writing a personal statement for a business degree

Clearing Universities & Courses

Clearing advice.

Recommended Clearing Universities

Popular Course Categories

Course search & discover.

Start the search for your uni. Filter from hundreds of universities based on your preferences.

Search by Type

Search by region.

Recommended Universities

Ravensbourne University London

London (Greater) · 88% Recommended

City, University of London

London (Greater) · 92% Recommended

The University of Law

Search open days.

What's new at Uni Compare

University of Bedfordshire

Bedfordshire has a 95% graduate employment rate for career prospects, find out more!

Ranked #4 in World University Rankings (Masters In Marketing 2024) - click here!

Ranking Categories

Regional rankings.

More Rankings

Top 100 Universities

Taken from 65,000+ data points from students attending university to help future generations

About our Rankings

Discover university rankings devised from data collected from current students.

Guide Categories

Advice categories, recommended articles, popular statement examples, statement advice.

What to include in a Personal Statement

Personal Statement Tips

Personal statement examples business studies personal statements.

Discover personal statement examples written by students accepted onto business studies and related courses. Read through the examples to help shape your own personal statement.

Top 10% for Business graduate earnings (Longitudinal Education Outcomes 2022)

Gain real-world business skills and experience at University of Brighton in an AACSB-accredited business school​​​​. Explore Business degrees at Brighton.

Gain real world experience needed for success in Business

Prepare for your future with a Business Degree at Roehampton which includes practical learning, paid placements and employability events.

Business Studies Personal Statements

Submitted by anonymous

Business and Management Personal Statement

I am applying to study a business degree, specialising in Human resou...

Business and Management (Marketing) Personal Statement

Living in London, which is ranked as the number one city for business...

International Business Personal Statement

Interaction with business professionals has led me to believe that to...

Business Management Personal Statement

There are many events in a person’s life, but only a few of them are ...

Fashion Business and Promotion Personal Statement

Identity and individuality is often interpreted through the expressio...

In year 7 I was put into bottom set Maths, which I knew at the time w...

International Business BSc Personal Statement

When looking at the many highly successful transnational corporations...

Submitted by Iona

Growing up with both of my parents running their own businesses gave ...

Submitted by Serena

After completing the 'Young Business Leaders' programme during summer...

Submitted by Nathan

Business is one of the most important components of modern life, and ...

Submitted by Mohammed

BA Business Management Personal Statement

My decision to apply for a course in Business is to facilitate my lon...

Submitted by Phillip

Real Estate Personal Statement

The catalyst of my desire to study Real Estate stems from a young age...

Submitted by Joshua

Spending a day shadowing a senior director of Adobe was an eye-openin...

Submitted by Maryam

Business Mangement with Marketing Personal Statement

The use of business management is something we are all exposed to thr...

Submitted by Harrison

BSc Digital Innovation and Entrepreneurship Personal Statement

In a world where the success of organisations is dependent on the lat...

Submitted by Megan

Business and Human Resource Management Personal Statement

The most important character trait of a business owner is the ability...

Submitted by Charlie

This interest ignited my entrepreneurial side with the creation of 'F...

Submitted by Sumrah

Bsc International Relations and History Personal Statement

Politics and History both trickle down into every aspect of one's lif...

Submitted by Simrit

Business Management and Law Personal Statement

The potential consequences of Britain’s decision to leave the Europea...

Submitted by Millie

Management and Human Resources Personal Statement

Growing up, I had a natural inclination to organise; be it planning g...

Submitted by Nola

Economics/Business Economics Personal Statement

I've always loved figuring out how things tick or why people reason t...

Submitted by Eashan

Business, Accounting and Finance Personal Statement

Global interdependence has become inevitable and accounting and finan...

Submitted by Alize

Business Management with Accounting and Finance Personal Statement

Mathematics has sparked my curiosity from an early age. Over the year...

Recommended Course

Business Studies Personal Statement Advice

Writing a personal statement for business school is a critical part of the application process. A business and management personal statement sets you apart from the other applicants; it’s an opportunity to highlight your particular strengths. A UCAS personal statement shows the individual, rather than the grades, so you want to get it right. Don’t cloud your message by being overly complex in your language. We recommend including these sections in your Business Studies personal statement: Remember not to say too much about the university choice in your business personal statement, because you might be sending it to five different institutions. It’s not just qualifications that count: If you’re looking for business marketing personal statement (or business administration statement) examples, you might include a mention of being on the college newspaper, as this will prove consistent organisational skills and showcase leadership. Hand your business studies personal statement sample to a teacher to check over before you submit your final version. They can check your personal statement structure, grammar and tone. A final note: if writing an international business personal statement, explain briefly why you’re interested in studying in those particular countries. A strong international business personal statement example will synthesise information about why the course and the destination are a good fit for the student. The very best business management personal statement examples are written concisely, formally and with relevant evidence throughout. Weak business personal statement examples are vague, generic and unenthusiastic.

undergraduate Universities

Undergraduate uni's.

Ravensbourne

245 courses

Uni of Sunderland

200 courses

Uni of East London

317 courses

Uni of Winchester

161 courses

Uni of Bedfordshire

336 courses

Middlesex Uni

469 courses

Uni of Roehampton

268 courses

Uni of Leicester

267 courses

Northeastern Uni

West London IoT

ARU Writtle

104 courses

Uni of Kent

417 courses

528 courses

Heriot-Watt Uni

208 courses

Kingston Uni

378 courses

Goldsmiths, UOL

273 courses

Leeds Beckett Uni

327 courses

238 courses

Uni of Hertfordshire

419 courses

Uni of Surrey

437 courses

Cardiff Met Uni

304 courses

Uni of Chester

399 courses

Uni of Portsmouth

542 courses

Uni of Suffolk

109 courses

Swansea Uni

780 courses

Coventry Uni

445 courses

Uni of Bradford

197 courses

Uni for Creative Arts

323 courses

Staffordshire Uni

272 courses

414 courses

Uni of Westminster

Anglia Ruskin Uni

460 courses

UWE, Bristol

249 courses

Leeds Arts University

Uni of Essex

797 courses

Wrexham Uni

168 courses

355 courses

Escape Studios

Uni of C.Lancashire

438 courses

Uni of Huddersfield

458 courses

Uni of Brighton

253 courses

Bath Spa Uni

295 courses

Edge Hill Uni

243 courses

Uni of Hull

Nottingham Trent

539 courses

Edinburgh Napier

184 courses

Uni of Reading

393 courses

Queen's Uni

411 courses

Find the latest from Uni Compare

Ranked the top university for Student Satisfaction in the East of England (NSS)

University of South Wales

USW has been shortlisted as the Times Higher Education’s (THE) University of the Year! Click here to learn more.

• SUGGESTED TOPICS
• The Magazine
• Newsletters
• Managing Yourself
• Managing Teams
• Work-life Balance
• The Big Idea
• Data & Visuals
• Reading Lists
• Case Selections
• HBR Learning
• Topic Feeds
• Account Settings
• Email Preferences

How to Write a Strong Personal Statement

• Ruth Gotian
• Ushma S. Neill

A few adjustments can get your application noticed.

Whether applying for a summer internship, a professional development opportunity, such as a Fulbright, an executive MBA program, or a senior leadership development course, a personal statement threads the ideas of your CV, and is longer and has a different tone and purpose than a traditional cover letter. A few adjustments to your personal statement can get your application noticed by the reviewer.

• Make sure you’re writing what they want to hear. Most organizations that offer a fellowship or internship are using the experience as a pipeline: It’s smart to spend 10 weeks and $15,000 on someone before committing five years and $300,000. Rarely are the organizations being charitable or altruistic, so align your stated goals with theirs
• Know when to bury the lead, and when to get to the point. It’s hard to paint a picture and explain your motivations in 200 words, but if you have two pages, give the reader a story arc or ease into your point by setting the scene.
• Recognize that the reviewer will be reading your statement subjectively, meaning you’re being assessed on unknowable criteria. Most people on evaluation committees are reading for whether or not you’re interesting. Stated differently, do they want to go out to dinner with you to hear more? Write it so that the person reading it wants to hear more.
• Address the elephant in the room (if there is one). Maybe your grades weren’t great in core courses, or perhaps you’ve never worked in the field you’re applying to. Make sure to address the deficiency rather than hoping the reader ignores it because they won’t. A few sentences suffice. Deficiencies do not need to be the cornerstone of the application.

At multiple points in your life, you will need to take action to transition from where you are to where you want to be. This process is layered and time-consuming, and getting yourself to stand out among the masses is an arduous but not impossible task. Having a polished resume that explains what you’ve done is the common first step. But, when an application asks for it, a personal statement can add color and depth to your list of accomplishments. It moves you from a one-dimensional indistinguishable candidate to someone with drive, interest, and nuance.

• Ruth Gotian is the chief learning officer and associate professor of education in anesthesiology at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City, and the author of The Success Factor and Financial Times Guide to Mentoring . She was named the #1 emerging management thinker by Thinkers50. You can access her free list of conversation starters and test your mentoring impact . RuthGotian
• Ushma S. Neill is the Vice President, Scientific Education & Training at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City. She runs several summer internships and is involved with the NYC Marshall Scholar Selection Committee. ushmaneill

Partner Center

• International edition
• Australia edition
• Europe edition

How to write a personal statement for business studies

Business studies courses are heavily oversubscribed, so show your skills and understanding of business on a global level

B usiness and management studies degrees are among the most oversubscribed subjects at university. The highest ranking universities demand three As at A-level to be considered for a place. For these programmes, the personal statement is your chance to show admission tutors your potential beyond your grades.

In your personal statement you should talk about what you have learnt through your A-level studies. Courses with a specialist focus on accountancy or finance will ask for maths A-level, so if you studied maths do mention the skills you gained.

Peter Corvi, associate dean at the University of Warwicks' business school, says: "We're looking for strong quantitative skills."

Critically reflective essay writing skills are also important for a business studies student, says Corvi, so if you studied an essay based subject like English, history or economics, do mention your knowledge in this area.

The University of Warwick wants to see that students are able to formulate a rational argument and write it to length. Corvi says: "Some of our strong applicants are missing this skill."

So make sure that your personal statement is fluent, articulate and well structured.

Corvi says that each year he has more qualified applicants than he has places. One way for candidates to distinguish themselves is through their extra curricular work. But Corvi says he doesn't want to see descriptions of these skills without examples – make sure you explain why your extra curriculur activities are relevant, and give concrete examples of what you did and how this makes you a suitable candidate.

This sentiment is echoed at the University of Bath's school of management. Nick Kinnie, associate dean of undergraduate taught studies, advises students not to underestimate the importance of activities such as Young Enterprise, Duke of Edinburgh and sporting positions, but to explain why you undertook them.

Kinnie says: "We want to see why they did it, what they learned and why it's relevant."

Intellectual curiosity and a strong work ethic are the core skills the London School of Economics (LSE) are looking for on their management programme. Will Breare-Hall, student recruitment and study abroad manager, says the LSE is looking for "the abilities to think and work independently, follow complex lines of reasoning, demonstrate logical thought processes, solve problems and communicate accurately and succinctly".

At Bath, the business programmes are concerned with linking theory to practice, so candidates need to demonstrate their ability to reflect on their experiences and explain how the skills they learned are applicable to higher education.

Once the admissions tutors have looked at grades to determine if an applicant meets its minimum requirements they turn their attention to the personal statement.

It's important to try and stand out, but extravagant stories won't impress an admissions team.

"It's an extreme example, but one year I had an application from someone who said that their mother knew when she was carrying the child that they were going to be an accountant," says Corvi.

Corvi recommends applicants have their statements read back to them, so they can hear how they sound to others reading it.

He says: "Describe yourself in a positive light without going overboard."

Bath's programmes, like many other institutions offering similar courses, have a strong emphasis on the global nature of business and management. Kinnie says he wants to see applicants not only express an interest in working in multinational environments, but also an awareness that they will be working with students from various cultures and backgrounds.

Although it's advisable for students to seek advice from their school when writing their statements, admission tutors want to hear the students' voice in their application.

Kinnie says: "The clue is in the title. The personal statement should read in an authentic and real way and in their own language.

"This is the first step in university life: taking responsibility for your own learning and development."

• Personal statements
• Guardian Students
• Higher education
• Advice for students
• Applying to university
• Business management and marketing

Comments (…)

Most viewed.

Have a language expert improve your writing

Run a free plagiarism check in 10 minutes, generate accurate citations for free.

• Knowledge Base
• Applying to graduate school
• How to Write Your Personal Statement | Strategies & Examples

How to Write Your Personal Statement | Strategies & Examples

Published on February 12, 2019 by Shona McCombes . Revised on July 3, 2023.

A personal statement is a short essay of around 500–1,000 words, in which you tell a compelling story about who you are, what drives you, and why you’re applying.

To write a successful personal statement for a graduate school application , don’t just summarize your experience; instead, craft a focused narrative in your own voice. Aim to demonstrate three things:

• Your personality: what are your interests, values, and motivations?
• Your talents: what can you bring to the program?
• Your goals: what do you hope the program will do for you?

This article guides you through some winning strategies to build a strong, well-structured personal statement for a master’s or PhD application. You can download the full examples below.

Urban Planning Psychology History

Table of contents

Getting started with your personal statement, the introduction: start with an attention-grabbing opening, the main body: craft your narrative, the conclusion: look ahead, revising, editing, and proofreading your personal statement, frequently asked questions, other interesting articles.

Before you start writing, the first step is to understand exactly what’s expected of you. If the application gives you a question or prompt for your personal statement, the most important thing is to respond to it directly.

For example, you might be asked to focus on the development of your personal identity; challenges you have faced in your life; or your career motivations. This will shape your focus and emphasis—but you still need to find your own unique approach to answering it.

There’s no universal template for a personal statement; it’s your chance to be creative and let your own voice shine through. But there are strategies you can use to build a compelling, well-structured story.

The first paragraph of your personal statement should set the tone and lead smoothly into the story you want to tell.

Strategy 1: Open with a concrete scene

An effective way to catch the reader’s attention is to set up a scene that illustrates something about your character and interests. If you’re stuck, try thinking about:

• A personal experience that changed your perspective
• A story from your family’s history
• A memorable teacher or learning experience
• An unusual or unexpected encounter

To write an effective scene, try to go beyond straightforward description; start with an intriguing sentence that pulls the reader in, and give concrete details to create a convincing atmosphere.

Strategy 2: Open with your motivations

To emphasize your enthusiasm and commitment, you can start by explaining your interest in the subject you want to study or the career path you want to follow.

Just stating that it interests you isn’t enough: first, you need to figure out why you’re interested in this field:

• Is it a longstanding passion or a recent discovery?
• Does it come naturally or have you had to work hard at it?
• How does it fit into the rest of your life?
• What do you think it contributes to society?

Tips for the introduction

• Don’t start on a cliche: avoid phrases like “Ever since I was a child…” or “For as long as I can remember…”
• Do save the introduction for last. If you’re struggling to come up with a strong opening, leave it aside, and note down any interesting ideas that occur to you as you write the rest of the personal statement.

Once you’ve set up the main themes of your personal statement, you’ll delve into more detail about your experiences and motivations.

To structure the body of your personal statement, there are various strategies you can use.

Strategy 1: Describe your development over time

One of the simplest strategies is to give a chronological overview of key experiences that have led you to apply for graduate school.

• What first sparked your interest in the field?
• Which classes, assignments, classmates, internships, or other activities helped you develop your knowledge and skills?
• Where do you want to go next? How does this program fit into your future plans?

Don’t try to include absolutely everything you’ve done—pick out highlights that are relevant to your application. Aim to craft a compelling narrative that shows how you’ve changed and actively developed yourself.

My interest in psychology was first sparked early in my high school career. Though somewhat scientifically inclined, I found that what interested me most was not the equations we learned about in physics and chemistry, but the motivations and perceptions of my fellow students, and the subtle social dynamics that I observed inside and outside the classroom. I wanted to learn how our identities, beliefs, and behaviours are shaped through our interactions with others, so I decided to major in Social Psychology. My undergraduate studies deepened my understanding of, and fascination with, the interplay between an individual mind and its social context.During my studies, I acquired a solid foundation of knowledge about concepts like social influence and group dynamics, but I also took classes on various topics not strictly related to my major. I was particularly interested in how other fields intersect with psychology—the classes I took on media studies, biology, and literature all enhanced my understanding of psychological concepts by providing different lenses through which to look at the issues involved.

Strategy 2: Own your challenges and obstacles

If your path to graduate school hasn’t been easy or straightforward, you can turn this into a strength, and structure your personal statement as a story of overcoming obstacles.

• Is your social, cultural or economic background underrepresented in the field? Show how your experiences will contribute a unique perspective.
• Do you have gaps in your resume or lower-than-ideal grades? Explain the challenges you faced and how you dealt with them.

Don’t focus too heavily on negatives, but use them to highlight your positive qualities. Resilience, resourcefulness and perseverance make you a promising graduate school candidate.

Growing up working class, urban decay becomes depressingly familiar. The sight of a row of abandoned houses does not surprise me, but it continues to bother me. Since high school, I have been determined to pursue a career in urban planning. While people of my background experience the consequences of urban planning decisions first-hand, we are underrepresented in the field itself. Ironically, given my motivation, my economic background has made my studies challenging. I was fortunate enough to be awarded a scholarship for my undergraduate studies, but after graduation I took jobs in unrelated fields to help support my parents. In the three years since, I have not lost my ambition. Now I am keen to resume my studies, and I believe I can bring an invaluable perspective to the table: that of the people most impacted by the decisions of urban planners.

Strategy 3: Demonstrate your knowledge of the field

Especially if you’re applying for a PhD or another research-focused program, it’s a good idea to show your familiarity with the subject and the department. Your personal statement can focus on the area you want to specialize in and reflect on why it matters to you.

• Reflect on the topics or themes that you’ve focused on in your studies. What draws you to them?
• Discuss any academic achievements, influential teachers, or other highlights of your education.
• Talk about the questions you’d like to explore in your research and why you think they’re important.

The personal statement isn’t a research proposal , so don’t go overboard on detail—but it’s a great opportunity to show your enthusiasm for the field and your capacity for original thinking.

In applying for this research program, my intention is to build on the multidisciplinary approach I have taken in my studies so far, combining knowledge from disparate fields of study to better understand psychological concepts and issues. The Media Psychology program stands out to me as the perfect environment for this kind of research, given its researchers’ openness to collaboration across diverse fields. I am impressed by the department’s innovative interdisciplinary projects that focus on the shifting landscape of media and technology, and I hope that my own work can follow a similarly trailblazing approach. More specifically, I want to develop my understanding of the intersection of psychology and media studies, and explore how media psychology theories and methods might be applied to neurodivergent minds. I am interested not only in media psychology but also in psychological disorders, and how the two interact. This is something I touched on during my undergraduate studies and that I’m excited to delve into further.

Strategy 4: Discuss your professional ambitions

Especially if you’re applying for a more professionally-oriented program (such as an MBA), it’s a good idea to focus on concrete goals and how the program will help you achieve them.

• If your career is just getting started, show how your character is suited to the field, and explain how graduate school will help you develop your talents.
• If you have already worked in the profession, show what you’ve achieved so far, and explain how the program will allow you to take the next step.
• If you are planning a career change, explain what has driven this decision and how your existing experience will help you succeed.

Don’t just state the position you want to achieve. You should demonstrate that you’ve put plenty of thought into your career plans and show why you’re well-suited to this profession.

One thing that fascinated me about the field during my undergraduate studies was the sheer number of different elements whose interactions constitute a person’s experience of an urban environment. Any number of factors could transform the scene I described at the beginning: What if there were no bus route? Better community outreach in the neighborhood? Worse law enforcement? More or fewer jobs available in the area? Some of these factors are out of the hands of an urban planner, but without taking them all into consideration, the planner has an incomplete picture of their task. Through further study I hope to develop my understanding of how these disparate elements combine and interact to create the urban environment. I am interested in the social, psychological and political effects our surroundings have on our lives. My studies will allow me to work on projects directly affecting the kinds of working-class urban communities I know well. I believe I can bring my own experiences, as well as my education, to bear upon the problem of improving infrastructure and quality of life in these communities.

Tips for the main body

• Don’t rehash your resume by trying to summarize everything you’ve done so far; the personal statement isn’t about listing your academic or professional experience, but about reflecting, evaluating, and relating it to broader themes.
• Do make your statements into stories: Instead of saying you’re hard-working and self-motivated, write about your internship where you took the initiative to start a new project. Instead of saying you’ve always loved reading, reflect on a novel or poem that changed your perspective.

Your conclusion should bring the focus back to the program and what you hope to get out of it, whether that’s developing practical skills, exploring intellectual questions, or both.

Emphasize the fit with your specific interests, showing why this program would be the best way to achieve your aims.

Strategy 1: What do you want to know?

If you’re applying for a more academic or research-focused program, end on a note of curiosity: what do you hope to learn, and why do you think this is the best place to learn it?

If there are specific classes or faculty members that you’re excited to learn from, this is the place to express your enthusiasm.

Strategy 2: What do you want to do?

If you’re applying for a program that focuses more on professional training, your conclusion can look to your career aspirations: what role do you want to play in society, and why is this program the best choice to help you get there?

Tips for the conclusion

• Don’t summarize what you’ve already said. You have limited space in a personal statement, so use it wisely!
• Do think bigger than yourself: try to express how your individual aspirations relate to your local community, your academic field, or society more broadly. It’s not just about what you’ll get out of graduate school, but about what you’ll be able to give back.

You’ll be expected to do a lot of writing in graduate school, so make a good first impression: leave yourself plenty of time to revise and polish the text.

Your style doesn’t have to be as formal as other kinds of academic writing, but it should be clear, direct and coherent. Make sure that each paragraph flows smoothly from the last, using topic sentences and transitions to create clear connections between each part.

Don’t be afraid to rewrite and restructure as much as necessary. Since you have a lot of freedom in the structure of a personal statement, you can experiment and move information around to see what works best.

Finally, it’s essential to carefully proofread your personal statement and fix any language errors. Before you submit your application, consider investing in professional personal statement editing . For $150, you have the peace of mind that your personal statement is grammatically correct, strong in term of your arguments, and free of awkward mistakes.

A statement of purpose is usually more formal, focusing on your academic or professional goals. It shouldn’t include anything that isn’t directly relevant to the application.

A personal statement can often be more creative. It might tell a story that isn’t directly related to the application, but that shows something about your personality, values, and motivations.

However, both types of document have the same overall goal: to demonstrate your potential as a graduate student and s how why you’re a great match for the program.

The typical length of a personal statement for graduate school applications is between 500 and 1,000 words.

Different programs have different requirements, so always check if there’s a minimum or maximum length and stick to the guidelines. If there is no recommended word count, aim for no more than 1-2 pages.

If you’re applying to multiple graduate school programs, you should tailor your personal statement to each application.

Some applications provide a prompt or question. In this case, you might have to write a new personal statement from scratch: the most important task is to respond to what you have been asked.

If there’s no prompt or guidelines, you can re-use the same idea for your personal statement – but change the details wherever relevant, making sure to emphasize why you’re applying to this specific program.

If the application also includes other essays, such as a statement of purpose , you might have to revise your personal statement to avoid repeating the same information.

If you want to know more about college essays , academic writing , and AI tools , make sure to check out some of our other language articles with explanations, examples, and quizzes.

College essays

• College essay examples
• College essay format
• College essay style
• College essay length
• Diversity essays
• Scholarship essays

Academic writing

• Writing process
• Avoiding repetition
• Literature review
• Conceptual framework
• Dissertation outline
• Thesis acknowledgements
• Burned or burnt
• Canceled or cancelled
• Dreamt or dreamed
• Gray or grey
• Theater vs theatre

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

McCombes, S. (2023, July 03). How to Write Your Personal Statement | Strategies & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved April 9, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/graduate-school/personal-statement/

Is this article helpful?

Shona McCombes

Other students also liked, how to write a graduate school resume | template & example, how (and who) to ask for a letter of recommendation, master's vs phd | a complete guide to the differences, unlimited academic ai-proofreading.

✔ Document error-free in 5minutes ✔ Unlimited document corrections ✔ Specialized in correcting academic texts

Writing a Business Personal Statement: 7 Steps to a Stand-Out Application for Your Students

James is senior content marketing manager at BridgeU. He writes and directs content for BridgeU's university partners and our community of international schools

• Answer the fundamental question of a business personal statement
• Sell their suitability in their business personal statement
• Identify relevant experiences to include in the business personal statement
• Identify the areas of business that most interest them
• Think about what they want to learn next
• Come up with a compelling structure for the business personal statement
• Create the business personal statement

Join 10,000 other counsellors & educators & get exclusive resources delivered straight to your inbox.

Business subjects are some of the most popular around the world, meaning competition is stiff! Help your students secure top spots with these 7 steps for writing business personal statements.

The business personal statement is probably something you’ve contended with a lot as a university counsellor. After all, business and its related subjects are some of the most  popular degree subjects  and  majors  in the world!

But writing a personal statement for business can be tricky. It’s a subject that requires a diverse blend of skills. Students need to be mathematical, analytical and logical, but also have entrepreneurial spirit and creative flair. Strong leadership and communication skills are often at play, too, particularly for degrees focused on management.

So how can you ensure students’ personal statements hit all these criteria, capture who they are  and  make them stand out from an ever-growing crowd of applicants? All while keeping to the personal statement’s notoriously tight limit of just 4000 characters?

Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. We’ve created a clear 7-step process for writing a business personal statement. By the end, students will have a memorable, impactful and totally personalised essay!

Book a free demo

Learn how BridgeU can help students research a wider range of vocational courses.

Step 1: Answer the fundamental question of a business personal statement

The first step is perhaps the most important: interrogating  why  they want to study business.

The strongest personal statements showcase a well-rounded interest in business. Therefore, it’s a good idea to suggest that your students jot down some motivations in each of these categories:

• Intellectual
• Professional

Another helpful technique is thinking about how they chose which universities and courses to apply to. Different countries and even universities structure business degrees differently, and have different focuses, specialisations, approaches… So what factors did your students use to narrow down their options? What do their top courses have in common – and why?

These questions can uncover the nuances of what they’re looking for in the degree, and what they’re hoping to get out of it. And that makes a compelling business personal statement!

We want… a personal insight into the applicant, something that goes over and above their academic achievements and includes their motivations, their ambitions, how they chose their university course, what they feel they could contribute to our community, and what it is they seek from their university experience.” Dr Trevor Bolton:  Pro Vice Chancellor & Dean Of International Business School, Anglia Ruskin University

Step 2: Sell their suitability in their business personal statement

Once they’ve drafted ideas about  why  they want to study business, encourage your students to think about why they  should .

Here, too, you can add structure to their ideas using handy categories.

1. Their personality and characteristics

Students should keep in mind that a business personal statement – like any other – needs to reflect who they are.

What is it about their personality that’s well-suited to studying business? How does this match their career goals? Which characteristics set them up for success at university?

2. Their skills and interests

Universities want to see a curiosity that takes students beyond the curriculum, and the relevant skills that their curiosity has developed. 

Are they maths wizards? Do they have an eye for investment? Have they helped their parents file their taxes? Do they have an in-depth knowledge of a particular economic paradigm?

Some other topics and areas to include:

• Recent news stories that have caught their attention
• Business-related blogs or publications they follow
• Related podcasts they listen to
• Lectures they’ve attended
• Public figures who inspire them

Step 3: Identify relevant experiences to include in the business personal statement

As business is a vocational pathway with infinite real-world applications, universities want to see that students have engaged with ideas and practices outside the classroom, and that their passion has driven real action.

So here are some things to consider:

• Work experiences/placements
• Extracurricular activities
• Extended projects
• Summer school  or other courses
• A passion project they’ve pursued outside school (e.g. an online homemade candle shop, a business blog)

For some extra inspiration, check out this video of Melissa talking at one of our student events about choosing experiences for her business personal statement!

Above all, students need to think deeply about each experience. They shouldn’t just write  what  they did. Instead, have them think about why they decided to do it, and what they learned. Again, this will offer a better indication of who they are, and show that they’re insightful, interested and introspective.

And to give their business personal statement that extra pzazz, see if students can link some of their experiences to current affairs or real-life examples in the business world!

Choosing experiences and skills for a business personal statement

We know that your students probably have a veritable cornucopia of experiences and skills to draw from. To help you narrow them down to that 4000 character limit, here are some of the qualities that admissions tutors look for in business personal statements.

• Enthusiasm and curiosity for the subject
• Initiative and innovation
• Individuality and personality
• Independent learning
• Problem-solving
• Setting and hitting goals
• Communication
• Quantitative skills
• Essay-writing skills
• Entrepreneurship
• A global mindset

[In business applicants, we look for] the abilities to think and work independently, follow complex lines of reasoning, demonstrate logical thought processes, solve problems and communicate accurately and succinctly” Will Breare-Hall:  Student recruitment and study abroad manager

Choosing Experiences for a Business Personal Statement

Step 4: identify the areas of business that most interest them.

For such a competitive and broad subject, simply being passionate is not enough to stand out. Students need to show a thoughtful, individual and developed interest.

Have students write down the topics, classes, projects or sources that have really captivated them in the course of their studies. It doesn’t have to be in a dedicated business class – universities know lots of students don’t have the chance to study business before university!

But they’ve likely encountered economic arguments in history or politics, or practical applications of maths techniques, or theories of occupational psychology… There are all kinds of areas that could have sparked students’ interest in business.

You don’t need to take our word for it! In one of our previous webinars, Rebecca Hill from the University of Exeter spoke about what the subjects she and her fellow admissions tutors look for in business applicants…

Here, too though, it’s absolutely imperative that students go beyond the classroom. Students should also pick out recent news stories, ideas they’ve found in their independent reading and research or case studies that fascinate them.

You can also tell your students not to shy away from being a little bit controversial… Do they have any strong opinions on recent events or issues – like why a well-known company collapsed, why a particular brand came back into the mainstream after decades, or why a real CEO is so fantastic (or terrible!)? If they can back up their thoughts, this can make a really memorable and impactful business personal statement.

The Subjects Aspiring Business Students Should Study

Step 5: think about what they want to learn next.

Universities don’t just want to understand students’ existing interest in business. They’re keen to hear how students plan to keep that motivation up throughout their studies.

A business personal statement should show universities how they will develop the knowledge, skills and curiosities that students are bringing to the table.

And while self-confidence and selling themselves is crucial, a little humility never goes amiss! Students aren’t yet masters of business, and acknowledging that there are areas they don’t know all about indicates their thirst for knowledge and determination to grow.

Top tip: Have students look at the modules offered on their favourite business degree programmes, and/or at the specialisations of the professors in the department. These could be the perfect inspiration or springboard for topics they’d like to pursue!

Step 6: Come up with a compelling structure for the business personal statement

Now that your students have all of the ingredients for a stellar personal statement, it’s time to help them put it all together!

The most important tip is to ensure that each personal statement tells a coherent story.

If your students feel overwhelmed, they can’t go wrong with a great personal statement template – at least as a jumping-off point.

Related resource:  Personal statement template

Step 7: Create the business personal statement

After the sixth step, your students will have to go away and independently write a first draft – but they’re not on their own from here on out! They’ll need to share it with you for feedback and proofreading.

Of course, having lots of different drafts zipping back and forth can get confusing and chaotic. It’s a good idea to use a  free platform like BridgeU , where you can make edits and suggestions in one single document that students can see and respond to from their own accounts.

It also makes writing references and recommendations so much simpler, as you and your colleagues can draft your comments in line with students’ statements and see their experiences and transcripts with the click of a button.

Learn more by booking your free BridgeU demo below.

Learn how BridgeU can help deliver better outcomes for your students and improved results for your school

Download Prospectus

Thank you for your interest. Your download will begin shortly.

e:Vision Login

Digital Library

Student Email

• Student portal
• Staff email
• Download prospectus

Discover ARU London

Example of a personal statement for a business degree  .

A business degree personal statement has a big impact on your chances of getting admitted to your desired University.

While grades and UCAS points are an important part of your application, indicating intellectual or academic strength, personal statements are how you demonstrate your character and extracurricular experience.

A personal statement shows your academic achievements in addition to providing context and insight into your passion and goals for business studies. Admissions committees want to know the value you can bring to the university - a personal statement helps them to better determine this.  

This guide will help you write a comprehensive and effective personal statement - one that complements your academic scores with a clear description of your unique talents, experience, ambitions and goals. 

The Structure of a Good Personal Statement

A good business degree personal statement should have a clear and logical structure.

Typically you would want to include the following sections…

Introduction:

• Your motivation for pursuing a business degree.
• Your reason for choosing this course at this university.

Skills and Achievements:

• Key traits and characteristics.
• Your academic accomplishments.
• Any business-related extracurriculars and leadership roles.

Your Business Experiences:

• Work shadow programs, Internships, group projects, or roles that highlight your relevant skills and learning inside or outside of the classroom.
• Key contributions and takeaways from each experience.

Closing Statement:

• Reiteration of your passion and suitability for the course.
• Vision for your future in business.

1. The Introduction: Crafting the Opener

The introduction of your personal statement sets the tone. It's where you explain 'why' you want to study a business degree. The opening lines are important because they capture the admissions committee's attention.

Clarity: Begin with a clear, concise statement about your desire to study business. This could stem from a lifelong fascination, a transformative experience, or a future goal you're aiming for. Explain briefly why you’re interested in this particular course at this particular University.

Personal Touch: Share a personal anecdote or experience that ignited your passion for business. Did a specific event or individual inspire you? Elaborate briefly, connecting it to your broader aspirations.

Forward-looking: Highlight where you envision a business degree taking you. Are you looking to drive innovation in a particular sector? Maybe you aspire to be a future leader in sustainable business practices?

Concise: Keep it short and impactful. Avoid meandering or generic statements. Be genuine about your motivation, ensuring it's specific to your aspirations. Any personal anecdotes should be concise and punchy - to the point.

Your introduction should come across sincerely. It should set the tone by offering a short description of your past inspirations and future ambitions in the realm of business.

2. Skills and Achievements

It’s important to effectively showcase your skills and achievements. Here's how to strategically highlight them:

Traits: Begin by pinpointing key character traits that support and emphasise your suitability for a business course. Are you a decisive problem solver? Perhaps you excel at analytical thinking or demonstrate resilience in the face of challenges. 

Identify your strongest relevant attributes and share them to paint a picture of the potential you can bring to the course. Committees are always looking to find candidates who have traits that will make them good business students and future industry leaders.

Academic: Reference all relevant courses or subjects that align with the courses you're applying to. Did you ace your 'Business Studies'? Why did you settle on the subjects and courses you chose at school? Perhaps you were involved in an olympiad? Make sure to mention any honours or accolades, or academic activities that showcase your academic ability and past performance. 

Academic excellence is always worth mentioning, even in school subjects you might feel are unrelated to business. Bear in mind that ‘business’ is vast, complicated, and ever-changing. It is difficult to predict what knowledge and skills might become critically important to business activity in the future. So, share your academic strengths and interests, whatever they may be. 

Activities: Beyond the classroom. Business schools value real-world engagement, leadership, and teamwork experience . Did you take part in any societies? Did you play a leadership role? Or partake in a notable entrepreneurship competition? Emphasise any leadership roles or participation in business-centric events. These experiences underscore your passion and hands-on involvement in the world of business.

3. Relevant Experience & Roles

A University admissions committee won’t expect you to have started your career already. But they will greatly value any extracurricular initiative. If you have been involved in any entrepreneurial, leadership, or management roles at school, then mention them. If you are a mature student, and have been in the workforce for some time, use any relevant work experience.

Internships or Work Experience: Were you part of an internship or work shadow programme? If so, then it would be excellent to mention how you actively participated in a formal business environment. Describe what business you were a part of, what you did, and what you learned from the experience. Perhaps that experience taught you skills? Any exposure to a business environment is valuable.

Projects & Working as Part of a Team: Perhaps you spearheaded a project at school? Working effectively in a team is a highly valued skill. If you can showcase any team experience that will definitely stand in your favour. Highlight the challenges that you faced, how you resolved them, and show what you learned from your experience working with a group of people. 

Roles: Did you assume any significant roles at school or in a business setting outside of school? Outline your responsibilities, the impact you made, and the insights you gleaned from both your successes and failures. This demonstrates not just your capability to understand a role and its responsibilities, but also your adaptability in changing challenging circumstances. 

If you felt you learned from an unsuccessful project where you had an important role, then share what you might do differently - what you learned. The ability to learn from past ‘failures’ is an extremely desirable trait that admissions committees will value highly.

For each experience, focus on the value you added and the lessons you learned. This will give admissions committees a clear picture of your practical abilities and your potential contribution to their course.

4. Closing Statement: A Strong Impression

Your closing remarks are crucial. They should leave the admissions committee with a good impression and reinforce your fit for the course.

Reiterate Passion: Briefly touch upon the core reasons driving your interest in business, consolidating what you've shared throughout your statement. Perhaps you're motivated by the challenges and opportunities of the evolving business landscape, or you're dedicated to making a positive impact in a specific sector.

Your fit for the Degree: Highlight your alignment with the specific business degree courses to which you're applying. Have you been particularly impressed by their focus on entrepreneurship or their reputation for fostering global leaders? Express how their unique offerings align with your aspirations.

Your Future Vision: Provide a glimpse into your future. Post-degree, where do you see yourself? Leading a startup? Championing sustainable practices in a multinational? Use this chance to project your potential contributions to the business world, showcasing ambition and forward-thinking.

Gratitude and Openness: Express appreciation for considering your application. Showcase your openness to further discussions, signalling your enthusiasm and readiness to engage with the institution.

End on a strong note, ensuring your closing words echo your dedication, clarity of vision, and the unique value you'll bring to the institution. 

Tips & Advice: Helpful Hints to Strengthen Your Personal Statement

Your personal statement is a reflection of your journey, aspirations, and suitability for the business degree. Keep these tips in mind for a standout submission:

• Authenticity: Always be genuine. While it's essential to present your best self, resist the urge to embellish or overstate. Authentic experiences resonate more than grand exaggerations.
• Clarity: Opt for clear, concise language. Admissions committees appreciate directness over dense jargon. Let your true voice shine through.
• Examples: Don't just state; demonstrate. If you claim to be a problem-solver, illustrate with an instance where you tackled a challenge head-on.
• Tailoring: Beyond expressing your passion for business, pinpoint why this specific degree aligns with your goals. Is it their renowned faculty, innovative curriculum, or alumni network?
• Review: Never underestimate the value of proofreading. Ensure your statement is free from errors, reads smoothly, and truly represents you. It also often pays to get someone else to read it and give you constructive feedback.

We hope this guide will help you to create the best personal business degree statement that you can. Best of luck with your applications going forward.

This site uses cookies, if you continue without changing your settings, we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies. Click here to learn more about cookies.

How To Write A Personal Statement For Masters (17 PDF Sample Examples)

Published: 14 Mar 2022 Study Abroad 99,722 views

A personal statement for masters program is one of the most important parts of your college application and writing a good one is what’s the exception between receiving an offer and being rejected.

If you’ve been tasked with presenting a personal statement, you should keep in mind that whatever you submit must put you forward as the right candidate for the course. Additionally, it should convince the admissions officers that you deserve a place on your program of study.

Achieving the above, is a skill most postgraduate students are yet to acquire but thankfully this article on How To Write A Personal Statement For Masters covers everything you need to know on doing this.

In this article you’ll learn:

• What is a personal statement?
• Tips for making your personal statement for masters stand out
• How to write a personal statement for masters
• Personal statement for masters sample
• Examples of personal statement for masters
• Conclusion – things to avoid when writing a personal statement for masters

Read:  Admission Interview Tips .

What Is a Personal Statement?

A personal statement AKA admissions or application essay or statement of purpose is a type of essay or written statement a candidate presents to a college, university, or graduate school they are applying to, explaining why they want to attend that school, study a particular course, and why they would be a perfect fit for these things.

A personal statement for masters is an essay you submit specifically for your postgraduate application. Writing one presents the opportunity for you to promote yourself to a school and show the admissions teachers that you are the perfect candidate for a course.

Tips For Making Your Personal Statement For Masters Stand Out

Before we get into how you should write a statement of purpose for masters, we would first like to share with you certain tips to include in your essay to make it stand out from that of other applicants and be convincing enough to any admissions officer that reads it. The tips we have mentioned here, cover general things like starting and ending your personal statement, timing, length, and what to include and what not to include in the essay, etc.

1. Starting And Ending A Personal Statement

When starting a personal statement, you would want to right off the bat grab the reader’s attention. To do this, start the statement by writing about your degree of choice, next why you want to study it and then how you got interested in it.

The next 2 sentences after that should cover a summary of your background in the chosen field, and you conclude by saying what you plan to do once you acquire your graduate degree.

Also start with that the evaluators reading want to hear first, then every other information should come second. You will notice we’ve used in the sop examples for masters we will share with you later in this article.

2. Plan Ahead

A personal statement is not something you rush while writing, which means if you want to get something good before you application then you must start to decide things like the length and how long it should take to complete.

Let us throw more light on this…

For length, a personal statement should be brief ranging somewhere between 500 -700 words, although schools often detect how long it should be. So, this is dependent on the institution you are applying to.

In terms of what to say in a statement, you could include personal experiences like why you were driven to apply for the program, an experience you had with a scholar in your chosen discipline, a course you took that inspired you to pursue masters, or a key moment during your studies which further motivated you.

No matter what you decide to write, just keep in mind that you need to take your time to craft something good even if it means creating several drafts before the real thing and do not forget to proofread the statement for errors.

3. Research Your Program Of Study

Researching your program of study is one way to establish that you truly understand the discipline you’re getting into and prove to the admissions officer that you thoroughly thought about it before applying.

And because you want to put yourself forward as a serious candidate, one way to make you research easier is for you to visit the website of the department you are applying to. This page will contain information about faculty members, their specialisation, and publications.

From the intel, you gathered there you can now identify which professors match your interests and which ones you will benefit the most from learning under. After you’ve found this out, relate the same in a sentence or two in your statement of purpose for masters.

Example: “I would be honoured to study under the tutelage of Professor Nadia whose work I found resonated strongly with my beliefs and intended projects in this course”.

4. Avoid Clichés, Junks, And Many Details

When writing a statement of purpose for master degree try to avoid clichés, junks, and unnecessary details so that you don’t lose or bore your readers in between. Be as concise as possible, even if it’s your chance to express yourself.

A personal statement is an opportunity for the admissions committee to get information that tells the that you are suitable for the course. So, when you overpower your statement with too many words, stories, and useless details, you come off as someone who is just trying to meet the word count.

5. Include Your Personal History Only If It Adds To The Statement

Do not include your personal history in your statement of intent for masters if it is not relevant to your purpose of study. This means no need for you to tell that story about that time you helped someone treat a cut and immediately realised that you wanted to be a doctor or nurse or how you developed a taste for reading at a very young age.

We can guarantee you that the hundreds of other applications competing for the same spot you are felt the same way, so saying those things really doesn’t make you unique.

On the other hand, if you are going to add personal history to your statement, you can put in things like an internship you did and the experience you got from the job, a major research project you ran by yourself, publications you’ve read or published, conferences you’ve attended or presentations you’ve done. These experiences are more concrete and are directly related to your program of study. They also set you apart from other applicants.

6. Don't Use The Same Personal Statement For All Your Applications

One common mistake applicant make that you shouldn’t is using the same statement of purpose for master degree for all your applications. Using the same information repeatedly even if you are going to change the university names is risky and could land you in a big mistake on a day you forget to be thorough.

All programmes have their own unique set of questions they want to see answered and information they need in your personal statement.

And even if some of them like extracurricular activities, proposal for project, why you are applying to the school, your unique qualities, and research works you’re doing might appear the same, do not use one statement to respond to all of them.

Write a new unique personal statement every time you want to apply.

Check out:  How to Write a Good CV for Students - Resume Examples for Students (PDF).

How To Write A Personal Statement for Masters

When writing a personal statement for masters there are several steps and ground rules you need to follow to ensure that it comes out good enough to impress the admissions team of a school, and ultimately convince them to give you a spot on your program of study.

If writing one is something you are currently struggling with and can’t seem to get down the process of it right no matter what, this section on how to write a personal statement for masters, discusses in detail everything you need to get help with yours.

There are 4 parts to consider when writing your personal statement and we have listed them below:

1. Planning A Personal Statement

A personal statement is a piece of writing showing your academic interests and is only for application purposes which means there is no room for any autobiographical information in it about your personal life. Be as to-the-point as possible when writing it and stick to telling the school why you are the right person for the course, plus any other extra information detailing your achievements.

Before You Start:

Allot plenty of time to write your msc personal statement so that you don’t rush it. Remember, this simple piece of writing is your one shot at convincing a school that you are the best applicant they’ve seen and as such can either make or break your application.

Read the information expected of you from the university, rules and guidelines given, selection criteria and understand what they mean. Also research the institution.

Do a thorough research on the course you are applying for; this will help you explain better why you want to study it. The tutors interviewing you can tell when you are lying and presenting yourself as uninformed can cost you the admission.

Ensure that you don’t use the same personal statement for all your applications.

When Writing:

When writing the statement there are some questions to ask yourself that can help you plan it better. Those questions are:

• Why you want to study a master’s and how does it benefit you in future?
• How does the course you have chosen fit into your pre-existing skill set?
• How do you stand out from the crowd as an applicant - e.g., work experiences you’ve had in the same field you are applying for?
• What do you aspire to do or be as a future career and how will the course help you achieve that?
• How can your work or skillsets contribute positively to the department/ university you are applying to, or society at large?

On the other hand, if you are applying for the masters to change from the field you studied in your undergraduate to another field, you should tell the school why you decided to take a different path in your studies.

Questions to ask yourself for this include:

• Your reason for deciding to change your discipline.
• How your undergraduate degree will be material for bringing fresh insights into your masters course.
• How changing your study path will help you attain your future career.

2. Structuring A Personal Statement

Having good structure for your personal statement for master degree is important because it ensures that everything from the beginning, middle, and ending of the statement is written and equally falls in place perfectly.

We’ve left some tips for you below to help you:

Start your personal statement with an attention-grabbing introduction that is not dramatic or cliché. That means you should not begin with any of these over-used phrases we’ve listed out below:

For as long as I remember…

Since my childhood…

I want to apply to this course because I’ve always felt a strong connection to it…

All my life, I have always loved…

My interest in (course) always ran deeper than…

I’ve always been zealous about…

Ever since I was a child, I’ve always wanted to pursue a career in…

My past educational experiences have always…

You would want to be as snappy as possible with your opening because the admission officer has over a hundred applications to read and can’t waste all their time on yours. This means you should avoid overpowering it with unnecessary facts, quotes, and stories from your life.

The middle part of your ma personal statement is where the main content of the write-up should be. This is where you show your dedication to the course you’ve chosen, what motivated you to choose it, and why you are the right candidate for it.

When writing the middle part of a graduate personal statement, you should:  

• Give concrete reasons why you want to study a course at the University. The reason could be because of how the course is aligned to your future career or the University’s reputation in teaching that program.
• Mention relevant things like projects, dissertations, or essays you’ve done, and any work experience you have.
• Show proof of your core skills like and how they can contribute to the department.
• Prove what makes you a unique candidate.
• Discuss who your main influences for wanting to study the course are and why.
• Add experiences like memberships to clubs that are related to your field, papers you’ve written before, awards, scholarships, or prizes.
• Draw focus to how the course links to your past and future.
• Mention your academic and non-academic skills and how they fit the course.

For Formatting:

• Keep the statement length between 250 -500 words or as directed by the school.
• Sentences should be no more than 25-30 words.
• Use headings to break up the content – Why this university? Why this subject? Etc.
• Make claims and provide evidence to back each of them up. This can be done by discussing your work experience and academic interests.

Language and tone to use:     

• The tone for your masters application personal statement should be positive and enthusiastic, to show you eagerness to learn and so that you convince the evaluators that you have what it takes to succeed.
• Use exciting and refreshing language, and an engaging opening line.
• Ensure you grammar, punctuations, and spellings are accurate.
• Avoid exaggerated claims you cannot backup.
• Don’t use cliché generic terms and keep your focus on the course.

Keep the ending of your essay for master degree application concise and memorable, leaving no doubt in the admission officers mind that you deserve a spot on the program.

To create the best ending summarise all your key points without dragging it our or repeating yourself. The ending should be simple, end on a positive note and make it clear that the school will be lucky to have you on their program.

Personal Statement for Masters Sample

In this section, we have left a masters personal statement example for you, which you can use as material to write yours for any course of study you are applying to a school for.

Personal Statement PDF

You can also download this statement of purpose sample for masters degree pdf here and take your time to read it later – Personal Statement For Masters Sample .

See Also:  Student CV Template .

Examples of Personal Statement for Masters

We have taken the time to source for some of the best postgraduate personal statement examples, which you can use in addition to the personal statement for masters program example as a template to write yours.

While you scroll through our list, you will find the perfect masters essay example for any field you wish to apply for, from business administration, to Psychology, to information technology, and lots more.

1. msw personal statement

We have found one of the best msw personal statement examples out there for you.

social work masters personal statement .  

2. personal statement for masters in public health

mph personal statement examples

3. personal statement for masters in management

Personal statement for master degree sample for masters in management .  , 4. personal statement for masters in education example.

personal statement for masters in education example

5. psychology masters personal statement

psychology masters personal statement example

6. sample personal statement for masters in data science data science masters personal statement

7. speech and language therapy personal statement statement of purpose for masters sample: speech and language therapy

8. business administration personal statement personal statement for masters in business administration

9. personal statement for masters in cyber security pdf masters degree personal statement examples for cyber security

10. personal statement for masters in finance msc finance personal statement examples

11. statement of purpose for masters in information technology pdf msc personal statement examples for information technology

12. international development personal statement statement of purpose for masters example

13. msc international business management personal statement international business management personal statement examples

14. computer science masters personal statement

statement of purpose for masters in computer science pdf

15. personal statement for masters in economics statement of purpose sample for masters degree in economics

16. mha personal statement statement of purpose format for masters in health administration    

Conclusion – Things to Avoid When Writing A Personal Statement For Masters When writing a personal statement for university masters, there are some things you should avoid, so that you don’t ruin your essay. We have listed out those things below: •    Avoid negativity. •    Following an online template blindly. •    Do not include unnecessary course modules, personal facts, or extra-curricular activities in your personal statement. •    Do not lie or exaggerate an achievement or event. •    Do not include inspirational quotes to your statement. •    Avoid using clichés, gimmicks, humour, over-used word such as 'passion' or ‘driven’. •    Do not make pleading statements. •    Avoid mentioning key authors or professors in your field without any explanation. •    Avoid using sentences that are too long. •    Avoid flattering the organisation or using patronising terms. •    Do not repeat information in your statement that you have already listed in your application. •    Avoid waffling i.e., writing at length. •    Don’t start writing your personal statement at the last minute.  

Related Articles:

How to Write a Good Letter of Recommendation for Students (10 PDF Sample Examples).

How to Write a Good Financial Aid Appeal Letter (13 PDF Sample Examples).

How to Write a Good Personal Statement for a Scholarship ( 7 PDF Sample Examples).

How To Write A Good Motivation Letter For Scholarship (4 PDF Sample Examples).

How To Write A Letter Of Intent For Scholarship (4 PDF Sample LOI Example).

Latest Blog Posts

• 30 Best Countries For Tourism - Top Tourist Countries
• Canada Work Visa Application Process
• Best MBA in USA 2024 - 2025
• H4 Visa Interview questions and answers (PDF for download)
• Online Masters in Psychology 2024-2025
• 26 Medical Schools In Canada For International Students
• 32 Artificial Intelligence Free Course With Certificate
• 20 MBBS In Abroad For Indian Students At Low Cost 2024
• Best Scholarships
• Brunel University London Life Long Learning Bursary 2024
• University of British Columbia Schmidt Science Fellowship program for Canadian and International Students 2024
• IHE Delft MENA Scholarship for African Students 2024
• Queen Elizabeth Commonwealth Scholarships for Masters Students 2024
• IGAD Regional Scholarship Program 2024
• KDU Global – IUCEA Scholarships for East African Students 2024
• Bonn SDG Fellowships for Developing Countries 2024
• University of British Columbia Schmidt Science Fellowship 2024

Scholarship Tips

Scholarships by country to study.

• United Kingdom
• United States
• South Africa
• Netherlands
• New Zealand

Scholarships by Category

• Postgraduate
• Undergraduate
• College School
• Entrepreneurs
• Bachelors Degree
• Women Scholarships
• Fully Funded

Scholarships by Country of Origin

• African Students
• Developing Countries

Scholarships by Institution / Company

• Flinders University
• German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)
• University of Edinburgh
• The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS)
• Australian National University (ANU)

Scholarships by School

• University of Melbourne
• University Of Queensland, Australia
• University of Kent
• University of East Anglia
• Privacy Policy
• Terms of Use

Scholarships

• Undergraduate Scholarships
• Masters Scholarships
• MBA Scholarships
• Ph.D Scholarships
• Fellowship Scholarships
• Fully Funded Scholarships
• F1 Visa Interview Questions And Answers
• Scholarship Application Letter
• Letter Of Intent For Scholarship
• Personal Statement For Masters
• Motivation Letter For Scholarship
• Scholarship Acceptance Letter

Other Locations

• Scholarships in UK
• Scholarships in Canada
• Scholarships for Nigerian Students
• Scholarships for African Students
• Study Abroad Community

• The University of Warwick

A guide to writing a Masters personal statement

Share this article:

If you are considering postgraduate study, you will need to think about writing an application that demonstrates why you are the right candidate for the course and their university. This is where your personal statement comes in. 

You’ll already have written a personal statement for your undergraduate application, so the concept should be familiar. However, there are some things you should be aware of when it comes to writing specifically for postgraduate study. 

In this guide, we’ll explain how to write a stand-out Masters personal statement and provide you with some valuable insights from our Masters Recruitment Manager Danielle, here at Warwick Business School (WBS).

What is a Masters personal statement?

An MSc personal statement, also known as a ‘statement of purpose’, supports your application to study a postgraduate course at university. It should highlight your key skills and experience whilst demonstrating your understanding of the course and conveying your academic skills and interests.

From her experience in the Recruitment and Business Development team at WBS, Danielle gives her take on a personal statement: 

Your personal statement is your opportunity to sell yourself and differentiate yourself from any other applicant, share your passion for joining WBS and link your life experiences and skills to how you could contribute to a cohort.

How long should a Masters personal statement be?

A personal statement for postgraduate study should fit within two pages of A4. Whilst you won’t be penalised if it is slightly longer, you should always make sure the content is relevant and doesn’t repeat information elsewhere in your application. 

What do you need to prepare before writing a Masters personal statement? 

Before writing your personal statement for postgraduate study, there are a few things you should consider.

Research your options

Take the time to read through course pages and brochures. You’ll find in-depth information on what the course involves and how it might align with your career goals. Danielle explains how understanding what the course involves is key in demonstrating your suitability and passion for a course: 

All of our course webpages feature extensive information on the course modules, so take the time to show you’ve done your research in your personal statement. Your personal statement is your chance to relate yourself to our core values and demonstrate what a strong candidate you will be for one of our programmes. Ensure you also use this as an opportunity to link our programme to your future career.

Course titles should not be taken at face value. Whilst some universities will have courses with the same titles, the content will differ. You need to demonstrate you understand what the course entails and why you want to apply for a particular course as. Danielle adds:

Take time to look at the content of the course you are applying for; although course titles may be the same at different universities the course content can be different. Do your research and demonstrate this in your personal statement, showing how invested you are in studying at WBS.

Consider what you want from your studies

The range of choice when it comes to postgraduate study is vast, and it can feel overwhelming when deciding which course is right for you. 

Whilst opinions from your friends and family are important, they shouldn’t be the ultimate deciding factor when choosing a course. Ultimately you need to consider what you really want and whether it aligns with your career goals. 

Begin to prepare your application

Once you have decided which course you would like to apply for and you’ve ensured you meet the entry requirements, you will need to begin preparing your application. This includes collecting the correct documentation such as a CV, transcript, personal statement, and reference.

What should you include in a Masters personal statement?

Recruitment and admissions teams receive thousands of applications each year so it is important that your personal statement is to the point and demonstrates what they are looking for in their students. 

Danielle gives some insight into what our recruitment team looks for in a personal statement for a Masters degree:

Aim to keep your personal statement to the point by making sure you answer the following questions, addressing the key points our Selection Committee will be looking for:

• Why have you selected this course? What are your motivating factors?
• How do you see this course benefitting your career plans?
• What will you contribute to your cohort?

As well as addressing these key questions, you should also include the following:

Academic achievements 

You need to demonstrate how your undergraduate study has prepared you for a postgraduate course. You can do this by highlighting specific achievements, projects and pieces of work as well as mentioning any particular topics that interest you. 

Professional achievements

If you completed any professional work experience alongside your studies, it is a good idea to mention them here. Highlight any duties, tasks and responsibilities you had to demonstrate what you gained from this work experience. 

Relevant extracurricular activities

Including information about relevant extracurricular activities you are involved in can help to give a more rounded view of you as a person. This could include volunteering opportunities and any meaningful hobbies you have. 

Transferable skills

Your transferable skills should be highlighted throughout your personal statement. The types of things you could include are presentation skills, communication skills, analytical thinking and time management. Consider what you can bring to lectures and workshops. For example, if your course involves a lot of group work, use an example where you demonstrate your experience with this.

What should you avoid when writing a Masters personal statement?

Repetition of information.

When submitting both a CV and personal statement it can be easy to fall into the trap of just repeating the same information across both documents. Your personal statement is an opportunity for you to reflect and expand on what you have stated on your CV, rather than repeating the same information.

Not providing enough context

Simply listing your achievements without providing context will not prove to the recruitment teams that you are the right candidate for the course. Provide hard evidence to back up the statements you make and try to give two or three in-depth examples, rather than several weak answers. 

Not tailoring your application to the specific university or course

Recruitment and admissions teams are keen to hear why you have chosen a specific course and why you want to attend their university. You need to provide clear examples of what excites you about their institution and how you can align with their particular values.  

What do recruitment teams look for in a Masters personal statement?

University recruitment teams and selection committees review thousands of applications each year. To ensure your application stands out, you must show that you have taken the time to prepare and research your chosen university.

Recruitment teams want to see your passion for the subject and motivations for joining their institution. Detailing your experience and the skills you can bring will help to emphasise this. Danielle also suggests not overlooking the obvious when it comes to writing a personal statement:

It may sound simple but the first answer to this question is that the Selection Committee wants to see a well written, clearly structured personal statement which demonstrates good preparation and research.

What else do I need to include with my Masters application?

The documents you need to include in your application may vary by institution and course. But generally, as well as your personal statement, you will also need to include: 

• Academic and professional references
• Copies of your undergraduate degree certificate and academic transcripts
• A list of final year modules if you're still studying for an undergraduate degree
• A research proposal (not all courses will require this)

If you are an international student, there are some additional things you will need to provide including: 

• A copy of your passport
• Proof of your language proficiency through either a Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) certificate, or any others that meet requirements outlined on our course pages.

When are the deadlines for Masters applications?

Deadlines for Masters programmes vary quite widely between courses and universities. Information on specific deadlines can be found on their respective course pages and postgraduate brochures . You should aim to make an application early in the cycle to ensure there are still places available on the course.

Deadlines for scholarships and external scholarships can also vary, so if you wish to apply for these, you will also have to factor in these deadlines.

Frequently asked questions

Is there an interview for masters programmes.

At WBS, there are no interviews for MSc courses. Instead, all decisions are made based on the application you submit. Your undergraduate transcript will be reviewed in depth along with your CV and personal statement.

How many Masters can you apply for?

If you are applying to a UK university, you can apply for as many courses and universities as you like. However, you should not over-stretch yourself and you should only apply for courses that you are really passionate about.

Writing an appropriately tailored application can be time-consuming and attempting to write too many could jeopardise your chances of being successful. 

Do you have to pay for your Masters application?

We require an application fee of £75 to cover administrative costs. If you're applying to multiple Warwick courses, remember each course will warrant its own application fee. 

How do I apply for a Masters degree?

We have our own application system, and you can find linked 'how to apply' sections on all of our course pages. 

------------------------

Discover our range of MSc courses at Warwick Business School

Designed for the change makers of the future, our postgraduate courses will drive you to learn, question, debate and make an impact on the world around you.

Our challenging and rewarding courses will provide you with everything you need to take your personal and professional skills to the next level. 

Related Blogs

Alum Sophia shares her incredible journey at WBS - dive into collaboration, new experiences, and distinct academic opportunities

MSc Management student Aditya shares his advice on balancing his wellbeing alongside studies at Warwick Business School.

WBS MSc Mathematical Finance graduate Luxmi Kiran shares his top tips and advice for future students.

Sample Personal Statement Business Analytics

by Talha Omer, MBA, M.Eng., Harvard & Cornell Grad

In personal statement samples by field.

Here is the personal statement of an applicant who got admitted to top Master’s in Business Analytics programs, including CMU, and MIT. For personal statement, the programs posed several questions to applicant, which the admissions committee expects to be answered in an essay form. The universities provide these personal statement prompts to encourage students to self-reflect and then to share their insights with the program.

The following essays are an example of a compelling story and reflect the original voice and personality of the applicant. Get inspiration from them and try to incorporate their strengths into your own personal statement.

Related Personal Statements 1) Sample Personal Statement in Advanced Analytics (admitted to NCSU) 2) Sample Personal Statement in Analytics (admitted to Georgia Tech) 3) Sample Personal Statement in Data Science and Analytics (admitted to CMU and Vanderbilt) 4) Sample Personal Statement in Management and Analytics (admitted to LBS)

In this Article

Personal Statement Prompt 1

Personal statement prompt 2, personal statement prompt 3, personal statement prompt 4.

Please attach to the application a brief narrative outlining your academic interests. Include any current or long-range interests in research, teaching or other professional objectives. Please describe these if you have progressed far enough in your career to have publications or other evidence of scholarly endeavour.

I want to play the critical role of a business strategist and capitalize on the most useful of the sophisticated technologies flooding modern businesses. In the short run, I want to set up a consulting firm which provides analytics-driven marketing solutions to large firms operating to deliver a consistent and easy buying experience for their customers. I would ideally like to leverage recent shifts in the marketing industry towards data, expand my consulting services across countries, and become a global leader in revolutionizing customer experience through data analytics.

I am an ideal candidate for the Business Analytics program due to my strong academic record as I graduated in Electrical Engineering with a cum laude GPA. My undergraduate has equipped me with extensive quantitative knowledge and technical experience around different themes in engineering. I’ve focused most of my studies on parametric analysis using different software like C++, VB, MySQL, Python and MATLAB. This was further honed when I joined Facebook’s Meta as an Analyst Software Engineer and, using MySQL, predicted patterns of interpersonal behaviour to optimally pair customers with an agent. Solving demand-related issues of customers from all around the globe, I have become aware of the mismatches between marketing outreach and customers’ buying needs. Therefore, I aspire to influence global customers’ marketing experience by investigating ways in which customer needs can be well aligned with the sales strategies of firms supplying goods online.

To materialize my aspirations into a successful reality, I want to glean more information on predicting customer behaviours and matching it with the right promotion offers since it ideally dovetails with my professional expertise in using MySQL to predict patterns of interpersonal behaviour to optimally pair customers with an agent. While I developed a strong skillset in matching commercially available information to determine successful behavioural interaction patterns, I plan to extend my research pursuits by exploring the right mix of traditional and digital marketing vehicles.

Beyond the classroom, I would greatly appreciate the opportunity to learn from and collaborate with the influential faculty and the Center and Laboratory for Behavioral Operations and Economics’ endeavours to solve critical IT-related decisions that advance company performance. In particular, the techniques of Professor Gary Bolton in experimenting with real-world trading markets within laboratory settings are foundational for my current work. Moreover, they will equip me with experimenting tools through which I can excel in my future career. Moreover, my future aspirations require strong leadership qualities recognized in a data-driven world. For this purpose, I would greatly benefit from The Leadership Center’s four dynamic offerings to mould my personality into a global leader’s persona.

Lastly, I will exploit the strong placement services and gain access to leading consulting companies where I can seek pro bono consulting opportunities and enhance my problem-solving acumen. I am also confident in acquiring the necessary communication skills to present solutions to Product Managers, Sales Associates, Engineers, and Marketing Teams for effective decision-making.

Thus, to sum up, owing to my strong academic credentials and professional expertise in applying artificial intelligence, I am confident of fully utilizing vibrant opportunities at Master in Business Analytics and converting it into an ideal segue for my future career aspirations.

Introduce yourself to your future classmates in 100 words or less.  

I have a passion for entrepreneurship, and during my sophomore year, I laid the foundations of the “ pay as you play”  console gaming platform and earned $4,000 a month. I have strong interpersonal skills and have won five national debating championships and represented at various national and international competitions. I am a fighter and showed great resolve in fighting acute liver failure, which I suffered in my junior year. I am a risk taker and quit my high-paying job at Unilever to start my venture of connecting home-cooked food suppliers with potential buyers.

What professional experiences have made you determine that business school is the right next step? (150 words)  

I pitched a business idea named Homestove – a food sharing application based on the B2C model. The business idea was successful as it won a substantial seed funding. Encouraged by its traction, I spearheaded its execution of supplying home-cooked food to potential buyers. However, the main factor I overlooked was doing intensive data analytics based on the market’s demographics. The locus I initially defined was 8 km, which was far from optimal. As a result, it created a mismatch between the area from where demand was being generated and where the chef was supplying the home-cooked food. Consequently, we incurred a considerable loss and customer dissatisfaction because of extended delivery times. Therefore, to avoid such losses, I strongly need a degree based on data management, technology, and analytics to create an ideal operations model for my business.

What career do you plan to pursue after business school and why? (150 words)

In the short run, I would restructure my business model by carefully analyzing the individual-level micro-data. Ideally, I aim to optimize my operations, mitigate the mismatch of distances between chefs and potential buyers, and reclaim the currently lost market share. If successful, I would like to expand my business to other metropolitan cities of US.

In the long run, alongside my business, I would like to provide consulting services to other tech-based startups suffering from a lack of operational optimization of their business. Unfortunately, despite having a lot of potential, most tech-based startups fail because of a lack of proper training in operational research. Consequently, they are unable to sustain themselves and run out of funding. I want to provide such firms consulting based on data analytics, business insights and marketing so they can harness themselves and become profitable.

Is there anything not addressed elsewhere in the application that you would like the Admissions Committee to know about you to evaluate your candidacy? (300-word maximum)

During my senior year, I got recruited by British American Tobacco after winning their battle of mental challenges. They had devised stringent criteria based on a rigorous aptitude test. Additionally, they assigned a group-based project related to any issue in public policy. I was the team lead and submitted a basic blueprint idea for using solar panels for domestic power needs. The basic plan was that the cost of these solar panels, being the main hindrance, would be offset once the government provided low-interest loans to homeowners to power their own houses. The savings on electricity bills would then be used to pay off the loans. It was an innovative idea that was well crafted after hundreds of hours of hard work. For example, my team and I conducted a rigorous field activity and accumulated over 400 bills from different homes in Frederick, Maryland to prove that using solar panels would not cost anything extra to these houses. We won the competition based on our innovative idea, and I was later called for an interview. Later, I was selected as MT and five other candidates out of 7000 applicants. I worked there for two years and eventually moved to Unilever. However, I always wanted to create social value and impact the lives of others, so after a brief stint at Unilever, I started my venture.

Describe a situation in your life where you failed to achieve a goal. What did you learn from this experience? (Max. 400 words)

I pitched a business idea named Homestove – a food sharing application based on the B2C model. The app’s primary purpose was to create local clusters where domestic chefs and homemakers market and sell their food to potential buyers within a particular locus. The business idea was successful as it was selected at top incubators and won a substantial seed funding award. Encouraged by its traction, I spearheaded its execution  to become a pioneer in supplying home-cooked food to potential buyers . The main factor I overlooked was doing intensive market research based on the market’s demographics. Due to a lack of in-depth data analysis, the locus I initially defined was an 8km radius, which was far from optimal. As a result, it created a mismatch between the area from where demand was being generated and where the chef was supplying the home-cooked food. Consequently, we levied a considerable cost of transportation and customer dissatisfaction because of extended delivery timings. The  goal of becoming a pioneer not only failed severely , but the loss’s extent was so much that it even eroded our initial seed funding. 

Although I failed in my initial ambition, my failure taught me deep insights into this business. Therefore, I am not let down by this experience. Instead, it has given me a direction leading me to future success. I realize that I conceded this partly because I didn’t discount some factors but, more importantly, because I lacked the necessary skill set. I realized that had I had better analysis skills in synthesizing microeconomic data, I would have developed a better spatial model of the business. I also felt that I needed to hone my skills in optimizing the operations of this business so that the mismatch between consumer and food supplier localities is mitigated. 

My more profound understanding of my failure and firm resolve to stand up again only point in one direction. And that is to pursue a Master’s degree in Business Analytics, where I can bolster my quantitative research skills and get international exposure to similar business models. I am therefore confident that a Master’s degree in Business Analytics will go a long way in pursuing my career goals and ambitions.

You just entered the elevator with a member of the Applicant Review Committee for the MS in Business Analytics. You can only speak to this person on the elevator for a short time. What would you say to this individual so that they would look favorably upon your application? (Max. 250 words)

During my senior year, I was inducted as Management Trainee by British American Tobacco after aced their “Battle of Minds” challenge. I was among the top 5 candidates out of other 7,000 aspirants. I worked there for almost two years, and after a very brief stint at Unilever, one of the leading multinationals, I decided to start my business venture. I looked for seed funding programs and pitched them my idea of supplying home-cooked food to potential buyers. The business idea won a substantial seed funding award. The idea was unique and covered on the local news channels during their prime-time transmission. After initial success, I experienced a downturn in my business. I realized the need to hone my quantitative analysis skills, particularly focusing on the operational optimization of business ventures. While searching for programs, I was excited by the curriculum. The vibrant community and home to more than 400 businesses, is an ideal place to learn and build new experiences. Additionally, the business analytics research centre is a perfect platform where I can test new quantitative research methods to calibrate the optimal spatial model of my business. In short, my strong credentials and desire to learn more align with the core values of the program in Business Analytics and will be ideal for fulfilling my career ambitions. 

One of our core values is Integrity. What does academic integrity mean to you? (250 words or less)

Academic integrity to me means being honest first and foremost to myself and anyone else. For me, it’s a way of life beyond just being honest in academic writing and following rules and regulations. I have stood up for academic sanctity, even against my friends and peers and have never tolerated slight slip-ups. I clearly remember how I had to take a firm stand against my group fellows in a Finance course when they were inclined to plagiarize a business idea. Additionally, when I started my undergraduate, I had many problems with citing during my writing courses. I wanted to learn and uphold academic integrity, so I took an additional paid online course to understand and master the art of referencing and citations. I have ensured that I take academic integrity beyond my university. As an entrepreneur, I have created a platform where cooks from around the city supply food to various customers. Dealing with almost 40 such cooks, I have ensured everyone is treated equally and honestly. For this purpose, I have developed systems where my employees’ names and background details are encrypted against an identification number so that my judgment remains impartial towards them. These are just some notable instances. Still, throughout my life, I have not let my moral guard down and confidently say that my ethical code of conduct strongly resonated with the core value of integrity.

Describe your experience using Excel, Databases or Software Tools. How has this influenced your decision to pursue a career in analytics? (250 words or less)

During my undergraduate studies, I worked with advanced Excel and basic STATA for various courses involving small and medium datasets. However, I realized a massive handicap of advanced data analytics when I started my business venture. I started a business named Homestove – a food sharing application based on the B2C model. Due to a lack of in-depth data analysis, the locus I initially defined was an 8 km radius, which was far from optimal. As a result, it created a mismatch between the area from where demand was being generated and where the chef was supplying the home-cooked food. I realized that had I had better analysis skills in synthesizing microeconomic data, I would have developed a better spatial model of the business. I also felt that I needed to hone my skills in optimizing the operations of this business so that the mismatch of consumer and food suppliers’ localities is mitigated. My deeper understanding of my failure and firm resolve to stand up again only point in one direction: to pursue a Master’s degree in Business Analytics. Through this, I can bolster my quantitative research skills and get international exposure to similar business models.

What is your target industry post-graduation? What impact do you want to make in your industry using analytics? (250 words or less)

In the short run, I would like to restructure my business model by carefully analyzing the individual data. Ideally, I aim to optimize my operations and mitigate the mismatch of the distance between chefs and potential buyers and reclaim the currently lost market share. If successful, I would like to expand my business to other metropolitan cities. In the long run, alongside my business, I would like to provide consulting services to other tech-based startups suffering from a lack of operational optimization of their business. Unfortunately, despite having a lot of potential, most tech-based startups fail because of a lack of proper training in operational research. As a result, they cannot sustain themselves and run out of funding. I would like to provide such firms with the necessary training based on data analytics, business insights and marketing to harness themselves and become profitable.

Please provide any additional information you would like to bring to the admissions committee’s attention. (250 words or less)

I have a keen sense of developing businesses from simple ideas of human needs. During my sophomore year, I developed a passion for console gaming. However, I soon realized my limited options as each game cost around $50. It was my handicap that I started my first business. I formed a virtual club initially with only 17 of my friends who could play up to 17 other games by only paying an additional fee of $20 per day. By the following year, my club had 123 members across various cohorts. Just by renting the games I bought from the initial deposits; I earned as much as $4,000 per month. 

When I joined Unilever, I had many problems having lunch at the office. So, I searched for cooks nearby my office and found a lady who was ready to supply it. Her food was tasty, and soon she had five customers from our office. This gave me an idea to lay down the foundations of Homestore – a food-sharing B2C modelled application. The application’s primary purpose was to create local clusters where domestic chefs and housewives marketed and sold their food to potential buyers within a particular locus. The idea was well received as it won seed funding and got promoted on local news channels’ prime-time transmission. Currently, I am running this business, but I need a data analytics degree to smoothen operations so that I can increase the impact of my venture. 

WANT MORE AMAZING ARTICLES ON GRAD SCHOOL PERSONAL STATEMENTS?

• 100+ Outstanding Examples of Personal Statements
• The Ultimate Guide to Writing a Winning Personal Statement
• Common Pitfalls to Avoid in Your Personal Statement
• Writing a Killer Opening Paragraph for Your Personal Statement
• Ideal Length for a Graduate School Personal Statement
• 100 Inspiring Quotes to Jumpstart Your Personal Statement

Sample Personal Statement for Masters in International Business

Sample Personal Statement for Masters in International Business My journey began amidst the kaleidoscope of Qatar's landscapes, setting the stage for a life attuned to cultural nuances. Transitioning to Riyadh in my teens, I absorbed a mosaic of traditions, sparking a...

Sample Personal Statement for Family Medicine Residency

Personal Statement Prompt: A personal letter is required. We are looking for mature, enthusiastic physicians who bring with them a broad range of life experiences, are committed to providing excellent patient care, and can embrace the depth and breadth of experiences...

[2024] 4 Law School Personal Statement Examples from Top Programs

In this article, I will discuss 4 law school personal statement samples. These statements have been written by successful applicants who gained admission to prestigious US Law schools like Yale, Harvard, and Stanford. The purpose of these examples is to demonstrate...

Sample Personal Statement Cybersecurity

In this article, I will be providing a sample grad school personal statement in the field of cybersecurity. This sample was written by an applicant who got admitted into George Mason, Northeastern and Arizona State University. This example aims to show how prospective...

100+ Grad School Personal Statement Examples

Introduction Importance of a Strong Personal Statement A personal statement is essential in the graduate school application process, as it plays a significant role in shaping the admissions committee's perception of you. In fact, a survey conducted by the Council of...

WANT AMAZING ARTICLES ON GRAD SCHOOL PERSONAL STATEMENTS?

• 100+ Personal Statement Templates

Dark background

Light background

Text only mode

How to write a personal statement for business

So you have 4,000 characters of text and 47 lines in which to convince your chosen university to accept you to study Business. What could you include that will make you stand out from the competition?

Dr Sarah Preedy (pictured), lecturer on  BSc (Hons) Business  at Plymouth Marjon University offers her top tips for making a strong application. For more tips, please see the video below.

• Show your passion for the subject area. How have you developed your knowledge of business so far and what commitment have you shown to the subject area? This would include reference to relevant qualifications.
• Are you motivated to study business? Universities want to see a positive attitude to learning and personal development. How can you show your commitment to studying business and developing your knowledge, skills and experience?
• Be enthusiastic – what interests you about business? What do you find exciting and what do you want to know more about? Is there a current business issue that intrigues you, if so what, and why?
• Showcase your skills and experience – what skills do you have that make you suitable for the course? Draw upon relevant life and work experience to demonstrate communication skills, teamwork, problem-solving, initiative, leadership and entrepreneurial flair.
• Outline your business related extracurricular activities or employment and volunteering experience, always explaining why you did it, what you learned and why it's relevant to studying business.
• Check your spelling and grammar - proofread aloud and get your teachers, advisers, and family to check and then redraft until the grammar, spelling, and punctuation are correct.

Show video transcript

Dr. Sarah Preedy: Hello. My name is Dr. Sarah Preedy, and I've been working at Marjon University for three years now as the program leader for BSc Business and BA Leadership and Management for Business. I've got a passion for business and I've done so from a really, really young age.

The vast majority of my family have been business owners. I used to spend my summers as a child helping my granddad and my uncle in their clock repair shop. And I would eagerly watch as they made a sale, taking notes and trying to find out more about customer service. My dad owned a computer business in the very early days of home computers. And I used to go on the door to door sales calls with him, watching how he worked, what he did and trying to get some top tips and tricks for how to be successful in business. In my teens, I actually took my GCSE English at the same time as my mum taking her GCSE English. And that's because she wanted to leave her job. She wanted to retrain and ultimately she then used that qualification to set up her own business.

So business has been all around me from a really young age. It's in my blood. That's why I enjoy teaching what I do. In the photo that showing on the slide, I'm stood with a business planning tool. I created this so that I could make business plans more visual. I go into schools and colleges and I show this to students and it's really to help students know that coming up with a business idea isn't something that's scary. It's about being creative and you can apply that creativity in this way. As part of my role as a program leader, I receive the applications to business. So it's my job to read through those applications, evaluate them, and then make a decision on whether I think an applicant should come to Marjon to study business. In this talk I'll be outlining my top tips and tricks for making a business application to university.

So right in your personal statement, it's all about tackling a series of why questions. The first question you should be asking yourself before you make an application is why do we even have personal statements in the first place? Hopefully this is something that your tutors at school or college have spoken to you about before, but I'm going to talk about this in a bit more detail. Once you understand the motivation the reader has, then you'll know what to write and it'll become clearer.

So a personal statement supports your application to study at university or college. It's a chance for you to articulate why you would like to study a particular course or subject, and what skills and experience you possess that show your passion for your chosen field. And that quotation there is taken from the UCAS website.

The key element to remember here is that personal statements support your application. So the other elements of your application are just as important. What program leaders like myself are doing is we are putting together a picture of what an applicant is like. Firstly, we look to your qualifications. If they meet the entry requirements, then we can move on to reading the application in more detail. If they don't meet the entry requirements, we will be definitely looking at that personal statement very carefully, because there may be examples of skills and experience contained in there that will make up for the lower qualifications. The personal statement is your chance to show off. You probably don't get the opportunity to put in writing how fantastic you are. So here's your chance. Don't be shy about your skills and experience. If it's relevant, tell us.

So the crucial question you need to ask yourself before you start typing that personal statement is why do you want to study business? If you resemble the stick figure on this slide when you think about yourself studying business for another three years, then great. It's probably the right direction for you. If you don't resemble the stick figure, then I would start to question yourself whether business is the right course for you. Three years is a really long time to study something. If you're not sure about it.

The great thing about studying business is the skills that you get alongside knowledge. It's not just about learning theories and reviewing how other people have done things within business. Study at HE level gives you hands-on transferable skills. There's also a vast range of potential jobs that you can go into with a business degree.

This slide here shows you some of the many potential careers you can go into with a business degree. The world really is your oyster. Let that shine through in your personal statement. Talk about what career you want. Show your ambition and show that study in business is your passion.

So now you have tackled why we have personal statements, which is to showcase our skills, achievements, and knowledge. And you've asked yourself why you want to study business, because it interests you. It's your passion. We now need to ask ourselves how? How do we craft a winning personal statement?

Here are some of my top tips. So number one, show your passion. How have you developed your knowledge of business so far and what commitment have you shown to the subject area? This would include reference to relevant qualifications. It can also include reference to work experience and extracurricular activities.

Number two, show your motivation to study at HE level. Universities want to see a positive attitude to learning and personal development. How can you show your commitment to studying? Studying a HE level is a massive step up from studying at college or school level. So how can you demonstrate in your personal statement that you are up for that challenge?

Number three, show off. Tell us all about your wonderful skills and experience. What skills do you have that would make you suitable for the course? Draw upon relevant life experience, but also work experience. And demonstrate key business skills, such as communication, teamwork, problem solving, and leadership.

Number four, show us who you are. Outline your business related extracurricular activities. Or your employment. Or maybe you've been involved in volunteering with your local community. Outline all the things you've done, but always explain why you did it, what you learned, and why it's relevant to studying business. What we're looking for is a range of activities that our applicants have been involved in, and how relevant those are to the study of business.

Number five, the boring part. Proof reading. Please check your spelling and grammar. Proof read aloud and get your teachers, your advisors, your family, basically anybody who will listen, to check your personal statement. And then redraft it until the grammar, the spelling, the punctuation, all of it is correct. Never underestimate the importance of proof reading.

So now for a little bit about the business programs here at Marjon University. The best way to find out more about our programs is to book onto our Open Days. Here you can meet the team, see what you would be taught, ask questions about the programs, and really get a feel for what it would be like to study business at Marjon.

People often say to me, "Well, what's different about studying business at Marjon from any other university?" And I always say, "It's the environment that you will be taught in." Marjon really prides itself on its small class sizes. And this is no exception for our business courses. Another key area that we offer here at Marjon is exciting, practical teaching sessions. There's lots of opportunity to develop your business skills. And also there are no exams. Our programs are also accredited by the Chartered Management Institute. So you will graduate with an additional qualification.

Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

Writing the Personal Statement

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.

Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

This handout provides information about writing personal statements for academic and other positions.

The personal statement, your opportunity to sell yourself in the application process, generally falls into one of two categories:

1. The general, comprehensive personal statement:

This allows you maximum freedom in terms of what you write and is the type of statement often prepared for standard medical or law school application forms.

2. The response to very specific questions:

Often, business and graduate school applications ask specific questions, and your statement should respond specifically to the question being asked. Some business school applications favor multiple essays, typically asking for responses to three or more questions.

Questions to ask yourself before you write:

• What's special, unique, distinctive, and/or impressive about you or your life story?
• What details of your life (personal or family problems, history, people or events that have shaped you or influenced your goals) might help the committee better understand you or help set you apart from other applicants?
• When did you become interested in this field and what have you learned about it (and about yourself) that has further stimulated your interest and reinforced your conviction that you are well suited to this field? What insights have you gained?
• How have you learned about this field—through classes, readings, seminars, work or other experiences, or conversations with people already in the field?
• If you have worked a lot during your college years, what have you learned (leadership or managerial skills, for example), and how has that work contributed to your growth?
• What are your career goals?
• Are there any gaps or discrepancies in your academic record that you should explain (great grades but mediocre LSAT or GRE scores, for example, or a distinct upward pattern to your GPA if it was only average in the beginning)?
• Have you had to overcome any unusual obstacles or hardships (for example, economic, familial, or physical) in your life?
• What personal characteristics (for example, integrity, compassion, and/or persistence) do you possess that would improve your prospects for success in the field or profession? Is there a way to demonstrate or document that you have these characteristics?
• What skills (for example, leadership, communicative, analytical) do you possess?
• Why might you be a stronger candidate for graduate school—and more successful and effective in the profession or field than other applicants?
• What are the most compelling reasons you can give for the admissions committee to be interested in you?

General advice

Answer the questions that are asked

• If you are applying to several schools, you may find questions in each application that are somewhat similar.
• Don't be tempted to use the same statement for all applications. It is important to answer each question being asked, and if slightly different answers are needed, you should write separate statements. In every case, be sure your answer fits the question being asked.

Tell a story

• Think in terms of showing or demonstrating through concrete experience. One of the worst things you can do is to bore the admissions committee. If your statement is fresh, lively, and different, you'll be putting yourself ahead of the pack. If you distinguish yourself through your story, you will make yourself memorable.

Be specific

• Don't, for example, state that you would make an excellent doctor unless you can back it up with specific reasons. Your desire to become a lawyer, engineer, or whatever should be logical, the result of specific experience that is described in your statement. Your application should emerge as the logical conclusion to your story.

Find an angle

• If you're like most people, your life story lacks drama, so figuring out a way to make it interesting becomes the big challenge. Finding an angle or a "hook" is vital.

Concentrate on your opening paragraph

• The lead or opening paragraph is generally the most important. It is here that you grab the reader's attention or lose it. This paragraph becomes the framework for the rest of the statement.

Tell what you know

• The middle section of your essay might detail your interest and experience in your particular field, as well as some of your knowledge of the field. Too many people graduate with little or no knowledge of the nuts and bolts of the profession or field they hope to enter. Be as specific as you can in relating what you know about the field and use the language professionals use in conveying this information. Refer to experiences (work, research, etc.), classes, conversations with people in the field, books you've read, seminars you've attended, or any other source of specific information about the career you want and why you're suited to it. Since you will have to select what you include in your statement, the choices you make are often an indication of your judgment.

Don't include some subjects

• There are certain things best left out of personal statements. For example, references to experiences or accomplishments in high school or earlier are generally not a good idea. Don't mention potentially controversial subjects (for example, controversial religious or political issues).

Do some research, if needed

• If a school wants to know why you're applying to it rather than another school, do some research to find out what sets your choice apart from other universities or programs. If the school setting would provide an important geographical or cultural change for you, this might be a factor to mention.

Write well and correctly

• Be meticulous. Type and proofread your essay very carefully. Many admissions officers say that good written skills and command of correct use of language are important to them as they read these statements. Express yourself clearly and concisely. Adhere to stated word limits.

Avoid clichés

• A medical school applicant who writes that he is good at science and wants to help other people is not exactly expressing an original thought. Stay away from often-repeated or tired statements.

For more information on writing a personal statement, see the personal statement vidcast .

• Applying to Uni
• Apprenticeships
• Health & Relationships
• Money & Finance

Personal Statements

• Postgraduate
• U.S Universities

University Interviews

• Vocational Qualifications
• Accommodation
• ​​​​​​​Budgeting, Money & Finance
• ​​​​​​​Health & Relationships
• ​​​​​​​Jobs & Careers
• ​​​​​​​Socialising

Studying Abroad

• ​​​​​​​Studying & Revision
• ​​​​​​​Technology
• ​​​​​​​University & College Admissions

Guide to GCSE Results Day

Finding a job after school or college

Retaking GCSEs

In this section

Choosing GCSE Subjects

Post-GCSE Options

GCSE Work Experience

GCSE Revision Tips

Why take an Apprenticeship?

Applying for an Apprenticeship

Apprenticeships Interviews

Apprenticeship Wage

Engineering Apprenticeships

What is an Apprenticeship?

Choosing an Apprenticeship

Real Life Apprentices

Degree Apprenticeships

Higher Apprenticeships

A Level Results Day 2024

AS Levels 2024

Clearing Guide 2024

Applying to University

SQA Results Day Guide 2024

BTEC Results Day Guide

Vocational Qualifications Guide

Sixth Form or College

International Baccalaureate

Post 18 options

Finding a Job

Should I take a Gap Year?

Travel Planning

Volunteering

Gap Year Guide

Gap Year Blogs

Applying to Oxbridge

Applying to US Universities

Choosing a Degree

Choosing a University or College

Personal Statement Editing and Review Service

Guide to Freshers' Week

Student Guides

Student Cooking

Student Blogs

Top Rated Personal Statements

• Personal Statement Examples

Writing Your Personal Statement

Postgraduate Personal Statements

International Student Personal Statements

Gap Year Personal Statements

Personal Statement Length Checker

Personal Statement Examples By University

Personal Statement Changes 2025

Personal Statement Template

Job Interviews

Types of Postgraduate Course

Writing a Postgraduate Personal Statement

Postgraduate Funding

Postgraduate Study

Internships

• Choosing A College

Ivy League Universities

Common App Essay Examples

• Universal College Application Guide

How To Write A College Admissions Essay

• College Rankings
• Admissions Tests

Fees & Funding

• Scholarships
• Budgeting For College

Online Degree

Platinum Express Editing and Review Service

Gold Editing and Review Service

Silver Express Editing and Review Service

UCAS Personal Statement Editing and Review Service

Oxbridge Personal Statement Editing and Review Service

Postgraduate Personal Statement Editing and Review Service

You are here

• Choosing A Major
• Ivy League Universities Guide
• USA College Fees
• Common App Guide
• How To Write A College Essay
• College Essay Examples
• Online Degrees
• Applying For College Graduation
• Application Guide
• Should I Go To Business School?
• Choosing A Business School
• Business School Rankings 2021
• Writing A Personal Statement
• Medical School
• Applying to UK universities

Business School Personal Statement Writing

Writing a personal statement for business school that stands out from the crowd can seem like a daunting task. Admissions tutors want to read about you and why you’re passionate enough about business to study it at grad school and start a career in business. Unfortunately, they also want to find out this information in a compelling, intelligent, and enthusiastic manner that will grab their attention and make them want to accept you onto their program. All applicants to the program want to enter the world of business, so how will you present your own reasons in a unique way that no one else can? It should therefore come as no surprise that we recommend you start drafting your business school personal statement as early as possible, so that you have plenty of time to think about your approach, put together a first draft, and then redraft it as many times as you need to using your own thoughts and other people’s feedback. This way you will have the best chance of writing a successful, well-rounded statement that will get you accepted on to your chosen business school programs.

What is a personal statement?

Defining a personal statement for business school will give you a clearer idea of exactly what is required to write an excellent statement.

A personal statement is a way for business admissions teams (usually consisting of faculty) to learn more about you as a candidate. It is a piece of creative writing that allows you to sell your abilities, skills and experience to others, much like a covering letter for a job application.

Admissions tutors not only want to see why you are interested in their business program, but also what you can bring to them and their university. Think about the following as a starting point:

• What interests, skills, experience and qualifications make you a great applicant for this program?
• How will you contribute to the field of business through research, seminars, conferences and other opportunities?
• Why have you chosen business as a career path?
• Why does this university’s business program appeal to you and how can it help you fulfil your ambitions?

Normally you will be asked to write a general statement that isn’t a response to a specific prompt, but business schools may suggest some topics for you to consider. What are business school admissions staff looking for in my personal statement? When the admissions faculty look at your personal statement, they are likely to be asking two main questions:

1. Do we want this student on this program? 2. Do we want this student at this university?

These questions can then be broken up further to make it easier to answer them thoroughly:

• Is the student suited to the business program that they are applying for?
• Does the student have the necessary qualifications and personal qualities for the program?
• Is the student conscientious, hardworking and unlikely to drop out?
• Will the student do their best and cope with the demands of business school?
• Can the student work under pressure?
• Will the student be able to adjust to their new environment?
• What are their communication skills like?
• Are they dedicated to this program and have they researched it well?
• Do they have a genuine interest in business and a desire to learn more about it?

These are the sorts of questions you need to answer in your personal statement.

Unfortunately you cannot answer them directly with a simple 'yes' or 'no' -  you need to provide evidence and make it sound believable. This means showing, not telling, the tutors why you are such a great candidate. Ultimately, business school admissions tutors are human too, and may well have hundreds of program applications to sift through, so even if you think you've answered all these questions really well, you may still be unlucky. The rest of this guide will show you can give yourself the best chance of being noticed through your personal statement, and get accepted onto your chosen business programs.

Getting started

Remember that this is your first opportunity to introduce yourself to the business school in your own words, so think of your statement as a personal job advert, where you are selling yourself by highlighting your skills, experience and life goals. Programs want to know more about:

• Current achievements in your college degree
• Experiences outside of the classroom that have inspired you to pursue a career in business

The best way to begin putting together a successful personal statement is to sit down and have a brainstorming session. First, think about the following points and jot down some notes:

• Personal achievements - what relevant attributes and interests make you a special candidate? These can be either inside or outside of the college classroom.
• Extracurricular activities - have you completed any volunteering work or got involved with any charities or other groups/organisations that help the community? You could also include any leisure or sports activities you participate in during your spare time, providing the skills you gain from these are relevant to the program.
• Academic success - are there any appropriate projects or other pieces of college work that you scored highly in and are particularly proud of? Have you received any awards or other type of recognition for your studies?
• Work experience - what professional skills can you bring to the program? How have work placements helped shape you into an ideal applicant?

Next, build up some vocabulary that will allow you to establish a comprehensive, yet coherent statement that represents a true reflection of yourself and portrays you in the best possible light. Try using the following words as category headings and see if you can put at least two or three words in each:

• Communication - e.g. speaking, writing, collaborating, explaining, discussing, listening.
• Research - e.g. analysing, collecting, investigating, interpreting,examining, collecting, evaluating, concluding.
• Creative - e.g. imagining, designing, illustrating, original, envisioning, artistic, inventive.
• Leadership and management - e.g. coordinated, delegated, responsible, teamwork, directed, assigned, negotiated.
• IT and Technical - e.g. networking, programming, web development, hardware, software, operating, engineering.

Other headings you might wish to use include: Clerical/Administrative, Problem Solving, Training, Media, Financial and Human/Public Relations. Feel free to add any of your own headings that you feel are relevant to your application, too. Hopefully you should now have a nice long list of keywords that demonstrate all of your skills and personal qualities. For each one, write down:

• How you have demonstrated this skill or trait - try to think of a specific experience that provides evidence you possess this skill. Remember, your personal statement will be much more solid and believable if you backup everything with examples.
• When you began to develop it, e.g. high school, college - again, try to be as specific as possible.
• How it will benefit you during the program - tutors will want to see how your skills will make you a successful business student.
• How you might use it once you have completed business school - think beyond your program and show your commitment to business by demonstrating how you plan to use your skills and attributes in business later on.
• Any related skills or traits you hope to gain during your time at business school - recognise that there are still areas you could improve on, and tell the admissions faculty how the program can help you with these.

At this stage you should have a whole host of skills and personal qualities that you can demonstrate through a particular experience. Now you need to begin constructing actual sentences with all the information you have gathered. It helps to write an opening paragraph that will grab the admission tutor’s attention straight away. This means avoiding overused cliches such as “I’ve always wanted to set up a business since I was a child”. A good way to do this is to start by conveying an experience that tells a relevant story, e.g. your interest in business was sparked by your parents having a yard sale one summer. As this will form the opening to your personal statement, choose your experience carefully - the more personal it is, the more engaging your statement is likely to be. Think about the following once you have decided what to write about:

• Does the story offer the business school genuine insight to your personality, and if so, how?
• Will the reader get a sense of enthusiasm for business?
• Does it explain why you have chosen to pursue a career in business?
• Are your long-term career plans or professional hopes indicated?

The rest of the first draft of your personal statement should follow a similar pattern, with further skills addressed using specific examples from your past. Remember - show, don’t tell the admissions staff why you should be accepted on to their business program. The final paragraph should form a memorable conclusion that will again attract the admission tutor’s attention and make you a memorable candidate. As mentioned earlier, you need to stand out from the crowd if you want to have a chance of being accepted.

As you start writing the first draft of your personal statement, try to avoid making the following errors so that you end up with a reasonably decent statement to start with:

• Including lots of information from your resume - don't waste precious space relating standard information that admissions staff can find elsewhere on your application. Never cut and paste from other documents - it never works and makes you look lazy. The personal statement has to be "personal", so listing grades, awards and other achievements is not going to impress anyone. Write something new and original the tutors will want to read.  
• Ignoring the topic question or other directions - only do this if you want to appear incompetent and produce an essay that is completely irrelevant. Read any prompt(s) you have been given carefully, and make sure your statement reflects a consideration of this.  
• Failing to explain why you want to attend this school - although this seems like quite an obvious point, you'll be surprised at how many business school candidates do not include this vital information in their personal statement. As mentioned earlier, tell the tutors what you can bring to the school and why you would make such a great addition to this incoming class. You should also talk about how the school might help you in return with your personal development and career ambitions.  
• Telling your story in a boring, forgettable manner - again, you need to write about yourself and your experiences in a personal way. This means providing specific examples to back up what you are saying, and not using general, sweeping statements that will just wash over the admissions tutors. Writing from the heart and being honest will result in a winning statement that will help you get accepted on to your chosen programs.  
• Dwelling on negative aspects of your record - you only have limited space to portray yourself in the best possible light, so don't waste it by making apologies for things that don't look so great. So make sure you turn everything you write about into something positive.

If you're struggling to put together your first draft, take a look at some example business school personal statements to help get your creative juices flowing. Our graduate school personal statement style guide will also help you to avoid common mistakes made by applicants.

Further drafts

Once you have completed the first draft of your personal statement, you will need to analyse it critically and evaluate how it might be improved. There are two ways you should do this: #1 Critique it yourself Read through it carefully and ask yourself the following questions to help you highlight its strengths and weaknesses:

• Is the opening paragraph interesting enough to make you want to read further?
• Have you provided specific examples for all of the skills and personal attributes mentioned?
• Have you talked about your work and/or voluntary experience in detail, and how this will be useful during the program?
• Is your statement engaging throughout? If not, how could you change the vocabulary, sentence structure and/or content to improve this?
• Is your statement focused enough that it explains why you have chosen to pursue a career in business, rather than a related one such as Economics or Accountancy?
• Are there any spelling, grammar or formatting issues that need to be fixed? Check the word or character count, and make sure you have addressed all the points you have been asked to (if necessary).

#2 Ask for feedback from family, friends, college professors and career counselors

It’s often hard to be objective about your own work, especially when you have spent so much time looking at it, so it’s always a good idea to show your statement to at least several other people if possible.

Ask them to comment on the strengths and how it could be improved (it’s best to give them a printed copy and let them write on it).

Read through all the feedback and take it all on board - are there any common areas people have noted that could be improved?

Next, go through each point and see if it would make the statement better overall. If you feel it doesn’t, don’t incorporate that particular suggestion into your new draft. Although other people’s views are essential here, it’s also important that you are happy with the statement. Never let someone else rewrite your statement - it should only be your own writing. Don’t underestimate how long this part of the writing process can take - you may go through many cycles of drafting and asking for feedback, so again, try to start writing your personal statement as early as possible.

The final draft

Write as many drafts as you feel are necessary, until you have a polished statement that you are completely happy with sending off to your programs. Check carefully for any spelling and grammar mistakes, as these errors are likely to be noticed and will make you look incompetent. Don't just rely on a spell checker for this - you should read your final statement several times and do these checks by eye. Also make sure that your statement meets any word or character limits, as well as any other requirements outlined by the graduate school. Otherwise it will look like you couldn't be bothered to read the application process and you may be rejected straight away. Good luck with your business school applications!

Call us : +88 (0) 1712969390, +44 (0) 7495942849, +44 (0) 7459725824

[email protected]

Sign in  |  Sign up     

PS - BA (Hons) Business Administration (Top up)

• Sample personal statement

25 July, 2022

Ps - ba (hons) business administration (top up) share.

• 12 May, 2013

For the aspiring entrepreneurs and business leaders, a business management degree is consistently a popular choice. After much deliberation, I have decided to pursue BA (Hons) Business Administration (Top up) at University of Bedfordshire. This course will provide me the academic knowledge and skills to pursue global career opportunities and will develop a broad understanding of businesses. In addition, this course also features different modules which will give me the opportunity to apply my theories and ideas in practice, and this will benefit me to enhance my skills and knowledge.

Following my SSC and HSC I studied Bachelor of Business Studies degree pass course in July 2017 from National University, Bangladesh. Later on, I started working as a sales executive from July 2017. After thorough research of the job market in my country of Bangladesh, as well as abroad, I have realized that in order to reach my career goals, I need to embark on this educational journey to pursue this course. Recently, I have done a wide range of research on studying abroad. I believe studying abroad helps students to learn new languages, appreciate other cultures, overcome challenges of living in another country and gain a greater understanding of the world. In addition, these are the requirements that modern businesses look for when hiring, and such traits will only become more important in the future. Moreover, studying abroad also offers a unique opportunity to learn what we know but from a totally different perspective. These are the things which have motivated me to pursue this course in the UK institutions.

I have found from my research that this programme is designed to develop all the technical and practical skills I need to prepare myself for a successful career in business sector. The programme features a variety of assessments including coursework and examinations. I have reviewed the programme of BA (Hons) Business Administration (Top up) at the University of Bedfordshire and found some modules that are designed to test subject knowledge and understanding of the appropriate subject matter, but also to demonstrate the range of intellectual and subject specific skills identified elsewhere in this document. Through research, I will get opportunities to demonstrate that understanding of the theory and will have developed critical thinking skills which help me to evaluate the relevance of what has been learned. The course modules have been designed to help me to develop and demonstrate the skills that are essential to effective communication in business settings and to allow for progress through the course such as Management and Administration of Projects and Operations, New Advancements in Business, Strategic Management for Business, Business Finance, Global Marketing Strategy. And all these modules will help me to broaden my knowledge of business management systems on a professional level. After completion of my course, I want to be a Business Developer or Business Analyst, and this course will put me in a favourable position in terms of the business and management field. I believe this course will be the right choice for my career plans and objectives.

I am determined to study this course in the UK as the study environment in my country is quite different and we only have the opportunity to study with local students. Furthermore, due to periods of unexpected political unrest, students often struggle to finish their degrees on time. Conversely, the UK has a great multicultural and diversified student community which is an opportunity for me to learn with lot of students from different nationalities. UK education brand is highly respected by employers in our country as UK degree prepare graduates with academic competencies, developed personal and professional skills that are imperative for organizational success. The transferrable skills graduates carry forward from UK are pivotal for transforming organizational growth and gain competitive advantages. This is also a reason to study again in UK. In a recent Survey of International Graduate Outcomes 2019 by Universities UK International produced by iGraduate shows that 82% international graduates say that their UK degree are worth the financial investment and same percentage say they are satisfied or very satisfied with their careers. Nearly 83% feel that UK degree has helped them to get jobs. These aspects have driven my ambition to gain the degree from a UK institution. For this reason, I have decided to pursue this course in the UK.

The University of Bedfordshire is a modern, innovative university with a heritage of top-quality education. With over 22,000 students, we provide outstanding higher education to people from all backgrounds and from over 120 countries, with a significant proportion of mature students and a growing international postgraduate community. In addition, University of Bedfordshire has great industry links with more than 3,000 companies to provide a broad range of training and accredited professional courses for industry employers, including, BT, Sky, Boots, IBM, and the NHS, while the university educates professionals from 90% of FTSE 100 companies. University of Bedfordshire puts students on a fast track that is designed to get postgraduate degree into faster employment with excellent career opportunities. University of Bedfordshire is ranked top 25 for most improved overall satisfaction over a three- and five-year period by National Student Survey, 2018. Moreover, University of Bedfordshire career support services help students build a successful career after graduation. This University brings workplace into classrooms so it will be beneficial for me to attain my personal career objectives by practicing in this type of learning environment. I will look no further if I get this chance to study this course at University of Bedfordshire.

Find more resources

• MBA International
• Work experience letter from current employer
• Consent Letter by students for UKVI check
• Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) programme
• LLM Commercial and Corporate Law - Sample Personal Statement

Read similar resources

BA (Hons) Business Management (Final Year)

Business success requires a breadth of knowledge and abilities of efficient management to survive in fierce global co...

BA (Hons) Business and Marketing

Modern business is a dynamic environment in which customer wants and needs constantly change at an ever-faster pace. ...

Association of Chartered Certified Accountants

Following my MSc in Financial Management qualification in 2012, I have been in constant search for a real career for ...

Are you looking to study abroad?

Touch your dream with University Admission Expert

• Offering 15,000+ courses at 100+ study locations
• Maintaining 99% visa success rate
• Serving with 14+ years accumulative admission experience
• Providing end-to-end services, almost 24/7

Newsletter Subscription

Keep up to date with the latest news on UK student visa, courses, universities, scholarships, start dates, study guides etc.

Post Comment

• marquette.edu //
• Contacts //
• A-Z Index //
• Give to Marquette

Marquette.edu  //  Career Center  //  Resources  // 

Properly Write Your Degree

The correct way to communicate your degree to employers and others is by using the following formats:

Degree - This is the academic degree you are receiving. Your major is in addition to the degree; it can be added to the phrase or written separately.  Include the full name of your degree, major(s), minor(s), emphases, and certificates on your resume.

Double Majors - You will not be receiving two bachelor's degrees if you double major. Your primary major determines the degree (Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science). If you're not fully sure which of your majors is primary, check CheckMarq or call the registrar's office.

Example: Primary Major: Psychology ; Secondary Major: Marketing

• Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology & Marketing

Primary Major: Marketing ; Secondary Major: Psychology

• Bachelor of Science Degree in Marketing & Psychology

In a letter, you may shorten your degree by writing it this way:

• In May 20XX, I will graduate with my Bachelor's degree in International Affairs.
• In December 20XX, I will graduate with my Master's degree in Counseling Education.

Not sure which degree you are graduating with? Here is a list of Undergraduate Majors and corresponding degrees:

• College of Arts & Sciences
• College of Business Administration
• College of Communication
• College of Education
• College of Engineering
• College of Health Sciences
• College of Nursing  

• Online Resources
• Handouts and Guides
• College/Major Specific Resources
• Grad Program Specific Resources
• Diverse Population Resource s
• Affinity Group Resources
• Schedule an Appointment
• Major/Career Exploration
• Internship/Job Search
• Graduate/Professional School
• Year of Service
• Resume and Cover Letter Writing

• Login to Handshake
• Getting Started with Handshake
• Handshake Support for Students
• Handshake Support for Alumni
• Handshake Information for Employers

CONNECT WITH US

PROBLEM WITH THIS WEBPAGE? Report an accessibility problem  

To report another problem, please contact  [email protected]

Marquette University Holthusen Hall, First Floor Milwaukee, WI 53233 Phone: (414) 288-7423

• Campus contacts
• Search marquette.edu

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Privacy Policy Legal Disclaimer Non-Discrimination Policy Accessible Technology

© 2024 Marquette University