oxford brookes university personal statement

Personal Statements

Your personal statement is an important part of the application process. It is how you show a university that you are right for their course. Writing a good one can take a lot of work, but don’t worry. This isn’t a test, but an opportunity to show yourself off in the best possible light. You need to show them what would make you a good student. Be clear, be honest, and be enthusiastic about your course.

Your course

The university is interested in you as a student. Show them that you are interested in your subject and will work hard at it during your studies. Look in detail at what studying this subject will involve and try to apply your existing knowledge or experience.

Think about...

Why are you interested?

What sparked your interest?

What specific topics do you enjoy?

What have you done to learn about these topics?

What have you read about your subject?

What projects have you done to do with your subject?

If the subject is one you study at school - how have you gone beyond school requirements to learn more about it?

If you have an idea of a career path you’d like to follow - how does the course fit into it?

If you're applying for a combined course, make sure to include why you’re interested in both subjects and talk about them both equally!

UCAS' guide on: How to write your undergraduate personal statement

Who is your audience?

Admissions Tutors

Experts in your subject

Often lecturers on the course

Read hundreds of applications every year

Remember: your statement will be read by up to 5 admissions tutors

What are they looking for?

Why would you be an excellent student?

How are you different from other applicants?

What can you bring to the course and the university community?

Discover Oxford Brooke's Personal Statements Webpage

It can be difficult to start writing a personal statement but knowing the structure can be a big help! Guidance on the things to include in a personal statement can support in getting over the writers block because it is all about you so you should be able to think of something. It is suggested to note down some ideas for each section before worrying about forming full sentences. 

Some people even leave the first paragraph last! Whatever works for you! 

Why do you want to study this course?

What is it about the course that intrigues and interests you? 

Where did you get the desire to want to explore this course further? 

How do your current studies relate to your chosen course?

Are there any links to your course through your A-levels ( o r BTEC, EPQ etc.)

 For example any skills you learned. You may want to do English Literature and writing essays in school has supported your critical analysis skills. 

SECTION 2 CON'T 

W hat have you done that makes you suitable for the course?

This can include any work experience whether it be linked to your course or even your part-time job. 

You can use the ABC method to link sections

Action, Benefit. Course  

W h en have you done something that makes you somebody who will contribute to the course and to the university?

What do you intend in doing after completing your course? 

Further study or a certain career? 

Plan your structure

Leave it to the last minute

Sell your best skills and experience

Be honest and sound natural

Try to sound funny or smart

Show self-awareness and reflection

Just write lists

Proofread and get someone else to proofread

Have too many proofreaders

Make it personal to you

Plagiarise other statements

“I spent two weeks managing customer enquiries at a department store. I learned how to interact with customers and handle complaints. The experience highlighted the importance of positive communication between a business and its customers, and taught me how to manage difficult enquiries effectively. I would like to develop this skill further by studying a degree in public relations.”

“I spent two weeks working at a department store. I enjoyed speaking to customers and helping them with their enquiries”

Skills and activities bank

This bank is here to support you with examples of skills and activities you can use in your personal statement, in case you are feeling stuck!

Problem solving skills

Coordination

Concentration

Communication

Entrepreneurship

Data Handling

Time management 

Responsibility

Organisation

Critical thinking

Educational Clubs

Performance

Volunteer Work

Student politics

Student societies 

Part-time job

Social Activism

Taster Days

Useful resources

How to start a personal statement

What to include in your personal statement

Personal statement dos and don'ts

How to end your personal statement

• UCAS application

Personal statement

Academic reference, special circumstances.

• Declaring your disability

If you want to study at Oxford, you need to apply a year before the start date of your course by completing an online  UCAS application form .

Applications open in May so you can start work on the form from then. You won't be able to submit your application until early September. 

There is a strict submission deadline of 6pm (UK time) on 15 October. Your application must be complete - including the academic reference - and submitted before the deadline. Late applications cannot be accepted.

The deadline for applications is 6pm (UK time) on 15 October and this must be strictly adhered to.

Completing a UCAS application for Oxford follows the same process as for other universities, we just have an earlier  submission deadline of 15 October .

Please note that you should not send us as part of your application any certificates, transcripts or other documents for qualifications that you have already taken. The only exception to this is if you already have a degree from a university – see the 'Other forms' section on this page.

We will contact you for evidence of your qualifications if you are offered a place at Oxford.

Before you start:

• Choose  which course  you would like to study. You can only apply to one course at Oxford, and you can't apply to Oxford and Cambridge in the same year. Read more  information on all our courses . 
• Check the  admission requirements  for your course. Specific grades and subjects required are also shown on each  course page .
• Decide whether to express a preference for a particular  college  or make an open application. If you make an open application, you will be assigned to a college which has had relatively fewer applications for your course in the year you apply.

What will the UCAS application ask for?

• Personal details including an email address. Make sure you check this address frequently.
• Details about your education, and any qualifications you have already achieved. 
• A personal statement where you tell us why you are interested in your chosen course. Read our guidance on writing your personal statement .
• Your reference. Remember that your teacher or adviser will need some time to complete your reference, and this must be completed before the deadline. Read our guidance on academic references .
• A fee payment to UCAS is required to complete the process.

Read guidance from UCAS on  filling in your application .

• Admissions tests

For most courses at Oxford you are required to take a test as part of your application. Registration for tests is not automatic and is not part of the UCAS process.

New arrangements for 2024 admissions tests and beyond are still to be confirmed but will be communicated as soon as possible and no later than the start of the new admissions cycle in early Spring. 

Other forms 

If you are applying for a second undergraduate degree, please send a copy of the transcript from your first degree to the college that is considering your application, to arrive by 10 November.

No other references, transcripts, or certificates are required or accepted except for students applying for  Graduate-entry Medicine (A101)  or  Choral or Organ Awards .

One section of the application is called your personal statement. This is where you can write whatever you’d like to say about yourself and your motivation to study your course.

People sometimes think that there is a trick to writing a personal statement for Oxford, or that we are looking for some special secret formula, but this is not the case.

It’s important to remember that you can only write one personal statement and so the same wording will be seen by all the universities you apply to.

Your personal statement should therefore focus on the course you want to study, not the universities themselves. Please read this  helpful advice from UCAS . Please also view UCAS’ guidance on the use of assistive technology (including artificial intelligence) when writing your personal statement. 

Provided that your academic referee can give us some background on the impact of COVID-19 on your education in their reference, you do not need to specifically refer to this in your personal statement. If the pandemic has shaped how you think about your subject or offered you relevant opportunities to show your interest in your subject area, you can of course include this as part of your motivation for applying for the course. Otherwise, follow the advice given below.

How important is the personal statement?

Universities build a picture of you as a student from all the different information you provide, to help decide whether or not to offer you a place.

The picture is made up of several different pieces:

• your personal statement,
• your academic record,
• your predicted A-level grades (or equivalent),
• and your teacher's reference.

For most courses at Oxford you will also need to take an admissions test or submit written work ( check the details for your course ).

If your application is shortlisted, your interview will also be taken into account. This means that your personal statement is important but it’s not everything: it’s just one part of the overall picture.

What are Oxford tutors looking for?

Tutors at Oxford are only interested in your academic ability and potential. They want to see that you are truly committed to the subject or subjects you want to study at university but it’s not enough just to say that you have a passion for something. 

You need to show tutors how you have engaged with your subject, above and beyond whatever you have studied at school or college. This can include any relevant extra-curricular activities.

Try to avoid writing your personal statement as though you are ticking things off a list. There is no checklist of required achievements, and tutors will not just scan what you have written to look for key words or phrases.

Tutors will read your personal statement to try to understand what has motivated you to apply for their course. It’s a good idea to evaluate your experiences, to show what you have learned from them and how they have helped develop your understanding of your subject.  

Where should I start?

Think about talking to your friends about what you want to study at university: what would you tell them?

What have you read or watched or seen that has inspired you? (This might have been at school, at home, in a museum, on TV, in a book, on YouTube or a podcast or anywhere else. You can also take a look at our  suggested reading and resources .) Why was it interesting? What do you want to find out next? What did you do?

If you find this difficult, it might be time to think about whether or not you’ve really chosen the right course. If you can’t think of anything that has inspired you, this lack of enthusiasm will probably come across in your personal statement, or it will become clear at interview, and you’re unlikely to gain a place at Oxford. If you find it easy to answer these questions, you will have a long list of ideas to help you write your personal statement.

When you start to write, remember not just to list your achievements but show how they have affected you, how you have benefited, and what you’d like to learn next. Be honest about yourself and what has inspired you, whether that’s been text books, museums and literature, or websites, podcasts and blogs.

Be sure to tell the truth, as tutors might check later, so don’t exaggerate and certainly don’t make any false claims. Don’t hold back either – this is no time for modesty.

When you've written a first draft, have a look back at the  selection criteria  for your course and think about the evidence you've given for each of the criteria. Have you covered everything?

Should I include extra-curricular activities?

We typically suggest that you focus around 80% of your personal statement on your academic interests, abilities and achievements. This can include discussion of any relevant extra-curricular activities. The remaining 20% can then cover any unrelated extra-curricular activities.

There’s a myth that Oxford is looking for the most well-rounded applicants, and that you will only be offered a place if you have a long list of varied extra-curricular activities. In fact, extra-curricular activities are only helpful in so far as they demonstrate the  selection criteria  for your course. 

If you are applying to other universities as well as to Oxford (you can make five choices on your UCAS form) then you may need to find out whether the other universities have different selection criteria. If they do, then you might want to provide some information about your extra-curricular interests – but keep it to a minimum.

The space in your personal statement is limited, so think carefully about what you want to include.

Do I need experience of work and travel?

We understand that not everyone has the opportunity to do work experience or to go travelling so these activities are not a requirement for any of our courses. Tutors won’t be impressed by your connections, or the stamps in your passport, but they will be impressed by how you’ve engaged with your subject.

For example, some of our applicants for Medicine may have had work experience placements in prestigious hospitals but not be able to evaluate their time there. If you have no more experience than some simple voluntary work, or even just discussing medical matters with your friends and family, you can still write an effective personal statement by reflecting critically on what you have learned and discussed. 

To give another example, for the History of Art course, tutors will not want to hear about all the galleries and exhibitions that you have visited around the world if you cannot discuss the art that you saw. You can come across more effectively in your personal statement by evaluating art you have seen, even if you’ve only seen it online or in books without ever leaving the school library.

Don’t be put off by any friends who you think have more impressive things to say in their personal statements. Remember that tutors do not have a checklist of achievements that they are looking for: they want to see how you have engaged with your subject. 

I’m applying to different courses at different universities – how should I write my personal statement?

If you are thinking of applying for completely different courses at different universities (eg Physics and Accounting, or Biology and Music) we’d encourage you to reconsider.

It’s important to choose a subject area that you really want to study, and focus on that one area when making your applications. Also, you can only write one personal statement which will be seen by all the universities to which you apply, so it needs to be relevant for all your courses.

If you are thinking of applying for related courses at different universities then we suggest that you avoid using course titles in your personal statement. We recommend that you write about your interest in the general course themes, and how you have engaged with relevant subject areas, so that your personal statement is equally relevant for each of your course choices. 

Does my personal statement need to stand out?

Students sometimes feel that they need to say something dramatic to stand out from the crowd and be really memorable in their personal statement but this is not true. Applying to Oxford is not like a talent show where you may only have a few seconds to make an impression.

Tutors consider each application carefully on its individual merits, looking for evidence of your commitment and ability. If you use your personal statement to demonstrate your academic abilities and your engagement with your subject(s), then your application will be memorable for all the right reasons.

How many versions should I write?

Ask a teacher to read through what you’ve written, listen to their feedback and then make any updates that they suggest. You may need two or three tries to get it right and it can take longer than you think, especially with the limited number of characters.

It can be tricky to get in everything you want to mention, but don't spend too much time trying to make your personal statement completely perfect - it's only one of the things that the tutors will consider.

Some dos and don’ts

• Do apply for a course you really want to study.
• Do be yourself: tell the truth about your interests.
• Do sell yourself: this is not the time for modesty.
• Do re-read your personal statement before an interview – the tutors may ask you to talk about things you've mentioned
• Do read the  UCAS guidance on personal statements .
• Don't be tempted to make anything up, as you might be asked about it at interview.
• Don't copy anyone else’s personal statement. UCAS uses plagiarism detection software.
• Don't list qualifications like your GCSE grades or anything else that's covered elsewhere on the application.
• Don't just list your other achievements: you need to evaluate them.
• Don't feel the need to be dramatic in order to be memorable.

A reference from a teacher or someone else who is qualified to comment on your academic ability is an essential part of your UCAS application. Your application will be incomplete without a reference and we will not be able to consider it.

Advice for candidates

• The process is different for those applying through a school/college/centre and those applying after they have left school or as an individual.
• Read  how to get a UCAS undergraduate reference .
• The reference must be in English. If your referee is not confident writing in English, they can ask an English-speaking colleague to help them. Alternatively, you can have a certified translation made for them to upload. Please ask them not to submit a reference in any language other than English, and to make sure that they have uploaded a reference in English to UCAS by the 15 October deadline.
• Your reference must be from someone who can write about your academic potential; it can't be from a family member.

UCAS's reference guidance

• UCAS registered centre linked applications  (for those applying through their school or college).
• Independent or individual applicants (for those who are not at school or college).

Advice for referees

• Read  how to write UCAS undergraduate references  for information about writing an academic reference for a student's application to Oxford. The format of references has changed this year. It is now split into three separate sections so it is important that all referees are aware of the new guidance. 
• References can be up to 4,000 characters (including spaces, headings and line breaks) or 47 lines of text, whichever comes first, and comprise of three sections.
• It is up to the referee how they divide the word count between these three sections but we would advise leaving plenty of space for Section three, which is where you can comment on the individual academic achievements and potential of your Oxford applicants.
• UCAS have published  sample references  which you are likely to find useful. 
• Section one: this invites referees to enter a general statement about their school, college or centre. We strongly recommend including relevant information about school closures and disruption to whole cohorts on a specifically created webpage on your school website. You can then link to this webpage in Section one of your academic reference to ensure that most of the reference word count can still be dedicated to the academic achievements and potential of your student.
• Section two: if applicable, include here any information about individual extenuating circumstances which may have impacted your applicant's education and achievements. Alternatively, if for any reason this is inappropriate, you are welcome to  contact the college  considering your candidate's application.
• Section three: use this to comment on the individual academic achievements and potential of your Oxford applicant and how these relate to the course they are applying for. 
• If the candidate is currently studying or awaiting results you will be asked to include predicted grades for these qualifications. These should not be included as part of the reference but be included in the Education section of a candidate's UCAS application. Students who are awaiting examination results or are yet to take examinations should enter 'pending' against those qualifications (including resits) when completing the Education section. Those pending qualifications will then be shown in the adviser portal and is where referees should record their predicted grades for these pending examinations. Where applicable, this is an important part of the application, so please do include predicted grades. 
• It may be helpful first for you to refer to the  selection criteria  and  admission requirements  for your candidate's chosen course.
• You may like to refer to the additional advice about writing a reference for an Oxford applicant on our  Advice for Teachers page . 

This is the section of the UCAS form where you list all your qualifications along with the grades you have already achieved and any standardised test scores. Please list everything as the admissions tutors need to see the whole picture of your academic studies so far. It doesn't matter if you have taken a lot of qualifications, a few, or none, we ask you to tell us about them. 

You also need to list any educational qualifications you are currently working towards. Students who are awaiting examination results or are yet to take examinations should enter 'pending' against these qualifications (including resits) when completing the Education section. Pending qualifications will then be shown in the adviser portal and is where referees should record their predicted grades for these pending examinations. Where applicable, this is an important part of the application, so   make sure your referee is aware of this.  

Why do we ask for predicted grades?

Using predicted grades means you can apply to study at Oxford before you have finished school (or equivalent) and you don't have to wait until all your exams are complete and your results are known. These predictions help admissions tutors understand your academic potential and let them know if you are going to meet or exceed the entrance requirements for your chosen course.

If you are made an offer of a place, it will be conditional on your achieving the required grades (based on the  entrance requirements  for your course) in any outstanding exams. 

We appreciate that many educational systems around the world do not usually predict a student's grades in this way; however without these predictions from your teacher we are unable to consider your application. There’s lots of advice for teachers in the  teachers’ section  of our website   and from UCAS about writing references and predicting grades . 

What if you can't provide predicted grades?

If you have listed any exams or qualifications as not yet taken on your UCAS form, then your teacher must provide predicted grades for them. If you can't get predicted grades, then your only alternative is to wait until you have got the final results for all your exams and qualifications before applying to Oxford. Please remember that you can only apply to Oxford between early September and 15 October.

English language qualifications

If you are not a native English speaker, please also include any English language qualifications that you have taken or are due to take. Our English language requirements page lists which tests we accept and also explains possible exemptions.

How do you declare international qualifications in the UCAS form?

You should self-report all details of your qualifications, standardised test scores, and grades on the UCAS application form under ‘Education’. It will need to be clear from your application that you are on track to achieve the admission requirements for your  course .

Please visit our  international qualifications page  for the international qualifications we accept and the level of academic attainment we would require.

For any exams you are yet to take, you will need to ask your referee (normally the teacher supporting your application) to predict your results and submit these as part of your UCAS application. Please refer your referee to our advice on writing references and predicting grades . 

You may choose to declare the results of any individual modules or internal exams in the 'Education' section of your UCAS application, but this is not essential. You may instead like to ask your academic referee to mention the results of any internal school exams in the reference, if you feel that these results will help to demonstrate your academic ability and potential. 

Please visit the  UCAS website  for further advice on how to enter your qualifications on the UCAS form.

Note:  do not send us transcripts for the qualifications you've already taken ; you will only need to produce certificates or transcripts if you are offered a place here.

However, if you are applying for a second undergraduate degree, you will need to send a transcript from your first degree separately, to the college that is considering your application. You do not upload this as part of your UCAS form.

If you have personal circumstances that you'd like to tell us about please include them in your personal statement, or ask your teacher to include the information in your reference.

If for any reason this is not appropriate, then please wait until you have had confirmation that your application has been received by a college and then  contact them directly . This is likely to be around the end of October.

You can  contact our Admissions Office  for further information and advice if you're not sure what to include. If you are applying for Medicine, please read the Medical School's guidance on submitting information about extenuating circumstances . 

Usually special circumstances are something that you as an individual have experienced, something that is unique to you. So we would not, for example, expect you to let us know about your school being closed due to COVID-19. We are extremely aware of the widespread disruption to education during the pandemic and will be asking your academic referee to tell us how this has affected your year group. 

Students with disabilities

Please visit the tab  Declaring your disability  and read our  Guidance for disabled applicants  to find out about the support we offer our students.

Other extenuating circumstances

We are sympathetic to the fact that sometimes candidates under-perform at school or college because of extenuating circumstances. If you feel that your performance has been affected in this way please let us know.

You should let us have this information in your UCAS application as we need to receive this information before admissions decisions have been made. 

Information received after admissions decisions have been made will only be considered in exceptional circumstances and if this was not available earlier.   Examples would include disruption caused by change of school or system, severe discontinuity of teachers (but not if this was due to nationwide school closures due to COVID-19), bereavement, and debilitating illness.

We take care to treat each application individually and would always take such mitigating circumstances into account, if they are brought to our attention before admissions decisions have been made.

You could include this information in your personal statement or your teacher could mention this in their reference. If for any reason this is not possible, then we would advise you to contact the college you applied to (or are assigned to if making an open application) once you have had confirmation that your application has been received. This is likely to be around the end of October.

Teachers and other academic referees should follow the  guidance provided by UCAS  in order to explain the impact of COVID-19 on your education.

Whatever your particular circumstances, the earlier we know about your individual requirements, then the sooner we can begin to meet them. 

We are committed to making sure that all our students can benefit from the great opportunities at Oxford so please do tell us about any disability, whether seen or unseen, on your UCAS application. This should include:

• Sensory and physical impairments
• Specific learning difficulties e.g. Dyslexia
• Long-term mental health conditions
• Autism spectrum conditions
• Chronic illnesses and health conditions

Please be assured that admissions decisions are made on academic grounds alone. 29% of all our undergraduate students are known to the Disability Advisory Service.

By telling us now, you will help us put in place any agreed support early and to make reasonable adjustments to facilitate your access to your course and our University. It will also mean that we can provide appropriate arrangements during the admissions process, so for any test or interview.

While you do not need to include this information at this stage, we strongly recommend you do so in order to give us time to prepare and arrange suitable support.

You’ll find the relevant section at the bottom of the Personal Details tab of your UCAS application

• Click ‘see list’ to select the relevant category
• Fill in the second box below Category to give details of any facilities or special provisions required.
• UCAS also has some  good advice  about how to tell us about your disability.

See also our further  Guidance for disabled applicants . This includes information on contacting our  Disability Advisory Service  and how to put in place any necessary arrangements for our admissions tests, if this is one of the admission requirements for your chosen course.

A STEP BY STEP GUIDE FOR APPLICANTS

• Written work
• Second undergraduate degree
• Oxford and Cambridge: the similarities and differences
• Undergraduate Applicant Privacy Notice

RELATED WEBSITES

• Track your application

International applicants

The application process for international students is exactly the same as for UK and EU students: i.e. you must apply through  UCAS  by 15 October. 

UCAS  is an independent organisation that handles all applications to study undergraduate degrees in the UK. To complete a UCAS application, you will need to  register with UCAS  and pay them a fee. The UCAS website also has  guidance for international students.

There is no separate application form for Oxford's undergraduate courses (with the single exception of  A101 Graduate Entry Medicine ), and it is not possible to apply without completing a UCAS form.

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Personal Statements for Further Study

A personal statement is your chance to explain your motivation for applying and why you are a great candidate for the course..

Guidelines given vary from the simple “Provide evidence in support of your application” to the more common “Tell us why you are interested in the course to which you have applied. Describe your academic interests and reasons for applying to XXX”. For some courses there may be a much more prescriptive and structured approach, requiring you to write a series of shorter responses to specific questions relating to your motivation, experience and suitability for the course. You may also come across some institutions that ask you to reflect on how you might add to the diversity of a cohort should your application be successful.  

If you are applying to more than one university, each statement will need a different emphasis – do not use the same statement for all applications.  

In your statement, you should demonstrate:

• Motivation, enthusiasm, and a clear understanding of why you are making the application to this particular course, and to this particular institution.
• How your academic background and other experiences have shaped your decision to apply and how the course contributes to your plans for the future.
• Evidence that you have the ability, experience, skills and motivation to successfully contribute to the course, and to complete it.

Structure and Content

The opening paragraph sets the framework for the rest of the statement, think of it as your ‘trailer’. This is where you can grab the reader’s attention or lose it… You might start with a powerful anecdote, a brief narrative of your initial inspiration, or a thought-provoking statement linked to your academic interests.

Within the main body of the essay you should aim to cover:

Why you want to study this topic or field

Is it a natural extension of your current interests? How did you become interested in this area? Why does it continue to fascinate you? What have you done within your degree or outside of your study to fuel this interest? Would the course provide a step towards a longer-term goal?

Why you have chosen this specific course and institution

Are there particular options or modules that interest you? Is there particular expertise in that department? Has access to specific resources such as museum collections, libraries or laboratory equipment been a factor? Has the reputation (through recommendations or other means) of the course inspired you? Are you attracted by opportunities for collaboration or work placements? Have you attended any Open Days or other visits?

How your experience equips you for the course

Consider the subjects you studied at undergraduate level; your relevant skills (technical, language, computing, research methods); independent study or research; prior (relevant) experience; academic awards and other achievements. The focus here is likely to be on your academic suitability for the course, but if you have relevant work experience or extra-curricular activities that provide further evidence of your interest or ability then include them too. Your non-academic achievements might also provide evidence of project management, resilience, effective communication and so on.

Where the course might lead you

You don’t need to have a detailed career plan, but you do need to show how this course fits in with your general aspirations. Are you intending to continue on to a PhD? Do you have a broad interest in contributing to a particular issue or field, e.g. social enterprise, public policy, human rights, sustainability? Or do you have a more specific goal in mind? How will your chosen course help you to achieve your goals?

Closing paragraph

Use your closing paragraph to summarise your application, return to any themes you introduced at the beginning, and to restate your enthusiasm for the course.

Practical Advice

• Writing effective personal statements takes time. Expect to go through several drafts and ask tutors, peers, careers advisers and others to review your statement before you submit it.
• Good English, grammar and spelling are essential. Avoid jargon and make sure it can be understood by non-experts. 
• Keep the tone positive, fresh and lively in order to convey enthusiasm and make yourself stand out, but remember that this is a document introducing you in a professional capacity.
• It’s a good idea to mention relevant individuals whose work has truly inspired you, but avoid name-dropping for the sake of it, and excessive and evidence-free flattery of the institution or the course.
• If you refer to any papers or books then reference these correctly in a bibliography at the end of the statement.
• Pay attention to any word limits. If none are stated then aim for no more than two sides of A4 or 1000-1500 words.
• It is usually possible to apply for multiple courses at a single institution. Many (including Oxford) will require you to complete a separate application form for each course that you wish to apply for.

Research Proposals

For many PhD and some research Masters applications the personal statement is often accompanied by a research proposal – a document that sets out your research interests and proposed area of study. The detail required in this section varies hugely for different disciplines. For some science subjects it may simply be a list, in order of preference, of the named PhD projects you wish to be considered for. However, for most areas – and especially in the arts, humanities and social sciences – you will need to devote a considerable amount of time to developing your ideas, discussing them with potential supervisors and writing a proposal. Your academic tutors should be able to give you some guidance on writing research proposals, and there is some useful advice from  Vitae  and from  Find a PhD .

Admission Essays for US Graduate Schools

The information in this handout applies also to applications to American universities. However, there are subtle differences in the style and approach to essays aimed at the US context. A statement written for the US is likely to feel more personal; think of it as your academic biography – setting out your inspiration for the academic path you have followed in the past, the present and into the future. The Careers Service runs a workshop on US applications early each Michaelmas Term. The Fulbright Educational Advisory Service  also publishes guidelines on completing US applications. US university career services often provide useful advice on writing graduate school admissions essays. See for example: MIT graduate school essay advice , UC Berkeley advice on writing graduate admissions statements , UNC application essay advice and Yale advice on writing personal statements for graduate school.

Teacher Training Applications

The personal statement for postgraduate teacher training is the key part of your application. The question is quite prescriptive, and your focus should be on your motivation for becoming a teacher: particularly how your teaching and other experiences have contributed. Ideally you should also set out how these have helped you to understand the role, and the sort of teacher you aspire to be. The Careers Service runs a workshop on careers in teaching each Michaelmas Term, which includes advice about the application process. For more information, see the Careers Service information on Teaching in Schools .

Graduate Entry Medicine

Applications to graduate entry medicine courses are submitted via UCAS and include a personal statement. Much of the advice in this document also applies to medicine applications, but you are likely to need to place considerable emphasis on the relevant work experience you have gained prior to your application.

See Careers Service's information on Medicine as a Second Degree  for further information.

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Successful Personal Statement For Engineering At Oxford

Last Updated: 3rd August 2020

Author: Adi Sen

• Engineering

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 Engineering applicant’s Personal Statement that helped secure a place at Oxford University. The Engineering Course at Oxford is based on a unified course in Engineering Science, which integrates study of the subject across the traditional boundaries of engineering disciplines.

Read on to see how this candidate managed to navigate the many disciplines of Engineering. 

Here’s a breakdown of the Personal Statement:

SUCCESSFUL?

The universities this candidate applied to were the following:

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

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

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

Engineering Personal Statement

I have always considered myself creative; much of my youth was spent designing and building with my Dad in his workshop. I would read encyclopaedias on cars and watch design-related TV programmes such as BBC’s Robot Wars, analysing the strengths and weaknesses of each robot and thinking about how they could be improved. This background, combined with a genuine enjoyment of mathematics and physics, has given me a desire to read engineering at university.

Reading Marcus du Sautoy’s “The Music of the Primes” and Simon Singh’s “Fermat’s Last Theorem” has shown how individuals have dedicated their lives to solving seemingly simple problems. The main attraction of these books and mathematics more widely, is problem solving, which is also what draws me to engineering. Solving a wide variety of problems is something I really enjoy; in the most recent UKMT Senior Maths Challenge, I was awarded a gold certificate, also the best score in my year at school.

Studying physics at A-Level has helped me to understand the world, and answered questions I had as a child; why does a satellite stay in orbit? How does gravity work? Why does a clock pendulum keep in time? My favourite aspect of physics is mechanics, complemented by my maths mechanics modules. The application of physics and mechanics to engineering was obvious from the outset; it is a fundamental skill set which bridges the gap between science and invention. I also enjoy studying Further Pure Mathematics, in particular calculus, and am interested in how the solutions of second order differential equations apply to problems in mechanics.

Projects including designing and making a desk lamp, a torch and bench vice grips in GCSE Engineering gave me an initial insight into the discipline. The course gave me hands on experience with equipment typical of an engineering department. Considering the benefits of materials was important too; from an economic, aesthetic, and practical perspective. I also secured work experience at a BMW Mini Plant in the ‘Whole Vehicle Analysis’, section. One project involved heating up a Mini’s bonnet to address complaints from customers in hot countries that the bonnet scoop sagged. I used CNC measuring equipment and helped to write up one of a series of reports, resulting in an alloy being added to the scoop so it retained its structure. The week introduced me to engineering in the real world, the importance of quality control and precision and the cost of a company’s mistakes.

Aside from my studies, I have always had a musical interest and am working towards grade 7 piano. I completed work experience at the local ‘Yamaha Homeworld’ music shop specialising in top range digital pianos. I am constantly impressed at how a digital piano can look, feel, and respond exactly like a real piano. I like being part of a team and am a keen rugby and cricket player. Being elected as prefect and head boy has further helped me to work well, and get on with others, as well as improving my public speaking. This has been complemented by taking Grade 8 ‘Speaking in Public’ last year, in which I achieved a distinction. I now feel confident talking in front of large groups and being able to communicate my ideas easily. Reading Steven Johnson’s “Where Good Ideas Come From” discussed the theory that “ideas are generated by crowds where connection is more important than protection” and for me this epitomises the importance of team work and communication within engineering.

Ultimately, I would like to play a role in the future of our rapidly developing world; studying engineering at university will not only give me the skills to do this, but will also stimulate my passion for mathematics and science.

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

Successful Personal Statement For Natural Science (Physical) At Cambridge

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Download our Free Personal Statement Starter Guide 

Good Points Of The Personal Statement

This is an excellent statement.

The student begins with personal reasons as to why they are interested in engineering, and by the end of the introduction, the reader is left in no doubt that the student is absolutely sure they want to pursue engineering at a higher level. The student successfully describes a range of experiences and interests covering several engineering disciplines and keeps the application general enough to be relevant to a general engineering degree. The statement is well-structured with a clear introduction, main body, and end.

Bad Points Of The Personal Statement

Although the student mentions several experiences/interests covering several engineering disciplines, they fall short of naming a specific engineering discipline that captures their interest.

Whilst this is not a requirement, naming a particular field of engineering as capturing one’s interest above other fields would demonstrate a level of decisiveness to the reader. Many universities do not offer general engineering degrees, and it is possible a student who is applying for engineering at Oxford or Cambridge will also make several applications to universities for specific engineering disciplines.

It is important to keep the statement general enough for applications to general engineering courses but also specific enough for applications to individual engineering disciplines. This would have been possible by stating an interest in a particular engineering discipline.

UniAdmissions Overall Score:

This is an excellent statement, one that is well-written and well-structured. The student’s motivation to study engineering is clear, although the student falls short of naming a specific field of engineering which capture’s their interest above all others.

Because of this one negative, we’re awarding this statement 4/5 stars. However, it’s important to note this rating is based on the overall strength of the statement. Although it had potential to be a little stronger, this had no impact on the number of offers the candidate received.

And there we have it – an Oxford Engineering Personal Statement with feedback from our expert tutors. 

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

Check out our 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 Oxford Engineering application.

With our  Oxbridge Engineering Premium Programme we help you craft the perfect  Personal   Statement , achieve a highly competitive PAT score and teach you how to  Interview effectively.

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Oxford Brookes - Geography and Anthropology

Geography and anthropology – 2013 ( oxford brookes ).

I was born in New York City. At four years old, I moved with my family to Tokyo, Japan, and lived there for ten years. I have acquired a deep ...

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

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