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Completing your My Cambridge Application Guide

If you’ve applied for cambridge university as one of your ucas university choices, then you’re going to need to submit an application to my cambridge, an online portal run by the university itself. my cambridge is completely separate from the ucas form and is a unique element of the cambridge application process designed to help the university gather information that isn’t included on the ucas forms, such as the topics you’ve studied in your a-level courses..

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When do I have to submit the My Cambridge application?

Once you’ve submitted your UCAS application (by the 15th of October to meet the Oxbridge deadline) you will receive an email with details of the My Cambridge application; how to create your account, how to login, etc. You will then have until the deadline of the 22nd of October 2022 to complete the My Cambridge application and submit it. Only after submitting the application will you be considered by the university for interview and receive notice of your invitation.

What information does the My Cambridge application ask for?

The My Cambridge application will ask for various kinds of information pertaining to yourself and your application to the university. This information includes:

• Your UCAS personal ID
• The temporary My Cambridge Application password we send you by email
• A passport-style digital photograph of yourself
• Details of the units you have taken/are taking, including UMS results achieved so far if you have taken/are taking modular AS/A Levels
• Details of the band scores you have achieved, if you have taken Scottish Highers/Advanced Highers
• A copy of your High School Transcript, where required. For guidance as to whether or not you are required to submit a High School Transcript, please go to: www.undergraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/applying/transcript
• A copy of your University Transcript (if applicable). Further information can be found at www.undergraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/ applying/transcripts
• Fee payment (where applicable)

Do I have to write another personal statement?

In short, no you will not have to write an additional personal statement for your My Cambridge application. However, there is a section of the application form which allows you to write an optional additional personal statement, in which you may wish to include any information specific to Cambridge university. Remember that Cambridge have already seen your UCAS personal statement, so it’s best to only include things here that build on or are separate to what you’ve already mentioned. Cambridge are particularly interested in hearing what about the specific course you’re applying for attracted you to the university, and why it may stand out from other similar courses. The university also stress that not including an additional personal statement will in no way disadvantage your application, so only write a statement if you’ve got relevant things to say, not just for the sake of it!

Is there anything else on the form I should be aware of?

Most other questions included on the My Cambridge application are relatively straightforward, and won’t require too much work to answer. One important part of the application that is worth thinking a little harder about, however is the Extenuating Circumstances Form. As part of the My Cambridge application you can indicate whether you intend to use an ECF as part of your application (if you have not done so yet and would like to, then get in touch with the college you applied to or the university admissions office, for open applications, for more details). This form allows students to highlight disruption or disadvantage encountered during their education, such as health issues or disabilities. Again, filling in one of these forms and drawing attention to a long-term health issue is by no means a disadvantage, and the university recommends highlighting such issues as soon as possible so that any reasonable adjustments that are needed can be put in place.

Where can I get more information on the My Cambridge application?

Cambridge publish a guide to their My Cambridge application every year or so (since it often changes format slightly), and this year’s guide can be found in a PDF format on the University website . This guide is extremely helpful and runs you through every single section/question on the application so that you can prepare your answers in advance.

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How to write a Cambridge Personal Statement (Interview with the Admissions Tutor of Newnham College, Cambridge)

What should you put in your opening sentence?

Do your AS grades matter?

Do you need to have relevant work experience?

How important is your further reading?

These are all questions I'm asked all the time about personal statements. So, I thought the best thing to do would be to go directly to an Admissions Tutor and ask for their answers. I asked Sam Lucy, the Admissions Tutor at Newnham College, Cambridge to answer them. Newnham was the college I went to at Cambridge and I loved EVERY SINGLE SECOND of it! I was so delighted when Sam said yes to answering these questions. Most of the readers of my blog are female, and Newnham is an all female college (one of the things I loved about it, despite having my doubts before I arrived).

In the interview, all the questions listed above (and more) are answered. I can't say whether other admissions tutors at other universities would give the same answers. However, these answers give you a very good idea of the place that your personal statement plays in your university application. If you're applying to Cambridge, Oxford or other elite universities this is particularly helpful to you. If you're applying to other universities in the UK then it's still worth a read so you understand more about the admissions process and how an admissions tutor's mind works!

How to write a Cambridge Personal Statement: Interview with Sam Lucy

Sam Lucy in the gardens of Newnham College, Cambridge

Could you tell us a bit about the job you do and what it involves?

I’m Newnham’s Admissions Tutor, which means that I oversee admittance to our undergraduate degrees within the College (at Cambridge, unlike most universities, admission is done by colleges rather than departments). I’m the person who gets to see the whole field of applicants, making recommendations to our interview teams about who should be called to interview, based on their paper application. We then discuss who we would like to make offers to (after consulation with colleagues in other colleges). As well as overseeing the application process itself (although our Admissions Co-odinator does most of the actual organising), I also do a lot of access and outreach work, giving talks in schools and hosting open days and subject taster days. There is also a surprising amount of committee work at University level, which helps to ensure that all colleges are operating a level playing field for applicants. I’m also an academic archaeologist, and I do research whenever I can find the time.

Could you tell us about the admissions process at Newnham so we can get some insight into the ‘inner workings’? Also, what part does the personal statement play in your decision making process? How important is it?

Once an application is submitted to UCAS, it enters our computer system. We take information from that, and add it to information that candidates put on their SAQ (Supplementary Application Questionnaire – an extra online form that is an essential part of our process), creating a document known as the CAPO (Cambridge Applicant Print Out). Once the application deadline has passed, I start to read through all the CAPOs subject by subject, drawing up my lists of who I think Newnham should interview, which I then talk to our Directors of Studies about. We read the personal statements with interest, but don’t mark them or rank them; decisions about whether to interview are based far more on candidates’ academic achievements so far, and whether they look like they are on track to meet the typical Cambridge offer levels, though we do check to make sure that the academic interests mentioned in the personal statement generally match the course being applied for.

Do you look at AS results, predicted grades or both when you’re making decisions about candidates?

For the last few years, Cambridge has been placing quite a lot of weight on performance at AS (the data analysis done by the University strongly suggests this as one of the best indicators for performance once at Cambridge). Because we ask applicants to declare their AS results in detail on the SAQ, we have access to a very detailed breakdown of Year 12 performance, which means we can see relative strengths and weaknesses within everyone’s profile (it also gives us a very good idea of whether teachers’ predictions are optimistic or pessimistic). It’s relied on heavily when deciding whether or not to invite to interview (although we also consider extenuating circumstances sympathetically), but it also comes into later decisions about whether to offer a place or not, when set alongside interview performance and any at-interview test results.

To what extent does the personal statement form the basis of the interview at Cambridge?

That depends very much on the subject. Typically science and maths interviews will make very little reference to it, while subjects that applicants usually haven’t taken at A-level might refer to it more. So someone applying to HSPS (Human, Social and Political Sciences), with a strong interest in Anthropology and Archaeology could expect to be asked about the interests they have talked about in their personal statement, for example. It’s generally a good idea for everyone to have read over their personal statement before the interviews, and ideal if they have further thoughts about what they wrote there.

Lots of my readers really worry about the opening sentence of their personal statement. How important is the opening sentence? What makes a good opening sentence?

I would always advise that the personal statement should be genuinely personal, and the opening sentence should reflect that, so try to avoid the cliché (‘I have always…’). Don’t obsess over it though – we do read the whole thing! And please don’t succumb to the temptation to copy something a friend has used – UCAS uses very effective plagiarism software to check.

How important is it to write about further reading you have done? How should you write about it?

This really is the key aspect of your personal statement – how you have furthered your interest in the subject you’re applying for. You need to say not just what you’ve done, but also what you’ve learnt from doing it, and what it has prompted you to do further. So for an applicant for English, this may well involve reflecting on some of the literature you’ve explored outside of school, while for a physics applicant it might involve describing some personal research you’ve carried out. It’s important to critically reflect on your exploration, rather than just list things.

Do you look for work experience? Is its importance subject dependent or is it necessary for all subjects? What kind of information about work experience do you like to see?

Because Cambridge has very few vocational courses (really only Medicine, Veterinary Medicine and perhaps Architecture), we don’t expect the majority of our applicants to have relevant work experience. For that handful of subjects, we want to see that you have explored that line of work in enough depth that we can be certain of your commitment to it. Although we don’t have a set number of weeks that we expect, it is good if prospective medics and vets can show they have a variety of experience (so big and small animals for vets; perhaps some care home or hospice work for medics).

What balance do you like to see between information about why candidates want to study their chosen course and extra-curricular activities?

At Cambridge, we don’t actually place any weight on extra-curricular activities when assessing you (though we do like to see subject-related interests). However, lots of other universities do place weight on this, and you are not just applying to Cambridge, so make sure you mention these. The final paragraph is often used for this, and a 75% to 25% split between academic and non-academic interests is quite a good balance.

If someone doesn’t have any extra-curricular activities to write about does it matter?

This is absolutely fine – many applicants will just talk about their academic and subject-related interests.

What makes a great closing paragraph?

There is no recipe – as I’ve said, the closing paragraph is often the one devoted to non-academic interests. We are more interested in the content of the preceding paragraphs.

What about a personal statement immediately makes you want to offer an interview?

Although the personal statement only plays a small role in our interviewing decisions, genuine subject enthusiasm is something we always appreciate.

What’s a complete turn-off in a personal statement? What do you dislike the most in personal statements?

I don’t often come across personal statements that I actively dislike, but it’s always disappointing to find that the person you’re interviewing didn’t actually get around to reading the book they’ve discussed, or that they’ve exaggerated things (a holiday to Iceland isn’t geographical fieldwork, for example).

If a candidate is applying to Cambridge and they’ve been to a subject-specific conference or event at another university would you hold this against them?

Absolutely not! There are many really excellent outreach events organised by universities across the country, and enthusiastic sixth-form students should make the most of anything on offer.

A few questions about Newnham….

What, in your opinion, makes newnham different from other cambridge (and oxford) colleges.

Our clear difference is that we’re an all-female college (and all-female fellowship); everything is set up to specficially support female students, and we are a very friendly, unpretentious and democratic community. Our architecture is also different from traditional Cambridge colleges – light and beautiful Queen Anne-style buildings surrounding idyllic and extensive gardens whose use is actively encouraged.

What would make a candidate a good fit for Newnham?

Like all colleges, we select purely on academic grounds, but our applicants often choose Newnham because of the opportunities on offer, and the college atmosphere of mutual support and respect. There is no single ‘Newnham type’ – just lots of diversity and women from different backgrounds, but they all want to do well at Cambridge, and Newnham can be an excellent base for making the most of what the University has to offer. Newnham does attract women who like to think for themselves!

Can you tell us about the academic, pastoral and financial support available at Newnham?

The support available is excellent – every Newnham student has a Director of Studies who oversees their academic progress and a Tutor who looks after their general welfare. Newnham also has a dedicated Financial Tutor who oversees bursary and other financial provision (much of it generously funded by our former students, who also offer career development advice).

What is the social side of Newnham like?

Very outward-looking – our students say that they tend to have much broader friendship groups and social networks than is usual for Cambridge, and our students are involved in all aspects of University life. Although we do have sporting and social events within college (and a dedicated performing arts space, The Old Labs), and Newnham is viewed very much as ‘home’ and where your strongest friendships typically are, the rest of the University is also there to explore. (And if you’re wondering, guests are welcome – we’re absolutely not a girls’ school!)

What would you say to someone on the fence about applying to Newnham?

I would say come and visit, and talk to our current students. Many women are apprehensive about applying to Newnham, but our students usually dispel any misconceptions pretty quickly!

I would like to extend my thanks to Sam for sharing this very detailed information about the admissions process at Cambridge University and Newnham in particular.

If this interview has piqued your interest in Cambridge University or Newnham College itself I would encourage you to visit their websites to find out more.

If you would like more help with personal statements check out my ‘How to write a personal statement' resource page as well as the ways in which I offer one-to-one personal statement help .

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Lucy Parsons

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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:

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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.

Check out our other successful personal statements and our expert guides on our Free Personal Statement Resources page.

Successful Personal Statement For Natural Science (Physical) At Cambridge

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The Best Cambridge Personal Statement Examples

A deep perusal of Cambridge personal statement examples can help you understand how to go about crafting your own finely honed statement. You can also look at college letter of intent samples, diversity essay examples – also called diversity secondary essays – or the Common App essay for inspiration.

Writing college essays is tough. Whether you need help with how to start a college essay or how to structure your college essay, reading essay samples written for Cambridge will help you navigate this intimidating process and submit a personal statement that impresses the admissions committee. Now let’s dive in!

>> Want us to help you get accepted? Schedule a free strategy call here . <<

Article Contents 8 min read

Cambridge personal statement examples, example no.1.

Working as a private tutor has changed my life dramatically. I started out because some of my peers wanted assistance with their studies, but I quickly became frustrated. Tutoring seemed like an easy way to make money. All I had to do was explain some concepts – or so I thought. When I started tutoring, I would read out a lesson or concept, then go over problems with my student until I knew they could handle that particular problem, and I would be back for the next session. However, I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something deeper to teaching a subject.

I was working with my friend Eli on math every week. What frustrated me with Eli was that, although he could grasp concepts, he was always in need of help. I realised that I wasn’t helping Eli; I was only teaching him one concept at a time. What I needed to do was teach Eli how to learn. It wasn’t enough to show him answers and equations; I had to teach him how to spark his curiosity. I had to teach him how to think, not what to think. This was the missing element in my instruction. It wasn’t enough that I should help a student grasp a difficult concept, but rather to acquire the tools he would need to grow in his curiosity and approach to studying.

Want to learn easy ways to make your college essay standout? Watch this video:

When next I taught Eli, I changed my methods. Instead of just telling Eli when to use a specific calculus formula, I started bringing in oddly shaped containers and showing him how calculus would be useful in determining their volume. Giving him physical mysteries to solve and showing him the applicability of calculus fired Eli’s imagination and engaged him far more. I was on my way to teaching Eli how to think.

Eli needed fewer sessions after that, which became my measurement of success. Strangely enough, doing my work optimally would put myself out of a job. While there will always be new students to help, the goal of a teacher or tutor should not be to keep working with one student, but to help that student move beyond the teacher and then to seek out the next growing mind to aid.

I felt like I was ready to throw my computer monitor out the window or give up entirely on coding. I was trying to learn how to programme a video game, but I was becoming frustrated with my project. Our deadline was looming, and I felt like I had taken on a bigger project than I could handle.

Fortunately, I learnt the most valuable lesson that day. My friend, Kaylee, noticed my frustration and asked, “Can I help?”. I showed her what was wrong, and she helped me move past my hurdles and smooth out my code. I shared some of my ideas, and we both went away with a better understanding of computer coding. Along with improving my own project and getting over my own frustrating hurdle, I was also able to help Kaylee. Our conversations throughout the day had me suggesting several shortcuts to tighten up her coding language, making it more efficient and precise. While I hadn’t intended to help Kaylee, our collaboration benefited her as well.

The lesson was to stay connected. We live increasingly in a virtual world, from social media to online work-from-home jobs, and it is harder than ever to maintain connections with actual human beings. This led Kaylee and me to found the “Human Programming Club,” which emphasised human interaction, along with collaboration and a team effort. The club grew to include several schools in our area, which improved the programming experience of a lot of computer science students in our city.

Your Computer Science programme emphasises these human and collaborative elements. In second year, students work on a group project “…which reflects current industrial practice.” This emphasis on working together attracted me to your programme and is the reason I am applying. The Cambridge Ring, which emphasises social, career and community, is something I would love to be a part of. This is also because I have long-term goals that I believe will be best served with this type of education.

My plan is to bring the liveliness of the Human Programming Club to our current computing technologies, both in programming environments and through the interactions we have with machines and with apps in our day-to-day lives. I want our interactions with computers to serve relationships and human society, not replace them. Most importantly, I want to bring an inclusiveness and sense of belonging to the world of programming. When we emphasised these aspects of our Human Programming Club, we saw an increase in underrepresented persons among the membership. Making marginalised persons feel more accepted in the world of coding and computer science would be amazing. You also offer positive action programmes for women and LGBTQ+ computer science students, and I find this encouraging and something I would like to support.

I believe your programme is optimal for me to work towards those goals, and I hope to hear from you – and connect – soon.

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Example No.3

The sky seemed smaller when I saw the eagle pass across the sun. I immediately pulled out the nature journal I had with me. These journals have kept track of every scientific discovery I have experienced. I did a quick sketch of the bird – some extras of the wings – and wrote down my observations. I also recorded questions about the bird – mostly diet and habitat – that occurred to me while sketching. My journals, based on Kipling’s “six honest serving men” (What, Why, When, How, Where and Who), guided and augmented my insatiable curiosity. I returned from my US vacation with two full journals of sketches and questions about everything. Fascinated with how a bird’s wing works, it became an obsession at the library for weeks.

These questions gave me purpose in another favourite place of mine: the lab. I couldn’t wait to get home and get into the science labs of my school, which would provide me the opportunity to ask my questions and get answers. My teacher, Mr. Shepherd, books the lab for me after school to allow me to go deeper into research. He has helped me set up experiments in aerodynamics, lift and velocity, which would help me to understand a bird’s wing better.

I also used my shop class time to build different gliders to test. I tried one that really flapped, but it never got off the ground. Still, I learnt why it couldn’t work – the wood was too heavy for the small engines I used. That failure became as informative as a success would have been.

I love all aspects of scientific inquiry, and it is for this reason that I have applied to your Biological Sciences programme, which is both comprehensive and focused. I am particularly interested in your research projects on organisms, evolution and ecology. How do new species arise? How did we get to the species we have now? Birds’ wings didn’t come from nowhere, and I’d love to explore the past, present and future of the evolution of species. I believe your programme will allow me this opportunity.

Cambridge recommends that you follow the UCAS advice on personal statements when writing your own. While acceptance to Cambridge is based solely on academic criteria (ability and potential), your personal statement may be discussed during the interview, so it is an important aspect of your college interview prep .

When writing your personal statement, consider the following 4 points highlighted by Cambridge:

It will also be helpful to keep Cambridge’s core values and mission statement in mind and reflect those ideals in your essay.

Also remember that every essay is, to some extent, a “ why this college” essay . You should always use that as a baseline for how to write a college essay .

Mission Statement

“The mission of the University of Cambridge is to contribute to society through the pursuit of education, learning and research at the highest international levels of excellence."

Core Values

Freedom of thought and expression

Freedom from discrimination

Integrating Values

You don’t need to specifically use the exact wording Cambridge chooses, but your essays should reflect these goals. Here’s what every essay can include:

• Something to show that you think about your community and the global community, to correspond with the stated goal of contributing to society
• A focus on education and research – mentioning your curiosity or pursuit of knowledge
• Expressing yourself and telling your story to fulfil one half of the core values
• Are there any ways you represent diversity? This could be in your personal profile or experiences, but more important will be ways you might have contributed to assisting diversity, progress, or the advancement of underrepresented persons.

All Cambridge personal statements have a 4,000-character cap, which includes spaces, and must be no longer than 47 lines. Some universities might have college essay topics , but Cambridge’s personal statements are not prompt-based.

These three examples should give you a good sense of the structure, tone and content you can consider in your Cambridge personal statement.

If you still need more examples, you can get good insights from different institutions’ requirements, such as the Oxford personal statement . Columbia Medical School secondary essay examples or Brown Medical School secondary essay examples might not seem germane to your Cambridge essays, but they will still provide you with the structure and focus you need. Looking at other essay systems, such as the one that applies to the AMCAS personal statement , might also give you ideas.

Cambridge University personal statements should be no more than 4,000 characters, and this number includes spaces.

No. If you express yourself well, it doesn’t really matter if you have a shorter personal statement. Brevity is a good thing, provided you have fully communicated why you are the perfect candidate for the programme to which you are applying.

Give examples of your connection to the programme you are interested in, and remember the rule of “Show, don’t tell” when communicating this. Traits you want to show include curiosity, passion, and personal growth. You might choose to highlight some of your extracurriculars for college , too.

Anything irrelevant, which has no bearing on your goals or accomplishments, as well as anything negative. You don’t want to cast yourself in a negative light or just be perceived as a negative person. 

Stay very focused on one or two main points. You must show your greatest strengths and connect yourself to the programme. You don’t need to include everything, so just focus on one, driving point.

Start with a good “hook” sentence and use your opening paragraph to set up the rest of the essay. Keep to one theme per paragraph and link everything together with your conclusion for the perfect essay.

They will want to see creativity, curiosity, persistence, a good work ethic, a connection to the material and some sense of goals and aspirations. College admissions consulting , such as a college essay review service , can give you excellent advice on your personal statement. 

Two or three weeks, working daily on your statement, to give you the chance to not only write, but re-write, refine, edit, proofread and find someone to read and critique your paper.

Brainstorming for a few minutes will help. Take two or three minutes and a blank page and write down everything you love about your chosen subject. Free-associate, and you’ll almost definitely have something when your time is up.

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Cambridge University Personal Statements

We hope our collection of cambridge university personal statements provides inspiration for writing your own. please do not plagiarise them in any way, or ucas will penalise your application. our  personal statement editing & review services  are availble if you feel you need a little extra help..

History Personal Statement Example 2 I am captivated by the diversity and depth offered by a History degree; attracted by the way it encourages us to be analytical of the values and patterns of past societies. It was in my final year of secondary school that I was awarded the History Attainment Award, although my desire to study History dates back to an earlier age when I visited the site of the allied landings in Normandy at just eleven years old...

Linguistics Personal Statement Example 1 My most memorable Christmas came with a parcel of Harry Potter audio books and this was where my quest to understanding language began. The moment Stephen Fry started to narrate chapter one, I fell in love with words and all they could achieve...

Psychology Personal Statement Example 2 Psychology surrounds us. I often observe my class mates and ask myself why they are so different, struggling with attention or eating disorders. While looking for reasons, I also want to find ways to help them and I am confident that psychology will give me the means to do so...

Politics and International Relations Personal Statement Example 4 The era in which we live goes through constant turmoil and shifting powers. Not a day goes by without a change somewhere on our planet, which in turn has an effect on yet another change to come elsewhere...

Education and Drama Personal Statement Example (Oxbridge) "I shall have poetry in my life. And adventure. Unbiddable, ungovernable, like a riot in the heart, come ruin or rapture." Perhaps one should not begin with the words of another when presenting oneself, but as an actress, utilising the words of others is something that has become second nature...

Psychology Personal Statement Example 6 It was the odd behavioural traits displayed by my uncle, who has Asperger’s syndrome that first generated from a young age my questioning about why he acted so ‘differently’ to the rest of us. This was part of what led to my interest of studying psychology, as it made me question how and why humans are so disparate from one another, and what part the brain plays in running our everyday lives...

Politics & International Relations Personal Statement Example 2 It was November 1989. My parents were rattling their keys in the main square of Bratislava with other Czechoslovak youngsters asking for the democracy that was denied by the Communist regime. They raised me in an environment, where appreciation of freedom, expressing my thoughts and being an active citizen have been essential...

Mathematics and Physics Personal Statement Example 1 Mathematics is a fundamental tool for understanding our world: it can be used to define the symmetry of flowers or to manage global companies. What is so appealing about mathematics is the opportunity of applying it in the physical world...

Aerospace Engineering Personal Statement Example 1 Fire, the wheel, boats, book printing, electricity, engines, automobiles, planes, spaceships, wireless information transfer: engineering is determining this progress. Leading engineers are the creators of our future...

Maths and Spanish Personal Statement Example For as long as I have recognised words and numbers, I have seen a connection between the two. As I progressed in the AS Mathematics course I realised how drawn I was to the subject, motivating me to spend 2 weeks at school over the summer holidays learning 2 entire AS Further Maths modules, in order to take the full A-level course in one year...

Languages Personal Statement Example 10 At the age of eight, a friend introduced me to Guy Hamilton's 1969 film 'Battle of Britain'. This instilled in me two things: my doomed childhood ambition to be a Spitfire pilot, long since grudgingly abandoned, but also, perhaps ironically, a love for the sound and feel of the German language that has stayed with me all through the intervening decade...

English Personal Statement Example (Mature Student) Having worked on a secure psychiatric unit for two years, caring for many people unable to or precluded from following their dreams due to mental illness, as well as over a decade employed in positions just to pay the bills, I am finally pursuing my dream of becoming a published novelist...

History Personal Statement Example 7 It isn't an exaggeration to say my devotion to History has moulded me into the diligent and ambitious person I am today. History continues to shape our contemporary world and my opinions have been formed from an intellectual curiosity about the resonances between the past and the present...

Chemistry Personal Statement Example 2 Science is not just a subject taken in school, or a body of knowledge; it is a state of mind as well – always inquisitive and wondering. As a child, the world around me constantly captivated me and inspired questions, and I found delight in having my questions answered, always wanting to learn more, from fundamental particles, to atoms and molecules, to organisms, planets, and the universe...

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...

Mechanical Engineering Personal Statement Example 2 The ability to apply what I have learnt in the classroom to the outside world is an aspect of physics and maths that I particularly enjoy. An example of this was being able to calculate the coefficient of friction between a book and a table, by knowing the weight and measuring the angle at which it started to move...

Pure Mathematics Personal Statement Example Mathematics is beautiful to me because of the deep and meaningful ideas touched upon by it, the vastness of these ideas, the clearness and elegance of their representation. Mathematics gives me the ability to apply knowledge by approaching things logically, and thinking clearly...

Civil Engineering Personal Statement Example 9 Civil engineering is a discipline which is essential in the modern world: roads, bridges, airports, railways, sewage works and power stations all provide the fabric of today's society, and without them the world would be a very different place...

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...

Maths and Science Personal Statement Example Maths and science, in particular physics, have always been my favourite subjects in school. I have an inquisitive mind and am always asking "how?" and "why?" to find out how things work. I chose maths, physics and biology for my A levels, yet only realised I wanted to do engineering when I started studying topics such as mechanics...

Medicine Personal Statement Example 48 Given that over ninety nine percent of the body consists of just six elements, it is hard to imagine the human body as an intricately synchronised and immensely complex machine. Yet, it has done well to puzzle even the brightest minds in history-but I am drawn to a challenge; I cannot think of anything else more fascinating to work with...

Geography Personal Statement Example (Human/Environmental) The possibility of the human race’s days being numbered by our destructive lifestyles, as planted in my mind by Al Gore’s sensationalised and controversial ‘The Inconvenient Truth’, has fuelled my interest in the global warming phenomenon, forcing me to question society’s reluctance to tackle it and realise the worldwide impact of each of our daily lives...

Psychology Personal Statement Example 51 There is a reason behind everything we do, a purpose to our actions. The cognition behind any decision that we make is one of the many aspects of psychology that I am fascinated by. The following five words, as said by the Prophet Muhammad, I believe explain such a suggestion: "Actions are but by intentions"...

Mathematics Personal Statement Example 12 Mathematics is at the root of many academic subjects, such as mechanics in Physics, organic Chemistry and even Music and this is why I find it so fascinating. The process of starting from a simple set of formulae and deriving nearly all mathematical truth from these is what makes Mathematics a leading academic subject...

Engineering Personal Statement Example 20 Overcoming economic hurdles tempered by ecological limits requires innovative solutions. For centuries mathematical and analytical skills have fused to solve practical problems. The diverse nature of engineering has made advancements possible in an array of fields from the wheel to The International Space Station...

Architecture Personal Statement Example 16 I vividly remember the moment when I knew I wanted to be an architect. I had been taken to Barcelona to see ‘the wavy buildings’, at the time I didn’t know anything about Gaudí or his work so I was relatively unenthusiastic...

History Personal Statement Example 37 My interest in history lies in the simple fact that I have always been fascinated by the past. At eleven I won a full academic bursary to attend my current school. This was a way into a community in which my intellectual curiosity would be valued and where I could further my enthusiasm for history...

Medicine Personal Statement Example 61 While the idea to care for others is appealing to me, the applications of medicine for finding remedies to the complexities of the human body fascinates me even more. Studying medicine opens several career options from general practice to clinical research! Having the interest and aptitude for scientific knowledge and the awareness to promote health safety, it encourages me to choose this highly rewarding and satisfying course...

Aerospace Engineering Personal Statement Example 17 While other children fell asleep to the sound of their parents reading them bedtime fairytales, I was busy re-reading Ladybirds Explorer’s, “Flight” for probably the fourth time that day. I’ve been enthralled by the concept of flight and aerodynamics ever since I was young...

Chemistry Personal Statement Example 17 The realisation I wanted to study Chemistry at degree level came with my growing appreciation of its contribution and significance in shaping modern society, coupled with an increasing interest in the subject as my knowledge and understanding have developed...

History Personal Statement Example 40 History has always fascinated me because of what it can tell us about humanity; the decisions taken, the actions chosen and the mistakes made can all make us reflect on what it means to be human. I firmly believe history is not simply a case of learning facts and dates but rather a chance to analyse the past, enhancing our understanding of how we interact with each other today...

Maths Personal Statement Example 12 Mathematics dictates our understanding of the universe; the sciences that the world depends on today are founded and dependant on maths. Scientists and mathematicians spend their lives making remarkable discoveries contributing to the development of humanity, the findings we have been making in fields like quantum mechanics would be completely impossible without maths...

English Personal Statement Example 30 English is not simply the study of humanity, or society, or history or the written word; it is all of those together and it is this versatility that makes it so appealing to me. The link between literary criticism and psychoanalysis is a great interest of mine...

Psychology Personal Statement Example 67 I first became interested in psychology whilst discussing the underlying causes of criminal behaviour and non-conformity with my father. The nature-nurture debate gave me a huge desire to increase my knowledge and understanding of the human condition...

Economics Personal Statement Example 31 Since my parents were busy with the financial income throughout my childhood, I have been raised up by my grandmother. She was the oldest of 8 siblings in a family who were living in impoverished conditions...

Natural Sciences Personal Statement Example 4 Why and How? I believe these are the two most important question words as they express mankind’s unquenchable thirst for knowledge, and they have lain the foundation of sciences and have helped us find answers and solutions to problems throughout history from the domestication of fire to Darwin’s theory of evolution, to landing on the moon and so on...

Archaeology Personal Statement Example 6 I have always enjoyed learning about different cultures and civilisations, reflected in my enduring love of history, and more recently, archaeology. Compared to modern history, archaeology carries a sense of enigma which makes it much more stimulating for an imaginative and inquisitive mind...

Mechanical Engineering Personal Statement Example 19 These days, we are surrounded by engineering marvels. From radios to space shuttles, everything involves a vital feat of engineering. That is what I find most attractive about this field as its application is everywhere...

Land Economy Personal Statement Example (Cambridge University) Having been born and lived all my life in Hungary, with an English father and Hungarian mother, I have always wanted to go to university in England and spend most of my summers working in England. Being bilingual gives me an ability to see both sides of the question, and examine things from different perspectives which I feel will be useful for my studies...

Engineering Personal Statement Example 23 As I triggered the release mechanism and watched two pounds of rock hurtle skywards I thought to myself, "trebuchets are awesome!". Years passed before I realised that this was my first engineering project...

Engineering Personal Statement Example 24 When I was a child, most of the sentences I spoke out finished with a question mark, asking how everyday things work. Receiving answers to these questions and learning more about Mathematics and Physics has enlarged my desire to make human life easier and become an Engineer...

Linguistics Personal Statement Example 3 Have you ever heard the Tuvan throat singing technique? Beautiful and intriguing at the same time. The question that's bound to accompany a throat singing performance is how the human voice could possibly produce such a sound...

Computer Science Personal Statement Example 56 Computer Science - the most exciting insight into humanity's mission to conquer the future. It has been my favourite and most fascinating preoccupation since childhood, though back then I did not even know it...

History Personal Statement Example (Oxbridge) 2 Whether considering the real world applications of Bentham's utilitarianism in Religious Studies, analysing the context of a changing Victorian society in English Literature, or debating the evolving ideology of the Labour Party in Politics, there is one common thread connecting what I enjoy most about my studies: history...

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...

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Personal Statements webinar

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• Find out more

This webinar is part our Applicant Webinar Series.

These webinars aim to support and guide applicants through the application process, and provide an opportunity for you to ask Admissions Tutors questions at key points in your application.

Webinars in the series will cover:

• Personal statements
• Pre-registration required assessments
• Supporting a candidate - Parents and supporters
• Cambridge College registered assessments
• Interviews - Arts and Humanities subjects
• Interviews - Sciences

See the Applicant Webinar Series webpage for full details

Date and time

Contact and more info, cambridge admissions office.

• Cambridge Admissions Office Student Services Centre New Museums Site Cambridge CB2 3PT
• 01223 333308
• [email protected]
• www.cao.cam.ac.uk

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