The best personal statements are exactly this – personal!
By Ailsa Mackay, Student Recruitment Officer at Heriot-Watt University
You only have 4000 characters to communicate why you want to study a course, and what is unique and special about you. It can be stressful, but it’s also an opportunity to carefully consider your choices and why.
The restructuring of the personal statement format for 2026 applications will help you plan what to write, but it can still be a daunting prospect. So, here are my top tips for helping your personal statement stand out:
• Plan what you want to include. List your experiences, achievements, and key strengths.
• Allow enough time to write and review your statement. Ask a trusted adviser to proof your drafts and provide constructive feedback.
• Be authentic and honest.
• Highlight your positives and achievements.
• Use personal examples to explain what you have gained from study, work experience, or extra-curricular activities. It’s not enough to state you did something if you haven’t explained how that experience has helped you.
• Include your future career plans, and how you will use the skills and knowledge gained on the course to achieve your goals.
• Use concise and non-pretentious language.
• Check for grammatical and spelling errors. If you’ve experienced difficulties or challenges, your personal statement can be used to highlight the steps you have taken to overcome these. However, avoid emphasising any negatives or excusing why you haven’t done something. Your tutor can provide this context by adding supporting information to their academic reference. There are some things to avoid too:
• Using quotes from famous people – admissions teams are more interested in your experience and motivations.
• Trying to be funny – your humour might not be shared.
• Copying – anti-plagiarism software will catch you out.
• Exaggerating or lying.
• Name-dropping specific universities – all five university choices will read the same personal statement.
You might want to know whether it’s okay to use AI tools, such as ChatGPT, to help write your personal statement. Most universities agree they can be a useful tool to help with ideas and structure, but they warn against copying and pasting directly into your statement. Remember, it’s your personal qualities and experiences that are most important. If your personal statement doesn’t appear as your own work, then it may count against you.
You may also worry about what to include, and whether your skills and experience are good enough. Universities understand that access to work experience and extra-curricular activities can vary depending on personal circumstances. However, they also value research and volunteering experience undertaken in your own time. For example, if you’ve been inspired by reading an article or watching a TED talk online, include this in your statement and explain how it’s influenced your next steps.
Lastly, it’s a good idea to close your personal statement with a sentence or two summarising your key points. Finish with a positive impression!
The biggest hurdle is often starting, so I recommend not worrying about the finer details initially. Start with brainstorming what to include and work from there. Learn more about making your personal statement stand out on Episode 36 of The Uni Guide Podcast. https://www.unitasterdays.com/listen-to-the-university-guide-podcast/
