Unlike Undergraduate courses, most Masters courses or other postgraduate courses do not have a central platform or process for applying. Each course will have its own application process and expectations of a Personal Statement. Make sure to read instructions carefully and look for information on:
- Deadline – late applications may not be considered so please check for a deadline if there is one.
- Length – most will have a strict limit in either words or characters. Use this as a guide for how long to make it, but do not go over as some platforms will cut you off at the limit.
- Content – some institutions will give clear instructions of what to include or even what not to include. Always follow instructions if they are provided.
Suggested structure
If there are no suggestions of what to include or how to structure your statement then you can use this suggested structure:
Motivation
- Clearly explain why you are interested in the course. Try to be specific, show an understanding of what the course includes, demonstrate a genuine interest in the subject area and if relevant make links to how it will support your career.
- Give details on why you want to study at a particular institution, e.g. course structure, course reputation, research excellence, opportunity to work with a particular research group or academic(s).
Eligibility
- Include details of how your previous studies have prepared you to succeed on this course. Include any relevant details such as: your dissertation topic, academic projects, academic awards, achievements and transferable skills.
- Include examples from extracurricular activities or work experience, which demonstrate personal qualities or skills that are transferrable to postgraduate study e.g. working under pressure, time management. Demonstrate your ability to balance work/study/leisure activities by giving specific examples.
- If the course has specific entry requirements, then make sure to address these.
Summary
- Provide a strong summary at the end reinforcing your motivation to study and to succeed on the course.
Top Tips
- Write out your personal statement on a word processing document before pasting it into the application form and use a UK spell checker if applying in the UK.
- Be specific and avoid sweeping statements or generalisations ie. “I always give 100%”.
- Ensure that you give specific personal examples of your skills, knowledge, personal qualities and experience to back up your suitability for the course.
- Be positive and enthusiastic.
- Always read over your personal statement or ask someone else to read over your statement before submitting.
- Be original, be yourself. Your statement should sound like something you would say in a formal setting and is not an academic piece of writing.
- Avoid clichés and unnecessary information that doesn’t add value.