Tips For Writing Your Personal Statement
Thomas Culpan
Business with Marketing BA(Hons)
Hi, I’m Tom, a final-year student at the University of Huddersfield. I know Personal Statement writing can feel a tad overwhelming at first, but see it as the perfect opportunity to stand out from the crowd and show what you bring to the university.
When it comes to writing your Personal Statement, you’re not alone. There are many different support networks to help you along the way, whether it’s your college, your parents, or even your friends
Make the most of the support available
When writing my Personal Statement, I made sure to seek as much support as I could. My college made sure I could show tutors what I had written and gave me tips on how to adapt and improve to give the best account of myself.
Staff also held sessions on how to structure the statement and what to include - and don’t forget you can show your family and friends also to help you along the way.
How to write your Personal Statement
The structure of your Personal Statement is also important. Even though it sounds simple it’s important to use paragraphs that have a clear start, middle and end.
This will make it easy and clear for the reader to learn all about you and your achievements, as well as allowing you to keep your writing clear, concise and within the word count.
Another way you could approach this is through three sections:
- Why do you like the course?
- Why are you suitable for the course and what you have done?
- Why you will have a positive impact on the course and the university?
This will give the reader all the information they need to see exactly why they need you at their university. Make sure you sell yourself the best you can - at the end of the day, they want to know all about you!
What to include in your Personal Statement
Now you know how to structure your statement, it’s time to understand the best things to include to set you apart from the competition.
Firstly, you need to include the reasons why you are choosing the course and your passion behind it.
You should also include any of your current and past employment and work experiences - this doesn’t need to be related to the course you are wanting to take, and will show your willingness to work and learn.
Next, make sure to include your relevant skills, abilities, and education qualifications and show why you’re someone the university not only wants, but needs. After this, you can include all the personable skills, traits, and experiences.
Tell your reader what your career aspirations are that are linked to the course, any achievements that would be of interest, as well as any extra-curricular activities and interests outside of studying.
My final advice
- Use your support networks – they are there to help, you so make sure you use them!
- Sell yourself. A Personal Statement isn’t an exam, so don’t panic. Just tell your reader all about what you can bring to the university.
- Be clear and concise. Make sure you keep your work paragraphed and well-written - the easier for the reader, the better!
- Don’t stress! Writing your Personal Statement can feel daunting and overwhelming, so take your time with it and don’t panic, you are doing great!
More student life articles?
What is life like as a student? Hear it straight from our current students as they write about their student experience.
How to choose your university
How do you know which university is right for you? Read blogs from our students on why they decided Huddersfield was the place for them.