What to write in your personal statement

Start by introducing yourself and say why you are applying
Write a sentence or two that tells the sixth form, college or training provider about your current situation, such as:  

“I am currently in Year 11 at ...”
“My favourite subjects are...”
“I like these subjects because...”

Write about what you are like as a person, your skills and qualities and give examples of how you have demonstrated your skills
An example of this could be about how you led a small group of students on a class project, or gave a presentation about your favourite topic. Include skills you have gained from any work experience, part-time jobs, or voluntary work. For example, if you’ve done voluntary work at a care home, write about how this developed your caring qualities and good listening skills. Below are examples of some of the skills and qualities that you could include in your application. Remember to include examples of these skills and qualities in action! 

Example skills: Accurate, good verbal and written communication skills, creative, able to make decisions, good digital skills, organised, good at planning, good problem-solving skills, able to work well as part of a team, good at time-management
Example qualities: Adaptable, dependable, enthusiatic, flexible, friendly, hardworking, honest, motivated, punctual, reliable, resilient, trustworthy

Include your achievements, things you are proud of
Mention any achievements and positions of responsibility you have held, such as being a form representative, looking after a younger sibling or caring for a pet. Have you helped at parents’ evenings, completed your Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, or mentored a younger student? You could also write about awards given in assemblies or prizes you have received for playing sport. 

Write about your career ideas and why the course you have chosen fits with your plans for the future
Here are a couple of phrases you could start with:

“I am applying for this course because...”
“I am hoping that completing this course will help me become a...”
If you do not have any clear career ideas at this stage, just include your reasons for choosing the course. So, for example, you could say: “I am interested in science subjects, particularly biology and chemistry. I would like to use them in a future career.”

Write about your hobbies and interests
You could write about activities you have participated in, such as school plays, dog walking for neighbours, reading, going to dance classes, playing a musical instrument, going to the cinema, taking photographs or going to the gym.  

How to write your personal statement

Be honest
The place(s) you are applying to will ask your school for a reference, which includes information about your attendance, punctuality, attitude to learning and behaviour, as well as your predicted exam grades. You may be asked to talk about what you have written at an interview. If you haven’t been truthful in your application, it will be difficult to continue the lie face-to-face!

Be positive and enthusiastic
Write about what you can do, rather than what you can’t. Use words or phrases such as ‘willing to’, ‘tried’, ‘overcame’, ‘interested in’, ‘successfully’ or ‘keen to’. Make sure your personal statement demonstrates why you are interested in applying for your chosen course. Keep your writing focused and relevant to the course you are applying for. Avoid copying someone else - write your personal statement in your own style. 

Check the word count
There may be a limit on the number of words you can write. For example, if there is a limit of 2,000 characters, the most you’ll be able to write is around 300 words. It’s a good idea to write your personal statement in Microsoft Word first, so you can keep an eye on the word count and do a spell check. It’s also acceptable to write less than the total word count, as long as you write about why you are applying. 

Check for mistakes
After you have finished writing, read it through lots of times. You could also get someone else to check - it’s easy to make mistakes when you are typing.

Personal statement examples

"I am currently in Year 11 of Hightown School. My timekeeping and attendance at school are good, and I am meeting my targets for the GCSE subjects I am taking. This shows how hard I am working and that I want to do well. I play rugby for the school team and really enjoy working as part of a team to win matches. I am a friendly person who easily gets along with people. I am also trustworthy and reliable, and recently completed work experience in a local shop. Whilst working there, l showed that I am able to follow instructions, and also that I have excellent communication skills, as I had to deal with all sorts of customer enquiries. I am a practical person, I enjoy figuring out how things work and making and mending things. My main interest is in working with motor vehicles and I have had some experience of this because I am always helping my uncle mend his car. I would like to study motor vehicle mechanics when I leave school so I can achieve my ambition of becoming a motor mechanic in the future and eventually owning my own garage." (196 words)

"I am a very hardworking and reliable student in Year 11 at Hightown School. My attendance at school is excellent and I am always on time. My favourite subjects, and the ones I am best at, are chemistry and history. In all my subjects, I always strive to meet deadlines and complete coursework to the best of my ability. I work very well independently but also as part of a team - I am captain of the school netball team. I am fully involved in the life of the school and through my role as a member of the school council, and as part of the netball team, I have learnt to take responsibility and have gained confidence in speaking up about important issues. I take pride in the fact that I can set a good example to younger pupils. Outside of school, I am involved with the St John's Ambulance and help to organise events to help raise funds for them. I think the different roles I undertake at school, and also the work I do for the St John's Ambulance, have really helped to develop my communication, teamwork, organisation and time management skills. At this stage I have no clear career ideas, so have chosen to apply for a broad range of A levels in subjects that interest me - chemistry, history and psychology.  I hope that studying these subjects will keep my options open so that I have a wide choice of university courses to apply to in the future." (253 words)