university of southampton postgraduate personal statement

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How to write a postgraduate personal statement

29 th September 2021

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Applying for postgraduate study? This guide supports you in writing a great postgraduate personal statement that’s tailored to your course.

• What do admissions tutors look for

How to write a personal statement

• What to write

Check and check again

What do admissions tutors look for in a postgraduate personal statement.

A personal statement is part of your university application. It’s an opportunity to demonstrate your suitability for a course. Admissions tutors want to know why you want to study the course and how your experiences make you the ideal candidate.

The difference between a postgraduate application from an undergraduate one is that it is fully tailored to a particular university’s course. As an undergraduate, your statement is more generic as it can be sent to five universities. Whereas your postgraduate personal statement is for one course only – it should be a lot more specific to what and where you’re applying for.

Postgraduate study is also a significant level up from undergraduate, so avoid using the statement you wrote for your bachelor’s course as a template. The admissions team is interested in how you’ve grown since your previous studies.

Writing a personal statement for university is different to writing one for a job application. It should show your academic interests and explain why the university will help develop your learning and research. You’re not trying to charm the reader. Instead, you're providing insight into who you are, your achievements and your enthusiasm for the course.

Before putting pen to paper, read through all information about the course and what you need to do to apply.

If you can, arrange to speak with one of the course tutors or a current student to discuss what admissions tutors are looking for. Are you able to see examples of successful personal statements from previous applicants?

• Your relevant academic and practical experiences
• The bits about the course that particularly interest you
• Anything else the university has asked you to include

You can then use this to structure your plan.

Carefully plan what you’re going to write in each paragraph to ensure you include all the important information and present it coherently. Your course will demand effective communication from you, and admissions tutors will look for evidence of this in your writing.

• An interesting introduction that outlines your academic background and relevant experiences
• Engaging middle paragraphs that detail, with examples, how your interests, achievements and experiences make you right for the course
• A strong conclusion that pulls together the main points and summarises why you want to study it

Each paragraph and sentence should flow logically into the next. If you want, you can split up sections with headings (like ‘Academic achievements’ or ‘Career goals’) to make the statement easy to navigate.

For the word count, check with the university you’re applying to, as each may ask for different things.

What to write in a personal statement 

You want to show how your interests and experiences make you the right person.

• How will the course help with your future goals?
• What experiences do you have that provide evidence of your interest in the course?
• What modules or projects in your undergraduate degree really challenged your thinking?
• How has any employment shaped your ambitions?
• Have any personal or public events inspired you?
• Which books have you read, or activities have you been involved in, that have influenced you?

Rather than just listing experiences, explain how they shaped you and how they will help you succeed. There’s no need to write down your qualifications as the admissions tutor will have these details with the rest of your application.

• What are your hobbies?
• Are you part of any sports teams or societies?
• Do you volunteer?

This builds a picture of who you are and what you’ll be like as a student. If you want to and if relevant, refer to challenges you encountered during the pandemic – but in a positive way.

You don’t need to include everything in your statement. It should highlight the key information and leave the reader wanting to interview you to find out more.

The admissions team will be looking through many personal statements – they want to see a variety of experiences and stories. You can reflect this in your writing style; avoid repetition and use a variety of words to paint a unique picture.

Try not to use obvious phrases such as ‘I have always been interested in...’ or a gimmicky opening line like a famous quote. Instead, get to the point quickly and say in your voice why you’re excited about the course.

Be concise and make every word count. What you write should be relevant and honest, demonstrating your potential. Everything should be balanced; you can be confident in your abilities but try not to come across as arrogant. Show why you should be given the place, but don’t beg.

• First-person narrative
• Correct use of spelling, grammar and punctuation
• Varied and interesting vocabulary
• A positive and friendly, yet professional tone
• Paragraphs that flow logically into the next
• Clear and concise points backed up with evidence
• Clichéd language
• Waffle or too much irrelevant information
• Vague or confusing sentences
• Excuses for gaps in your experience

Proofread your statement to check that your points are clear and there are no spelling or grammatical errors. You can use spellchecking tools and free writing assistants like Grammarly or Hemingway Editor to perfect your work. Reading your statement aloud can be helpful to see if it makes sense and flows well.

Ask at least one other person to read through and check it. This could be a friend, family member, careers adviser or a tutor if you’re still at university. A second pair of eyes may spot anything that doesn’t make sense or errors that you’ve missed.

Personal statement tips

• Give yourself plenty of time to write, edit and check
• Take lots of breaks and return to your work with fresh eyes
• Make sure your statement is unique and written by you
• If you’re an international student, say why you want to study in the UK
• Be prepared to talk about what you’ve written in an interview
• And if you’re applying for more than one course, make sure to write a different, tailored statement for each application!

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Advice for applying to study STEM subjects

Your personal statement is an important part of your application. For many, it can seem like a daunting exercise, but in fact it’s your opportunity to show universities who you are and why you are an excellent choice for their course. To help you write a personal statement that will secure your place at your university of choice, our STEM admissions tutors have put together some top tips below.

Your personal statement

Many people do not know what they want to do in the future – and that’s OK! Many just know they like a particular subject area and want to pursue it further. Some have wanted to pursue it since an early age or have developed an interest in it recently.

Whichever best describes you, tell us, in your own words:

• The topics that fascinate you
• What you hope to achieve through studying your subject and give an idea of where this might fit in with your longer-term aims
• What sparked your initial interest in the subject
• Why you chose this particular course
• How you think the subject relates to the real world and society – think about its applications, the research that’s happening in the area and its global impact

Dr Lindsay-Marie Armstrong, Director of Admissions (Engineering)

“I enjoy reading about what you think are the next big challenges that we face as a society. Understanding the role you think engineering will play in solving global problems, even before you get to the course, is extremely valuable.”

The three most important things to demonstrate: passion, motivation and enthusiasm

Back up your passion and motivation with evidence. Explain why the subject fascinates you and what engages you.

 You could discuss:

• Videos, podcasts and lectures
• Work experience
• Topics you’ve studied

Professor David Smith, Admissions Tutor (Physics)

“Try to evidence your claims about yourself. i.e. rather than ‘I love physics’ write ‘My interest in physics led me to read this book or attend this lecture or take an optional physics club’. Remember you might be asked about your claims in an interview.”

Professor Russell Minns, Admissions Tutor (Chemistry)

"Don’t worry if you’ve not managed to get work experience, it’s not necessary for most subjects. Instead have a think about other things you’ve done outside of school or college that demonstrate your transferable skills."

We understand that it can be difficult to get relevant work experience and it’s not usually necessary for studying most subjects at university. But you can demonstrate valuable transferable skills and experience in many environments, such as:

• Part time work
• Sports activities
• Organising social activities or charity events
• Personal achievements from your hobbies

“Above all, tell us what you’ve done. This is much better than only talking about what interests you. This might be personal projects, or experiments with technology at home, but say something about your real experiences and how you learned from them.” 

Dr Dave Millard, Director of Admissions (ECS)

Personal statement top tips

• Tell us about your hobbies, interests and other activities, including employment or voluntary work, which show who you are as a person and demonstrate relevant skills
• Try not to use clichéd phrases, saturate your personal statement with superlatives, or try too hard to impress 
• Be honest and true to yourself and your interests, then read it through and see if it is a true representation of you, and demonstrates your passion
• Tailor the statement to your chosen course. Generic and formulaic statements do not demonstrate you as an individual and your genuine interest. We want to see your voice coming through in the statement
• Discuss your other subjects and how they link with each other
• Example personal statements online may be useful for inspiration but avoid plagiarising text from these. This is easy to check by UCAS and admissions tutors
• Take care with grammar, spelling and punctuation, and avoid writing in note form; try to get someone else to proofread, or read it over backwards – it helps you to spot mistakes in your own writing
• Remember, that all information in the personal statement may be drawn upon at interview, so be truthful about your knowledge, experience and motivations 

Application tips

• Make sure your subject choices meet the course requirements
• Don’t be afraid to aim high and choose one university course with entry requirements above your predicted grades
• You can include other qualifications not directly relevant to the application (e.g. music qualifications)
• Double check that all information is accurate such as qualifications, education and contact details

Good luck with your application! If you’d like to discuss any aspect of your application with us, please email us at [email protected]

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"Writing a personal statement might seem like a daunting task but it really should not be difficult. Think of your personal statement as a way for you to give us a few more details about you – about your story, your interests and your motivations. I enjoy reading through personal statements of applicants and see the diversity of stories and interests that motivate students to apply to study chemical engineering with us."

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Postgraduate Personal Statement Examples

What is a postgraduate personal statement?

A postgraduate personal statement is a piece of creative writing that should tell the universities you are applying to all about your strengths and where you see yourself in the future.

It should give admissions tutors a good idea of who you are and why you would make a valuable candidate for their course.

Remember that a postgraduate course is a higher level of study than an undergraduate degree, so be prepared to share your knowledge and expertise in your chosen subject.

How do I write a postgraduate personal statement?

We always recommend starting your postgraduate personal statement by brainstorming ideas. Your notes should cover the following:

• achievements
• academic results
• part-time or Saturday jobs
• volunteering
• wider reading
• extracurricular activities

as well as anything else you can think of that is relevant to the course you are applying for.

Take a look through our collection of postgraduate personal statement examples above to give yourself an idea of what a successful statement looks like.

Once you have put together an initial draft, it's a good idea to ask for feedback from family, friends and tutors. They will be able to look at your statement objectively and suggest ways it could be improved.

Incorporate their comments, and ask for further feedback. Don't worry if you have to do this three or four times - it's important you get your statement as perfect as possible before sending it off on your UCAS form.

What should I include in my postgraduate personal statement?

• Look at the content of the course and make sure your statement addresses the specific apect(s) you are interested in.
• Talk about your motivations for wanting to study the course and mention any projects you've completed, awards you've received or other achievements.
• Demonstrate important skillls that are required for a postgraduate course, e.g. problem-solving, teamwork, analytical, communication etc. Talk about how you have developed these, either at school/college, at your job or during hobbies or other activities.
• Most applicants spend the opening of their statement talking about why they want to study a postgraduate course in their subject, e.g. to improve their career prospects, or as a stepping stone to a PhD.
• Don’t include any over-used phrases or quotes in your statement that university admissions tutors will have seen and heard before.
• Now is also not the time for jokes or humour - it often doesn't work well and admissions tutors might not be impressed!
• Pay attention to detail and use good vocabulary and grammar throughout.
• Try to keep the tone positive and enthusiastic - tutors want to see passionate students that will be a valuable asset to their department.
• Start writing your personal statement as soon as you know which course you want to apply for and which universities you want to approach.

For more help and advice on what to write in your postgraduate personal statement, please see:

• Personal Statement Editing Services
• Personal Statement Tips From A Teacher
• Analysis Of A Personal Statement
• The 15th January UCAS Deadline: 4 Ways To Avoid Missing It
• Personal Statement FAQs
• Personal Statement Timeline
• 10 Top Personal Statement Writing Tips
• What To Do If You Miss The 15th January UCAS Deadline.

How long is a postgraduate personal statement?

A postgraduate personal statement is normally around 500 words long, which is roughly one side of A4. Some universities may require more, such as up two sides. Other institutions also set a character limit instead of a specific word count, so check the guidelines before you start writing.

Postgraduate personal statements shouldn't include personal information that is already elsewhere on your UCAS form. Instead, focus on why you want to study a particular postgraduate course and your potential to successfully complete your studies.

How do I structure my postgraduate personal statement?

Your Masters personal statement should have a clear, logical structure, where the paragraphs flow coherently from one to the next.

For the opening paragraph, you should try to grab the admission tutor's attention with an positive and passionate introduction that tells admission tutors why you want to study this course.

Your middle paragraphs should tell the reader all about your knowledge and skills and demonstrate why this course is the next step for you.

Around half of the main body should focus on you and your interests, and the other half about the course content and where you hope it will take you in the future.

Your conclusion should round off your statement by explaining why you are a great candidate. Most students aim to write between four and six paragraphs in total, although remember not to waffle - every word needs to count!

It's a good idea to mention any potential red flags, such as a gap in your education history, or low grades at school or college, and explain the reasons why as positively as possible.

For example, talk about how you plan to increase your wider reading to make up for your lower than expected exam results, or how you spent a year out from education volunteering at a local animal centre.

Most postgraduate applications are submitted online via the UCAS Postgraduate service or directly through the university's website. If you are doing the latter, make sure it is formatted correctly before submitting it.

How do I begin my postgraduate personal statement?

The first rule here is not to include any typically over-used phrases such as "since a young age" or "I have always wanted to be a...".

Remember that admission tutors read hundreds of statements every week, so you need to cut to the chase and grab their attention straight away.

Looking through some of our postgraduate personal staetment examples will inspire you, and help give you an idea of what makes a good opening sentence.

How do I conclude my postgraduate personal statement?

Your conclusion is just as important as your opening, so it's worth spending as much time as you can rounding your statement off with something memorable.

Talk about your ambitions and how you hope your postgraduate course will allow you to achive your career ambitions.

The end of your statement should also include a concise summary of why you are a good fit for the course.

Keep it succinct and on point, and think about why you will be a valuable asset to the university. After all, you are up against many other candidates, so why should the tutors offer you a place over them?

Once you've completed an initial draft, including an opening, middle and end, make sure you pass it on to family, friends or anyone else that can provide feedback.

You can then incorporate any suggestions or comments to try and improve it.

Be aware that it will probably take at least three or four rounds of revisions before you have a final, polished draft.

If you follow these tips your personal statement should leave a lasting impression.

Where can I find more information about postgraduate personal statements and applying for a course?

There are lots of great resources out there with tips and advice on postgraduate university personal statements and UCAS applications, including:

• Should I apply for a postgraduate course?
• Types of postgraduate course
• Writing a postgraduate personal statement
• Benefits of postgraduate study
• Postgraduate entry requirements
• Research vs Taught Masters
• Taught Masters
• Research Masters
• UCAS Postgraduate Applications
• FindAMasters

Related resources

How to write a masters statement.

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How to write a personal statement

Finding the right words to include in your personal statement can be tricky, but we're here to guide you through it.

Writing a first-class statement

You know we’re a good match, now all you’ve got to do is tell us why. Your personal statement is an opportunity to tell us everything about you and how special you are but finding the right words can be tricky. If you’re tired of sitting in front of a blank page for hours on end, searching for the best way to describe yourself, you’ve come to the right place. Here are our top tips for writing a personal statement.

What is a personal statement?

A personal statement forms part of your application to study at university. It’s your chance to articulate why you’d like to study a particular course or subject, and what skills and experience you possess that demonstrate your passion for your chosen field. Your personal statement can be up to 4,000 characters (including spaces) or 47 lines of 95 characters (including spaces); whichever is shorter.

What to write about in your personal statement

You! No one knows you better than you know yourself. You need to tell us why you’re the perfect candidate for the course and what makes you stand out from the crowd.

A helpful way of ensuring you strike the right balance is by splitting your statement into sections:

• At least 75% of your personal statement should be related to what you want to study, and why you want to study that subject. Be genuine and refer to topics you've already studied and your wider interests in the area. It's also worth reflecting on any reading that you’ve done on the subject or relevant work experience.
• The remaining 25% of your statement should cover any other achievements. This is where you show us that you’ve taken full advantage of the opportunities presented to you. Are you on a school sports team? Have you conducted any charity work? Do you have a part-time job? Include relevant examples that demonstrate you have the skills needed during your time at university. It’s time to boast about how brilliant you are! 

However, getting these details down isn't always easy, and some people find it helpful to make notes over time. Carrying a notebook with you or setting up a memo on your phone can be useful. Whenever you think of something useful for your personal statement, jot it down.

Top Tip: It’s important to remember that you only write one personal statement – it remains the same for each course you apply for. So, avoid mentioning any universities by name. If you’re applying for more than one subject (or it’s a combined course) it’s crucial to include common themes or reference the overall skills needed for all subjects.

How to write your personal statement

Just like you, your personal statement should be unique, so there’s no specific format to follow when it comes to putting pen to paper. That said, we have compiled some general guidelines for you to follow:

• Write simply and naturally – don’t use complex language to impress, it often doesn’t read well 
• Be enthusiastic and excited – we want to see your genuine passion (and enjoy reading about it) 
• Structure your personal statement to reflect the skills and qualities universities value most – read the course descriptions for inspiration 
• Read it aloud – this can help you spot any potential mistakes and provides an opportunity to edit the text to make the statement sound more natural 
• Don’t copy – UCAS runs your personal statement through plagiarism software to make sure your statement is original 
• Overwrite then edit – when working on your first draft it’s important to get down as much information as you can, you can refine the copy to suit the character count later 
• Don’t settle on draft one – come back to your statement a few days after completing your first draft, you’ll likely want to redraft certain sections after coming back with ‘fresh eyes’ 
• Ask for advice – get your teachers, advisors and family to take a look and don’t be offended if they offer suggestions or changes, they want to help you succeed 
• Run your statement through a spell-checking programme – then double-check the spelling, punctuation and grammar and correct

We recommend you write your personal statement first, then copy and paste it into your online application once you're happy with it. Make sure you save it regularly, as it times out after 35 minutes of inactivity.

Need more application tips?

Life is full of opportunities and studying at the University of Nottingham could be your biggest yet! If you’re looking for more application guidance, head over to our 'Applying' hub.

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How to write a personal statement

How to approach writing your personal statement for graduate applications.

If you’re applying for a grad course that requires a personal statement (sometimes also called a ‘statement of purpose’), it can be difficult to know where to start and what to include. Read on for tips from some of our masters’ students about their process and what they found helpful.

1. Before you start

The academic work is the most important reason why we’re here, but that also translates into work experiences, internships, volunteering. I think a big part of the personal statement is crafting that narrative of academic self that fits alongside your professional experiences, to give that greater picture of who you are as an academic. Lauren (MSc Modern Middle Eastern Studies)

Start by thinking about the skills, knowledge and interests you’ve acquired over time and how the course at Oxford will take them forward.

Your statement is the story you want to tell about yourself and your academic work to the department you are applying to.

Most of your application and its supporting documents communicate plain facts about your academic career so far. Your personal statement is your best opportunity to put these facts into context and show assessors how you’ve progressed and excelled.

Make sure you highlight evidence of your achievements (a high grade in a relevant area, an award or scholarship, a research internship).

Presenting yourself

When I was writing my personal statement, I went onto my course website. I looked at what they emphasised and what kind of students they were looking for, and I wrote about my experiences based on that. Kayla (MSc in Clinical Embryology)

Make it easy for an assessor to see how you meet the entry requirements for the course (you can find these on each course page ).

Don’t make any assumptions about what Oxford is looking for!

Get to know your department

You want to study this particular subject and you want to study at Oxford (you’re applying here, so we know that!) but why is Oxford the right place for you to study this subject? What interests or qualities of the academic department and its staff make it attractive to you?

Use your academic department’s website for an overview of their research, academic staff and course information (you'll find a link to the department's own website on each course page ).

I said, ‘why do I actually want to be here? What is it about being at Oxford that’s going to get me to what I want to do? Sarah (Bachelor of Civil Law)

Talk it out

Talking to others about your statement can be a great way to gather your ideas and decide how you’d like to approach it. Sarah even managed to get benefit out of this approach by herself:

“I spent a lot of time talking out loud. My written process was actually very vocal, so I did a lot of talking about myself in my room.”

2. The writing process

Know your format.

Make sure you’ve read all the guidance on the How to Apply section of your course page , so you know what’s needed in terms of the word count of the final statement, what it should cover and what it will be assessed for. This should help you to visualise roughly what you want to end up with at the end of the process.

Make a start

When it comes to writing your personal statement, just getting started can be the hardest part.

One good way to get around writer’s block is to just put it all down on the page, like Mayur.

First - write down anything and everything. In the first round, I was just dumping everything - whatever I’ve done, anything close to computer science, that was on my personal statement. Mayur (MSc Computer Science)

You’ll be editing later anyway so don’t let the blank page intimidate you - try writing a little under each of the following headings to get started:

• areas of the course at Oxford that are the most interesting to you
• which areas you’ve already studied or had some experience in
• what you hope to use your Oxford course experience for afterwards.

3. Finishing up

Get some feedback.

Once you’ve got a draft of about the right length, ask for feedback on what you’ve written. It might take several drafts to get it right.

This could involve getting in touch with some of your undergraduate professors to ask them to read your draft and find any areas which needed strengthening.

You could also show it to people who know you well, like family or friends.

Because they’re the first people to say, ‘Who is that person?’ You want the people around you to recognise that it really sounds like you. It can be scary telling family and friends you’re applying for Oxford, because it makes it real, but be brave enough to share it and get feedback on it. Sarah (Bachelor of Law)

Be yourself

Finally - be genuine and be yourself. Make sure your personal statement represents you, not your idea about what Oxford might be looking for.

We have thousands of students arriving every year from a huge range of subjects, backgrounds, institutions and countries (you can hear from a few more of them in our My Oxford interviews).

Get moving on your application today

To find out more about supporting documents and everything else you need to apply, read your course page and visit our Application Guide .

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Guide to writing your personal statement.

What is a personal statement?

Your personal statement is an important part of your postgraduate application. This is your chance to engage the Course Selectors and demonstrate your passion, enthusiasm and commitment for your chosen course. You can use it to clarify and expand on any information in your application and highlight what you want us to know. It should be personalised for the specific course you are applying for.

Personal Statements should be approximately 1-2 pages. It must be in English and in your own words.

Do your research

When applying for any course, we strongly recommend you view the course pages on the relevant Warwick department's webpages to read more information on the course description, content, entry requirements and any additional requirements.

Additionally, some departments such as WBS and WMG have particular requirements for what they want you to write about in your personal statement. Please make sure you visit the course pages on your department's website to check for any additional requirements.

What should you write about?

Here are some themes you should consider when writing your personal statement. Please note this list is not complete, but includes useful questions you may wish to explore:

Why are you interested in the course?

What are your reasons for choosing this specific course at the University of Warwick? What motivates you? Why do you want to undertake postgraduate study at this point in your academic or professional career?

How are you qualified for the course?

This may be about your prior study, work experience, internships, skills, achievements or research and how they relate the course. How did your previous experiences give you the skills or knowledge you will need for this course specifically? What did you learn and how would this help you on this course? What might you contribute to your cohort?

How will the course benefit your future career plans?

What are your goals? What skills do you want to develop? How would this course prepare you for the future you envision for yourself?

• Try to avoid vague statements such as 'I have always wanted to go to your University because I have a passion for study' or 'I want a better job'.
• You don't need to repeat information you have already given us. For example, we already know the details of your undergraduate degree from your transcripts.
• Likewise, you can include information about your employment, hobbies and voluntary work, but you need to add more detail to explain how they are related to the course you are applying for.
• Donʼt submit the same generic statement for many different courses. You must tailor the statement for each specific course.
• You may use your personal statement to address any gaps in your knowledge and how you have or plan to address them.
• Make sure your personal statement has a clear introduction (beginning), body (middle), and conclusion (the end). Check your grammar and spelling, and keep your sentences short and concise.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Personal statement

You will need to submit a personal statement of around 500 words, outlining your academic history and relevant experience.

Your personal statement is an important part of your application: it will help selectors to decide whether you are a good match for the programme you have applied for and, just as importantly, whether the programme is right for you.

Areas to cover

Your personal statement gives you the opportunity to outline your academic history and relevant experience in order to demonstrate that you are a suitable candidate for the programme you have applied for. 

You should also use your personal statement to outline your motivation for your chosen area of study. Try to answer questions such as:

• Why are you interested in studying at Edinburgh?
• Why have you chosen this particular programme?
• If you are studying for career development, what are your career plans and how will your studies support these?

If you have any other relevant experience, for example paid or voluntary work experience or additional qualifications not stated elsewhere, then please include this information in your personal statement, or you can add it to the “Relevant knowledge/training skills” field in the application form.

If you are applying for more than one programme you should write a tailored personal statement for each of your applications. This enables you to refer to the specific programme you are applying for and to highlight how your academic background and skills make you suitable for this particular programme.

Remember that your personal statement is an opportunity to tell us about yourself. The information you give us must be true. Copying information from elsewhere or asking someone else to write your statement, including the use of AI apps such as Chat GPT, could be considered fraud.

Length and writing style

Your personal statement should be no more than 3,500 characters (approximately 500 words) in length and should be written in formal English, using appropriate grammar and punctuation.

It is a good idea to ask a friend to proofread your statement for you before you submit your application.

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Writing a personal statement

A personal statement should be a positive summary of you and your motivations for applying for an opportunity. It's an important section in this type of application form and will take the most amount of time to complete. This section normally appears with a large text box after you have filled in your basic information.

It is a good idea to draft your personal statement in a separate Word document. This enables you to keep a copy which will be important to reflect on should you be invited to an interview. It also enables you to proofread your work to check for spelling and grammar. If possible get someone else to proofread your personal statement.

Try to write concisely. Don’t make the statement too long with superfluous detail, but neither should it be too short. There should be enough to ‘sell’ yourself, without boring them. Stick to a word count if there is one.

How to structure your personal statement

When presented with an empty text box, it can be difficult to know where to start. If you are not given specific instructions about content, you should always aim to include the following:

Describe what motivates you and attracts you about the opportunity. Show that you have a realistic understanding of what is involved and can draw parallels with positive experiences you have already had, even if these have been in different settings.

Your background research will enable you to demonstrate your motivation more effectively. By knowing more about them you will have more to talk about, and will therefore be more effective in specifically evidencing your motivation and your understanding of the opportunity and the company. For example, their projects, values or personal development opportunities may have taken your interest. Whatever captures your attention, try to be as specific and authentic as possible. Generic statements do not tend to work well here.

Many recruiters use the person specification as a selection tool when reviewing your statement. For this reason, it is important that you evidence their criteria as clearly as possible. To achieve this you could:

• Use the key competencies as sub-headings to signpost the recruiter to the relevant information
• Theme different key competencies into separate paragraphs. Ideally, order these paragraphs in the order that they appear in the person specification so that it is easy for the recruiter to follow
• Theme key experiences in separate paragraphs in order of relevance, e.g. a paragraph on your education, then your projects, then your work experience etc. Clearly demonstrate the relevant skills and experiences when describing these experiences.

If there isn’t a formal specification available, then write it against the competencies that they say they are looking for in the advert or from wider research.

You may find the STAR structure useful to refer to when presenting examples to demonstrate a competency:

Situation  – Provide some brief details about the situation so that the reader can understand the context of the example Task  – Explain the objective/purpose, i.e. what you were aiming to do Action  – Describe what you did and summarise your actions Result  – Finish with the outcome. Show that you met your objectives and, if appropriate, comment on what you learnt from the experience

This is the opportunity for you to demonstrate your relevant skills, attributes and specific knowledge, so make sure you sell yourself.

You might also use this section to set out experiences that you feel are of ‘secondary’ importance, i.e. things that are still relevant but which you haven’t written about elsewhere in the form. For example, you might write about interests, leisure pursuits or volunteering that are not directly relevant to the job but where you have developed some pertinent transferable skills.

You could also use this section to explain how you coped with any setbacks and refer to qualities such as determination and persistence. This can be helpful to explain re-sits, changing courses, lack of relevant experience or time gaps. Write positively about the experience, for example, what you learnt from it and what you have done to address the issue since then, if applicable.

Try to end on a high note with a positive concluding statement. You could reiterate your motivation and commitment.

1. Before writing your personal statement, make sure you have done your research into the opportunity and reflected on how you meet the requirements. For further information on how to do this, see Preparing to write an application form

2. Draft your personal statement in a separate document. This enables you to keep a copy of your responses, which will be important to reflect on should you be invited to an interview. It also enables you to proofread your work to check for spelling and grammar. It is also a good idea to get someone else to check your application for you.

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• Southampton Ageing and Gerontology Talent Scholarship

Two scholarships of £5,000 are available to UK and international students applying to study an eligible postgraduate Ageing and Gerontology programme in 2024.  

Eligibility 

To be eligible for a scholarship you must: 

• Hold a conditional or unconditional offer from Southampton for an eligible programme: - MSc Gerontology   - MSc Gerontology (Research)   - MSc Gerontology (Distance Learning)   - MSc Global Ageing and Policy (Distance Learning)  
• Meet your offer conditions, including the University’s English language requirements, by the admissions deadline stated in your programme offer letter. 

Deadline to apply 

You can apply for the scholarship until midnight (UK time) on Friday 28 June 2024. We will contact you by 16 August 2024 to confirm the outcome of your scholarship application.   

We cannot accept late applications.  

How we award scholarships 

This is a competitive process, and not all applications will be successful. 

There are 3 stages to the shortlisting process.  

• We check that you meet the eligibility criteria.  
• We assess your academic record and qualifications. 
• A selection panel will decide on the successful applicant. The panel will consider your supporting statement, alongside your academic achievements to date.  

The decision of the scholarship panel is final. 

Conditions of getting the scholarship 

Find out the conditions of getting a scholarship .  

How to apply  

• Apply to study an eligible postgraduate Gerontology programme with the University of Southampton. 
• Send an email to the Gerontology Admissions Tutor, Prof Athina Vlachantoni ( [email protected] ) including your CV as an attachment, as well as a 500-word statement about why Gerontology is an important subject for the country you reside in, and what you see yourself doing with your Gerontology or Global Ageing and Policy degree in the future. 

Contact us 

For more information or help, email [email protected] . 

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Rated Gold in the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) 2023

Scholarships available

150+ countries on campus

92% of graduates in or due to start employment or further study fifteen months after graduation HESA Graduate Outcomes Survey 2019/20

The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide & Complete University Guide 2024

Russell Group Research intensive university

Delivering Green Solutions

Find out about Exeter’s leading work on positive tipping points and new Global Tipping Points Report in partnership with the Bezos Earth Fund.

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Aerial view of the Streatham Campus, Exeter

Students working on Streatham Campus, Exeter

The Harbour Lights fish and chip shop in Falmouth

Interior of Exeter Cathedral

A traditional pub in Falmouth

The Forum, Streatham Campus, Exeter

Swanpool Beach in Falmouth

Reed Hall, Streatham Campus, Exeter

A lecture taking place in the Alumni Auditorium, Streatham Campus, Exeter

Rooftop bar in Exeter

Exeter Cathedral, built in 1133

Shopping in Princesshay, Exeter

One of many festivals that take place at Falmouth harbour

Paddleboarding and kayaking in Cornwall

 The University of Exeter Women's Rugby Club celebrate a win

World-famous St. Ives, a short drive from the Penryn Campus

Cross Keys Cafe on St Luke's Campus, Exeter

Brentor Church, Dartmoor, Devon

Aerial view of Penryn Campus and the coast

St. Luke's Fitness Centre

No Guts No Glory,  a lovely independent plant shop in Exeter

A student outside a local shop on Magdalen Road, near St Luke's Campus, Exeter

St Luke's Campus, Exeter

Stepcote Hill, Exeter

Independent shops on Fore Street, Exeter

Exeter Cathedral

Historic Exeter Quayside

The Cathedral Green, Exeter

The River Exe, Exeter

Traditional architecture in Exeter

Geology students in Cornwall

Physics students on the Streatham Campus, Exeter

Legendary Pizzas at Exeter's On the Waterfront restaurant

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