law personal statement cambridge example

Cambridge Law School Personal Statement Examples

Your Cambridge law personal statement is a short essay which highlights why you are interested in studying law and how equipped you are for the task. Cambridge uses the UCAS system for all applicants wanting to study law at the undergraduate level, so there are no unique requirements for your law school personal statement here. In this blog, we’ll cover what Cambridge expects from your law school personal statement, important requirements you need to know, and some law personal statement examples .

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Article Contents 6 min read

How to write a law school personal statement for cambridge law.

Cambridge law doesn’t have any specific law school admissions essays topics . The purpose of your Cambridge law personal statement is simply to share with the admissions committee why you want to study law at Cambridge and how you have prepared yourself to do so.

Your law personal statement will often be the basis of discussion during your interview, so it’s a good idea to include your most significant accomplishments or experiences in your personal statement, as well as your future career goals and interest in a specific area of the law.

Since there are no specific prompts and the personal statement can be quite open-ended, start with brainstorming. Identify 2-4 experiences or important ideas you want to convey in your personal statement. Focus on how you can demonstrate your passion and enthusiasm for legal study, and how you have prepared yourself for a career in law. While you can include early life experiences, try to focus on important experiences in the last few years at most.

Here’s some questions you can ask yourself and answer in your Cambridge law personal statement:

• What first drew you to the law?
• How did you develop your enthusiasm for the law?
• What legal questions interest you most?
• What particular areas of legal study fascinate you?
• What personal or professional experience do you have with legal matters?
• How have you prepared yourself for the rigors or law school or the practice of law?
• What are your intellectual or academic interests? How do they relate to your interest in law?
• Which aptitudes do you possess that are suited to the study of law?
• Why have you chosen Cambridge law?

Once you’ve identified a few notable experiences or accomplishments, organize them into an outline and write a draft without concerning yourself with word count. Give yourself plenty of time to rework your essay and revise it. Remember to double check for spelling and grammatical errors, and to remain under the word limit.

If you want expert help crafting or reviewing your law school personal statement, a law school admissions consulting service or law essay writing service can help you get organized and polish your drafts.

The Cambridge undergraduate law program uses the UCAS application system, so the format and length requirements for your Cambridge law personal statement will follow the UCAS requirements. UCAS allows you up to 4,000 characters, or 500 words, to complete your personal statement, or 47 lines—whichever comes first. The minimum character count for your personal statement is 1,000 characters, or around 250 words.

Cambridge law uses your UCAS personal statement as the basis for your interview, and to evaluate your academic interests and commitment to the study of law. In short, while Cambridge does not provide law school essay prompts , they are essentially asking: why do you want to study law ? Your personal statement for Cambridge should:

• Explain your reasons for wanting to study law at university
• Demonstrate enthusiasm for and commitment to the study of law
• Express any particular interests within the field of law
• Outline how you’ve pursued your subject interest in your own time

For a better idea of the format and structure of UCAS personal statement, read examples of Cambridge personal statements or Oxford personal statements as a guide. ","label":"TIP","title":"TIP"}]" code="tab1" template="BlogArticle">

Cambridge Law Personal Statement Example #1

My passion for the law was first sparked by an interest in people and their behaviours. As a child, I had a peculiar hobby, introduced to me by my father. I loved observing poker. My father taught me how to play, the two of us, and whenever he would host a friendly game with his friends, I watched and learned. I studied their behaviour, learning their tells and reading their body language. It appealed to me to puzzle out their intentions and their attempts at bluffing. Soon enough, I had a very good knack for reading other people.

As I grew older, I enjoyed watching true crime documentaries and found any crime fiction novels I could get my hands on. Each one was a puzzle that I could take apart, dissect and put back together to find the truth, the reveal. Whenever there was a real criminal court case covered on the local news, I watched with rapt attention. I pursue intellectual interests in sociology, criminology and psychology, through both fiction and scientific articles. I wanted to understand better how people thought, why they behaved the way they did.

I also pursued a side interest in theatre as a teen, as it allowed me to become more comfortable performing in front of others, and allowed me to gain self-confidence. By now, I was curious about a legal career, as it would allow me to marry my love of figuring people out with my interests in true crime and criminal law. I knew to be an effective solicitor I would need a greater presence and confidence in myself. Theatre proved to be a very effective way for me to rehearse and develop myself for the courtroom.

I was able to put my performance skills as well as my knowledge to the test when I participated in the Bar Mock Trial. I was able to banish any nerves when it came to performing in front of an audience, and theatre helped me immerse myself in the mock scenario and truly take on the role of a lawyer. Thanks to my experience with the mock trial, I began sitting in on cases in a public courtroom, once again to observe how the game was played. And just like poker, it was fascinating to me to see how real lawyers analyzed the individuals around them. This was a far more hands-on and realistic examination of people than I could find in all my books and articles. This was no longer theory but a live study of individuals in a court of criminal law. I was fascinated by the entire process.

The law is a complex and intriguing puzzle, and criminal law especially is an area that demands keen observation, sharp analysis and the ability to see beyond the surface. I look forward to the prospect of applying the knowledge I have gained so far, developing new skills and deepening my understanding of a captivating subject.

Want more tips for writing a law school personal statement? Watch this video!

Cambridge Law Personal Statement Example #2

Education, and ensuring everyone has the right to education, has been my crusade for many years. For me, the law has become a vehicle that will help me effect real change in education around the world.

I was fortunate to attend a private school in my formative years, and so I saw firsthand how exclusionary it can be to some students. There is a distinct lack of equal access to quality education for all students, and typically money and privilege are the biggest obstacles. However, around the world I know there are far larger barriers for some young students who crave access to education, and are denied it. In my private school, the few students who could attend on merit scholarships were considered lucky, but they should be able to access quality education without winning some type of lottery.

In my passion for the right to education, my initial plan was to become a teacher and bring education directly to students. But I also realized as a teacher I would not have the level of influence needed to effect real and lasting change. I decided to switch my focus, and I started volunteering with Oxfam. I took my summer off, and volunteered my time as a girls’ teacher in remote villages in Malawi. Oxfam has long been dedicated to providing access to education, and it was fulfilling to be able to help provide educational resources to students even more underprivileged than the peers I’d met in private school. To be able to witness the difference I was making every day as a teacher to young girls. Still, I had lofty goals, and I wanted to continue my humanitarian aid and continue to work towards the right to education for all students.

I delved into researching the global issues and obstacles surrounding education. It soon became clear to me that it was not always a lack of access blocking students from going to school, but a lack of educational rights. I knew I would need to pursue a career in international law, if I wanted to see through my goal of breaking down barriers to education on a global level.

For me, the law is a tool, a resource I can use to help effect change in the lives of young students eager to learn and grow. So I know I must be eager to learn and to develop my legal knowledge as well. I am committed to the studying of the law, so it might serve as my foundation in bringing education to students around the world.

Your personal statement for Cambridge law will be submitted through UCAS, so it should follow UCAS personal statement guidelines. Your personal statement for Cambridge college of law will highlight why you want to study law and what you have done to prepare yourself to become a lawyer.

Your Cambridge law personal statement should cover your motivations for studying law, your specific interests within the field, how you are suited to the study of law and independent learning you’ve done to further your passion for the law.

To write a strong personal statement, ensure it is error-free, flows naturally and is well structured. It should also demonstrate a strong enthusiasm for the study of law, an intellectual aptitude for the field and some experience with law.

Your UCAS personal statement should be no longer than 4,000 characters or around 500 words or less. At minimum, your personal statement should be 1,000 characters or 250 words.

Your law school personal statement should share why you want to study the law, what first sparked your interest in the law or a particular field of law, and what actions or pursuits you’ve taken to deepen your understanding of the law.

A law school personal statement uses a short essay format.

Yes. Your Cambridge law personal statement will be the basis of discussion at your interview, so it is important to present a well-written personal statement. While Cambridge focuses heavily on academic qualifications in applicants, your personal statement provides context and further information about you as a candidate.

Avoid using irrelevant anecdotes or personal stories, unless they provide important context to your motivation to study law. Also avoid using any cliches or often repeated phrases, informal language and merely providing a list of your accomplishments. Remember to use your word count wisely and get straight to the point!

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ELENA HANDTRACK

• Aug 17, 2018

The Essay that Got Me into Cambridge

Many of you guys have messaged me to ask which other universities I applied to and what my application to these places looked like. I will share a full list of all the universities I applied to very soon. I decided to share the personal statement that I submitted to St. John's College at the University of Cambridge today. I was accepted to Cambridge as a law student.

The UK personal statement is much more academic than the US Essay but I also enjoyed writing it because it really makes you reflect on why you want to study a specific subject. Here is the written version of my personal statement:

Growing up in Germany, I realised the importance of law when learning about the Third Reich: The law was abused to strip Jews of their fundamental rights through the Nuremberg laws. This event has shown me how law could be used to authorise the oppression of a group in a given social context. Law affects everyones' lives - no matter whether they practice law or not.

Law's ability to decide about the living conditions of entire peoples gives it great power. I want to study law because having the knowledge of law would enable me to prevent the abuse of the power of law.

Studying History as a higher level subject has equipped me with great research and analytical skills. My work in History has made me more sensitive to the credibility of sources. My English Language and Literature course (higher level) has exposed me to different text sorts and prepared me to analyse anything from a shampoo commercial to one of Shakespeare's plays. Writing my Extended Essay on the Allies' motivations for initiating the Nuremberg trials gave

me the opportunity to analyse the relationship between national politics and the support for international law. The Nuremberg trials set an important precedent in international law and analysing their roots meant analysing the origins of specific principles in international law. My higher level Global Politics course prepared me with a foundational understanding of international power structures and decision-making. I was able to apply this knowledge in the course "Genocide and Humanitarian Intervention" at Stanford University where I analysed the impact of the Genocide Convention on international actors in numerous case studies. I deepened my understanding of the application of and compliance with international law by also studying international relations as part of Stanford's Human Rights Intensive Studies. My studies have exposed me to several case studies where law had been used to legitimise injustice which further encouraged me to learn more about the application of law in different contexts.

Working at the NGO Crossroads put me in touch with asylum seekers in Hong Kong. Working with them gave me an insight into Hong Kong's poor support for asylum seekers and its non-compliance with the Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol. I explored this issue further in my Global Politics Engagement Activity on refugees' dependency on NGOs in Hong Kong. My research made me aware of the importance of local jurisdiction and national law and their potential limitations on international law. Having debated for my school from seventh to

tenth grade, I developed the ability to see different viewpoints to situations. I joined Model United Nations in eleventh grade and was chosen to lead it one year later. Leading my school's MUN team equipped me with the ability to prioritise tasks and effectively plan all steps in a work process. A demanding course such as law requires the ability to schedule all your tasks in order to succeed. MUN taught me to defend the interests of the country I am representing and to negotiate diplomatically while not losing sight of national interests. National interests often clash in MUN and this taught me how to make compromises without giving up too much of my country's national goals. Being able to convince others of your opinion and to effectively negotiate a contract are skills required for practicing law.

Studying law at the undergraduate level will equip me with foundational knowledge in legal proceedings and the skills required for systematically analysing legal cases which I could apply in my graduate studies on international law. The UK is one of the UN Security Council's veto powers which makes her an influential country in the creation and enforcement of international law. Her international significance makes her the perfect country to pursue my legal studies.

I hope this helps you guys with writing your personal statements! Please feel free to message me if you have any questions!

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Personal Statement

The personal statement should answer some key questions: Why is it that you want to spend three years of your life working in legal study? How can you evidence an enthusiasm for the subject, a deep interest in it and an aptitude for it? Professor Pippa Rogerson

Your UCAS personal statement is your opportunity to demonstrate your interest in Law as an academic subject and to offer specific evidence that you would be well suited to a Law degree at Cambridge.

You might consider including specific information about any independent academic exploration you have pursued. We are looking for evidence of your intellectual curiosity and independent motivation. You should also keep in mind that your personal statement is sometimes used to start a conversation in your interview, so you should be prepared to discuss any of the topics you include.

For further information regarding personal statements, please see the University’s website on UCAS applications and UCAS guidance .

Supplementary Application Questionnaire (SAQ)

One week after submitting your UCAS online application, you will be sent an email prompting you to complete the SAQ . This Cambridge-specific aspect of your application requests some further information that is not included elsewhere on your UCAS application.

One aspect of the SAQ is the optional additional personal statement. This statement gives you the opportunity to add any further information that is specific either to Cambridge or to Law that you were not able to include elsewhere in your application. You will not be penalised for leaving this section blank. If you do choose to complete it, remember your SAQ will be reviewed alongside your UCAS application, so avoid simply repeating your UCAS personal statement.

My Cambridge Application

My Cambridge Application is an additional form that you need to complete if you're applying to study an undergraduate degree at Cambridge. Once you submit your UCAS application, you'll get an email from us within 48 hours with instructions and a link to your My Cambridge Application.

The form is personalised, so we'll only ask you the relevant questions for your application.

For most applicants, the deadline will be 23 October 2023 (6pm UK time).

The My Cambridge form also allows you to submit an additional Cambridge-specific personal statement. This is optional and should not be the same as your UCAS personal statement.

Please visit the undergraduate admissions site for more information about how to complete your My Cambridge application.

A written reference, usually provided by a teacher or tutor in your school or college, is a useful way for us to learn more about your academic ability and potential. If your chosen referee is unsure of what to include, you can direct them to the University’s guidance . For more information on choosing a referee, please see the UCAS guidance , or contact the college that you plan to apply to with further questions.

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Example Personal Statement: Law

We analyse a student's personal statement.

This student applied to study Law at the University of Cambridge, Durham University, University College London, the London School of Economics, and King’s College London. They received conditional offers from all their chosen universities except King’s College London.

Here we break their personal statement down into parts, analysing each section so you can learn from their experience.

Having lived in Singapore for nine years, my interest in studying law was originally sparked by the notorious legal system in the country. I read into their laws and policies on crime, safety, and racial quotas, and began exploring criminal law in different countries, comparing their laws and crime rates to see the impact of the legal system in different countries. Studying law will help me develop my research and analysis skills, and improve my ability to construct meaningful, well thought out arguments to support my ideas.

You should write about your initial interest in law, but make sure your only reason for studying the subject isn’t a ‘lightbulb moment’ - it needs to be a long term reason and you need to demonstrate how you have nurtured this interest both in class and in your own time.

Avoid starting your Personal Statement with a definition or explanation of law - you don’t need to prove you know what the subject is; you need to demonstrate your passion for and interest in it.

If you choose to explain why you want to study law, mention the skills or knowledge you’ll build as opposed to the career you hope to have afterwards. After all, you’re applying to be a student, not a barrister!

I used my interest in law to develop my understanding of key literature texts in my English studies, where I chose to write my coursework on Dickens' satirisation of the judiciary system in Bleak House . My studies in English highlighted a correlation between negative perception of the judicial system and increasing crime rates - a trend that can be epitomised by the Victorian era. I researched other Victorian novels to see how authors had used their everyday experiences with people to enable them to write a realistic depiction of the negative perception of law at the time. I was able to think critically about the role of the law in society, researching the Court of Chancery in order to find historical information to support and inform my extensive literary analysis. I also read Learning the Law by Glanville Williams which strengthened my historical understanding of the judicial system's dilapidation at the time.

You don’t have to bring your other subjects in if it isn’t relevant. This student, however, took their interest in one subject and extended it to another which demonstrates their natural curiosity in law, and shows the admissions team that they understand law has a wider place in the world beyond the courtroom. 

Many law departments list analytical and debate skills as qualities they look for in applicants so make sure you demonstrate where you have built or developed these skills. You can do as this candidate has and write about an essay or project, remembering to use details of the research you completed, and the opinions or conclusions you formed. If you are invited for an interview, you might be asked about your opinions on the books or articles you referenced so make sure you’ve actually read them!

Through my engagement in current affairs, I discovered an interest in the more human aspects of the law - for example, human rights violations and youth offending. Youth offending is a particular interest of mine and I have examined cases in the news through the lens of experts like Adam Foss in my EPQ on the value of juvenile prison in reducing crime. For this project I also used the University of Oxford’s ‘Tackling Adolescent to Parent Violence’, considering how the law differs in the US and UK and how interventions other than prisons are being experimented with to prevent future crime. This opened up new areas of law for me, enabling me to use my research skills to explore a key legal debate that I would like to study further in a law degree.

You should always mention your EPQ even if it’s not directly related to your chosen subject. An EPQ gives you valuable skills and an opportunity to research any topic of your choice which is very similar to the way you’ll write essays at university. 

This student highlights a necessary interest for a law student - current affairs - and uses this as a springboard to discuss their EPQ. They also mention how they’ve used their wider reading and pointed out a key topic they’d like to study in more detail.

I recently took a two week law course at Oxford summer school where I learnt the importance of constructing legal arguments based on precedents and definitions, and was dissuaded from building my arguments too intuitively. We examined the effectiveness of intuition over evidence-based reasoning in ‘hard cases’, considering the value of professional experience in making decisions in a courtroom. What I understood from this experience was that legal reasoning can be based on intuition but only when that intuition is formed through long term experience of legal theory and precedents; I used this to develop my arguments in my law essays. I started listening to BBC Radio 4’s ‘Law in Action’ and building a bank of notes to use in future essays, and began watching court sittings online to learn more about the way legal arguments are built for the courtroom - something that has helped me develop my debate and communication skills. 

If you have completed any extracurricular activities that are directly related to law, include them in the body of the Personal Statement rather than at the end with the rest of your activities. As in this example, write about what you learnt, and how it has influenced your studies as a result. If you were inspired to read more widely or start a new activity as a result, avoid listing the names of the films, books, or podcasts you engaged with - instead, write about what you have done with your research either in your work or how it has improved your understanding of the subject. 

Remember that you could be asked about any part of your Personal Statement in an interview, so make sure you’d be confident expanding on the points you’ve made.

I have always been a highly active member of my school community and last year my efforts were rewarded when my peers elected me Student President. Campaigning for this position gave me the opportunity to develop my skills in forming persuasive and engaging arguments, and allowed me to recognise the importance of basing justifications in concrete fact. I was also able to identify key areas for development in the school to make informed and realistic promises for improvement without overpromising.

You should save your extracurricular activities for the end of your Personal Statement, focusing on your skills and achievements. Avoid mentioning any career goals you have, and avoid writing a conclusion - your characters are limited so you're better off expanding on points in other paragraphs than writing an unnecessary round up!

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Law Personal Statement Example for Cambridge

Sample statement.

As a child I was always curious about what made something right or wrong and would often challenge my parents with ethical or moral questions about human behaviour. As I grew older I was able to explore these questions myself and with the help of school subjects such as Ethics, Sociology, and Critical Thinking.

Law is the cornerstone of our society and without it our civilisation would crumble. During my time at college I was able to study Classical Civilisations which gave me an insight into how our modern legal system began in the Greek, and later Roman, courts.

To help me understand how our legal system works today I took part in a school trip to Winchester Crown Court and was able to gain first-hand experience of how a criminal case works and what is involved in building a case against a defendant.

I also undertook a three week work experience placement at our County Court and this gave me a better understand of how Family, Civil, and Criminal Law works. I spent time shadowing both defending and prosecuting barristers which gave me an amazing insight into how my career could be after completing a Law degree with your university.

Outside of my educational commitments I am a keen traveller and have spent much of my time travelling around Europe and learning new languages. I hope that my linguistic skills and travel experience will help to me gain a work placement with a firm dedicated to International Law.

I am also a passionate cook and enjoy trying new foods from the countries I visit when I return home. I aim to further develop my culinary skills throughout my time at university and look forward to the challenge of cooking on a tight budget.

During my time at university I hope to gain as much experience in the different areas of law as I can to help narrow down my career choices. I especially look forward to the different modules of the course giving me a better understanding of what the different areas of law involve. 

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Law Personal Statement Example

I hope this personal statement example for the LLB Law course and LLM will help as a motivation and inspiration to work on your university application. You can use this example as a guide to writing a personal statement for any university in the UK – Oxford , Cambridge , UCL, LSE, KCL etc.

As a child, I was fascinated by the stories my grandfather would tell me about his work as a lawyer. I was captivated by the idea of using logic and reasoning to solve complex problems and help people in need. As I grew older, my interest in the law continued to develop, and I began to explore the different areas of law and the ways in which they intersect with society.

During my high school years, I took advantage of every opportunity to learn more about law, including participating in mock trials, attending workshops and seminars, and conducting independent research. I also volunteered with a local legal aid clinic, where I gained practical experience and saw the law’s impact on people’s lives.

In college, I decided to major in political science and legal studies. I have been able to build on my earlier experiences and deepen my knowledge and understanding of the law. I have also been able to gain practical experience through internships and research opportunities, and I have developed strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

I am excited to take the next step in my journey and apply to a law program. I believe that a law degree will provide me with the knowledge and skills I need to pursue a successful career in law. I am eager to learn from experienced practitioners and engage in meaningful work that makes a difference in people’s lives. I am confident that I have the passion, dedication, and abilities to excel in a law program and make a valuable contribution to the field.

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Successful Personal Statement For English At Cambridge

Last Updated: 5th April 2022

Author: Rob Needleman

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 an English applicant’s Personal Statement that helped secure a place at Cambridge University. The English Course at Cambridge balances a strong grounding in literary works. Let’s see how the candidate addresses this in their Personal Statement. 

Here’s a breakdown of the Personal Statement (the applicant came very close to the 4,000 character limit):

SUCCESSFUL?

The universities this candidate applied to were the following:

Enrolling on our Oxbridge English comprehensive Programme will give you access to Personal Statement redrafts. 

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English Personal Statement

Growing up in a house where books have replaced wallpaper, acquiring a love of literature was inevitable. I love the way in which writers explore, question, and critique aspects of human nature through the presentation of their worlds and characters. My favourite pieces of writing are ones such as Levi’s ‘Order on the Cheap’, Gogol’s ‘The Overcoat’ or Hartley’s ‘The Go Between’, where a particular human tendency is both beautifully presented and meticulously analysed. In his short story, Levi explores curiosity by invoking that of his audience: readers become distracted by the narrator’s descriptions of his experiments and overlook their morally problematic side. Hartley employs an opposite technique, allowing the reader to be often sharply aware of the innocence and naivety of the protagonist. Gogol manipulates the reader even more, invoking a painful sense of pathos around the main character whilst at the same time daring us to find Akaky’s concerns a little ridiculous.

I have to admit, however, that I am drawn to Levi’s short story not only because of its literary merits, but also because I sympathise with its main character: a man driven by his fascination with the process of creation. My favourite parts of my Chemistry A level were the ‘practicals’; I derived great excitement from the process of taking a simple substance, subjecting it to particular conditions, and thereby creating a completely different, and often much more complex, chemical. In ‘The Monkey’s Wrench’ Levi seems to emulate the same process in his development of the character of Tino. Starting from a simple first picture Tino is slowly developed, snippet by snippet, as the stories progress, until a fully evolved character finally emerges.

I find it fascinating how unexpected links can suddenly emerge between works: reading around a set text, Murakami’s ‘Blind Willow Sleeping Woman’, I read his ‘Kafka on the Shore’, which led me to read some of Kafka’s short stories, including ‘The Penal Colony’ and ‘A Country Doctor’. Whilst the works of the two writers are in many ways extremely different, I noticed some stylistic similarities. Both present protagonists whose apparently unexceptional lives are suddenly interrupted by a series of unexplained fantastical events. These events are often a metaphor for a wider-reaching process in the life of the narrator.

But without a doubt, poetry has always been my favourite form of literature: I like listening to poems or reading them aloud, appreciating their rhythm and sound, before going back and analysing them. Some of my favourite poems are those in which the sound is almost as important as the words themselves, for example, Lawrence’s ‘Ship of Death’ or Frost’s ‘After Apple Picking’. In this vein, I have a YouTube channel on which I post my readings of various poems, and have also earned at least several pence through poetry busking in the streets of Waterloo.

Eagleton’s ‘Literary Theory: an Introduction’ gave me another way in which to approach texts. As well as my visceral response and the various meanings extracted through analysis, the texts might exemplify the literary or political beliefs of a particular period. Further, members of different literary movements might approach them in very different ways – I enjoyed trying to put on the ‘mask’ of one movement or another and read a poem through it. Similarly, whilst studying ‘Othello’ I was interested by the hugely varying approaches of different critics, from Bradley who focused chiefly on character but seemed to forget the literary context, to Empson who concentrated almost solely on the changing meaning of the word ‘honest’ throughout time. Perhaps most significantly, Eagleton and the other critics reinforced the idea that engaging with a text is itself a creative process.

However, Eagleton’s book is just ‘an Introduction’: what draws me most to the study of English literature is not only that I love it, but that I want so much to learn more about it.

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

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Download our Free Personal Statement Starter Guide 

Good Points Of The Personal Statement

The candidate clearly demonstrates a keen and actioned interest in their chosen subject through the presentation of their reading and subsequent thoughts. They can articulate their present interests in their subject, as well as the sources of these interests, and their potential directions for further development. They indicate their ability to think laterally and creatively through their cohesive discussions of seemingly disparate texts, and are self-aware of their strengths and weaknesses as a reader. Their statement is fuelled by their evident personal enthusiasm for their subject, which makes it an engaging and urgent read.

Bad Points Of The Personal Statement

The candidate has acquired a relatively personal tone, which veers into the casual or confessional at times; their point might have been made more clearly or precisely had they adopted more strictly academic modes of communicating. Their consideration of various works is quite itemised, insofar as their statement reads like a series of ‘nuggets’ of information, rather than a clearly-focused piece with argument and direction. The candidate does reference another subject they study for A-Level, but beyond that, they have not included much information beyond their academic reading and interests. While this could certainly be justified as an approach, it does leave the statement suggesting that the writer is not particularly engaged in questions or activities beyond specific areas of literature.

UniAdmissions Overall Score:

The statement is at times quite chaotic in style, due to its familiar tone and slightly haphazard structure. However, it more than compensates for this since its familiarity is clearly a result of the candidate’s sheer enthusiasm for the subject. In addition, the range of material that they consider is very impressive — it includes both primary texts (of various forms) and secondary reading. The candidate has, moreover, articulated their own ideas on these works, and even if their exact communication of these are not particularly precise, the level of thought and consideration is still strong.

This Personal Statement for English is a great example of enthusiasm and passion. The candidate’s interest is clearly shown 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.

Go to our Free Personal Statement Resources page for even more successful personal statements and expert guides.

Our expert tutors are on hand to help you craft the perfect Personal Statement for your Cambridge English application.

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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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