lse philosophy and economics personal statement

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Personal statements

Read the phrasing carefully.

Different institutions will phrase what they want to see in their personal statement differently, some examples (as of September 2013) and how you could break the wording down to ensure you address everything are below:

Example of application guidance from LSE:

You must submit a personal statement with your application form. This should be between 1,000 and 1,500 words. It should describe your academic interests and your purpose and objectives in undertaking graduate study. 

Suggestions of what to include for this phrasing:

• Outline what are your academic interests specifically
• How they are related to the course.
• How do you see the course furthering these interests?
• Do you have previous experience of studying these areas?
• Was your undergraduate dissertation, major project or a group presentation relevant to the course or your academic interests?
•  Have you attended conferences, seminars or networking events outside your studies to increase your knowledge?
• What have you learnt recently,
• and how does this link to the course you are applying for?
• Perhaps you can link your academic interests to work experience you have gained?
• Purpose in undertaking graduate study  – Why are you applying for postgraduate study? This could be linked to discussing your academic interests, or perhaps you have a career orientated goal.
• Objectives in undertaking graduate study  – What do you hope to achieve by the end of your postgraduate study, whether educationally or professionally? If you have professional objectives, how will this course help you move towards your career goal?
• What else?  – you could also include some of the suggestions in the guidelines below, but make sure you address everything in their description.

Example of application guidance from SOAS:

Your personal statement should be no more than 1,000 words. It should include the reasons why you are interested in the programme, highlight your relevant experience and suitability for the programme as well as future plans. 

• Why you are interested in the programme  – Look at the course content carefully to decide what it is that most interests you in the programme content-wise. Discuss any relevant research or coursework you might have done in the past, and include technical language or language that shows you have a grasp of the topic.
• Relevant experience  – think back to your work experience, extracurricular activities and voluntary experiences and reflect upon relevant projects you might have worked on, tasks you were set or research you conducted that demonstrates relevance to the course. You might not feel you have this experience yet, but perhaps you have worked in a relevant sector and you could show your technical and commercial understanding.
• Suitability for the programme  – Think about the skills you might need to succeed in this programme. What is your experience that makes you suitable for the programme? Perhaps you will reflect on study or research skills that you have gained, or maybe you’ll need strong negotiation, communication or presentation skills which you gained through mooting or as a student representative? If you can show you were engaged with your undergraduate university’s community then this might be a good place to mention what you did.
• Future plans  – What are your career aspirations and how do you see the course furthering these?

Writing a personal statement

If they do not specify what to include in your personal statement, areas you might want to include are below. There is no set order of when to mention what but starting your personal statement with your most relevant point is advised.

Motivations

• Why are you applying for the programme?
• What do you hope to gain from the programme?
• What is it that interests you about the subject? Can this be related to your previous education or work experience (see below)?
• What are your career aspirations and how will this course help you achieve them?

Educational experience and commercial knowledge

• Do you have past education that gives you the knowledge base you need for the course?
• Is your undergraduate dissertation relevant? Tell the tutor about it and the research methods you used (especially if applying for a research masters).
• Perhaps you like to keep up with current news in the sector you hope to go into. You could mention a topical issue and discuss how you see the course furthering your understanding.

Work experience

• Have you gained work experience in a field relevant to the course or relevant to your career ambitions? Can you link this experience to your motivation to wanting to continue studying in this field?
• Tell the tutor about this experience and reflect on how this could help with the course or use it as an example of your motivation for continued study in a related area.
• If you are a mature student returning to study, why are you returning? Are you looking to make a career change? Why, and how, do you expect the course will support your new ambition?

Other experience

• Include your extracurricular and voluntary experience too. Tutors want rounded people on their course; show that you engaged in university life during your undergraduate course or that you gained some relevant skills or experiences through volunteering.

Anything else

• You can outline your main achievements, awards or successes in competitions. Think about the course you are applying for and if there is anything they might be particularly impressed by.
• Mention relevant summer schools, overseas study or conferences/ short courses you might have attended that are related to the course.

Other circumstances

• Deferred entry – if you would like to start the course the following year explain to the course tutor what you will be doing with the next year.

Final checks

• Spelling and grammar – this will give the course tutor an idea as to your writing skills, so ensure there are no mistakes.
• Abbreviations and acronyms – explain any you have used.
• Content structure – ensure the paragraphs make sense and that the document flows well. Don’t repeat yourself by revisiting an experience or educational point.
• Don’t write a narrative of your life, from leaving school to current day.
• Be positive; don’t use negative language i.e. Although I have little experience of…
• Adhere to the word count (where applicable) or if there isn’t one, keep your statement to two to three pages of A4.

If you are already a student at LSE and would like LSE Careers to check your personal statement before you submit it please  make an appointment for a careers discussion  on CareerHub. It is also advised that if your application is fairly technically subject specific that you get an academic to check the content for accuracy.

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LSE University Personal Statements

These UCAS personal statements have been kindly provided by students applying to London School of Economics. You can click on one of the links below to view the entire statement and find out if the applicant was offered a place.

You can also view our entire collection of personal statements or view personal statements for application at other universities .

History Personal Statement Example 3 Recently, I found out that my grandma was gambled into slavery for seven years. She escaped her prison and made her way back to Hong Kong, 300 miles south. I was amazed at how courageous she was. This personal discovery led me to read Jung Chang's 'Wild Swans' which made me both proud and ashamed of my heritage...

Mathematics and Economics Personal Statement Example 1 As Pythagoras may have said, (Ambitious)2 + (Bold)2 = (Critical thinker)2 makes a perfect student and is what I strive to be. From the simple Pythagorean to the complex Fermat's Last Theorem, mathematics is a never ending branch of study which I enthusiastically enjoy studying and why I wish to pursue it even further at university...

Economics and Politics Personal Statement Example 1 "I killed the bank": the last words of Andrew Jackson, former president of the US, after he had vetoed to renew the charter and withdraw all federal deposits from banks causing them to bust. Real money was backed with gold shortly after, causing the greatest economic boom in history for the US where no income tax was implemented...

Maths and Actuarial Science Personal Statement Example Maths is a subject like no other; its complexity makes it a challenging and often frustrating area of study, however the logic behind every problem leaves a feeling of certainty about it. My devotion to the subject has grown exponentially, especially in recent years...

Geography Personal Statement Example 1 At first glance, my A Level choices appear scientifically biased, but they underpin key topics studied in Geography. I enjoy investigating the theories of global economies, population and poverty. The mathematics I have studied enables me to manipulate raw data meaningfully...

Anthropology Personal Statement Example 1 Completing my sixth form education at a multicultural boarding school has allowed me to experience a wide social and cultural diversity that I never would have expected in a school environment, in great contrast to the subtle ethnocentrism of my previous schooling...

Anthropology Personal Statement Example 2 My fascination with human behaviour and the motivations behind human actions has existed for most of my adult life, to determine a cause however I would accredit this to the voluntary work I participated in with Crisis Single Persons Homeless charity...

Mathematics and Economics Personal Statement Example 2 Every day we make decisions and interact with others; the laws of economics help us make rational choices and consider the irrationality of others, as well as understand the world better. Maths and statistics are the necessary tools for me to understand the modern economics...

Politics Personal Statement Example 5 My background, living in three major metropolises, Lagos, London and Aberdeen bestowed me a very diverse, open, multicultural way of thinking. The cultural shock of Lagos widened my eyes to vastness of the world and prepped my involvement in the Community Development Committee, allowing me to get in touch with all sectors of Nigerian society; here my interest in sociology, politics and government took flight...

Maths & Actuarial Science Personal Statement Example 1 "It has become a very strange and perhaps frightening subject from the ordinary point of view,but anyone who penetrates into it will find a veritable fairyland"( Kasner E and Newman J).This saying is perhaps the most fitted to describe my enthusiasm for Maths...

Business & Management Personal Statement Example There is no limit to what you can learn and how much you can earn from it. Instilled with this belief by my father, I have since the beginning learnt to approach the world differently. I view that knowledge can be applied practically not only to earn a living, but also to earn wisdom...

Mathematics and Engineering Personal Statement Example Questions regarding the reason for my liking of mathematics have only one answer: mathematical logic and concepts contribute to a practical approach in every aspect of life. It is the diversity and universal applicability of this subject that encourages me to delve further and study it in depth...

Economics and Economic History Personal Statement Example Over the past few years I have developed a strong interest in the Economic history of the UK. I have become interested in how the UK's economic policy over centuries has built the UK into one of the world's most economically developed countries today...

Economics Personal Statement Example 23 It would not be foolish to contemplate the possibility of a far greater progress still. John Maynard Keynes From childhood I was bred to learn and the passion to understand has become a trait of my character...

Accountancy & Management Personal Statement Example I have chosen to study combined degrees in Accounting and Finance or Economics because I intend to further my studies towards developing a career in financial consultancy. Accountancy and Finance remain central elements of the dynamics of commerce, that define the way a firm, shareholders and society at large interact on multiple platforms...

European Social & Political Studies Personal Statement Example In my opinion, the problems societies face today deserve an in-depth analysis which draws on different disciplines of thought for its relevance; furthermore the implementations of strategies to combat problems must take into account more than one academic approach if they are going to be positively effective...

Economics Personal Statement Example 28 While working in the stock broker I became 100% sure that I wanted to study Economics at university. I gained employment at a Stock Broker office as a Monitor Operator in Bangladesh and my duty was to monitor the daily price list of trading of shares at the beginning of the day and then preparing trading reports at the end...

Sociology Personal Statement Example 12 A Gospel choir tour around South Africa was the catalyst for my fascination with human culture. As I travelled I was able to directly experience a multiplicity of cultures even within this one country...

Anthropology Personal Statement Example 7 Coming from a mixed religious background, the comparison between cultural practices has touched me deeply, personally and profoundly. I have been able to observe the influence of culture on people's perspectives and world views...

Politics & Social Policy Personal Statement Example The ever-changing nature and diversity of politics is fascinating. The rapid social and political development in Russia in the early 2000s, still surrounded by the left-overs, if not quite the toppled statues of the previous socialist regime, kindled my interest in politics...

PPE/Economics Personal Statement Example Humanity today stands at the intersection of the most significant questions facing the world today: if democracy leads to political infighting, should it be sacrificed in the interest of economic well-being? Does religious fundamentalism provide a way for countries in the developing world to assert their identity in the face of Western hegemony? Does the entry of Western consumer goods threaten a country’s economic self-sufficiency? The answers of these questions will determine what the nature of our world is in the twenty-first century...

Sociology Personal Statement Example 14 The need for the study of Sociology in society is, arguably, universally fundamental. The study of society is of paramount importance in solving social problems of great magnitude such as poverty and family disorganisation...

• University specific personal statements
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CollegeLAH is a website by the students for the students, featuring the honest story of applications and university life as told by Malaysians. It’s a non-profit social project to help Malaysian students to achieve their higher-education dreams and inspire them to reach their full potential. 

Philosophy, Politics and Economics Personal Statement (Edmund Kong)

Edmund Kong is currently studying Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) at the London School of Economics. Edmund completed his A-Levels at Sunway University and is graduating in 2023.  This personal statement was part of his successful application to  and LSE, King’s College London  and University of Warwick  for PPE. 

Stepping into my father’s BMW, I watched as my rural Malay friends got on their motorcycles, heading back to their villages. National Service had ended, and now we were heading for two different worlds. For me, tertiary education overseas. For them, education had ended. This was it.

Startled by the chasms of inequality that locked us into two different worlds, I resonated with the idealism of Marxism in my online Politics course, decrying inequality in all its forms as morally reprehensible. But rethinking that ethical judgement after reading Piketty’s “Capital”, I wondered, “What was morally wrong about inequality, when absolute poverty was not involved?”. Those lagging behind in OECD countries were not starving, they were just not as rich as others. But studying Malaysia lead me to conclude that inequality, mattered.

Malaysia’s strong and centralized state spared her the ugly fates of other nations in “Why Nations Fail”, and we developed rapidly instead. But growth still came from extractive institutions. The ruling elite’s economic clout swelled in this period, allowing it to dispense patronage, buy out media outlets and engage in corruption, monopolizing power. Watching a party official buy votes from hundreds in rural areas during my time in the Service, I concluded that while extractive institutions breed inequality, inequality sustained extractive institutions, locking us in a vicious cycle.

Statistical analysis from A level Math helped my study of economic data, revealing rising interracial inequality, isolating races along class lines and entrenching communalism in Malaysia. Unlike the nations that fell apart from racial conflict, communalism was mediated by the ruling party, which resembled Lijphart’s consociational model. But the party saw an opportunity to cement its grip on power. Instead of minimising conflict, it stoked racial economic insecurities, creating a state of perpetual, but managed conflict, so that its role as the Grand Mediator was indispensable. Fearing chaos, everyone kept the mediator who sow the seeds of discord around indefinitely. Inequality exacerbated communalism, forcing us to adopt consociationalism, a formula monopolized by a single corrupt party that made sure there were no alternatives to it.

Studying the Rohingya Genocide through an International Relations Conference showed me how high the risks for miscalculation were with the party’s tactics. But stories of pregnant children also reminded me of Ivan Karamazov’s passionate indictment, leading me to doubt if God existed. I was still unsure after reading T.J.Mawson’s “Belief in God”, given the plethora of arguments from evil. Ruminating on the Problem of Evil after reading Mark S.M. Scott’s “Pathways in Theodicy”, I realized that there was also an important question of our response to evil. The prevalence of evil required Philosophy, Politics and Economics to join forces to identify evil, the structures engendering it and to call out moral actors responsible. To respond to evil, I needed all three.

To understand these responses, I joined and won regional Debating and Public Policy competitions adjudicated by the World Bank and EY, sharpening my reasoning skills. After regime change, I lead a national student lobby that secured increased financial aid for education despite an austere climate. Articulating our arguments on mainstream and “New Media”, securing bipartisan support in Parliament, drafting papers that equipped a Minister to convince the Prime Minister, winning his support; these experiences helped me to forge stellar writing and verbal skills, but more importantly, strengthened my resolve to study our political and economic structures with their underlying ethical frameworks.

A spectre of oppression now hovers over Southeast Asia. But studying PPE will allow me to defend Malaysia, a beachhead for our region’s fight, for the freedom that never came.

DISCLAIMER:  The personal statements on this site are strictly meant as a starting point to give an idea of how successful personal statements look like. There is no surefire formula to writing good personal statements.  COLLEGELAH IS STRICTLY AGAINST PLAGIARISM OF ANY KIND .  UCAS employs a plagiarism check system  that checks applicants’ work against other published writing so please  DO NOT PLAGIARISE.

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BSc Politics and Economics

Introduction, preliminary readings.

Politics and economics affect every aspect of our lives – from how countries are run to how our taxes are spent. This degree programme looks at these two subjects from a broad social science perspective.

You’ll get a solid grounding in key political concepts and theories and compare political systems in different countries and cultures. The programme delves into core analytical methods in economics. You’ll study the microeconomic and macroeconomic principles that underpin the financial markets and learn about quantitative methods and mathematical tools.

Taught by an internationally renowned teaching team, you’ll apply your learning to real-world problems – such as why, as economies get richer, people are often not any happier.

The programme is divided equally between politics and economics and you can tailor your studies to your interests and career aspirations. Our graduates go on to pursue highly rewarding and well-paid careers in government, policy setting, the financial markets, consultancy, IT and many other sectors.

If you wish to gain further insight into the subject we suggest that you look at one or more of the following books:

The general character of politics

• J Colomer The Science of Politics: an introduction (Oxford University Press, 2011)
• R Goodin The Oxford Handbook of Political Science (Oxford University Press, 2009)
• I Katznelson and H Milner (eds.) Political Science: state of the discipline (New York: Wiley, 2002)

Political thought

Many classic texts of political thought are readily available in a variety of editions:

• Machiavelli The Prince
• J S Mill Considerations on Representative Government
• M Wollstonecraft A Vindication of the Rights of Women

Political analysis and political institutions

• W R Clark, M Golder and S Nadenichek Golder Principles of Comparative Politics (CQ Press, 2009)
• P Dunleavy and J Dryzek Theories of the Democratic State (Palgrave Macmillan, 2009)
• R Morton Analyzing Elections (Norton, 2006)
• E Ostrom, Governing the Commons: the evolution of institutions for collective action(Cambridge University Press, 1990/2015)
• A V Banerjee and E Duflo  Poor Economics: barefoot hedge-fund managers, DIY doctors and the surprising truth about life on less than $1 a day  (Penguin, 2012)
• T Harford  The Undercover Economist  (Abacus, 2007)
• T Harford The Logic of Life  (Little Brown, 2009)
• P Krugman  End This Depression Now!  (W W Norton, 2012)
• S D Levitt and S J Dubner  Freakonomics  (Penguin, 2007)
• S D Levitt and S J Dubner  Superfreakonomics  (Penguin, 2010)

The UK launch of these books was held at LSE.  Listen to a podcast  of these authors speaking in the Old Theatre, along with many other talks.

You can also have a look at one or more economics textbooks, to gain a clear idea of what the serious university study of the subject involves, which will differ from these popular presentations. Although the texts and editions listed below are currently recommended for the first year, other editions of these books and other university-level textbooks are also entirely valid for this first investigation.

• N G Mankiw  Macroeconomics  (7th edition, Worth Publishers, 2010)
• W Morgan, M L Katz and H Rosen  Microeconomics  (2nd edition, McGraw-Hill, 2009)

Entry requirements

Here, you can check our entry requirements for GCSEs, A-levels (please read them alongside our information about subject combinations) and the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma. We also consider applications from students with a range of other UK qualifications and from overseas. Please select the overseas button below and choose your country from the dropdown list to find the equivalency to A-levels of your qualification.

For GCSEs, you’ll need a strong pre-16 academic profile such as several GCSE grades of A (or 7) and A* (or 8-9).

We also ask for a good set of GCSE grades or equivalent across a broad range of subjects, with a minimum of grade B (or 6) in GCSE English and Mathematics.

AAA, including Mathematics

We also consider your AS grades, if available.

Contextual admissions A-level grades

AAB, including A in Mathematics

Read our undergraduate admissions information to learn more about contextual admissions.

A-level subject combinations

• We consider your combination of subjects as well as your grades.
• A broad mix of traditional academic subjects provides the best preparation for studying at LSE. We expect applicants to have at least two full A-levels (or equivalent) in these subjects.
• We’re looking for academic students with a genuine interest in and enthusiasm for the social and political sciences.
• There is no set subject combination, although A-level Mathematics (or equivalent) is required. Typical subject choices include Government and Politics, History, English, Economics, Sociology, Philosophy, languages and Mathematics.
• If you’ve taken Mathematics, Further Mathematics and one other subject at A-level, this may be considered a less competitive combination than a broader mix of essay-based and quantitative subjects.

Find out more about A-level subject combinations .

38 points overall, including 766 at higher level, including Mathematics

Contextual admissions IB grades

37 points overall, including 666 at higher level, including Mathematics

We welcome students from all walks of life at LSE. We want to recruit students with the very best academic merit, potential and motivation. So, whatever your background, please do apply. Get all the details on our general  entry requirements .

Competition for places at LSE is high. We cannot guarantee you an offer of a place even if you’re predicted or achieve our standard entry requirements.

Our standard offer requirements are intended only as a guide and, in some cases, you’ll be asked for different grades.

Programme content

Why study with us.

Discover more about our students and department.

Student stories

Meet the department.

The Department of Government is an internationally renowned centre for teaching and research on politics and government.

Within our department, we have 850 undergraduates, postgraduates and research students and more than 40 faculty staff – who come from 80 countries.

Our research focuses on six main areas:

• comparative politics
• conflict studies
• political behaviour and political psychology
• political economy and institutional analysis
• political theory
• public policy and public administration.

The department’s work covers national, sub-national and global politics – with a strong emphasis on public-facing research.

Teaching within the department draws on these strengths and our central role in a prestigious social science institution. As a student, you’ll learn from internationally renowned academics and study in the heart of London, close to the UK’s political heartland in Westminster and the Houses of Parliament.

Our students gain the knowledge and skills to become sharp-minded critical thinkers who apply diverse analytical perspectives to political issues and conflicts around the globe. We encourage students to reflect on what it means to be responsible for addressing urgent public problems and engage in these issues in practical ways to prepare for their future careers. Our graduates find fulfilling roles in government, financial and professional services, teaching and research.

Learn more about our programmes , research , public events  and  people .

Department of Government

2nd In Europe

5th In the world

1st We're ranked top university in London for the 12th year running

Carbon neutral in 2021 lse became the first carbon neutral verified university in the uk, your application, who attends.

We consider each application carefully, taking into account all the details you’ve included on your UCAS form, such as:

• academic achievement , including predicted and achieved grades (also see specific information about this programme in the "entry requirements" above)
• subjects and subject combinations  (also see specific information about this programme in the "entry requirements" above)
• your personal statement
• your teacher’s reference
• educational circumstances

You may also have to provide evidence of your English proficiency, although this is not needed at the application stage.  See our English language requirements page .

We’re looking for students who demonstrate:

• strong mathematical abilities and quantitative skills (as this is a mathematically rigorous programme)
• an awareness of and genuine interest in current political issues
• a willingness to read extensively
• an ability to analyse data
• an ability to evaluate and challenge conventional views
• good communication skills
• excellent time-management skills
• intellectual curiosity
• self-motivation and a willingness to work hard
• an equal interest in both politics and economics.

Fees and funding

The table of fees shows the latest tuition fees for all programmes.

You're charged a fee for each year of your programme. Your tuition fee covers registration and examination fees payable to the School, lectures, classes and individual supervision, lectures given at other colleges under intercollegiate arrangements and, under current arrangements, membership of the Students' Union. It doesn't cover living costs or travel or fieldwork.

Your tuition fees, and eligibility for any financial support, depend on whether you’re classified as a home or an overseas student – known as your fee status. We assess your fee status based on guidelines from the UK Government’s Department for Education.

Learn more about fee status classification .

Scholarships, bursaries and loans

We recognise that the cost of living in London may be higher than in your home town or country. LSE provides generous financial support, in the form of bursaries and scholarships, to UK, EU and overseas students.

Additionally, the UK Government provides loans to UK and some EU students. Some overseas governments also offer funding.

Further information on tuition fees, living costs, loans and scholarships .

Learning and assessment

How you learn, how you're assessed.

Format and contact hours: you’ll attend weekly lectures and classes. Lectures are given by full-time members of staff while classes are led by teaching fellows, who may either be recent doctoral degree recipients or PhD students. Learn more about the teacher responsible for each course in the relevant course guide .

Classes usually focus on a more detailed discussion of lecture topics and you’ll learn how to present and critique arguments. Classes are held in small groups, with a maximum of 15 students.

Below is a general outline of the time you’ll need to commit.

Lectures and classes

You’ll attend:

• four one-hour lectures per week during the Autumn and Winter Terms
• four hours of classes per week.

Hours vary according to the course. Get a broad idea of the study time involved in the Calendar within the Teaching section of each course guide .

Independent study

You’ll need to dedicate around:

• four hours of study (reading and writing preparation) for every hour of contact time
• this is roughly 30 hours of independent study per week.

Academic support

Academic mentor: you’ll meet with your academic mentor regularly to discuss your work. Your mentor can provide advice and guidance on academic issues and, where appropriate, personal concerns.

Other academic support: at LSE, we offer lots of opportunities to extend your learning outside the classroom.

LSE LIFE is a great place to get advice and practise the skills you’ll need during your studies and beyond.

Through LSE LIFE, you can:

• attend workshops on developing leadership skills, finding the right study/work/life balance and preparing for the world of work
• develop your reading, academic writing and critical-thinking skills
• gain experience of working in study groups and develop your cross-cultural communication and teamwork skills.

Disability and Mental Health Service: we want all LSE students to achieve their full potential. Students can access free, confidential advice through our Disability and Mental Health Service . This is the first point of contact for students.

Your timetable

• The standard teaching day runs from 9am to 6pm, Monday to Friday. Undergraduate teaching is not normally scheduled for Wednesdays after 12 noon to allow for sports, volunteering and other extra-curricular activities.
• The lecture and seminar timetable is published in mid-August and the full academic timetable (with information on classes) is published by mid-September via the LSE timetables web pages .
• All personal undergraduate timetables are published in LSE for You (LFY) . For personal timetables to appear, you must be registered at LSE, be signed up for courses in LFY and ensured that there are no unauthorised clashes in your course selections. We try our best to minimise changes once personal timetables have been published. However, you’ll be notified about any changes by email.

Formative unassessed coursework

All taught courses include formative coursework, which is not assessed. This helps prepare you for summative assessment. We use a wide range of formative assessment methods, such as essays, case studies, reports, quizzes and mock exams. Feedback on coursework is an essential part of the learning experience. Class teachers mark formative coursework and feedback is normally given within two weeks – provided the work is submitted on time.

Summative assessment

This assessment counts towards your final course mark and degree award.

Summative assessment varies from course to course but it may involve a written examination, assessed essays, a dissertation or in-class assessment.

Please note that assessment on individual courses can change from year to year. You’ll receive feedback on any summative coursework as part of the assessment for individual courses (except for final submitted dissertations). Feedback will normally be provided before the examination period.

See details of the current formative coursework and summative assessment for each course in the relevant course guide .

Find out more about LSE’s teaching and assessment methods .

Graduate destinations

Career support.

Politics graduates have a range of skills and can fit into a variety of positions in modern life. Our former students have followed careers in business and banking, in law, in central and local government, in teaching and research, in public and university administration, and in journalism and television.

Further information on graduate destinations for this programme

Median salary of our undergraduate students 15 months after graduating:

Top 4 sectors our students work in:.

From CV workshops through to careers fairs, LSE offers lots of information and support to help you make that all-important step from education into work.

Many of the UK’s top employers give careers presentations at the School during the year and there are numerous workshops covering topics such as job hunting, managing interviews, writing a cover letter and using LinkedIn.

See LSE Careers for further details.

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MSc Philosophy of Economics and the Social Sciences

• Graduate taught
• Department of Philosophy Logic and Scientific Method
• Application code V7U1
• Starting 2024
• Home full-time: Limited availability
• Home part-time: Limited availability
• Overseas full-time: Limited availability
• Location: Houghton Street, London

The MSc in Philosophy of Economics and the Social Sciences offers a unique opportunity to pursue a critical understanding of the methods of economics and other social sciences, alongside ethical questions about the use of science in policy, the economy, and civil society.

The LSE is widely recognised as the world’s leading social science university, and our department excels at philosophical research that is continuous with the social and natural sciences and is socially relevant. Teachers on the programme conduct pathbreaking research at the intersection of philosophy and a range of social sciences, including behavioural science, cognitive science, economics, health policy, data science, and politics. Courses that you can take as part of the degree address a wide range of questions in the field, including:

• What forms of explanation and understanding are possible in the social sciences, and how secure and objective is the knowledge they provide?
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of common methods in economics and parts of political science, e.g., modelling individuals as perfectly rational individuals who maximize the expected satisfaction of their preferences?How do they compare with other social sciences methods, such as those that focus on understanding people’s outlook, cultural identity, and the norms they wish to follow?
• What is the nature of social categories such as gender and race, and what roles do these categories play in shaping the social world and structuring human lives? Should we rethink these categories?
• How should we morally evaluate societies, both in terms of the distribution of opportunities and well-being they provide and in terms of the nature of the interpersonal relationships they engender?
• What are the merits and drawbacks of key forms of social organization, including markets, democratic deliberation, and top down hierarchies? How are these forms of social organization, and their impacts, changing due to new technologies, including Artificial Intelligence?
• What should the role of social sciences and the expertise they provide be in public debate and policy-making? How should scientific uncertainty and disagreement be handled in the public forum?

Programme details

For more information about tuition fees and entry requirements, see the fees and funding and assessing your application sections.

Entry requirements

Minimum entry requirements for msc philosophy of economics and the social sciences.

Upper second class honours (2:1) degree or equivalent in any discipline. You should also demonstrate a considered interest in the areas covered by the MSc.

Competition for places at the School is high. This means that even if you meet the minimum entry requirement, this does not guarantee you an offer of admission.

If you have studied or are studying outside of the UK then have a look at our  Information for International Students  to find out the entry requirements that apply to you.

Assessing your application

We welcome applications from all suitably qualified prospective students and want to recruit students with the very best academic merit, potential and motivation, irrespective of their background.

We carefully consider each application on an individual basis, taking into account all the information presented on your application form, including your:

- academic achievement (including predicted and achieved grades) - statement of academic purpose - two academic references - CV

See further information on supporting documents

You may also have to provide evidence of your English proficiency, although you do not need to provide this at the time of your application to LSE.  See our English language requirements .

When to apply

Applications for this programme are considered on a rolling basis, meaning the programme will close once it becomes full. There is no fixed deadline by which you need to apply, however, to be considered for any LSE funding opportunity, you must have submitted your application and all supporting documents by the funding deadline. See the fees and funding section for more details. 

Fees and funding

Every graduate student is charged a fee for their programme.

The fee covers registration and examination fees payable to the School, lectures, classes and individual supervision, lectures given at other colleges under intercollegiate arrangements and, under current arrangements, membership of the Students' Union. It does not cover living costs or travel or fieldwork.

Tuition fees 2024/25 for MSc Philosophy of Economics and the Social Sciences

Home students: £17,424  Overseas students: £27,480

The Table of Fees shows the latest tuition amounts for all programmes offered by the School.

The amount of tuition fees you will need to pay, and any financial support you are eligible for, will depend on whether you are classified as a home or overseas student, otherwise known as your fee status. LSE assesses your fee status based on guidelines provided by the Department of Education.

Further information about fee status classification.

Fee reduction

Students who completed undergraduate study at LSE and are beginning taught graduate study at the School are eligible for a  fee reduction  of around 10 per cent of the fee.

Scholarships and other funding

The School recognises that the  cost of living in London  may be higher than in your home town or country, and we provide generous scholarships each year to home and overseas students.

This programme is eligible for needs-based awards from LSE, including the  Graduate Support Scheme ,  Master's Awards , and  Anniversary Scholarships . 

Selection for any funding opportunity is based on receipt of an offer for a place and submitting a Graduate Financial Support application, before the funding deadline. Funding deadline for needs-based awards from LSE:  25 April 2024 .

In addition to our needs-based awards, LSE also makes available scholarships for students from specific regions of the world and awards for students studying specific subject areas.  Find out more about financial support.

Government tuition fee loans and external funding

A postgraduate loan is available from the UK government for eligible students studying for a first master’s programme, to help with fees and living costs. Some other governments and organisations also offer tuition fee loan schemes.

Find out more about tuition fee loans

Further information

Fees and funding opportunities

Information for international students

LSE is an international community, with over 140 nationalities represented amongst its student body. We celebrate this diversity through everything we do.  

If you are applying to LSE from outside of the UK then take a look at our Information for International students . 

1) Take a note of the UK qualifications we require for your programme of interest (found in the ‘Entry requirements’ section of this page). 

2) Go to the International Students section of our website. 

3) Select your country. 

4) Select ‘Graduate entry requirements’ and scroll until you arrive at the information about your local/national qualification. Compare the stated UK entry requirements listed on this page with the local/national entry requirement listed on your country specific page.

Part-time study Part time study is only available for students who do not require a student visa.

Programme structure and courses

You will choose philosophy course options from across the department for a total of three units. Out of this three units, subject to approval from the Programme Director, you may take up to one unit from options outside the department. In addition, you will take part in the non-assessed dissertation seminar. This will prepare you to complete your dissertation of 10,000 words, which will be on a topic in the philosophy of economics and/or other social sciences, broadly construed. The dissertation constitutes a further full unit, for a programme total of four units.

(* denotes half a unit)

One course from:

Philosophy of Economics

History of Economics: Making Political Economy into a Social Science*

History of Economics: Ideas, Policy and Performativity*

Rationality and Choice

Philosophy of Economics: Methodology and Foundations of Economics*

Philosophy of Economics: Ethics and Economics*

Business and Organisational Ethics*

Physics and Uncertainty: From Quantum Jumps to Stock Market Crashes*

Philosophy of the Social Sciences

Philosophy of Society*

Ethics of Data and AI*

Genes, Brains and Society*

Philosophy of Gender and Race*

Courses from a range of options up to the value of two units (students who take "Rationality and Choice" choose courses up to the value of one and half unit)

Dissertation Seminar (non-assessed) This non-assessed course will prepare you to write your dissertation.  

Dissertation An independent research project on an approved topic of your choice, of 10,000 words.

For the most up-to-date list of optional courses please visit the relevant School Calendar page .

You must note, however, that while care has been taken to ensure that this information is up to date and correct, a change of circumstances since publication may cause the School to change, suspend or withdraw a course or programme of study, or change the fees that apply to it. The School will always notify the affected parties as early as practicably possible and propose any viable and relevant alternative options. Note that the School will neither be liable for information that after publication becomes inaccurate or irrelevant, nor for changing, suspending or withdrawing a course or programme of study due to events outside of its control, which includes but is not limited to a lack of demand for a course or programme of study, industrial action, fire, flood or other environmental or physical damage to premises.

You must also note that places are limited on some courses and/or subject to specific entry requirements. The School cannot therefore guarantee you a place. Please note that changes to programmes and courses can sometimes occur after you have accepted your offer of a place. These changes are normally made in light of developments in the discipline or path-breaking research, or on the basis of student feedback. Changes can take the form of altered course content, teaching formats or assessment modes. Any such changes are intended to enhance the student learning experience. You should visit the School’s  Calendar , or contact the relevant academic department, for information on the availability and/or content of courses and programmes of study. Certain substantive changes will be listed on the  updated graduate course and programme information page.

Teaching and assessment

Contact hours and independent study.

You will typically have, for each examined course, at least 20 hours of lectures and 30 hours of seminars (seminar sizes do not normally exceed 15 students). Hours vary according to courses and you can view indicative details in the Calendar  within the Teaching section of each course guide . In addition, there will be 30 hours of teaching on the dissertation research and writing seminar. Additional contact time concerning one-on-one dissertation and class teaching support is available during office hours and by appointment at your request. You will be assigned an academic adviser within the Department who will be available to discuss your personal and academic concerns.

You are also expected to complete independent study outside of class time. This varies depending on the programme, but requires you to manage the majority of your study time yourself, by engaging in activities such as reading, note-taking, thinking and research.

Teaching methods

LSE is internationally recognised for its teaching and research and employs  teaching staff with a range of experience and status. Courses may be taught by individual members of faculty, such LSE Fellows, Assistant Professors, Associate Professors, and Professors. Many departments also employ Guest Teachers and visiting faculty. Graduate teaching assistants, who are usually doctoral research students, and in the majority of cases, teach classes for  undergraduate courses only. You can view indicative details for the teacher responsible for each course in the relevant  course guide .

All taught courses are required to include formative coursework which is unassessed. It is designed to help prepare you for summative assessment which counts towards the course mark and to the degree award. LSE uses a range of formative assessment, such as essays, problem sets, case studies, reports, quizzes, mock exams, team presentations and many others. Summative assessment may be conducted during the course or by final examination at the end of the course. An indication of the formative coursework and summative assessment for each course can be found in the relevant  course guide .

Extra-curricular activities and learning

Our students form a tight social group. The Department facilitates this by hosting a number of social occasions through the year. In addition, London has a wide range of opportunities for socialising, with a great many additional philosophical activities offered by the Institute of Philosophy and the University of London.

Academic support

You will be assigned an academic mentor who will be available for guidance and advice on academic or personal concerns.

There are many opportunities to extend your learning outside the classroom and complement your academic studies at LSE.  LSE LIFE  is the School’s centre for academic, personal and professional development. Some of the services on offer include: guidance and hands-on practice of the key skills you will need to do well at LSE: effective reading, academic writing and critical thinking; workshops related to how to adapt to new or difficult situations, including development of skills for leadership, study/work/life balance and preparing for the world of work; and advice and practice on working in study groups and on cross-cultural communication and teamwork.

LSE is committed to enabling all students to achieve their full potential and the School’s  Disability and Wellbeing Service  provides a free, confidential service to all LSE students and is a first point of contact for all disabled students.

Student support and resources

We’re here to help and support you throughout your time at LSE, whether you need help with your academic studies, support with your welfare and wellbeing or simply to develop on a personal and professional level.

Whatever your query, big or small, there are a range of people you can speak to who will be happy to help.  

Department librarians   – they will be able to help you navigate the library and maximise its resources during your studies. 

Accommodation service  – they can offer advice on living in halls and offer guidance on private accommodation related queries.

Class teachers and seminar leaders  – they will be able to assist with queries relating to specific courses. 

Disability and Wellbeing Service  – they are experts in long-term health conditions, sensory impairments, mental health and specific learning difficulties. They offer confidential and free services such as  student counselling,  a  peer support scheme  and arranging  exam adjustments.  They run groups and workshops.  

IT help  – support is available 24 hours a day to assist with all your technology queries.   

LSE Faith Centre  – this is home to LSE's diverse religious activities and transformational interfaith leadership programmes, as well as a space for worship, prayer and quiet reflection. It includes Islamic prayer rooms and a main space for worship. It is also a space for wellbeing classes on campus and is open to all students and staff from all faiths and none.   

Language Centre  – the Centre specialises in offering language courses targeted to the needs of students and practitioners in the social sciences. We offer pre-course English for Academic Purposes programmes; English language support during your studies; modern language courses in nine languages; proofreading, translation and document authentication; and language learning community activities.

LSE Careers  ­ – with the help of LSE Careers, you can make the most of the opportunities that London has to offer. Whatever your career plans, LSE Careers will work with you, connecting you to opportunities and experiences from internships and volunteering to networking events and employer and alumni insights. 

LSE Library   –   founded in 1896, the British Library of Political and Economic Science is the major international library of the social sciences. It stays open late, has lots of excellent resources and is a great place to study. As an LSE student, you’ll have access to a number of other academic libraries in Greater London and nationwide. 

LSE LIFE  – this is where you should go to develop skills you’ll use as a student and beyond. The centre runs talks and workshops on skills you’ll find useful in the classroom; offers one-to-one sessions with study advisers who can help you with reading, making notes, writing, research and exam revision; and provides drop-in sessions for academic and personal support. (See ‘Teaching and assessment’). 

LSE Students’ Union (LSESU)  – they offer academic, personal and financial advice and funding.  

PhD Academy   – this is available for PhD students, wherever they are, to take part in interdisciplinary events and other professional development activities and access all the services related to their registration. 

Sardinia House Dental Practice   – this   offers discounted private dental services to LSE students.  

St Philips Medical Centre  – based in Pethwick-Lawrence House, the Centre provides NHS Primary Care services to registered patients.

Student Services Centre  – our staff here can answer general queries and can point you in the direction of other LSE services.  

Student advisers   – we have a  Deputy Head of Student Services (Advice and Policy)  and an  Adviser to Women Students  who can help with academic and pastoral matters.

Student life

As a student at LSE you’ll be based at our central London campus. Find out what our campus and London have to offer you on academic, social and career perspective. 

Student societies and activities

Your time at LSE is not just about studying, there are plenty of ways to get involved in  extracurricular activities . From joining one of over 200 societies, or starting your own society, to volunteering for a local charity, or attending a public lecture by a world-leading figure, there is a lot to choose from. 

The campus 

LSE is based on one  campus  in the centre of London. Despite the busy feel of the surrounding area, many of the streets around campus are pedestrianised, meaning the campus feels like a real community. 

Life in London 

London is an exciting, vibrant and colourful city. It's also an academic city, with more than 400,000 university students. Whatever your interests or appetite you will find something to suit your palate and pocket in this truly international capital. Make the most of career opportunities and social activities, theatre, museums, music and more. 

Want to find out more? Read why we think  London is a fantastic student city , find out about  key sights, places and experiences for new Londoners . Don't fear, London doesn't have to be super expensive: hear about  London on a budget . 

Student stories

On our website , you can find testimonials from students who have completed our MSc programmes. Find out about their experience of the programme, what they found most valuable and how it has helped to develop their career to date.

Preliminary reading

J Baggini and P S. Fosl  The philosopher's toolkit: a compendium of philosophical concepts and methods  (Wiley Blackwell, 2010)

R Bradley Decision theory with a human face (Cambridge, 2017) (suitable for those with a background in decision theory).

N Cartwright and E Montuschi Philosophy of social science: A new introduction (Oxford,  2014)

D Hausman The inexact and separate science of economics , second edition (Cambridge, 2023)

D Hausman The philosophy of economics: An anthology (Cambridge, 2008)

D Hausman, M McPherson, D Satz Economic analysis, moral philosophy and public policy , third edition (2017)

H Kincaid  The Oxford handbook of philosophy of social science  (Oxford, 2012)

M Martin and L C McIntyre  Reading in the philosophy of social science  (Cambridge, 1994) 

D Steel and F Guala  The philosophy of social science reader  (Routledge, 2010)

Quick Careers Facts for the Department of Philosophy, Logic and Scientific Method

Median salary of our PG students 15 months after graduating: £34,500

Top 5 sectors our students work in:

• Education, Teaching and Research            
• Government, Public Sector and Policy   
• Consultancy      
• Health and Social Care  
• International Organisations

The data was collected as part of the Graduate Outcomes survey, which is administered by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). Graduates from 2020-21 were the fourth group to be asked to respond to Graduate Outcomes. Median salaries are calculated for respondents who are paid in UK pounds sterling and who were working in full-time employment.

Past programme graduates have gone on to a wide variety of careers, ranging from law, forming their own start-up, working in the City and working at Google. We have a very good record of students entering excellent PhD programmes.

Further information on graduate destinations for this programme

Support for your career

Many leading organisations give careers presentations at the School during the year, and LSE Careers has a wide range of resources available to assist students in their job search. Find out more about the  support available to students through LSE Careers .

Find out more about LSE

Discover more about being an LSE student - meet us in a city near you, visit our campus or experience LSE from home. 

Experience LSE from home

Webinars, videos, student blogs and student video diaries will help you gain an insight into what it's like to study at LSE for those that aren't able to make it to our campus.  Experience LSE from home . 

Come on a guided campus tour, attend an undergraduate open day, drop into our office or go on a self-guided tour.  Find out about opportunities to visit LSE . 

LSE visits you

Student Marketing, Recruitment and Study Abroad travels throughout the UK and around the world to meet with prospective students. We visit schools, attend education fairs and also hold Destination LSE events: pre-departure events for offer holders.  Find details on LSE's upcoming visits . 

How to apply

Virtual Graduate Open Day

Register your interest

Visit the Philosophy website

Related Programmes

Msc philosophy of science.

Code(s) V5UG

MSc Philosophy and Public Policy

Code(s) V7U8

MSc Sociology

Code(s) L3U2

MSc Social Research Methods

Code(s) L3T1

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Ucl - Philosophy and Economics

Philosophy and economics – 2013 ( lse, warwick, durham, ucl ).

My motivation to study the interlinked humanities and social sciences springs from living simultaneously in two very different cultures: Russia and Britain. Both nations claim to operate a free market ...

Please note UCAS will detect any form of plagiarism. PSE and its contributors do not take any responsibility for the way in which personal statements are used.

• Personal Statements
• Economics and Philosophy Personal Statement

Economics & Philosophy Personal Statement Example

Sample statement.

From an early age I have always been very logical and have strong analytical skills that have been further developed throughout my time in education. Combined with this I have also always been very curious and keen to gain knowledge in all aspects of life.

At school I excelled in Mathematics and took up the study of Economics as soon as I could in secondary school. My study of a wide range of subjects during my time at school gave me a good general knowledge of how society works. At A Level I also studied Philosophy which gave me a chance to further develop my critical mind and ask questions about society and humanity.

Economics has always been vital to the way a community and society as a whole works and I feel that combining this with the study of Philosophy adds a new depth and level of understanding to the financial choices we make as individuals and by those in the financial sector.

Whilst at school I was a member of a number of clubs including the Debate Club, Drama Club, and also took part in our school’s Young Enterprise scheme. This gave me hands on experience of how a business works and the steps that need to be taken by all members of an organisation for it to be successful.

Outside of school I completed my Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award which involved completing over 100 hours of volunteer work, being involved in many team activities and learning to use my own initiative.

All of my extracurricular activities have given me a sense of responsibility, helped me develop my organisational skills, and allowed me to develop a passion and dedication for something other than educational success.

I hope that my time at university will allow me to build on these personal attributes and gain further skills, knowledge, and experience in the economic sector.

After graduating I plan to gain an entry level position with a company in the financial industry or to enter into further study and economic research in another educational institution. 

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Successful Personal Statement For Economics At Cambridge

Last Updated: 12th April 2022

Author: Chloe Hewitt

Table of Contents

Welcome to our popular Personal Statement series where we present a successful Personal Statement, and our Oxbridge Tutors provide their feedback on it. 

Today, we are looking through a Economics applicant’s Personal Statement that helped secure a place at Cambridge University. The Economics Course at Cambridge provides a rounded, rigorous education in Economics which is valuable for a wide range of career paths.

Read on to see how this candidate wrote a Personal Statement that helped secure their place on a reputable degree. 

Here’s a breakdown of the Personal Statement:

SUCCESSFUL?

The universities this candidate applied to were the following:

Enrolling on our Cambridge Economics comprehensive Programme will give you access to Personal Statement redrafts. 

With our  Oxbridge Economics Premium Programme, your tutor will give you regular actionable feedback with insider tips on how to improve and make your Personal Statement Oxbridge quality for the best chances of success.  

Discover our Premium Programmes today to learn how you can enrol and triple your chances of success.  

Economics Personal Statement

The right answer – does such a thing even exist? When considering the field of mathematics, my response would be an unequivocal yes – indeed, I find its simplicity and elegance some of its most attractive qualities. For economics, however, the question of a right answer is not so straightforward. My interest in economics was sparked when I read “Freakonomics” and “SuperFreakonomics”. I found the search for a logical explanation behind seemingly illogical behaviour intriguing, and the idea that small changes to incentives could effect such large changes to those behaviours fascinating.

To further my understanding, I attended lectures at the LSE, including one given by Ha-Joon Chang. His arguments challenged much of what I had learned – deregulation and trade liberalisation would not, apparently, stimulate competitive growth, while education, it turned out, could not be counted on to increase entrepreneurship or productivity. These contradictions made me eager to read his “23 Things They Don’t Tell You About Capitalism” and “Bad Samaritans”. Although relishing his controversial stance on almost everything, I found his central thesis – that by using protectionism to support fledgling domestic industries, other poor nations can emulate South Korea’s success – overly optimistic and one-size-fits-all. As Paul Collier argues in “The Bottom Billion”, many are trapped by conflict or bad governance, with even bleaker prospects after “missing the boat” on which many Asian economies sailed away to prosperity.     

While economics is rooted in the world around us, with all its fascinating, messy complexities, mathematics derives its beauty from its abstract nature. It is unique in that it can lead us to an answer that is not merely the right one, but is true in an absolute sense. This was emphasised by G. H. Hardy in “A Mathematician’s Apology”, where he spoke of a mathematical reality distinct from the ordinary one, of which we can only ever hope to produce a “partial and imperfect copy”. Another of the appeals of mathematics is its breadth of application. I was able to explore this over the past three years in a series of Royal Institution master classes covering topics from graph theory to the mathematics of juggling. My decision to continue with mathematics was confirmed when I undertook the AEA; I found it challenging but immensely satisfying to be able to use simple concepts from the A-level core modules to solve even the most daunting problems.

Over the past year, I have mentored two students in mathematics. Explaining concepts to them helped deepen my own understanding and led me to explore proofs behind theorems I had previously accepted. In addition, acting as a primary school classroom assistant inspired me to set up my own volunteering scheme, in which I and other students help children learn to read. I have enjoyed competing in the UKMT Mathematics Challenge, in which I won a medal at Olympiad level, and the UK Linguistics Olympiad, in which I twice progressed to the selection round for the national team. I have also represented my school in the Hans Woyda competition, and am excited to be doing the same in the Target 2.0 challenge later this year.

Despite their differences, the authors I mentioned above hold something in common: their use of empirical methods to reach conclusions. It is here that the attraction of combining the study of mathematics and economics becomes especially apparent. Without mathematics, economics risks beginning to earn its title “the dismal science”, reducing to speculation and rhetoric without even the emotional investment enjoyed by politics. This is not to dismiss the importance of normative economics, but to say that it draws meaning from a basis in fact. I am not arguing for sound bite solutions to complex questions, but rather that, even in a field as hotly debated as economics, the right answer is still a worthwhile goal, reachable through the use of data and copious amounts of trial and error.

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Good Points Of The Personal Statement

This statement is thoughtful and interesting, and conveys clear motivations for studying Economics, as well as demonstrating a good level of preparation for university study. The student elaborates on their response to each preparatory activity they engaged in, rather than falling into the trap of simply listing books read and lectures attended. They are clearly passionate about the subject, and show promise as an economist, which they demonstrate in, again, not only listing their achievements, but explaining what they took from the experience, and subtly indicating what this says about them as a student.

Bad Points Of The Personal Statement

I have very little to say in criticism of this essay except that, perhaps, it could come across as a little cliché. Questioning whether there is such a thing as ‘the right answer’ in the introduction, and concluding that pursuit of the field to which they’re applying for further study is worthy are both very common.

UniAdmissions Overall Score:

This is an exceptional personal statement. Not only is the student accomplished, they convey this without bragging, and in enough detail that we gain insight into their abilities, motivations, and personal interests, rather than simply receiving a list in prose form. Though the ideas with which the student begins and concludes the statement are somewhat unoriginal, the explanation found in between is exceptionally strong, and justifies the unoriginal sentiments – they’re clearly not being added just as throwaway lines.

This Personal Statement for Chemistry is a great example of demonstrating motivation and development which is vital to Admissions Tutors.

Remember, at Cambridge, these Admissions Tutors are often the people who will be teaching you for the next few years, so you need to appeal directly to them.

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