ucas personal statement for two different courses

Alan Bullock Careers

Independent careers adviser and writer, ucas personal statements: applying for a mixture of courses (2024 update).

I’ve written this article to try and help UCAS applicants who are not fixed on one specific course or subject.

If you’ve read my ’20 things’ and/or ‘How to write a killer opening’ articles, you will have got the message that admissions tutors are very keen to hear about why you’ve chosen the course, the reasons you’re so enthusiastic about it and maybe what aspects of it you especially want to learn more about at uni.

This assumes that you know exactly what you want to study, because you can only write one personal statement in your UCAS application.

But what if your five choices are not all the same?

With around 35,000 courses listed in UCAS, it’s hardly surprising that some applicants will have difficulty in narrowing their choice down to one specific subject.

Some students genuinely want to apply for two or more different courses, or for a blend of single subject and joint or combined courses. Others will want to go for a mixture of joint or combined courses in which one or both subjects are not the same. It isn’t even unheard of for a student to apply successfully for five quite diverse courses in one application.

If you’re one of these students, take care and seek advice. But equally, don’t panic and don’t be put off applying.

How can you get around this? Well, my advice would be to consider one of the following approaches:

If there are only slight differences, or if you’ve chosen joint or combined degrees with slightly different subject combinations:

This shouldn’t be a problem. Just try to make everything in your personal statement as relevant as possible to all five choices. If you’ve included some joint or combined degree courses, make sure that each discipline or subject is addressed in some way.  

If there are big differences between your course choices:

It might be possible to blend your statement in a way that everything you write still provides appropriate evidence of your wider skills, interests or the way you think, even though some of it will not be directly relevant to some of the courses you’ve chosen. This might be risky, but see below.

Or you could take the honest and transparent approach and openly explain why you’ve chosen different courses, providing reasons or evidence for each. This might be risky too, but see below!

Whichever of those approaches you take, one of the key considerations will be the extent to which the courses and universities you’ve chosen are oversubscribed or undersubscribed with applicants (or neither). In other words, if some or all of your choices are popular courses at unis to whom lots of applicants aspire, the risk will be much higher. Conversely, if your choices are mainly courses that nobody else you know is applying to, or at unis that nobody else you know is considering or even heard of, then it’s more likely that they won’t be put off if some of your statement isn’t directly relevant to them. The risk will therefore be lower.

In that context, I’m reminded of the words of an admissions tutor from the science faculty at a popular university who told me that it’s very rare for them to reject applicants because of their personal statement. And let’s be completely honest, there are some courses at some unis where the personal statement is not taken into account at all, as long as your predicted grades are reasonably close to what they want.  

That said, if some or all of your choices are competitive courses that receive many more applicants than there are places available, then that will probably be a different matter. In this case, an application that comes across as not being 100% committed and relevant is more likely to go on the rejection pile.

If just one of your choices is completely different from the others:

In this scenario, some unis might even consider a separate personal statement sent directly to them. It quite often happens that admissions staff will agree to this if you contact the university directly and simply ask. On the other hand, they might not accept it in any circumstances. So don’t assume anything. Make enquiries, or seek advice from teachers or advisers, before adopting this approach.

Another possible solution to this kind of situation is that an admissions tutor for the ‘different choice’ course might advise you just to include a subtle hint somewhere in your statement.

There are also three specific circumstances where choosing one course that’s different from the other four might be unavoidable.

Firstly, if you’re applying for Medicine, Dentistry or Veterinary Medicine courses, you’re restricted to a maximum of four choices and your statement really needs to be 100% focused on them. In this situation some courses at some universities will be happy to be your fifth choice, despite your statement not being directly relevant to them. But equally, some won’t be happy at all. I have met numerous admissions tutors in the past who are more than happy for their course to be a ‘fifth choice’ in this scenario, but I have also met some who are not. One of these was a Chemistry admissions tutor at a popular Russell Group uni with whom I spoke at an open day. I asked how they would respond to a Medicine applicant who put them as a ‘fifth choice’ and the unequivocal reply was: “We would reject them”.

Secondly, if you’re applying for a unique or unusual course that’s only offered by one or two universities, then it’s quite likely that admissions staff will be used to advising on this issue, so check them out.

Thirdly, there might be a specific personal reason why one of your choices is different from the other four. I personally remember a good example of this. It was a student who wanted to study Speech & Language Therapy but for family reasons didn’t want to move away from home. There was only one uni within daily travelling distance that offered Speech Therapy, so she therefore wanted to apply to them whilst also applying for English degrees at four other unis that were reasonably ‘local’. She contacted the Speech Therapy uni and they agreed to accept a separate personal statement from her, while the statement in her UCAS application was focused 100% on English. She is now a speech therapist, so this strategy worked perfectly in her case.

Get advice from the horse’s mouth!

If you’re worried or in doubt about any of this, the best way to seek advice is to get it from the horse’s mouth – the unis themselves. A lot of courses and/or unis will be quite happy to answer an email, phone-call or direct message on social media, or will have a chatline where you could run it past a student ambassador. Or if you get the opportunity, go to an open day and actually ask them.

Some courses will not be fazed in the least if they can tell that you’ve mixed your choices, but some will reject you outright if your statement lacks focus. So don’t make assumptions, get advice. And if in doubt,  ask them!

©  Alan Bullock, updated 2/9/2024

My featured image is a photo I took at Cardiff University.

http://www.alanbullockcareers.com

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How to write a personal statement for more than one subject

You can only submit one personal statement for all five of your university choices on UCAS, so what do you do if you’re applying for different courses, or even completely different subjects?

You may be applying for different subjects because you’re still considering your options, you want a back-up in case you don’t get a place on a competitive course or you want to apply for a niche course that isn’t offered at other universities.

Whatever the reasons, we have some top tips to make sure your personal statement still hits the mark.

What to do if you’re applying for courses that are slightly different:

If you’re applying for two courses that sit within the same subject area, then cover the academic interests and skills you have that are relevant to the subject as a whole. Think about what those courses have in common and try and try to include examples of those skills or interests in your personal statement.

For example, someone applying to law and criminology may write about a case study that sparked their interest in the criminal justice system.

What to do if you’re applying for courses that are completely different:

Try to focus on your skills and attributes that would make you a good candidate for all of the courses you’re looking to apply to. Skills such as problem-solving, teamwork and leadership can be applied to many different subjects.

You could also try being transparent and explaining your reasons for applying to very different courses by providing relevant reasons and examples for why you’re interested in each of the subjects.

What to do if just one of your courses is different:

If four of your UCAS choices are for the same course and one course is different from the rest, then get in touch with the university you’re applying to by email or phone. The university may let you submit a second personal statement directly to them.

Whether the university can accept a second personal statement depends on the institution so make sure to check before writing two!

If you’re unsure of what to include, then contact the universities you’re applying to. Even if the university can’t accept a second personal statement, they may still be able to provide some advice on what they’ll be looking for.

Some universities may not make you an offer for a competitive course if they think the statement lacks focus or the applicant isn’t dedicated to their subject so check before you start writing!

What should you do next?

Download your free personal statement guide.

Get even more advice on starting, writing and checking your personal statement. Plus, be inspired by real personal statement examples from our students!

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Appendix 1) How to write a personal statement that works for multiple courses (not the best option)

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According to Stowe's Careers Department - Don't try to apply for different types of degrees. You should know what you want to study before applying. Do the research.

Source: www.ucas.com

Communicating your passion for a subject in your personal statement is an art in itself; but what if you're applying to two (or more) very different courses with the same statement?

Ok, it is easier if all five Ucas choices are the same

The message is clear: admissions tutors are very keen to hear why you've chosen that course; the reasons you're so enthusiastic about it; and what aspects you especially want to learn more about at university. This assumes that you have one, specific course in mind because you can only write one personal statement in your Ucas application.

But what if your five choices aren't all the same?

With thousands of different courses it's hardly surprising that you may find it difficult narrowing down your choices to one specific subject or course. It's possible that you may want to apply to two, quite different courses, or to a mixture of single subject and joint or combined courses (with differing subjects). It isn't even unheard of for a student to apply successfully to five diverse courses with one application. If you're in this scenario, take care how you approach your application. But equally, don't be put off from applying to a variety of courses if you're genuinely interested in them and feel like you have a good shot at being made an offer.

So how do I write a personal statement for more than one course?

Here are some personal statement pointers depending on how different the courses you're applying to are:

1. If there are only slight differences, or you've chosen joint or combined degrees with slightly different subject combinations...

This shouldn't be a problem. Just try to make everything in your statement as relevant as possible to all five choices. If you've included some joint or combined degree courses, make sure that each discipline or subject is addressed in some way.

2. If there are big differences between your course choices...

It might be possible to blend your statement in such a way that everything you write provides appropriate evidence of your skills, academic interests and the way you think that's relevant to all of the courses you've chosen. Alternatively you could take the honest and transparent approach and openly explain why you've chosen to apply to different courses, providing reasons or evidence for each. Whichever approach you take, if some (or all) of your course choices are very competitive and receive many more applications than there are places available, then an application that comes across as not being 100% committed and relevant to that course is more likely to go on the rejection pile. You can get a rough idea of how competitive places on a particular course are by checking the percentage of applicants receiving offers on Which University.  Search for a course .

3. If just one of your choices is completely different from the others...

• If you're applying for medicine, dentistry or veterinary medicine courses, where you're restricted to a maximum of four choices but your statement really needs to be 100% focused on them. In this situation some courses at some universities will be happy to be your fifth choice, despite your statement not being directly relevant to them. But equally, some won't be happy at all. Again, ask.
• If you're applying for a unique or unusual course that's only offered by a small number of universities, then it's quite likely that admissions staff will be used to advising on this issue and may even provide guidance on their website. So check with them directly.

Finally, if in doubt...

Sample Personal Statements:  Applying for related courses

Next up in our series of sample personal statements, is a very common example scenario where clients get in touch with us for advice.

Sample Statement:  Applying for two courses

This draft was submitted by a student applying for different courses. This approach is quite common in school leavers but it often presents difficulties when it comes to writing their personal statement. Having reviewed the statement, our advisors made the following points

It is absolutely fine to be unsure about your preferred course, very many 18 year olds are !

Our advice would highlight the following:

• Opening paragraph needs to be more tightly focused on reasons why candidate has chosen these courses. In this case, it would be better to reflect how studying Maths and Chemistry have gripped your attention and made you see the world in a different way, inspiring you to further study in that area.
• Second paragraph demonstrates an interest in Biology but develops interest in Maths and Chemistry to a very limited extent and fails to take the opportunity to link these subjects to chosen courses.
• Third paragraph references additional reading without providing any examples . Additional activities mentioned but again fails to show how they would make the applicant suitable for their chosen course.
• Conclusion needs development and link back to opening paragraph

As you can see, there is no significant issue with a personal statement that touches on different courses.  It just requires a slightly different approach!

Pain Free Personal Statements can help with this or lots of any question on personal statements.  Check out our services and please check out our reviews on our site or on Facebook .  We can also help with sample personal statements to help you craft your own.

Remember, we offer 100% money back guarantee, so if you do not want to proceed after you speak to our staff, then we will refund your money – no questions asked.

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How do i write a personal statement for multiple courses, i wanted to apply for two different courses. how do i write a personal statement that covers two different subjects.

In the first place, we’d generally advise that where possible you choose courses in related subject areas. Many Admissions Tutors do use the personal statement as a key way of selecting applicants, so if part of your personal statement is about a completely unrelated subject area then you’re likely to be at a disadvantage compared to other applicants.

However, we recognise that many strong applicants may wish to apply for courses which are related but not exactly the same – and across different universities no two courses are completely identical anyway. In this case, we’d advise a topic-based approach, whereby you write about a topic/topics – maybe something in the news – which you can analyse from the perspective of the different disciplines of the courses you’re applying for. For example, there are many issues which can be viewed from both an economic and a political perspective, so you could write about e.g. Brexit, the Coronavirus pandemic, the US election, and many other topics from both these points of view.

In general we’d recommend avoiding dividing the personal statement into one half on subject A, the other half on subject B. Even for joint courses, we want to see how you can combine perspectives and apply your knowledge, so try to do this throughout the personal statement.

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The Ultimate Guide To UCAS And Personal Statements

by The Oxford Scholastica Team | 16 May, 2024 | Blog Articles , Get the Edge

Table of Contents

What does UCAS stand for?

UCAS stands for Universities and Colleges Admissions Service. It is the centralised online service in the UK that everyone has to use in order to apply to any undergraduate University course in the UK.

How many courses can you apply to on UCAS?

Through UCAS, you can select up to five different courses to apply to. These can be at the same university, different ones, or a combination of both. It’s completely up to you! If you’re struggling to choose what to study, read our guide on how to find the right university course for you .

How does UCAS work?

You write and submit your application via UCAS, and UCAS sends this to the admissions teams for each of the courses you’ve selected. They will then consider your application along with all the others they have received from different students around the world, and decide who they would like to offer places.

So, UCAS is effectively the link between you and the universities you’re applying to. This means you have to sell yourself as best you can on your UCAS application, since this may be all that the admissions teams are basing their decisions on.

UCAS deadlines

UCAS have two major deadlines for undergraduate application submissions. The earlier deadline is for anyone wanting to apply to Oxford or Cambridge, and for most medicine, veterinary medicine and dentistry courses across the country. This early deadline is usually 15th October . But be sure to double check that this is true for your year! The deadline for all other undergraduate courses is usually 15th January . However, many universities and colleges continue to accept applications from international students until later in the year as part of the regular college admissions cycle .

There’s quite a big gap between these two deadlines. This is because all courses with the earlier cut off point require you to go for an interview before they make their offers, so they need time to schedule these. This means you need to decide quite early in the year (by the summer before your deadline) whether you’re going to apply to any of the courses with the 15th October cut off, so that you have enough time to write your application!

UCAS application

You fill out your application using UCAS’s online hub. There are several sections to the form; some require information that you can fill out quickly and others need more time. You don’t have to do it all at once though. You can save your progress and come back to it as many times as you want.

What information are they looking for?

Most obviously, UCAS will want to know your 5 course choices! You don’t have to place them in order of preference at this point and none of the admissions officers will see the other courses you have applied to. They will, however, have access to this information after you reply to any offers you receive, but it can’t impact your application in any way.

Under the current system, a personal statement will also be required, showing your vested interest in your chosen subject. It should also demonstrate your motivation and enthusiasm, as well as any skills you have picked up so far that will help you do well at university. This is your chance to tell admissions teams why they should offer you a place on their course.

Please note: In January 2023, UCAS announced some changes to the admissions process, and the personal statement will be different for admissions cycles from 2024/25. This article will be updated when the changes are confirmed.

There will also be some additional questions for monitoring purposes. These don’t affect how likely you are to be offered a place in any way. The information is not shared with the universities until the end of the application cycle, when you’ll already know their decisions. If you’re applying from the UK, you will be asked questions about your ethnic origin, national identity and what your parents do for a living. There are also some optional questions about religion, sexual orientation and identity.

Within the additional questions section, there will be optional queries relating to your personal circumstances. These will be shared with the university if you wish to provide information about, for example, your parental education or whether you’ve been in care. This is known as ‘contextualised admissions’ and allows the university to form a more complete understanding of you as an individual so that they can provide support if necessary. If you want to know more about how a university will use this information, you can ring their admissions team directly and ask. Don’t be scared to do this at any point as, again, it won’t affect your likelihood of being offered a place!

Other information that UCAS will require is listed below:

• Full education history: GCSEs and predicted A-Level/IB qualifications
• Full employment history
• Reference from teacher, adviser or professional who knows you academically.

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Thanks for signing up, how do i write a good ucas personal statement.

There isn’t a ‘correct’ way to write your personal statement. The key is in the title – the statement is personal. And so it should be as unique to you, your experiences and your interests as possible. That being said, there are some ways you can structure your statement to ensure clarity. Also, there are key things you can include to make sure you are providing the information admissions tutors want to know, so that you come across as an enthusiastic, mature and motivated student.

What do I put on my UCAS application?

Why you find the subject interesting.

Explain what it is that attracts you to your subject, and why you want to study it at university level. Mention particular areas you want to find out more about, for example something you’ve briefly covered on the course at school, or something you’ve read about in your own time.

Detail the relevant things you’ve read that you found the most engaging, and talk about why you found them interesting. Whether or not you’re applying for a literature-based course, make sure you’ve done some reading around the subject. And don’t just regurgitate views you’ve heard in class, read in a textbook or seen online. Remember, the admissions teams want to hear your personal opinion. This is one reason why attending a summer programme like an Oxford summer course is so helpful: it introduces you to wider perspectives about your subject, and good ideas for further reading (please note, our programme in Oxford is not affiliated with the University of Oxford)! For inspiration, check out these recommended lists of best books for English literature students , best psychology books and top law books to read .

Employment or volunteering experiences

There is a different section in which to detail your complete employment history, so only pick the most relevant to discuss in your personal statement. Choose the ones that have either taught you useful skills or made you more passionate about your subject.

Work experience / Summer schools / Taster Courses

Talking about any relevant work experience, summer schools or Higher Education taster courses can be really valuable in your personal statement. Again, choose the ones that are most representative of your engagement with your chosen subject, and detail the skills and knowledge you gained. For example, if you’ve ever attended our Oxford Summer School that’s a great one to talk about here! Going to an academic summer school like Oxford Scholastica shows your dedication to your subject outside school, which all admissions tutors are looking for.

Extracurricular activities

Clubs and societies you are a part of at school, or have leadership roles in, can be useful to discuss here, as long as you explain what you’ve gained from them. More on this in the next section!

Extra qualifications

You can also mention the skills you may have developed through any extra courses or qualifications you’ve completed, such as Duke of Edinburgh (DofE), National Citizen Service (NCS), Young Enterprise, etc.

Note for International students:

If you’re applying from outside the UK, you should also mention: why you want to study here, your English language skills, and any English courses or tests you’ve taken. It can also be good to mention why you want to be an international student, rather than studying in your own country.

UCAS personal statement structure

• Universities are quite clear about the skills and qualities they are looking for in their students; make sure you read the course descriptions for each course you’re applying to and structure your statement to demonstrate that you have met everything they are looking for.
• You have a maximum of 4,000 characters and 47 lines when you input your personal statement into UCAS. This means you need to think carefully about how many paragraphs to have and what information it is most important to include.
• Try to present your achievements and interests in a clear and concise manner. This means having different paragraphs for different experiences where possible, and not repeating yourself. Link anything you have done to what you have learnt from it and how that better prepares you or makes you more interested in the course.
• Avoid presenting a list of things you have done. Admissions teams won’t care about how many charity projects you’ve been involved with unless you tell them what you have gained from each one.

8 top tips for the best UCAS application

1. Keep it focused on you. Don’t try to define your subject or explain it to the admissions tutor – they are already experts!

2. Write in a natural style – show your understanding of your subject but without going into too much detail or trying to make it sound too complex. Again, you don’t have that many characters available and you need to prioritise talking about yourself. The most important thing is to come across as enthusiastic and eager to learn MORE – don’t focus on trying to show off what you already know.

3. Equally, don’t pretend to know more than you do, or exaggerate your achievements – this is especially important if you are going to be interviewed because they will ask you to elaborate on things you mentioned in your statement.

4. Be careful with humour or quotes – the admissions tutor may not have the same sense of humour as you and it could be a waste of characters!

5. Proofread it aloud , and get as many people to check it as possible so that you have a lot of different perspectives – ask your teachers, friends, and family.

6. Make sure the spelling, punctuation and grammar are completely correct as errors will suggest that you’re careless.

7. You will probably produce several drafts of your personal statement before you’re completely happy with it. This is why it’s important to start writing as early as possible – this is not something to be left to the last minute!

8. Don’t copy bits of another personal statement or share yours with anyone applying for similar courses or similar universities. All personal statements are checked for similarity and if yours is flagged as being too similar to someone else’s, it might reduce your chance of being offered a place.

How much extracurricular content should I include?

Most universities like to see that you have been engaged in extracurricular activities throughout your time at school. They show that you can juggle several commitments at once, and also that you know how to balance work and play – something that is very important at university! However, your personal statement should be mainly focused on the course you’re applying for and why you want to do it. Extracurriculars should only make up one small paragraph towards the end. That said, it shouldn’t be the focus of the final paragraph – you should wrap up with something about your relationship with your chosen subject.

Extracurriculars relevant to the course you’re applying for are amazing, but you can include ones that aren’t directly relevant too. The key is to mention what you do, and then link it back how it has helped you develop the skills and attributes that the university wants to see. These could include commitment, dedication, confidence, teamwork, resilience and interpersonal skills – all important qualities for a university student to have. For medical school applicants, see our tips on the best extracurriculars for medical students .

What if I’m applying to different courses at different Universities?

Applying to different courses at different Universities is difficult because unfortunately, you are usually only allowed to submit one personal statement.

If just one of your choices is completely different from the others, a University may accept a separate personal statement for that course, but it has to be sent directly to them – not through UCAS. You have to call the university’s admissions team to ask if this is possible or speak to them on an open day. Speaking to them individually is the only way you can find out, but you should try to get some advice from a teacher or advisers before you do this. If one of your courses is fairly unusual and only offered by a small number of universities, the admissions team will have probably received calls like this many times before and so may be more lenient, but it’s definitely best to just ask.

There may be slight differences between the five courses you’re applying for, for example, if they are all joint or combined degrees with slightly different subject combinations. In this case, writing one statement shouldn’t be too much of a problem. You just have to make sure that you make your statement as relevant as possible to all of them – so make sure each subject is covered by what you are saying.

However, if there are big differences between all of your course choices, you will have much more difficulty writing a great personal statement. You can try to make your statement appropriate to all courses by demonstrating your skills and academic interests more generally. Alternatively, you can openly state that you are applying to several different courses and try to explain as best as possible why you have done this based on your academic interests. The focus here should be on a strong interest in all the courses and the different things they offer. Make sure you don’t come across as simply indecisive or not sure what you want from a course!

Both are risky strategies so we would advise you to apply for five courses that have some clear common ground that you can focus on in your statement.

When can I expect to hear back from UCAS?

Once you’ve sent off your application, the UCAS hub will allow you to check how your application is progressing. Most interview invitations (although not all – some course providers may email you directly), offers and rejections will be shown on there.

Unfortunately, each university’s application monitoring process takes a different amount of time, so it’s difficult to know for sure when you’ll have all of your decisions back. However, UCAS says that if you met their application deadline (15th January), you should have heard back by the 31st March and will definitely hear by the 9th May. Having said that, many universities will get back to you within just two or three weeks of applying.

If you applied at the earlier deadline (15th October), this probably means you’ve applied to one or more courses that require an interview. If you’re applying for medicine, dentistry and veterinary medicine, different universities hold their interviews at vastly different times. Generally, the earliest are in December and the latest are in March.

There is also a big range in how much time different universities give you between letting you know you have an interview, and the interview itself. Once you’ve decided where you want to apply, you might like to contact the admissions teams of each university directly, so that you have a rough idea of your personal timeline of events and deadlines.

What’s the difference between conditional and unconditional offers?

An unconditional offer means the university is very keen to have you on their course. If you accept it, they will automatically confirm your place regardless of the exam results you receive. Many universities (such as the University of Birmingham) will often state that if you accept an unconditional offer from them, you have to put it as your firm choice – you can’t have it as your insurance. The terms ‘firm’ and ‘insurance’ are explained in the next section.

A conditional offer is one that is dependent on the grades you are yet to receive. In the offer, they will outline which grades you need to get in order to take up your place on their course. Most universities provide their usual grade offers for each course on their website, so you know before you apply.

This is something you should bear in mind when discussing your predicted grades with your teachers. Your predicted grades on your application need to match, be close to or exceed what the university usually asks for, or it’s unlikely that you’ll be offered a place. You should think optimistically but realistically about what you can achieve.

Responding to offers – firm and insurance choices

Once you have received all your decisions, you have until a fixed deadline to reply to any offers through UCAS. This deadline is usually 31st March, as long as you’ve heard back from all five choices by then. If you have two or more offers, you have to choose one to make your ‘firm’ choice, and one to make your ‘insurance’. Your firm choice is your preferred option, so if it’s unconditional, or it’s conditional and you meet the grade requirements on results day, you will have a place on that course. Your insurance choice is your back-up, so it makes sense to choose a course with lower offer conditions, in case you don’t meet your first choice offer. You should make sure this is still a university you would be happy to go to, though!

Think carefully before you respond – you can’t change your mind on Results Day (unless you do much better than expected – see our section on ‘Adjustment’). Remember that there’s no rush as long as you meet the deadline: the universities can’t take back their offers because you’re taking too long!

You’ll then have to decline any other offers you receive that you haven’t made your firm or insurance option.

If you have a complete change of heart, you can decline all of your offers and apply to more courses using UCAS’s ‘Extra’ service.

What if I miss my offer? What is Clearing?

If you don’t get the grades you needed for your first-choice offer, your first port of call should be ringing your chosen university’s admissions team directly. They may still give you a place, especially if you only just missed your grades, because other prospective students may have missed their grades too. There’s no harm in trying, and, if there’s a particular reason as to why you achieved lower grades than anticipated, this context could help explain to them why you didn’t make the offer.

If you miss the grades for your insurance choice too, and you don’t have any luck with ringing either university, you can turn to UCAS’s Clearing Service. This allows you to find a similar course, usually at a different university, with entry requirements that match the grades you have. In 2021, Clearing ran from 5th July to 19th October (2021), but again you should check the dates for your own year of application. The application process works differently to the initial submission process.

When you apply to clearing, you are given a ‘clearing number’ – a form of ID. There are two routes you can take; Clearing Plus matches can be found in your UCAS Hub, register your interest with a course that appeals and have your application sent directly to them to make a decision. You can also search for all the available course vacancies, which means contacting the university directly if you find a course you’d like to apply to. You provide them with your clearing number and Personal ID over the phone so that they can look up your application, and then ask them if they’d accept you.

If they give you an informal offer over the phone, you can then add the course as a clearing choice in the UCAS Hub. You can only add one course at a time, and if the university confirms it, you definitely have that place and can’t apply anywhere else. Many universities have spare places on their courses after results day, so this is a very common option for people whose grades don’t align with their original universities’ requirements.

Better results than expected? What is Adjustment?

If you get better results than expected (i.e. you have met and exceeded the conditions of your firm offer and think you could be accepted onto another course which typically gives out higher offers), you may be able to apply to that course through Adjustment. You register for Adjustment via the UCAS Hub.

Adjustment is only available for a small, fixed amount of time, so you have to act fast! In 2021, this was from 10th August – 18th August (as always, check the exact dates for your year of application!). Adjustment is different to Clearing, as there isn’t a list of available courses for you to search through. Instead, you have to find out the grade requirements of courses you’d be interested in on a university’s website, and then contact the admissions office of those universities directly to ask about any possible vacancies. You have to provide your Personal ID so they can check you’ve exceeded the conditions of your original firm choice, and that you meet their own conditions of entry.

Then, if you are absolutely sure you want a place at that university, you can verbally agree an offer with them. The university will then add themselves to your application, your UCAS Hub will be updated, and you’ll have a place on that course!

Ready to get a head start on your future?

Next steps for applying to university through UCAS

Check out these useful resources to help you on your way to completing your university applications through UCAS.

• UCAS’ key dates timeline
• Taking the International Baccalaureate? Read this article on applying to UK Universities while studying for IB
• Not from the UK? Have a look at UCAS’ application tips for international students
• Which? University article on ‘How to write a personal statement that works for multiple different courses’

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• The Ultimate UCAS Personal Statement Guide

Last Updated: 27th September 2024

Author: Rob Needleman

• Getting started

Table of Contents

When it comes to completing your UCAS application, the Personal Statement is one of the most important parts to consider.

While your grades show your academic ability and Admissions Tests assess your knowledge and capabilities, a Personal Statement is all about you. Tutors want to see the person behind the application and understand why you’re a suitable candidate for your chosen course. 

Although each university will have its own unique way of shortlisting applicants, your Personal Statement is your opportunity to demonstrate your strengths and let your personality shine through.

However, over 20,000 students apply for Oxbridge every year which is a lot to compete with. As such, you need to stand out from the crowd and really get across your reasons for wanting to study your topic, which can make the prospect of writing one and including all the right things pressurising. To help you, we have written this ultimate Personal Statement guide. Let’s get started.

How to write a Personal Statement

Your Personal Statement isn’t a long monologue of your life so far, nor a gigantic list of all your achievements. Think of yourself as a storyteller. Start at the beginning with how you developed an interest for your chosen subject and end with where you see yourself after university.

Before You Start

How to get started.

Before you sit down to write your UCAS Personal Statement, the first thing we recommend is to research the courses you want to apply for. This will help you prepare your statement as courses vary from university to university, and your content should reflect these. Bear in mind, you are only able to send one Personal Statement to all your chosen universities, so you can’t overly cater to one. Look at all of the details, including the structure, modules and examination methods, as well as what they’re looking for from a student. This will support your first draft, though bear in mind you’ll redraft a few times before it’s perfect.

For example, Oxford lists the personal characteristics that they look for in applicants to their Medicine degree:

How many words should a Personal Statement be?

Personal Statements can be up to 4,000 characters long (615-800), and no more. This might sound like a lot, but it’s just one side of A4 paper. There’s plenty of information to include, so make sure it’s concise, clear and easy to read.

When to start writing it

It’s never too early to start thinking about your Personal Statement and what you’re going to write about. But there is a deadline : October 15th for all Oxbridge courses including Medicine and Dentistry, and January 25th for other undergraduate subjects. We suggest you begin preparing at the start of the year, as this gives you plenty of time to plan, draft and rewrite until it’s perfect for submission.

Your Personal Statement is the first thing Oxbridge Admissions Tutors will see about you. It’s imperative you get it right.

Our Oxbridge Premium Programmes help you write a successful Personal Statment that ticks all the Admission Tutor’s boxes. Our proven support is implemented through various mediums including Personal Statment Intensive Courses, Personal Statment Marking and Personalised Reading Lists.

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What To Include

Your Personal Statement is a glimpse into your passion, how keen you are to learn and what you already know about your chosen subject. Express your interest by commenting on the areas that fascinate you most. For example, is it helping people that draws you into Medicine, or is it the fascinating human anatomy? 

Another great way to show your enthusiasm is through your previous experience in the subject. Demonstrate why you’re suitable for the course by providing evidence of any relevant skills and qualities that relate to this. What are you good at? What have you done that proves it? 

• Answering Your Personal Statement Questions

Mention any additional projects, work experience or extra-curricular activities you’ve got involved with that further demonstrate you’re an ideal candidate. Reflect on the skills you’ve gained from these (as long as they’re transferable to your studies). Admissions Tutors will be looking for such information, as well as your unique selling points — give examples of things you’ve done that show you have a wider interest in learning. 

You should also try to link your interests, skills and qualities to your university research. However, Oxbridge are not interested in sports, hobbies or if you play any musical instruments — keep it academic.

Show you’re an interesting person and have a true passion for your subject, and your Personal Statement should be a winning one. Your enthusiasm is what will make your statement stand out, so don’t shy away from expressing your love for your chosen subject, though you don’t need to say you’ve dreamed about doing the course your entire life.

Aim to include things like:

• Personal attributes, such as adaptability, problem-solving and organisation
• Employment experience and volunteering work
• Personal interests in your subject
• Relevant extracurricular activities, like any clubs or societies you belong to
• Your future after university

The Structure

The key to writing a good UCAS Personal Statement is getting the structure right, as this can have a huge effect on the message it delivers. Often, students get caught up in the content and forget that presenting information effectively is just as important as the words included.

Each section of your statement needs to be crafted correctly so that Admissions Tutors can digest the information easily. While there are no strict rules on how to structure it — since it’s personal to you — there are a few rules of thumb to use to find the right balance. In general, though, remember to consider the format, structure and content equally, and you’ll write a great Personal Statement.

• Personal Statement Cheat Sheet

Here is a breakdown of how we recommend students to split up their essay:

• Introduction - About six lines
• Academic abilities - 22 - 27 lines
• Extra-curricular information - 10 - 12 lines
• Conclusion - No more than four lines

Personal Statement Introduction

Rightly or wrongly, it is highly likely that your UCAS Personal Statement will be remembered by its opening sentence. It must be something short, sharp, insightful, and catch the reader’s attention. It sets the precedent for the rest of your statement and unfortunately, decides whether your statement is paid particular attention to when read.

• Avoid using overused words like “passionate”, “deeply fascinating”, and “devotion”.
• Avoid using clichéd quotes like the infamous Coco Chanel’s “fashion is not something that exists in dresses only”.
• If you are going to use a quote, then put some effort into researching an obscure yet particularly powerful one – don’t forget to include a reference.
• Draw on your own personal experiences to produce something both original and eye-catching.

Once that’s out of the way, you need to answer the most important question:

The introduction does not need to be very long. It is generally a good idea to open the statement with something that sets the context of your application. For example, someone who is applying to study History may open: ‘History is all around us’, rather than ‘I have always been interested in History because…”

By the end of the introduction the reader should clearly know:

• What subject you are applying for
• What motivated you to apply for this subject

Make sure you keep it personal and honest! The exact phrase: “from a young age, I have always been interested in” was recently used more than 300 times in Personal Statements in a single year, and substituting “young” for “early” gave an additional 292 statements – these phrases can quickly become boring for Admissions Tutors to read!

Personal Statement Main Body

In the rest of your text, your aim should be to demonstrate your suitability for the course by exemplifying your knowledge of the course structure and its requirements through personal experience. Again, there are no rigorous guidelines on how to do this and it is very much down to your own writing style. Whereas some prefer a strict structure, others go for a more synoptic approach, but always remember to be consistent to achieve a flowing, easy to read Personal Statement.

Here’s the structure we recommend:

Paragraph #1: This should cover why you are suited for your subject. This will include your main academic interests, future ambitions (related to the chosen degree), and what makes the course right for you. This should be the academic side of why you want to study this subject.

Paragraph #2: This should still cover why you are suited for your subject. However, it can be less focused on academic topics. If you’ve had to overcome any significant challenges in life and wish to include these in your Personal Statement, this is normally the best place to do so. Similarly, any work experience or relevant prizes & competitions should be included here.

Paragraph #3: This is the smallest part of the main body and is all about extra-curricular activities. It is easy to get carried away in this section and make outrageous claims, e.g. claim to be a mountain climber if all you have ever climbed is a hill at the end of your street etc. Lying is not worth the risk, given that your interviewer may share the same hobby that you claim to be an expert in. So, don’t be caught out!

What you should include in your Personal Statement main body:

• Sports and other hobbies
• Musical instruments
• Work experience
• Personal interests in the field of study
• Personal attributes

What you shouldn’t include in your Personal Statement main body (or anywhere!):

• Negative connotations – always put a positive spin on everything
• Lack of reflection
• Controversy in whatever form it may come
• Generic/stereotypical statements
• Listing things

Personal Statement Conclusion

The conclusion of your Personal Statement should be more about leaving a good final impression rather than conferring any actual information. If you have something useful to say about your interest and desire to study your subject, you shouldn’t be waiting until the very end to say it!

A good conclusion should not include any new information, as this should be in the main body. However, you also need to avoid repeating what you have said earlier in your Personal Statement. This would be both a waste of characters and frustration for the tutor. Instead, it is better to put into context what you have already written and, therefore, make an effort to keep your conclusion relatively short – no more than four lines.

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

Successful Personal Statement For Medicine At Oxford University

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1. Show passion for your subject

Admissions Tutors aren’t going to pick a candidate who doesn’t seem particularly interested in their field. Show your passion and eagerness to learn and succeed. Why do you love your subject? Why have you chosen it? What do you find most interesting and why?

2. Talk about you

This is your chance to talk about you, your interests and skills. It’s no good saying you’re passionate if you don’t prove that you are. Write in a natural style to show off your personality, making sure it’s genuine, relevant and specific.

3. Use appropriate language

Re-read your Personal Statement multiple times and check that the content is academic, engaging and clear.

4. Provide evidence to back up your claims

It’s all well and good saying you love medical science, but this is going to fall flat if you can’t back it up. Talk about your school subjects and results, any wider reading and relevant work experience. Perhaps you attended a lecture on your subject — this would be good evidence.

5. Link your activities outside of education to your course

Tell tutors why these activities are relevant and what you have learned as a result. Focus on transferable skills gained too, such as time management or organisational abilities.

6. Spell check and look for grammatical mistakes

Poor spelling and grammar makes for a terrible first impression, so ensure you triple-check it’s written to the highest standard before submitting it.

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Our Personal Statement dont’s

1. Write a clichéd beginning

Don’t waste time thinking of a catchy opening. The best Personal Statements get to the point quickly, so avoid starting with phrases like “From a young age”, “I am applying for this course because”, and “Throughout my life I have always enjoyed…”. Go straight into why you are interested in your course subject.

2. Use cringe-worthy language and cheap gags

This is not impressive and can indicate that you’re not a serious student. It’s essential you don’t come across as verbose or pretentious too, as Admissions Tutors will spot this immediately. They are well-versed in the ramblings of students who think this tone makes them seem more intellectual.

3. Overcomplicate things

Say what you need to, be specific and don’t waffle too much — you’ll run out of characters fast.

4. Go overboard with extra-curricular activities

Talking about these is good, but the truth is, Admissions Tutors have very little interest in what you do outside of education unless you can find a way to directly link them to your subject.

5. Plagiarise content

You can read Personal Statement examples online for inspiration but avoid copying and pasting them. During your interview, you’re likely to be asked about specific parts of your statement, and if you’re caught off-guard, you’re going to look silly. This could ruin your chances of being accepted. Use a plagiarism detector to ensure your essay is unique.

6. Mention universities or specific courses by name

You can only write one Personal Statement, so it’s the same for each course you apply for. Avoid mentioning specific unis by name or detailing exact specifics of a module, for example. Keep it general.

Now you know what to include in your Personal Statement and the best practices for doing so, we hope you feel more confident writing it. We have plenty of guides and successful personal statement examples to go through in our Free Personal Statement Resources page. Good luck submitting your UCAS application!

First impressions count. Learn how to craft the perfect Personal Statement that demonstrates your suitability to Oxbridge Admissions Tutors.

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