statement. UCAS uses plagiarism detection software.
• Don't list qualifications like your GCSE grades or anything else that's covered elsewhere on the application.
• Don't just list your other achievements: you need to evaluate them.
• Don't feel the need to be dramatic in order to be memorable.

Has the format of the personal statement changed?

UCAS has announced that the format of the personal statement will change for 2026-entry. Applications submitted in 2024 for 2025-entry courses (as well as those submitted in 2024 for deferred entry in 2026) will continue to use the current personal statement format. You can read more about the changes on the  UCAS website .

A reference from a teacher or someone else who is qualified to comment on your academic ability is an essential part of your UCAS application. Your application will be incomplete without a reference and we will not be able to consider it.

Advice for candidates

• The process is different for those applying through a school/college/centre and those applying after they have left school or as an individual.
• Read  how to get a UCAS undergraduate reference .
• The reference must be in English. If your referee is not confident writing in English, they can ask an English-speaking colleague to help them. Alternatively, you can have a certified translation made for them to upload. Please ask them not to submit a reference in any language other than English, and to make sure that they have uploaded a reference in English to UCAS by the 15 October deadline.
• Your reference must be from someone who can write about your academic potential; it can't be from a family member.

UCAS's reference guidance

• UCAS registered centre linked applications  (for those applying through their school or college).
• Independent or individual applicants (for those who are not at school or college).

Advice for referees

• Read  how to write UCAS undergraduate references  for information about writing an academic reference for a student's application to Oxford. The format of references has changed this year. It is now split into three separate sections so it is important that all referees are aware of the new guidance. 
• References can be up to 4,000 characters (including spaces, headings and line breaks) or 47 lines of text, whichever comes first, and comprise of three sections.
• It is up to the referee how they divide the word count between these three sections but we would advise leaving plenty of space for Section three, which is where you can comment on the individual academic achievements and potential of your Oxford applicants.
• UCAS have published  sample references  which you are likely to find useful. 
• Section one: this invites referees to enter a general statement about their school, college or centre. We strongly recommend including relevant information about school closures and disruption to whole cohorts on a specifically created webpage on your school website. You can then link to this webpage in Section one of your academic reference to ensure that most of the reference word count can still be dedicated to the academic achievements and potential of your student.
• Section two: if applicable, include here any information about individual extenuating circumstances which may have impacted your applicant's education and achievements. Alternatively, if for any reason this is inappropriate, you are welcome to  contact the college  considering your candidate's application.
• Section three: use this to comment on the individual academic achievements and potential of your Oxford applicant and how these relate to the course they are applying for. 
• If the candidate is currently studying or awaiting results you will be asked to include predicted grades for these qualifications. These should not be included as part of the reference but be included in the Education section of a candidate's UCAS application. Students who are awaiting examination results or are yet to take examinations should enter 'pending' against those qualifications (including resits) when completing the Education section. Those pending qualifications will then be shown in the adviser portal and is where referees should record their predicted grades for these pending examinations. Where applicable, this is an important part of the application, so please do include predicted grades. 
• It may be helpful first for you to refer to the  selection criteria  and  admission requirements  for your candidate's chosen course.
• You may like to refer to the additional advice about writing a reference for an Oxford applicant on our  Advice for Teachers page . 

This is the section of the UCAS form where you list all your qualifications along with the grades you have already achieved and any standardised test scores. Please list everything as the admissions tutors need to see the whole picture of your academic studies so far. It doesn't matter if you have taken a lot of qualifications, a few, or none, we ask you to tell us about them. 

You also need to list any educational qualifications you are currently working towards. Students who are awaiting examination results or are yet to take examinations should enter 'pending' against these qualifications (including resits) when completing the Education section. Pending qualifications will then be shown in the adviser portal and is where referees should record their predicted grades for these pending examinations. Where applicable, this is an important part of the application, so   make sure your referee is aware of this.  

Why do we ask for predicted grades?

Using predicted grades means you can apply to study at Oxford before you have finished school (or equivalent) and you don't have to wait until all your exams are complete and your results are known. These predictions help admissions tutors understand your academic potential and let them know if you are going to meet or exceed the entrance requirements for your chosen course.

If you are made an offer of a place, it will be conditional on your achieving the required grades (based on the  entrance requirements  for your course) in any outstanding exams. 

We appreciate that many educational systems around the world do not usually predict a student's grades in this way; however without these predictions from your teacher we are unable to consider your application. There’s lots of advice for teachers in the  teachers’ section  of our website   and from UCAS about writing references and predicting grades . 

What if you can't provide predicted grades?

If you have listed any exams or qualifications as not yet taken on your UCAS form, then your teacher must provide predicted grades for them. If you can't get predicted grades, then your only alternative is to wait until you have got the final results for all your exams and qualifications before applying to Oxford. Please remember that you can only apply to Oxford between early September and 15 October.

English language qualifications

If you are not a native English speaker, please also include any English language qualifications that you have taken or are due to take. Our English language requirements page lists which tests we accept and also explains possible exemptions.

How do you declare international qualifications in the UCAS form?

You should self-report all details of your qualifications, standardised test scores, and grades on the UCAS application form under ‘Education’. It will need to be clear from your application that you are on track to achieve the admission requirements for your  course .

Please visit our  international qualifications page  for the international qualifications we accept and the level of academic attainment we would require.

For any exams you are yet to take, you will need to ask your referee (normally the teacher supporting your application) to predict your results and submit these as part of your UCAS application. Please refer your referee to our advice on writing references and predicting grades . 

You may choose to declare the results of any individual modules or internal exams in the 'Education' section of your UCAS application, but this is not essential. You may instead like to ask your academic referee to mention the results of any internal school exams in the reference, if you feel that these results will help to demonstrate your academic ability and potential. 

Please visit the  UCAS website  for further advice on how to enter your qualifications on the UCAS form.

Note:  do not send us transcripts for the qualifications you've already taken ; you will only need to produce certificates or transcripts if you are offered a place here.

However, if you are applying for a second undergraduate degree, you will need to send a transcript from your first degree separately, to the college that is considering your application. You do not upload this as part of your UCAS form.

If you have personal circumstances that you'd like to tell us about please include them in your personal statement, or ask your teacher to include the information in your reference.

If for any reason this is not appropriate, then please wait until you have had confirmation that your application has been received by a college and then  contact them directly . This is likely to be around the end of October.

You can  contact our Admissions Office  for further information and advice if you're not sure what to include. If you are applying for Medicine, please read the Medical School's guidance on submitting information about extenuating circumstances . 

Usually special circumstances are something that you as an individual have experienced, something that is unique to you. So we would not, for example, expect you to let us know about your school being closed due to COVID-19. We are extremely aware of the widespread disruption to education during the pandemic and will be asking your academic referee to tell us how this has affected your year group. 

Students with disabilities

Please visit the tab  Declaring your disability  and read our  Guidance for disabled applicants  to find out about the support we offer our students.

Other extenuating circumstances

We are sympathetic to the fact that sometimes candidates under-perform at school or college because of extenuating circumstances. If you feel that your performance has been affected in this way please let us know.

You should let us have this information in your UCAS application as we need to receive this information before admissions decisions have been made. 

Information received after admissions decisions have been made will only be considered in exceptional circumstances and if this was not available earlier.   Examples would include disruption caused by change of school or system, severe discontinuity of teachers (but not if this was due to nationwide school closures due to COVID-19), bereavement, and debilitating illness.

We take care to treat each application individually and would always take such mitigating circumstances into account, if they are brought to our attention before admissions decisions have been made.

You could include this information in your personal statement or your teacher could mention this in their reference. If for any reason this is not possible, then we would advise you to contact the college you applied to (or are assigned to if making an open application) once you have had confirmation that your application has been received. This is likely to be around the end of October.

Teachers and other academic referees should follow the  guidance provided by UCAS  in order to explain the impact of COVID-19 on your education.

Whatever your particular circumstances, the earlier we know about your individual requirements, then the sooner we can begin to meet them. 

We are committed to making sure that all our students can benefit from the great opportunities at Oxford so please do tell us about any disability, whether seen or unseen, on your UCAS application. This should include:

• Sensory and physical impairments
• Specific learning difficulties e.g. Dyslexia
• Long-term mental health conditions
• Autism spectrum conditions
• Chronic illnesses and health conditions

Please be assured that admissions decisions are made on academic grounds alone. 29% of all our undergraduate students are known to the Disability Advisory Service.

By telling us now, you will help us put in place any agreed support early and to make reasonable adjustments to facilitate your access to your course and our University. It will also mean that we can provide appropriate arrangements during the admissions process, so for any test or interview.

While you do not need to include this information at this stage, we strongly recommend you do so in order to give us time to prepare and arrange suitable support.

You’ll find the relevant section at the bottom of the Personal Details tab of your UCAS application

• Click ‘see list’ to select the relevant category
• Fill in the second box below Category to give details of any facilities or special provisions required.
• UCAS also has some  good advice  about how to tell us about your disability.

See also our further  Guidance for disabled applicants . This includes information on contacting our  Disability Advisory Service  and how to put in place any necessary arrangements for our admissions tests, if this is one of the admission requirements for your chosen course.

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International applicants

The application process for international students is exactly the same as for UK and EU students: i.e. you must apply through  UCAS  by 15 October. 

UCAS  is an independent organisation that handles all applications to study undergraduate degrees in the UK. To complete a UCAS application, you will need to  register with UCAS  and pay them a fee. The UCAS website also has  guidance for international students.

There is no separate application form for Oxford's undergraduate courses (with the single exception of  A101 Graduate Entry Medicine ), and it is not possible to apply without completing a UCAS form.

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• The Ultimate UCAS Personal Statement Guide

Last Updated: 27th September 2024

Author: Rob Needleman

• Getting started

Table of Contents

When it comes to completing your UCAS application, the Personal Statement is one of the most important parts to consider.

While your grades show your academic ability and Admissions Tests assess your knowledge and capabilities, a Personal Statement is all about you. Tutors want to see the person behind the application and understand why you’re a suitable candidate for your chosen course. 

Although each university will have its own unique way of shortlisting applicants, your Personal Statement is your opportunity to demonstrate your strengths and let your personality shine through.

However, over 20,000 students apply for Oxbridge every year which is a lot to compete with. As such, you need to stand out from the crowd and really get across your reasons for wanting to study your topic, which can make the prospect of writing one and including all the right things pressurising. To help you, we have written this ultimate Personal Statement guide. Let’s get started.

How to write a Personal Statement

Your Personal Statement isn’t a long monologue of your life so far, nor a gigantic list of all your achievements. Think of yourself as a storyteller. Start at the beginning with how you developed an interest for your chosen subject and end with where you see yourself after university.

Before You Start

How to get started.

Before you sit down to write your UCAS Personal Statement, the first thing we recommend is to research the courses you want to apply for. This will help you prepare your statement as courses vary from university to university, and your content should reflect these. Bear in mind, you are only able to send one Personal Statement to all your chosen universities, so you can’t overly cater to one. Look at all of the details, including the structure, modules and examination methods, as well as what they’re looking for from a student. This will support your first draft, though bear in mind you’ll redraft a few times before it’s perfect.

For example, Oxford lists the personal characteristics that they look for in applicants to their Medicine degree:

How many words should a Personal Statement be?

Personal Statements can be up to 4,000 characters long (615-800), and no more. This might sound like a lot, but it’s just one side of A4 paper. There’s plenty of information to include, so make sure it’s concise, clear and easy to read.

When to start writing it

It’s never too early to start thinking about your Personal Statement and what you’re going to write about. But there is a deadline : October 15th for all Oxbridge courses including Medicine and Dentistry, and January 25th for other undergraduate subjects. We suggest you begin preparing at the start of the year, as this gives you plenty of time to plan, draft and rewrite until it’s perfect for submission.

Your Personal Statement is the first thing Oxbridge Admissions Tutors will see about you. It’s imperative you get it right.

Our Oxbridge Premium Programmes help you write a successful Personal Statment that ticks all the Admission Tutor’s boxes. Our proven support is implemented through various mediums including Personal Statment Intensive Courses, Personal Statment Marking and Personalised Reading Lists.

Discover our Oxbridge Premium Programmes  by clicking the button below to  enrol and triple your chances of success.

What To Include

Your Personal Statement is a glimpse into your passion, how keen you are to learn and what you already know about your chosen subject. Express your interest by commenting on the areas that fascinate you most. For example, is it helping people that draws you into Medicine, or is it the fascinating human anatomy? 

Another great way to show your enthusiasm is through your previous experience in the subject. Demonstrate why you’re suitable for the course by providing evidence of any relevant skills and qualities that relate to this. What are you good at? What have you done that proves it? 

• Answering Your Personal Statement Questions

Mention any additional projects, work experience or extra-curricular activities you’ve got involved with that further demonstrate you’re an ideal candidate. Reflect on the skills you’ve gained from these (as long as they’re transferable to your studies). Admissions Tutors will be looking for such information, as well as your unique selling points — give examples of things you’ve done that show you have a wider interest in learning. 

You should also try to link your interests, skills and qualities to your university research. However, Oxbridge are not interested in sports, hobbies or if you play any musical instruments — keep it academic.

Show you’re an interesting person and have a true passion for your subject, and your Personal Statement should be a winning one. Your enthusiasm is what will make your statement stand out, so don’t shy away from expressing your love for your chosen subject, though you don’t need to say you’ve dreamed about doing the course your entire life.

Aim to include things like:

• Personal attributes, such as adaptability, problem-solving and organisation
• Employment experience and volunteering work
• Personal interests in your subject
• Relevant extracurricular activities, like any clubs or societies you belong to
• Your future after university

The Structure

The key to writing a good UCAS Personal Statement is getting the structure right, as this can have a huge effect on the message it delivers. Often, students get caught up in the content and forget that presenting information effectively is just as important as the words included.

Each section of your statement needs to be crafted correctly so that Admissions Tutors can digest the information easily. While there are no strict rules on how to structure it — since it’s personal to you — there are a few rules of thumb to use to find the right balance. In general, though, remember to consider the format, structure and content equally, and you’ll write a great Personal Statement.

• Personal Statement Cheat Sheet

Here is a breakdown of how we recommend students to split up their essay:

• Introduction - About six lines
• Academic abilities - 22 - 27 lines
• Extra-curricular information - 10 - 12 lines
• Conclusion - No more than four lines

Personal Statement Introduction

Rightly or wrongly, it is highly likely that your UCAS Personal Statement will be remembered by its opening sentence. It must be something short, sharp, insightful, and catch the reader’s attention. It sets the precedent for the rest of your statement and unfortunately, decides whether your statement is paid particular attention to when read.

• Avoid using overused words like “passionate”, “deeply fascinating”, and “devotion”.
• Avoid using clichéd quotes like the infamous Coco Chanel’s “fashion is not something that exists in dresses only”.
• If you are going to use a quote, then put some effort into researching an obscure yet particularly powerful one – don’t forget to include a reference.
• Draw on your own personal experiences to produce something both original and eye-catching.

Once that’s out of the way, you need to answer the most important question:

The introduction does not need to be very long. It is generally a good idea to open the statement with something that sets the context of your application. For example, someone who is applying to study History may open: ‘History is all around us’, rather than ‘I have always been interested in History because…”

By the end of the introduction the reader should clearly know:

• What subject you are applying for
• What motivated you to apply for this subject

Make sure you keep it personal and honest! The exact phrase: “from a young age, I have always been interested in” was recently used more than 300 times in Personal Statements in a single year, and substituting “young” for “early” gave an additional 292 statements – these phrases can quickly become boring for Admissions Tutors to read!

Personal Statement Main Body

In the rest of your text, your aim should be to demonstrate your suitability for the course by exemplifying your knowledge of the course structure and its requirements through personal experience. Again, there are no rigorous guidelines on how to do this and it is very much down to your own writing style. Whereas some prefer a strict structure, others go for a more synoptic approach, but always remember to be consistent to achieve a flowing, easy to read Personal Statement.

Here’s the structure we recommend:

Paragraph #1: This should cover why you are suited for your subject. This will include your main academic interests, future ambitions (related to the chosen degree), and what makes the course right for you. This should be the academic side of why you want to study this subject.

Paragraph #2: This should still cover why you are suited for your subject. However, it can be less focused on academic topics. If you’ve had to overcome any significant challenges in life and wish to include these in your Personal Statement, this is normally the best place to do so. Similarly, any work experience or relevant prizes & competitions should be included here.

Paragraph #3: This is the smallest part of the main body and is all about extra-curricular activities. It is easy to get carried away in this section and make outrageous claims, e.g. claim to be a mountain climber if all you have ever climbed is a hill at the end of your street etc. Lying is not worth the risk, given that your interviewer may share the same hobby that you claim to be an expert in. So, don’t be caught out!

What you should include in your Personal Statement main body:

• Sports and other hobbies
• Musical instruments
• Work experience
• Personal interests in the field of study
• Personal attributes

What you shouldn’t include in your Personal Statement main body (or anywhere!):

• Negative connotations – always put a positive spin on everything
• Lack of reflection
• Controversy in whatever form it may come
• Generic/stereotypical statements
• Listing things

Personal Statement Conclusion

The conclusion of your Personal Statement should be more about leaving a good final impression rather than conferring any actual information. If you have something useful to say about your interest and desire to study your subject, you shouldn’t be waiting until the very end to say it!

A good conclusion should not include any new information, as this should be in the main body. However, you also need to avoid repeating what you have said earlier in your Personal Statement. This would be both a waste of characters and frustration for the tutor. Instead, it is better to put into context what you have already written and, therefore, make an effort to keep your conclusion relatively short – no more than four lines.

For more inspiration, take a look through our other successful Personal Statement a nalysis articles:

Successful Personal Statement For Medicine At Oxford University

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1. Show passion for your subject

Admissions Tutors aren’t going to pick a candidate who doesn’t seem particularly interested in their field. Show your passion and eagerness to learn and succeed. Why do you love your subject? Why have you chosen it? What do you find most interesting and why?

2. Talk about you

This is your chance to talk about you, your interests and skills. It’s no good saying you’re passionate if you don’t prove that you are. Write in a natural style to show off your personality, making sure it’s genuine, relevant and specific.

3. Use appropriate language

Re-read your Personal Statement multiple times and check that the content is academic, engaging and clear.

4. Provide evidence to back up your claims

It’s all well and good saying you love medical science, but this is going to fall flat if you can’t back it up. Talk about your school subjects and results, any wider reading and relevant work experience. Perhaps you attended a lecture on your subject — this would be good evidence.

5. Link your activities outside of education to your course

Tell tutors why these activities are relevant and what you have learned as a result. Focus on transferable skills gained too, such as time management or organisational abilities.

6. Spell check and look for grammatical mistakes

Poor spelling and grammar makes for a terrible first impression, so ensure you triple-check it’s written to the highest standard before submitting it.

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Our Personal Statement dont’s

1. Write a clichéd beginning

Don’t waste time thinking of a catchy opening. The best Personal Statements get to the point quickly, so avoid starting with phrases like “From a young age”, “I am applying for this course because”, and “Throughout my life I have always enjoyed…”. Go straight into why you are interested in your course subject.

2. Use cringe-worthy language and cheap gags

This is not impressive and can indicate that you’re not a serious student. It’s essential you don’t come across as verbose or pretentious too, as Admissions Tutors will spot this immediately. They are well-versed in the ramblings of students who think this tone makes them seem more intellectual.

3. Overcomplicate things

Say what you need to, be specific and don’t waffle too much — you’ll run out of characters fast.

4. Go overboard with extra-curricular activities

Talking about these is good, but the truth is, Admissions Tutors have very little interest in what you do outside of education unless you can find a way to directly link them to your subject.

5. Plagiarise content

You can read Personal Statement examples online for inspiration but avoid copying and pasting them. During your interview, you’re likely to be asked about specific parts of your statement, and if you’re caught off-guard, you’re going to look silly. This could ruin your chances of being accepted. Use a plagiarism detector to ensure your essay is unique.

6. Mention universities or specific courses by name

You can only write one Personal Statement, so it’s the same for each course you apply for. Avoid mentioning specific unis by name or detailing exact specifics of a module, for example. Keep it general.

Now you know what to include in your Personal Statement and the best practices for doing so, we hope you feel more confident writing it. We have plenty of guides and successful personal statement examples to go through in our Free Personal Statement Resources page. Good luck submitting your UCAS application!

First impressions count. Learn how to craft the perfect Personal Statement that demonstrates your suitability to Oxbridge Admissions Tutors.

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Personal Statement Timeline

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• How To Write A Personal Statement
• How To Start A Personal Statement
• Submit Your Personal Statement
• Personal Statement Questions 2025

Our personal statement timeline will help you organise the writing process, and make sure you have a final, polished draft ready to add to your application form in plenty of time so you don't miss the deadline.

• Start thinking about the subject(s) you would like to study at university.  
• Take a look at our guide on choosing a degree .  
• Check out the Course Search at the UCAS website.  
• Read the entry requirements carefully for any course you like the look of.  
• Make sure you can realistically expect to achieve the grades they are asking for, and that you have any other skills and qualities the university are looking for.

June/July/August

• Think about choosing the universities you are going to apply to.  
• Attend some university open days to see which ones you like most.  
• Take a look at our choosing a university guide for further advice.  
• Start thinking about what you are going to include in your personal statement.  
• When attending university open days, ask admissions tutors what they like to see in UCAS personal statements.  
• Make notes on what the admissions tutors from different universities want to see.  
• Check out our personal statement writing guide and free personal statement examples to help you get started with your first draft and more information on what to include.

Late August

• By now you should have a complete first draft of your personal statement.  
• Show it to your friends and family, and also your teachers and careers advisor when you go back to school/college in early September.

Early to Mid September

• Make changes to the first draft of your personal statement based on the feedback you’ve received.  
• Show your next draft to other people, and incorporate their comments.  
• Do this as many times as necessary until you feel 100% happy with you personal statement.

Mid October 

• If you are applying for a degree in Medicine, Veterinary Science, Dentistry, or any course at either Oxford or Cambridge university, you need to have your personal statement completed and send it off on your UCAS form by 15th October .  
• Before you cut and paste your personal statement on to your UCAS application, check that it is no more than 47 lines long and no more than 4000 characters in total. Our Personal Statement Length Checker comes in handy for this.  
• Of course, if you are not applying for any of the degrees mentioned above, you have until 15th January to get your personal statement sorted for your UCAS application. If you do not submit your application by this date, the universities you have applied to do not have to consider your application.

Further information

For more tips and advice, please see:

• Personal Statement Editing Services
• The 15th Janaury UCAS Deadline: 4 Ways To Avoid Missing It
• UCAS Personal Statement FAQs
• Personal Statement Writing Tips
• Personal Statements: Advice From A Teacher
• What To Do If You Miss The 15th January UCAS Deadline

Best of luck with your personal statement!