can you change personal statement on ucas

• Personal statements for 2026 entry onwards

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What is changing with personal statements?

Personal statements are changing from one longer piece of text to three separate sections, each with a different question to help shape the focus for students' answers. Each section will have a minimum character count of 350 characters, which is clearly labelled on the question boxes, along with an overall character counter, to ensure students know if they're on track. The new web page for submitting the personal statement will also feature helpful on-page guidance for each question.

The new questions are as follows:

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

What isn't changing?

• The personal statement will still be 4000 characters in total; this includes spaces.
• The content of the personal statement will remain broadly the same - it will just be split across three sections rather than one longer piece of text. The expectation for what students need to cover within the personal statement is mostly unchanged from current guidance. 

Personal statement announcement

The new personal statement

Sam Sykes, Customer Success Manager at UCAS, explains the changes to the new personal statement for 2026 entry.

You can also hear from students and an admissions professional on their thoughts and insight into the new structure, which aims to support students and advisers through the application process with a new scaffolded approach. 

Supporting equal opportunities for all students

In our commitment to equity and inclusion, we believe that every student deserves a fair chance to articulate their unique journey, aspirations, and potential. Scaffolding questions level the playing field, providing clear guidance and structure for all applicants, regardless of their background or prior experience with essay writing.

Scaffolding questions offer students a roadmap, breaking them down into manageable parts. By providing specific prompts, students gain clarity on what to address, fostering focus and coherence in their writing. This ensures that each aspect of their experiences and goals is thoughtfully explored and articulated.

Who did we consult?

We engaged with a diverse spectrum of voices, including over 1,200 UK and international students, alongside input from 170 teachers and advisers, and representatives from over 100 universities and colleges. Additionally, we collaborated closely with governmental bodies, regulatory agencies, and charitable organisations across the UK.

To ensure the highest quality, we partnered with an external research agency to rigorously test the new template, guidance, and wording.

The results spoke volumes:

• When surveyed during the research phases of the proposed personal statement changes, over half the students UCAS spoke to found completing the three questions "very easy" or "easy".
• Admissions teams said it made it easier for them to assess applications and more confident that they will receive the information they need to make decisions.  
• Applicants who don't have school support - for instance, mature students - will find it easier to complete their personal statement successfully. This will even the playing field for widening participation, ensuring consistency across all personal statements no matter what level of support students have access to.
• Most advisers preferred the new format and said it would enable students to provide more complete and detailed statements, with the majority of advisers surveyed as part of the research stating they were "very confident" or "extremely confident" that the questions clearly convey what is needed for each answer.

Dr Jo Saxton, Chief Executive, UCAS

What are students expected to include in their answers.

The three new 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.

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.

• 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.
• 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.

• 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.

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

Online learning activities e.g. Springpod, MOOCs etc.

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

New personal statement: What you need to know

New personal statements: What you need to know

Helen reed, the head of admissions and data services, university of cambridge, adviser-updates-cta.jpg, resources and training for the new personal statement.

Supporting students with their personal statements for 2025 entry?

Looking for advice and resources for students applying for 2025 entry? Take a look at our adviser and student guidance.

Adviser resources for 2025

Student advice for 2025

FAQs for 2026 personal statements

Will the new three personal statement questions be assessed separately by admissions staff, are any of the questions more important or weighted more highly, what are the new three questions, does each answer have to be the same length, will the questions be included in the character count, when are personal statements changing, 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.

Peter Dunscome, Director of Higher Education, RGS Guildford

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• UCAS Personal Statements Are Changing in 2025

Last Updated: 16th January 2023

Author: Matthew Amalfitano-Stroud

Table of Contents

It was announced by UCAS in January of 2023 that traditional Personal Statements will be removed from the university application process in the UK. 

Since 1993, UCAS has required university applicants in the UK to submit a 4,000-character Personal Statement during the application process, which would then be accessed by university admissions teams to assist in the shortlisting process. 

However, it has been confirmed by UCAS that this process will be changing as soon as 2025. Here, we dissect the announcement, discuss what we currently know about this change and explain how this could affect your university application. Let’s begin:  

In short, this is what you need to know:

• UCAS Personal Statements are being replaced by a three-question survey that gives applicants the chance to explain various aspects of their application.
• This change will be implemented for the 2025 admissions cycle for 2026 Entry in the UK.
• This will affect all applicants, both home and international, looking to attend any UK university in 2026 and beyond.
• Students will need to learn how to take on these new questions rather than traditional Personal Statement writing.
• Teachers will need to be prepared to do research on this new system and provide support for students in order to maximise their chances of success.
• We at UniAdmissions are keeping a very close eye on the situation and will update this guide as new information surfaces. We will also ensure that our support systems are up-to-date and effective at helping students through these changes.

What are Personal Statements Being Replaced with?

With the announcement that the current system for UCAS Personal Statements will be getting replaced, it is only natural to be asking what will be replacing it. Thankfully, we have already been given some idea of what to expect. 

Unlike the other major shake-up to the 2024 admission process, the removal of various admissions tests including the BMAT , the official announcement has provided us with an explanation of what UCAS is seeking to implement instead of traditional Personal Statements. 

Put simply, the current format of providing a 4,000-character piece of writing will be replaced with a new “scaffolded structure” of three specific questions which applicants must answer. These questions will still allow you to write your answers out, but you will be answering set questions instead of having to plan and structure a full statement from scratch. 

For each question, applicants will need to write a minimum of 350 characters. The overall character limit for the Personal Statement across the three questions (including spaces) will be 4,000 – this is the same as the current limit. 

Responses will need to be submitted via the online UCAS system, which will now feature three text boxes instead of one (one for each question). Each box will include an exact character counter and tips for each question. 

The three questions you’ll have to answer are as follows: 

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

These questions cover the important topics that would typically be included in a standard Personal Statement, so the content of your writing should mostly stay the same. The key difference is that your writing will no longer need to flow as a singular piece of work, meaning introductions and conclusions will be de-emphasised. 

In 2023, UCAS initially announced a selection of six questions that were being considered for a new Personal Statement system. These were as follows:

• Motivation for Course – Why do you want to study these courses?
• Preparedness for Course – How has your learning so far helped you to be ready to succeed on these courses?
• Preparation through other experiences – What else have you done to help you prepare, and why are these experiences useful?
• Extenuating circumstances – Is there anything that the universities and colleges need to know about, to help them put your achievements and experiences so far into context?
• Preparedness for study – What have you done to prepare yourself for student life?
• Preferred Learning Styles – Which learning and assessment styles best suit you – how do your courses choices match that?

UCAS stated that these were subject to change based on feedback from schools and students, with the new three-question system being the result of this work (removing the last three questions in the process). 

Of the questions originally planned for the Personal Statement, one aspect that will no longer be covered is Extenuating Circumstances. This was previously going to be a section that allows applicants to discuss any issues that may have impacted their application negatively (illness, family circumstances, etc).

UCAS states that this section was removed from the Personal Statement due to its inclusion as one of the three questions in the Academic Reference (also a part of the UCAS process). If you have anything that you want to discuss in this section, you will need to speak with your referee to explain what you would like to include in the reference. 

At UniAdmissions, we ensure all of our students receive the most up-to-date support.

At UniAdmissions, we’re working tirelessly to ensure that our tutors, curriculum and resources are ready to get our students through these changes. You can join them today and ensure you get the support you need to make it through the 2024 admissions cycle . 

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When Are UCAS Personal Statements Being Changed?

The most recent announcement from UCAS regarding Personal Statements confirms that this new system will be implemented in August of 2025, meaning applicants for 2026 Entry will be the first to face the changes. Applicants in 2024 for 2025 Entry will have to complete the single, free-form document like previous years, 

It’s worth mentioning that these plans have been in place for a fair amount of time, with discussions of reforming the application process starting in April 2021. However, this change has finally received a confirmed date for implementation after previously being planned for 2023. 

Why Are UCAS Personal Statements Being Changed?

The announcement of these reforms was initially made on January 12th 2023 via a blog post on the official HEPI website. This post highlights the amendments being made to the Personal Statement process and the research that was conducted to influence this change.  

Interestingly, the data quoted in this post states that the majority of applicants surveyed were happy with the current Personal Statement process, with 72% feeling positive about it. However, the same survey indicated that 83% of applicants found the process stressful and 79% felt unable to complete theirs without support. This is the data that most likely influenced the changes. 

The post’s writer, Kim Eccleston, states that they are aiming to provide better support for both applicants and universities, creating “a more supportive framework” that allows applicants to write about what the universities need to know in a less restrictive way. It is also stated in a more detailed outline of the announcement that both students and teachers preferred the use of specific questions instead of free-form writing. 

However, a previous post released in November 2022 provides even more insight into the reasoning behind this decision. Based on data featured in HEPI Debate Paper 31 , various industry professionals had commented on the challenges facing applicants of certain background when it comes to the current style of Personal Statement. 

Within the quotes featured here, the traditional UCAS Personal Statement was described as “ambiguous” , “unfair” and “barometers of middle-class privilege” . These comments may potentially be in reference to the current importance of work experience, which can be difficult to obtain without connections in certain industries, as well as additional experiences which may not be available to all applicants.  

Therefore, this new system should presumably reduce the barriers for disadvantaged applicants by shifting focus to each individual’s own interest and abilities within their chosen subjects. 

Other Changes being Made by UCAS

Personal Statements are only one of five key areas being altered by UCAS, as highlighted in the blog post. This is certainly the most significant action taking place, but other changes that were previously made to the application process include: 

• Academic references are being reformed, moving from a free-text approach to a set of three questions, similar to the Personal Statement reforms.
• The 'Entry Grade Report' will be created, which allows applicants to see grade profiles that have been accepted for courses over a five year period.
• A 'Course Recommendation Tool' is being created to provide applicants with personalised suggestions for courses based on their current grades and preferences.
• A 'Fair Access Programme' is being created to encourage widening access and participation.

Overall, it seems these changes all have the same intent; to level the playing field and make university applications more achievable for everyone. 

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How will this affect my university application?

As previously stated, if you are applying to university this year for 2025 Entry (and deferred Entry for 2026), you will not be affected by these reforms and will need to submit a traditional Personal Statement to UCAS like previous years. 

For applicants applying for 2026 Entry and beyond, your application will follow this new process, meaning you won’t have to submit a full Personal Statement but will instead need to answer a series of questions relating to your application and abilities for your chosen course. 

When hearing that the whole process will be changing, this typically instils a feeling of dread as you’ll be treading new ground that no one else has experienced before. However, it’s important to understand that UCAS states these changes are being made for the benefit of both the applicants and the universities. 

As we’ve already discussed, a key part of the reason this change is being implemented is that a high percentage of applicants found writing a traditional Personal Statement stressful, which is counterintuitive to what UCAS is trying to achieve. By providing applicants with a strong framework, in the form of specific questions, this new process should allow more applicants to provide better quality statements for universities. 

This change is also set to be particularly beneficial to those from disadvantaged backgrounds, as the process will allow them to better express their ability regardless of any areas that may be lacking due to factors out of their control. Essentially, the new process should allow more people to stand a better chance of making a good impression despite limitations. 

How Can I Start Preparing?

If you’re starting your preparations early, the main barrier you’ll face at this stage of preparation is not knowing what the questions will be, as they have yet to be announced. There are no resources available currently that cover this system, so you’re going to have to be independent with your preparation here.

Since we have a rough outline of what the questions to focus on, you should still be able to practice your responses. Although they won’t be as relevant any more, it would still be helpful to check out Personal Statement guides and examples as these can help you pin down the language and writing style you use. 

With all this information now available to us, you should be able to get a sense of what to do for your application in the coming years. The initial introduction of this system in 2025 will act as a test of its effectiveness, so elements could be changed in the years following. However, the important thing is that you understand how things are changing from the current system and how you can make the most of the new system. 

If you are applying for university in 2024 for 2025 Entry, you will need to make sure you’re ready to write your Personal Statement. Thankfully, UniAdmissions have plenty of resources to help you through it, including our Ultimate UCAS Personal Statement Guide and our collection of successful Oxbridge Personal Statements . 

If you’re looking for more in-depth support that covers the whole application process for Medicine, Law and Oxbridge courses, them find out how you can enrol in one of our Premium Programmes .  

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2020 Undergraduate Application

Make sure your personal statement is your own work

We'll carry out checks to verify your personal statement is your own work.

Provided it is your own work, you can use your personal statement from your application last year. If it appears to have been copied from another source, we'll inform the universities and colleges to which you have applied. They will then take the action they consider appropriate. We'll also contact you by email to tell you this has happened.

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By Nik Taylor (Editor, The Uni Guide) | 13 September 2023 | 9 min read

Personal statement FAQs

We've gone through some of the most commonly asked personal statement questions and put all the answers in one place

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Your personal statement is a big part of your uni application. It's where you can show universities why they should give you a place on your chosen course. Read on for quick tips on writing your personal statement. We'll cover what sort of things to include, along with answers to some of the most commonly asked questions that crop up over on our sister site The Student Room .  If you can't find an answer to your question here, try posting it to the personal statements forum on The Student Room .

When should I start writing my personal statement?

It’s never too early to start thinking about it! However, you'll need a good idea of what course you’re going to apply for before you launch into writing it. On the other hand, don’t leave it too late as it's quite a long process and you're likely to have a few drafts before reaching your finished product.

Remember:  your referee will need to see your personal statement before they can write your reference. If you get yourself organised over the summer, you can start by jotting down a few ideas over those few weeks - ready to start writing it when you arrive back to school or college in September.

The Ucas application deadline for most undergraduate uni courses starting in September 2024 is 31 January 2024. If you're applying to Oxbridge or for medicine, dentistry or veterinary science courses to start in 2024 there's an earlier deadline – 16 October 2023. You can find all the key Ucas deadlines and application dates for 2024 entry in this article . 

• Read more: universities reveal all about personal statements

How long can the personal statement be?

Statements are limited to whichever is shorter of either:

• 4,000 characters (including spaces)  OR

Be aware that software such as Microsoft Word may not give a character or line count that completely matches what the Ucas form says. The character count should be reasonably accurate, but the line limit is more difficult because lines may wrap at different points depending on the software you're using.

The only way to be 100% sure what the character and line counts are is to copy your draft statement into your online Ucas form (but be careful not to submit it unless you're sure it's the final version). You can edit and save your personal statement without submitting it as many times as you like, and you'll only be able to mark the section as complete when you're on the preview screen. 

If testing out your personal statement draft on your Ucas form still feels too risky, you can get a good indication of where you're at by using the Courier New font, size 10, with the default margins, to get a reasonable estimate how many lines your personal statement will be. If you've left a line between paragraphs, then you will probably reach the line limit before the character limit.

• Read more: how to write an excellent personal statement in ten steps

Where do I start?

Most people won’t be able to just start writing the statement off the top of their head – so it’s a good idea to jot down a few notes first. The main things to think about are:

• What do I want to study? (if you can't answer this, you should probably concentrate on working it out before writing your personal statement).
• Why do I want to study it?
• What personal qualities, interests and experience do I have which show I am suited to this subject, and to study at university?

Many people have trouble writing about themselves and their personal qualities. If you’re struggling with this step, it can be helpful to look up some information on writing a CV - there are a lot of parallels in how to put yourself forward effectively.

• Read more: five practical tips to help with your personal statement

What sort of structure should I use?

Most people write their personal statement in an essay style, starting off with the course, and why they want to do it, then talking about their relevant work experience and skills and finishing off with extracurricular activities.

As a guide, spend around two thirds of the space talking about your course and how you’re suited to it, and one third on your work experience and other activities. Exactly how you write your statement depends on your subject – generally people write more about work experience for vocational subjects like medicine and law than they would for subjects like maths or English where work experience is less important.

• Read more: avoid these ten biggest personal statement mistakes

No formatting of any type is allowed in your personal statement (except using capital letters), so any bold, italic, or underlined words will disappear in the preview.

Tabs and multiple spaces will be condensed to a single space, so it is not possible to indent lines. Single spaces at the beginning of lines will also be removed.

You have a very limited set of special characters. Common symbols that aren't allowed are € and the special quote characters “ ‘ ’ ” which will simply be removed from your statement, so remember to replace quotes with " and '.

Backslashes (\) are also not allowed, but will be replaced with forward slashes (/) and curly brackets will be replaced with normal ones.

What’s the most important part of the personal statement?

Write about your aspirations in a meaningful way. The crucial bit about a personal statement is where you talk about the subject you are applying for and why you want to do this at uni. Admissions tutors will always focus on this bit – so make this interesting and not just a list of books. Your personality should emerge here – they should be able to understand what is driving you to apply for this course, as well as getting a sense of your energy and enthusiasm.

• Read more: how to write your university application

Should I talk about what I want to do after university?

You could, but only if you have a good idea of what you want to do. If you sound sure about what you want to do after uni it gives the impression that you’ve thought carefully about your course and what you want to do with it. It's also a nice way to round off your statement, rather than finishing on less important stuff like extra curricular activities. If you don’t have any future plans, then leave this bit out – you don’t want to be asked about them at interviews.

Should I talk about my qualifications?

No. There’s already a section on the Ucas form for this, so don’t waste the space on your personal statement. If you have something important which doesn’t go in the qualifications section, ask your referee to put it down in your reference – it will sound better if it comes from them than from you. This goes for module marks as well. Some people are told they should try to link each A-level to the course they are applying for. It can be far more effective to focus your time and space on talking about the subject you are applying for – that is what matters.

How do I write it for two different courses?

There’s no easy way to write a personal statement for two totally unrelated courses. If the courses are similar you may find you can write a statement relevant to both, without mentioning either subject by name. If the courses are completely unrelated, it may be impossible to write for both subjects without your personal statement sounding vague and unfocused. Instead you will need to concentrate on just one subject and just ignore the other – it sometimes works!

What are admissions tutors looking for?

Different admissions tutors are looking for different things, but in general they will be thinking things like:  “Do we want this student on this course?” , and  “Do we want this student at this university?”  And most will be looking for an interest in the subject you are applying for that goes beyond simply your A-level syllabus/reading list. 

Remember, most universities and departments now publish information on applications and writing personal statements, so reading the subject section of their website might list more specific information on exactly what they’re looking for. If in doubt, google the name of the university along with the subject/course and admissions statement.

• Read more: 6 steps you need to take to apply to university

Is it worth doing loads of extracurricular stuff to make it sound good?

There’s no point doing extra things just to try and make yourself look good to universities – you won’t enjoy it and it probably won’t help much either. An interest and aptitude for the course is likely to be more important to admissions tutors than lots of extracurricular activities. If you do want to do something to boost your application, read relevant books or do work experience related to the subject instead. 

What happens if I lie on the personal statement?

If you aren't confident that the universities will accept you based on your predicted grades or something else, you might reconsider applying. 

It's best not to write anything which you can't back up in interview if necessary. Interviewers can and do bring up nearly anything in a personal statement as a basis for questions. 

Any last tips?

What have you done that's relevant to your subject, that is unique, and that it's likely no one else is going to write about in their personal statement? Many people have similar interests and work experience, so you need something to separate you from the crowd. For example, everyone who applies for economics seems to read The Economist, The Financial Times, and The Guardian. So if you put down those, don't expect them to be amazed by your reading around the subject. Have a deeper think – what makes you special? 

• Read more: how to write your personal statement in an evening

And the most important thing?

Finally, remember that it’s your personal statement, and you can write  whatever you want  on it. If everything in this guide conflicts with what you’ve got already, but you think you still have a killer personal statement, then use that. A personal statement is about  you , and you shouldn’t let anyone tell you what to put – sticking blindly to a formula will just stop your true personality showing through.

Tricks to squeeze more in

• Remember it's a personal statement, and leave out anything unnecessary.
• Don't repeat yourself.
• Cut out the waffle – be concise!
• Get rid of pointless words, such as very specific details or unecessary adjectives
• Ask your referee to mention some stuff that you cannot
• Get some structure to your statement
• If you can't get it under the line/character limit, you may just have to chop whole sentences

What should I do once I’ve written it?

Get people's opinions on it! Show it to your friends, parents, teachers, career advisors and so on and note down their comments. The most useful comments are likely to come from your teachers in the subject and the people at your school or college who handle Ucas applications. If you have enough time, leave your personal statement for a couple of weeks to a month and come back to it – if you’re not still happy with what you wrote, it’s time to start redrafting.

Definitely do not post it on an internet forum or discussion board. If your personal statement is published online before your application is complete, it may get picked up by Ucas' plagiarism detection .

You may want to look at these...

The ucas personal statement is changing in 2025.

A question-based personal statement will be required as part of university applications from autumn 2025 onwards

Teacher secrets for writing a great personal statement

Writing a personal statement is one of the most important things you will do when applying to university. Here is some useful advice and insider knowledge from Mrs Kinetta, who has more than 25 years of experience as a sixth form tutor.

How to write an excellent personal statement in 10 steps

Help and advice on putting your application together

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Can You Re-use Your Personal Statement For UCAS?

In General , University by Think Student Editor May 10, 2022 Leave a Comment

A personal statement is essentially a description of you. It is used to inform universities of your interests, talents and accomplishments. This will make you seem like a desirable applicant.

Applying to university can be a stressful time. Your personal statement may seem daunting to write. But this article will help to put your mind at ease. By breaking it into steps, it can become much easier.

Your personal statement is an account that you have written yourself. Therefore, you are able to reuse it for different UCAS applications because it is about you and written by you. There are copy catch systems in the personal statement library, owned by UCAS. These detect whether your personal statement is similar to previous entries. However, if your same name is used, then it is not plagiarism and can be reused.

In this article, I will break down the most common questions regarding personal statements to hopefully make them easier for you to understand.

Table of Contents

Can you re-use your personal statement for UCAS if you have applied multiple times?

As I have previously mentioned, UCAS can easily detect whether your personal statement is similar to other entries they have received. If your statement is similar to another by thirty percent or more, UCAS will be notified. To learn more about this, look here at this UCAS guide.

However, if the similar statement was also entered by you, then it will not be classed as plagiarism. Your new personal statement will not be compared to your previous ones. Your statement will only be redundant if it is similar to another applicant’s personal statement.

Do you have to change your personal statement if you are applying to the same university?

You do not have to change your personal statement at all. However, it may be a good idea to do this if you didn’t get in the first time. It is not recommended to use the same personal statement if you didn’t get into your chosen university with it. This may be because certain things are missing. There are plenty of things you could add to make your personal statement even better.

Universities may expect you to add new experiences to your personal statement, which you have collated over the previous year.

If you want to discover how to boost your personal statement and stand out from the crowd, click here to visit the UCAS website.

Should you re-use your personal statement when re-applying to medical school?

The simple answer is no. Medical school universities expect you to write a new personal statement if you didn’t get a place the first-time round. It can of course be similar to your previous personal statement (as you are the same person!) but certain features would be expected to change.

For example, you can write about the same qualities and experiences that have made you want to apply for the course. However, in your new statement, you could write about your experiences in the last year and how you have retained commitment to your goals.

Therefore, if you don’t get into medical school the first time, it may be useful to have a productive gap year, meaning that you can add even more exciting things to your personal statement, which would make the universities want to give you a place.

Why is it important to write your own personal statement?

It is easy to think that writing a good personal statement can easily get you into university . However, you must remember the interviews. If you were to copy ideas from other applicant’s personal statements or write about things that you don’t know about, this could affect your chance of impressing the interviewer.

This is because they may ask you questions about your personal statement. This means that you should never reuse other people’s ideas and should make the content as true to yourself as possible. You need to be prepared to talk about your personal statement, so make sure that you are familiar with what you have written and are ready to impress the interviewer!

If you would like to explore more in-depth tips on how to smash that university interview, check out the Think Student article on top tips for interviews, by clicking this link .

How long does the personal statement for UCAS have to be?

A personal statement needs to contain a lot of information – considering its purpose is to summarise you! However, there is a 4,000-character limit. This results in an average of only 550-1,000 words. Your personal statement will therefore only be about a side of A4.

However, you are only able to submit one personal statement when applying for five courses in one year. This means that your personal statement must be applicable for all of the courses you are applying to. This can be quite a challenging feat to achieve. If you need some guidance, the UCAS website can be helpful if you click here.

What should your personal statement include?

Your personal statement has quite a short word limit, because of this you need to make your sentences short but impactful with plenty of information which puts you in the best light. The best personal statements include reasons about why you want a place on the course. Therefore, it would be best if you check out each individual course’s website, this will show that you have researched the university’s courses and are eager to learn.

You should also highlight any qualities and characteristics you have which you think will be beneficial to bring to the course. It would also be useful to mention any work you have done, for example volunteering, work experience or super curricular activities.

The purpose of your personal statement is to present your best self to persuade a university to give you a place. Therefore, you shouldn’t rush it and you must proofread again and again to give yourself the best possible chance of success. To make sure your personal statement includes everything you need, check out this article on the Think Student website, by clicking this link.

How do you write an Oxbridge personal statement?

Oxford and Cambridge are two of the hardest universities in the world to get into. You must make sure that your personal statement is as good as it can possibly be in order to stand out from the crowd. It is best not to reuse any previous personal statements and focus on new experiences which could help you get into the course.

The best tip for writing an Oxbridge personal statement is to start writing as early as possible. This is because it requires an immense amount of preparation. You also need to focus on being original and not falling into the trap of using clichés.

The number of applications that say, “I’ve always been interested in this” and “ever since I was young” is too many. You should aim to stand out. Focus on your academic success and try and immerse yourself in as many experiences as possible. Tell them about unique hobbies you have and your goals for the future. Personal statements are your chance to look your best.

Good luck with writing your personal statements!

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How to write a UCAS personal statement

Writing a great personal statement

Read our guide on what it is, what to include, how to start, length and what makes a good personal statement 

Once you've decided which universities and courses to apply for, completing your application is pretty simple – until it comes to how to write your UCAS personal statement.

This guide covers everything you need to know about how to write a personal statement for university. We look at what it is and how you can start your personal statement. We've also got questions to guide you and a suggested personal statement structure you can use so you know what to put in it.

If you'd like even more resources, support and UCAS personal statement examples, you can sign up to access our personal statement hub .

What is the UCAS personal statement?

How universities use your ucas personal statement, how to start a ucas personal statement.

• Get feedback on your UCAS personal statement

The personal statement is part of your UCAS application. It's how you show your chosen universities why you'll make a great student and why they should make you an offer.

Your personal statement also helps you think about your choice of course and your reasons for applying, so you know you’ve made the right decision.

Get feedback on your personal statement

Sign up to our personal statement hub to get feedback on your draft. You'll also get access to videos, help sheets and more tips.

Sign up now

UCAS personal statement word limit

Your personal statement length can be up to 4,000 characters long. 

This may sound a lot, but it's a word limit of around 550–1000 words with spaces and only about 1 side of typed A4 paper.

You need to keep it concise and make sure it's clear and easy to read.

Applying for multiple courses

Although you can apply for up to 5 courses on your UCAS application, you can only submit 1 personal statement. So it needs to cover all your course choices.

If you really want to show your commitment to applying for different courses, we will accept a second personal statement from you to reflect your application e.g. if you are applying for Law elsewhere, but Criminology and Criminal Justice with us.

Lots of students who apply to university have achieved the basic entry requirements and many more students apply than there are places available. Admissions teams can use your UCAS personal statement to get to know you and decide why you're more suitable than other applicants.

Some universities read every personal statement and score them. Then they use them alongside your qualifications and grades to decide whether to offer you a place or interview. Other universities put less emphasis on the personal statement and use it with students who have borderline entry requirements.

Universities might refer to your personal statement again on results day if you don't get the grades you need. So a good personal statement could clinch you a uni place even if your grades aren't what you hoped for.

Starting your personal statement can seem scary when you're staring at a blank screen. But, things will seem less daunting once you start.

• Set aside some time in a place where you're comfortable and won't be disturbed. Grab a notepad or computer.
• Write down anything and everything that's influenced your decision to go to university and study your chosen subject. Jot down your skills and experience too.
• Use the questions below to guide you. Don't worry about the personal statement length at this point – you can cut things out later.

When to start your UCAS personal statement

Ideally, you want to leave yourself plenty of time – a few weeks or even months – to plan and write your personal statement.

Try not to leave it to the last minute, as tempting as this may seem when you've got so many other things to think about.

Questions to guide you

Your motivation.

• Why do you want to study at university?
• Why do you want to study this subject?
• How did you become interested in this subject?
• What career do you have in mind after university?

Academic ability and potential

• How have your current studies affected your choice?
• What do you enjoy about your current studies?
• What skills have you gained from your current studies?
• How can you demonstrate you have the skills and qualities needed for the course?
• What qualities and attributes would you bring to the course and university?

Your experience

• What work experience (including part-time, charity and volunteer work) do you have and what have you learnt from it?
• What positions of responsibility have you held? (For example, prefect, captain of a team or member of a committee)
• What relevant hobbies or interests do you have and what skills have they helped you develop?
• What transferable skills do you have, such as self motivation, team working, public speaking, problem solving and analytical thinking?

Research and reading

• How do you keep up with current affairs or news in your chosen subject?
• What journals or publications relevant to your chosen subject do you read?
• Which people have influenced you, such as artists, authors, philosophers or scientists?

Now it's time to write your personal statement using your notes. It's best to draft it on a computer, and remember to save it regularly.

You can copy and paste it into your UCAS application when you're happy with it.

Personal statement structure

While there's no set template for a personal statement, you may find it useful to follow this personal statement structure when you decide what to put in your statement.

What to include in a personal statement

• Reasons for choosing this subject(s)
• Current studies and how these relate to your chosen subject(s)
• Experiences and how these relate to your chosen subject(s)
• Interests and responsibilities and how these relate to your chosen subject(s)
• Your future after university
• Summary including why you'll make a great student

Further tips for a good UCAS personal statement

• Use information on university websites and the UCAS website. This often includes the skills and qualities universities are looking for in applicants
• Ask friends, family and teachers to remind you of activities you've participated in. They might remember your successes better than you do
• Don’t include lists in your application, like a list of all your hobbies. Focus on 1 or 2 points and talk about them in depth to show their relevance to your application
• Explain and evidence everything. It’s easy to say you have a skill, but it's better to demonstrate it with an example of when and how you’ve used it
• Avoid clichéd lines such as ‘I've always wanted to be a teacher’ as it says nothing about your motivations or experiences
• If you’re applying for a joint degree or different subjects, give equal time to each area and try to find common aspects that show their similarities
• Never lie or plagiarise another statement – you'll be caught and it could result in your application being automatically rejected
• Proofread your personal statement by reading it out loud and ask friends, family or a teacher to check it for you

Sign up to our personal statement hub

Watch videos, get top tips and download our help sheets – that's what our personal statement hub is for. It's for you to write your story, so you can show your strengths, ideas and passion to your chosen universities.

You'll also be able send us your draft, so you can get feedback and feel confident about what you've written.

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