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How to Write A Standout Law Personal Statement

A law personal statement is essential when applying to enrol on an LLB law course as an undergraduate or an LLM degree as a postgraduate. Get advice and tips on writing good law personal statements.

Our Guide to Law Personal Statements

• Find out the word count and the right structure
• See how universities use personal statements
• Learn how to write and structure your statement
• Get more top tips on writing a knock-out statement

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You’ll need to write a law personal statement if you’re applying for the LLB or other types of law degrees via UCAS . You will also have to write one if you’re applying to study law at postgraduate level.

What is a Law Personal Statement?

The personal statement is a piece of writing which you send off with your UCAS application to different universities . It’s capped at 4,000 characters (so will often end up running for about one side of A4), and serves as the best way to differentiate yourself from other applicants to the most competitive courses. In short, it’s the personal statement which is the truly ‘personal’ part of your application. This is your chance to grab the attention of the admissions team, who will often use the personal statement as the easiest way to pick between candidates with other similar metrics (e.g. predicted A Level grades which meet the entry requirements ). Other universities ( Oxbridge specifically ) place even more emphasis on your personal statement, using it as a way to decide who to invite to interview (and then as a source of discussion during interviews). Put simply, it’s an important part of your application.

For law specifically, a subject which is known to be both competitive and highly academic, the personal statement is even more crucial. The University of Law have a page outlining some law personal statement tips , but this article seeks to present our views on some of the most crucial elements of a successful personal statement for studying law at university – from what you should do to what you shouldn’t, structure, content and more, this article will get you well on your way.

How Universities Use Your UCAS Law Personal Statement

If a lot of students applying for law degree courses have achieved the basic entry requirements, university admissions teams use UCAS law personal statements to decide who is more suited to their learning programme. Some universities take this a step further with, for example, with the LNAT , which is taken into consideration alongside your personal statement. 

Some law schools will read every personal statement and score them. They then use this score alongside your qualifications and grades to decide whether to offer you an interview. Other law universities don’t give as much consideration to personal statements and will only use them to decide between students who have borderline entry requirements.

Law schools may refer to your personal statement on results day if you don’t get the grades you need. A good personal statement could be the difference in securing a university place if you don’t get the grades you hoped for.

Planning Your Statement

Plan a clear structure.

First thing’s first, you’re going to need a clear structure. There are a few reasons for this. First, having a clearly planned out structure before you start writing will limit the amount of ‘waffle’ you could accidentally end up putting into your writing (more on that in our next point). Second, a clear structure allows your reader (those university admissions teams) to enjoy the personal statement more by increasing the smoothness of the reading experience associated with a well thought out body of text (remember, they’ll be reading hundreds, if not thousands, of these). Third, you’re applying to study law – the personal statement is an excellent opportunity to demonstrate that you can produce well planned, structured writing (as is crucial for any humanities subject). The theme of the personal statement serving a dual purpose (presenting the content itself but also showcasing your writing abilities) will come up again throughout this article – it’s super important to bear in mind.

There is no one-size-fits-all structure that your personal statement should take, and you should allow yourself to be guided largely by the content you’re looking to present. It is a good idea, however, to feature a particularly catchy opening leading into an introductory section, a main body (structure however best suits the content) and at least a line or two of concluding material at the end.

Leading on from our last point, being concise is key. Not only does this allow you to demonstrate your clarity of writing (as all law students and aspiring lawyers need as a key skill ), but it also increases the amount of content (or explanation of that content) you’re able to pack into 4,000 characters. For example, have you written ‘on the other hand’? ‘Conversely’ is 2 words/7 characters shorter, and serves the exact same purpose. Also consider whether you’re repeating yourself. Conciseness is best achieved by proofreading.

Manage Your Tone

Throughout your personal statement, it’s best to take a relatively formal tone. Your content is the part that allows your personality and individualism to shine through. Also avoid humour – it’s simply too risky without knowing the preferences of the individual whose desk your personal statement will eventually land on.

Need Help With Your Statement?

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Writing Your Statement

Proofreading is essential for a personal statement, and you’ll likely go through many rounds of drafts. Having concise writing is key (see the point above), but even more important is the fact your personal statement needs to avoid any errors in spelling or grammar. These are easily correctible and may reflect badly on you as a student applying to an essay-based subject at university. It’s fine if you personally struggle with spelling or grammar – see our next point for a way to combat that.

Get Feedback

Your personal statement, while being innately ‘personal’, is best improved by showing it to a range of people. Although there will naturally (and sadly) be a difference in the quality of assistance you will receive based on the quality of your sixth form/college, be proactive in seeking out the best people possible to read over it and give you feedback. Are there any teachers at your school who studied on the university course you now find yourself applying to? Can you find current students/alumni of that course on LinkedIn and ask if they’d be willing to spare a few minutes to glance over it for you? The more input you get (from people who have more experience than you on this topic), the more secure you’ll feel in defending why you’ve written what you have.

Capital Letter Checks

If you’ve successfully followed the tips above, you’re likely to have a personal statement with a great deal of specific references in it. There’s an easy way to roughly check this – visually scan down your personal statement and see how many capital letters there are. If you’ve got very few, it’s likely that you may have included a fair amount of ‘waffle’. If you can spot quite a few capital letters, that’s a sign that you’ve probably included the specifics – great job! Where ‘I’ve read many legal books’ might throw up a red flag, ‘I’ve read X and Y books’ means you’re on a great path.

Get to Know Your Course

Demonstrate your interest by improving your understanding

Perfecting Your Statement

Keep it personal.

Attempting to present a broad overview of your degree’s content (e.g. trying to do a broad sweep of UK legal history) is useless, impossible, and ultimately pretty boring to read. It also means you’ll end up with something that skims the surface of many things. Remember, this is a ‘personal’ statement. The best way to approach it is to drill down deep into one or two particular niches that interests you (again, rather than skimming the surface of a huge range of topics). This keeps your personal statement fresh and interesting to read for the admissions team. Have you developed an interest in a particular piece of legislation that’s just come out? You could spend a paragraph going into some detail here – and the contents of that paragraph are what comes next.

Show – Don’t Tell

This is one of the most important pieces of advice possible. Once you’ve found a particular area of interest to talk about in your personal statement, you need to back that up with specific, tangible examples. Some people will also advise that you try and keep this content relatively recent in order to demonstrate an engagement with world affairs. Although not compulsory, this can still be a useful avenue to explore. ‘I’m really interested in the new Online Safety Bill’ is generic, proves very little, and could apply to anyone. ‘My interest in the new Online Safety Bill led me to read X book and watch X documentary, after which I considered X issues’ is specific to you, demonstrates a tangible interest in these topics, and is simply far more interesting to read. This idea of constantly building on what came before allows you to demonstrate a thread running throughout your essay (helping your structure present itself as clear in the process). This is where you’ll often hear people say that your personal statement needs to ‘flow’.

The range of things that you could ‘show’ is vast – books related to your course are a great starting point. If you know one of your top choice universities employs a particularly prominent member of faculty, perhaps you’d be interested to have a look at their writing and include that too. Other such content could include documentaries, conferences, events, or work experience. Now your personal statement is looking far more personal.

Academic vs Extra-Curricular

Balancing the proportion of academic to extra-curricular content in your personal statement is not an easy task, especially when you’re likely to hear that certain top universities like Oxbridge heavily favour the former. Law is also an intensely academic subject. With that in mind, it’s only natural to place a heavy emphasis on the academic side. However, if you’ve got extra-curricular content which you feel you could successfully link to your degree course in some way (e.g. ‘For my swimming club, I researched current health and safety regulations to make sure we are compliant’ – ‘I am in a swimming club’, conversely, doesn’t hold much value), then do feel free to include that too.

In short, while writing law personal statements may appear a challenge, following our top tips will allow your application to excel. Be clear, be specific, be you.

Watch this video from Solent University Law School, Southampton, which is packed with great tips on how to write a strong personal statement for law.

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Assessment of Applications

Admissions to the JD program are highly competitive. Interviews are not held for the program, admissions are based only on submitted materials. Deferrals are rarely available, generally only considered extraordinary circumstances. 

Average GPA of 3.70

in the first year class

LSAT Scores in the 84th percentile

at an average of 164

Average applicant age of 26 years old

Range of early 20s to mid 50s

On this page

• Complete applications
• Assessment process
• Admission factors
• Applicant responsibilities
• LSAT & GPA
• JD admissions statistics (5-year)
• Self-assessment of unsuccessful applications

Complete Applications

Your application will not be assessed until all of your supporting documents have been received. It is your responsibility to ensure your application is complete, which you can check in your Student Centre.

A form of rolling admissions is used, which means that some decisions are sent out before all the files have been read . Applications will start to be assessed as they become complete .  This is one reason to have your application submitted and supporting documents in as early as possible.

Due to the nature of the assessment process, there is no typical timeframe in which you will receive a decision after your application becomes complete. You may receive a decision very quickly, or you might receive a decision later in the admission cycle.

All applicants will receive an offer, regrets, or waitlist notification through your My UCalgary Student Centre no later than the end of June. Most applications become complete between January and March.

If you are a current student when you apply, you must wait until January before uploading the unofficial transcript for your current school. Uploading it earlier may result in a delay in assessment, since we cannot assess an application with an incomplete transcript.

Assessment Process

Your application will be grouped with other applications that have similar statistical profiles for assessment. See below for more information about the LSAT and GPA.

The process for reviewing your application depends on your statistical profile. Your application will be reviewed by members of the Admissions Committee. You will receive either an offer, regrets, or waitlist notification based on the score given to your application as a result of the review process.

In any given year, the Admissions Committee may impose a minimum requirement for LSAT scores or GPA for applications to be considered further.

Admission Factors

When we assess your application, we will be looking for evidence that you are ready to succeed academically in law school and positively contribute to your community. To do this, we use a very comprehensive assessment process.

All aspects of the application will be taken into consideration, and  there is no specific weighting assigned to any of the factors.  Your work experience, non-academic pursuits such as community involvement, extra-curricular activities, and lived experience are considered very important.

UCalgary Law encourages applications from persons who have been in the work force after university, or who have come to university after their work experience.

We admit a maximum of 130 students to our first-year class. We receive more applications from qualified applicants than we can admit in any given application cycle.  While a strength in one or more areas of the application may help overcome a relative weakness in another, you should be realistic about your chances and be familiar with the average statistics from previous admission cycles, as seen below.

Applicant Responsibilities

Members of the Admissions Committee rely on the information provided in your application and all supporting documentation to assess the merits of your application. Each applicant is responsible for ensuring that the autobiographical information they provide is truthful, complete and correct.

Withholding material information that could reasonably be expected to be relevant to the deliberations of the Admissions Committee or submitting information that is determined to be false, misleading, written by someone else, or written with the use of generative artificial intelligence technology may result in consequences up to and including revocation of an offer of admission or registration from the law school.

The Law Society of Alberta requires a Student-at-Law (a person who has  already   completed law   school  and has applied to be a student-at-law with the Society) to be of good character and reputation and to provide a police/check criminal record check upon applying to be a Student-at-Law. Prospective students are encouraged to speak with the Law Society of the province in which they intend to practice law with respect to any questions or concerns regarding these requirements at the time they are applying to the law school.

Test Scores and Grades

If you have written the LSAT more than once, we will use your highest score to group your file statistically; however, all your scores from the past 5 years, your average score, and the number of times you have written the LSAT will be considered when reviewing your application.

We highly recommend that you prepare for the LSAT in advance and write the LSAT as few times as possible.

GPA will be based on a minimum of the last 60 units (credits) of your undergraduate and/or graduate studies, up to December 31 of the year you submit your application. When assessing your application, the Admissions Committee will also consider your entire academic performance, in both undergraduate and graduate programs as applicable.

Except for undergraduate and graduate work completed in the US, GPAs will not be calculated for international degrees; grades will instead be viewed solely on your transcript.

The Admissions office will not fulfill requests to calculate and/or confirm your GPA under any circumstances.

JD Admissions Statistics

A five-year comparison of admission statistics, self-assessment of unsuccessful applications.

The Admissions Office is unable to provide individual feedback for candidates who received regrets. This year we received more than 1,600 applications for 130 seats in the first-year class. This represents a 35% increase in applications from last year. Unfortunately, many strong applicants received regrets. We have provided some common reasons below to provide insight into possible factors regarding why you did not receive an offer of admission, as well as provide guidance to improving your application should you choose to re-apply.

The average GPA for this intake cycle was 3.72 on the 4.0 scale.

• See how we calculate GPA
• Does your GPA demonstrate a positive academic trajectory (i.e., it has improved year over year)? If not, did you provide any insight in your application as to why?
• Are there any unexplained gaps or patterns of poor performance in your academic record that you failed to explain in the Special Facts section of the application?

The average LSAT score for this intake cycle was approximately the 85 th percentile, or 164.

• Was your LSAT score significantly below this average? If so, you may want to rewrite the LSAT for a better score prior to reapplying.
• Did you write the LSAT multiple times? If so, did you provide some insight into why that was necessary?
• Did your LSAT score go down? If so, did you provide some insight in your application as to why?
• Some free LSAT resources to consider if you plan to rewrite the LSAT for a better score:

https://www.khanacademy.org/prep/lsat

https://www.lsac.org/sites/default/files/media/2020-2021-lsac-canadian-fee-waiver-instructionsapplication_accessible.pdf

UCalgary Law provides a free LSAT Prep Program every spring/summer for low income applicants. The applications will open mid-February for spring of 2024.

Degree Completion

The minimum academic prerequisite for law school is the completion of 60 credits (typically 2 years of full time study) towards a bachelor's degree, however, it is rare (less than 2%) that an applicant is admitted without completing their full bachelor's degree prior to the start of law school. Typically, those within this 2% are mature applicants with strong career and lived experience. 

Work Experience

Did you include work experience in your application?

If no, or you have less than 2 years of work experience, this may have been a factor.

If yes, did you emphasize in your application how your work experience is relevant to your application? Examples include, but are not limited to, lengthy career, relevant experience, strong work ethic, and working while in school to support yourself and others, leadership opportunities, growth opportunities.

Please note we are not looking for a specific kind of work experience, but we are looking for how that work experience has prepared you for law school, contributed to your interest in law school, or the unique contributions your work experience might make to the legal community.

Community Service/Extra Curricular Activities

Did you include any community involvement or extra curricular activities in your application?

If no, did you explain any extenuating circumstances in the Special Facts section, i.e., need to work while in school, significant family obligations, economic or other barriers to participation, illness, etc.

If yes, please know that we are not looking for specific experience or involvement in particular activities, including law related activities. We are looking to see what your interests and involvement in your community are outside of academics, and how those personal interests and experiences have prepared you for, and contributed to, your interest in law school, and the unique contributions you might make to the legal community.

Special Facts Related to Diversity, Equity and Lived Experience

This section allows all applicants to provide additional information about themselves that provides context and perspective to their application with respect to diversity, equity and lived experience. It is a difficult thing to provide any general feedback on the contents of this section as it is a highly individual part of the application.  

If you chose to use this optional section, did you use it appropriately for providing context and perspective regarding the contents of your application, or did you treat it as additional space to use as an extension of your Statement of Interest?  

Statement of Interest

• Did you answer all three questions posed?
• Was the Statement of Interest well-written?
• Were there typos or grammatical errors?
• Did you explain why you were interested in attending UCalgary Law specifically or was your Statement generic enough that it could have been provided to multiple institutions?  

Timing of Application Going Complete

Given the high number of applications received this year and the fact that we assess applicants on a rolling basis (when a file becomes complete) you may have missed out on an offer by writing the last available LSAT in January, or failing to providing your LSAT writing sample or transcripts on a timely basis. If any of these supplemental materials were left until the deadline, it may have been a factor in our ability to extend an offer.

We hope the above checklist is helpful to you. It is not intended to be exhaustive and it cannot take into account individual strengths and weaknesses that are noted in an application during assessment. It is intended to cover some of the common reasons why an application may have been denied.

Faculty of Law at University of Alberta: How to Get in

Want to know how to get into the Faculty of Law at the University of Alberta? The University of Alberta law school is one of the top law schools in Canada, and among the most selective law schools in Canada per statistics . The Faculty of Law at the University of Alberta, located in the provincial capital of Edmonton, offers top-tier law education combined with an active campus life and plenty of opportunities for students. In this blog, we’ll look at the programs at the Faculty of Law at the University of Alberta, application requirements and statistics, application timeline, tuition and funding information and everything you need to know to apply.

Please note: although we have made every effort to provide the most accurate information, admissions information changes frequently. Therefore, we encourage you to verify these details with the official university admissions office. You are responsible for your own results. BeMo does not endorse nor affiliate with any official universities, colleges, or test administrators and vice versa.

>> Want us to help you get accepted? Schedule a free strategy call here . <<

Article Contents 7 min read

Mission statement.

“ Within a vibrant and supportive learning environment, the University of Alberta discovers, disseminates, and applies new knowledge for the benefit of society through teaching and learning, research and creative activity, community involvement, and partnerships. The University of Alberta gives a national and international voice to innovation in our province, taking a lead role in placing Canada at the global forefront.”

Available programs and curriculum

The Faculty of Law at the University of Alberta is the oldest law school in western Canada and ranked in the top 100 law schools worldwide. The Faculty of Law at the University of Alberta offers a comprehensive foundation in the study of law and opportunities for upperclassmen to pursue specialties in the law with its three-year undergraduate Juris Doctor curriculum.

First-year students complete 7 core courses of foundational legal learning and have access to both a faculty member and an upper year student as mentors. In the upper years, students complete required courses as well as choose from a variety of elective courses which explore specialty topics in the legal profession. Students at the University of Alberta law school can participate in cultural exchange programs, internships, research projects or the competitive moot program, which allows students to engage in mock legal proceedings to get hands-on learning experience in a legal simulation.

Graduates of the JD program can also enroll in the University of Alberta Master of Laws (LLM) program or the Doctor of Philosophy/JD program.

As far as campus life, the University of Alberta is in the provincial capital of Edmonton, the home of the province’s legislature and legal hub. The University of Alberta is well-known for its numerous students’ clubs and exciting student life, whereas the city of Edmonton is known for its urban park areas, active arts and theatre scene, top-rated restaurants, and a vibrant sports community.

Admission to the Faculty of Law at the University of Alberta is very competitive. The average acceptance rate has hovered around 15% for the past decade, with an average of 160-180 students admitted each year. The U of A Faculty of Law has one of the lower law school acceptance rates , and it has high standards when it comes to applicants.

The average GPA and LSAT score of applicants are typically quite high, so the University of Alberta is not among the easiest law schools to get into in Canada . The LSAT is a requirement for all applicants, as is completion of an undergraduate degree, although there is no preference for the type of degree. Exceptional students can apply with two years of undergraduate study complete, provided their GPA is a minimum of 3.7 and their LSAT score is in the 90 th percentile.

• Overall success rate: 15%
• Average GPA: 3.9
• Average LSAT: 165
• Location: Edmonton, Alberta

The JD program at the Faculty of Law at the University of Alberta is an undergraduate law degree, but all applicants must complete the minimum number of years of an undergraduate degree or the equivalent credits before applying to the Faculty of Law. There is no direct entry for high school students.

The University of Alberta’s admissions process relies more heavily on grades and LSAT scores to determine a candidate’s eligibility, and the standards are high for academic performance. However, you should still submit a strong personal statement and perform well in the admissions interview if you are extended an invitation.

Indigenous applicants will need to submit a law school recommendation letter and a law school resume on top of the usual requirements. Recommendation letters can be written by employers, teachers, volunteer supervisors or similar. They should be written by individuals who know you well and can attest to your skills, strengths and personal qualities. Review some law school resume examples to get an idea of how to structure this document, as it should contain any paid or volunteer work experience, achievements and awards and any extracurriculars that help you stand out in your application.

Writing a law school personal statement? Watch this video!

Admissions interview

The Faculty of Law at the University of Alberta does not generally use law admission interviews for its regular applicants. However, interviews are sometimes used in the admissions process for transfer applicants and other undergraduate programs, so you may be invited to interview if you are an excellent candidate for the JD program. If you are extended an invitation, accept it! A law school interview is a great way to cinch an offer acceptance and show the admissions committee you should be admitted. You can use a law school mock interview to prep for a potential interview and rehearse your interview skills.

The tuition costs, cost of supplies and books and living costs are estimated to be $18,597.26 CAD per year to study at the University of Alberta Faculty of Law. This estimate will be slightly higher for international students to encompass fees, travel costs and accommodation costs.

The Faculty of Law at the University of Alberta provides a cost-of-living calculator for students to use to estimate their costs of living and studying in Alberta. There are also numerous scholarships, awards and bursaries students are encouraged to apply for to help fund their studies. Many of these scholarships and bursaries are based on academic excellence or merit, so it’s a good idea to apply and explore as many funding options as possible. International students also have access to funding through the Canadian federal government. An international student scholarship advisor can help you find the funding opportunities available to you.

Application timeline

Applicants wanting to apply for the JD program at the University of Alberta should apply in the year before they want to matriculate. More information on deadlines, campus tours and information sessions are available on the University of Alberta website.

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Looking for a law school advisor? Here's a short guide to how it can help you!

Acceptance and waitlist information

Starting in November of each application cycle, the admissions committee will admit students on a rolling basis. This means some top applicants may be admitted as early as December for the following September term start. It’s best to apply as early as possible as there is a maximum of 185 students who are admitted to the program each year and the competition is fierce. All applicants are given the final decision by the first week of July each year, but those who are not extended an offer of acceptance may be placed on the waitlist. Applicants on the waitlist may be accepted as late as early September, so being placed on the waitlist does not mean you have been rejected. If you are placed on the waitlist, you can write a law school letter of continued interest to sway the admissions committee to admit you if a spot opens up late in the application process.

Once you’ve been accepted, you’ll need to make a $500 tuition deposit to secure your spot and confirm acceptance. A second $500 tuition deposit will be made later to confirm your attendance in the program. Both deposits will contribute to your total tuition costs.

Contact information

Official website: https://www.ualberta.ca/law/index.html

[email protected]

780-492-3122

The Faculty of Law at the University of Alberta has only a 15% acceptance rate, so it is quite competitive to get accepted.

The University of Alberta Faculty of Law is one of the top law schools in Canada and is one of western Canada’s most prestigious schools.

The average matriculating student at the U of A law school had a GPA of 3.9, so the competition is quite high. Its recommended you have as high a GPA as possible when applying to the University of Alberta law school.

The average accepted student at the U of A law school had an LSAT score of 165, so its best to earn at least that score or higher to be considered a competitive candidate.

The JD program at the University of Alberta Faculty of Law is three years long.

Yes, the University of Alberta is considered one of the best schools in Canada and around the world, and its Faculty of Law is top-rated.

The Faculty of Law at the University of Alberta is best known for its vibrant student life. The university has hundreds of student clubs, events and activities, and is located in Alberta’s capital of Edmonton, which boasts an active theatre and arts scene, sports community and top-rated restaurants.

Students at the Faculty of Law at the U of A can expect to spend around $18,500 for their JD degree on tuition, fees and associated costs.

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How to write a great personal statement

Crafting a personal statement that stands out is an important part of the UCAS process. However, it can be hard to know exactly what to include, how to write it, and how to stand out. With this in mind, we caught up with Student Recruitment Manager Richard Palmer for his tips on writing a great personal statement.

By Cara Fielder . Published 13 October 2021. Last updated 12 January 2024.

Why is a personal statement important?

Your personal statement is about much more than just meeting the grade requirements and needs to tick a few boxes to stand out. These statements are a top factor when it comes to consideration for admissions experts – but don’t see it as a chore, your personal statement provides an opportunity to communicate your unique skills and strengths to secure your place at university.

What are admissions looking for?

Students must have the appropriate qualifications and grade predictions to meet entry requirements, but this will need to be elaborated on in your personal statement. As you think of your different qualifications, accomplishments, and qualities remember to link them all together to show how this makes you suitable for your chosen course.

• Excellent spelling, grammar and attention to detail.
• Illustrate your suitability for the course by linking it to different areas of life. For example, earlier studies, extra-curricular activities, personal hobbies/experiences and work experience (if applicable).
• Your personality – not in terms of humour or sarcasm but show that you are a responsible and hardworking student.
• A strong reference that supports your application.

Our nine tips for writing your personal statement

Map out the structure.

A great way to approach this is visually: create a diagram splitting the personal statement into sections. Firstly, you want a strong opening introducing yourself. The middle section can then be split into three sub-sections: your course choice, education experience and your wider experiences (e.g. extracurricular activities and work). Then conclude with a concise summary of the points you’ve made.

Whilst the whole statement needs a good deal of work, a robust opening can hook the reader and make all the difference to an application. It’s an opportunity to briefly cover everything you’ll discuss in greater detail throughout your statement. Consider why you want to study the course, your passion for the subject, where you hope it leads and why it’s right for you.

Similarly, a strong closing paragraph can leave a positive and lasting impression. Try and consolidate what you’ve covered in your statement and reinforce why you would make a great candidate for the course.

Transferrable skills

When discussing your suitability, share how the content and skills learned from your current or previous study relate to your chosen course, and how they will help you succeed. For instance, if you studied A Level Business and apply to study accounting and finance try and highlight how your current learning will influence your degree choice.

Of course, there are many degrees where it might not be possible to study the subject before university, so you’ll need to be a little more creative and think outside of the box. For those subjects which aren’t directly related to your chosen course consider any crossover and highlight those links. For example, if you’ve chosen to study criminology and studied A Level Geography you could discuss globalisation, green crimes, or illegal pollution.

You should also discuss the wider skills you’ve developed. Consider how a variety of teaching environments, coursework, and creative projects have provided you with relevant skills to succeed in a degree such as organisation skills, time management, communication, and multi-tasking.

If you are applying for slightly different courses, remember that all your university choices will see the same personal statement. Make sure to prioritise talking about your main subject for consistency.

Be original

While it might be tempting to copy your friends or take inspiration from example personal statements online, avoid it at all costs. Plagiarism is often unintentional but the best thing you can do to avoid it is steering away from using templates or writing similar personal statements to your peers.

UCAS (for example) puts every statement through plagiarism software. If your statement has 30% similarities to others, a report is sent to all your university choices. They decide the outcome, which could be to revoke your offer. Don’t let this worry – if you honestly write an original statement and the software still picks it up by fluke the university will know what to do.

Consider your strengths

Follow this simple framework:

• What are you good at?
• How can you demonstrate that skill?
• Keep it positive

For example - “I was a debate team captain and lead in making arguments” is good, but it could have something added to it to make it pop. A great way to do this is to add positive adjectives and adverbs to build up the sentence. “I was a successful debate team captain and lead in making winning arguments”.

Everybody has weaknesses, and it’s important to recognise these too. However, be sure to frame it as a positive. Be honest and recognise areas you haven’t experienced or aren’t as confident at – and consider positive ways that you can develop in that area. 

Highlight any previous work experience

Even if it was short-term or voluntary, any experience is good and helps to emphasise your skills. Demonstrating that you have actively sought out work experience presents you as someone with initiative and independence.

Start writing it as early as possible and be aware of all the important deadlines. Draw out a timeline detailing when you aim to have your first draft done, your second draft, any reviews and submission deadlines. This will help to get you in the right mindset from the outset, because nobody likes last-minute stress.

Triple check your work

Sometimes when you have been working on something for a long time, it’s easy to overlook mistakes so it’s also helpful to ask someone else to proofread it for you. Double and triple check your work, keeping an eye out for typos. Getting family or friends to proofread your personal statement will also help to ensure that it sounds authentically you.

Stand out from the crowd

Try to think outside of the box and communicate what makes you unique. For example, if you have any creative ideas on how to improve a certain area within your chosen industry/subject, put this forward. This might tie in with your hobbies and work experience and be a good way to build on it.

Make evidence-based points

Highlighting your experiences is a crucial part of the personal statement but must be backed up with solid evidence. For example, if you have experience as a sports captain or society member, rather than just listing what you did, explain how you got there and what you achieved. Mention actions and outcomes, this shows how you strive for self-improvement and highlights an ability to clearly define goals.

If you’re still considering which degree to apply for, check out our range of undergraduate courses in law , business , criminology , policing , psychology and computer science . 

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