This year, UCAS is introducing a new format for the personal statement. This means 2025 undergraduate applicants will be the first year to try the new structure, and will also be the first year to see how universities will respond.
Scary, we know – but you don’t have to be intimidated by the changes, or unsure of the path ahead. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll take you through everything you need to know about the upcoming changes, as well as summarising the current personal statement guidance that UCAS and universities have published, so that you’ll finish this guide equipped with the knowledge and updates you need to get drafting. At the end, you’ll find some questions to get you thinking as you prepare for your personal statement draft.
Remember – your personal statement is your chance to stand out from thousands of applicants. So, don’t leave it to chance. At The Profs, we can match you with expert Personal Statement Tutors. They know exactly how to help you translate all the transferable skills you’ve gained into a winning application. Join the 99% who received an offer from their first or second-choice university (Source: Respondents of The Profs 2025 Client Feedback Survey).
A personal statement is a written document that is submitted to your chosen universities as part of your application. It provides an opportunity for you to demonstrate your interest in the subject, your passion for the course and your dedication to further education, as well as your unique talents, skills and experiences that make you a great fit for the course.
When writing your personal statement, a key question to keep in mind is:
‘How does this show that I am an ideal candidate for the course to which I’m applying?’
Remember that, aside from your personal statement, the only information your chosen university will receive (before your interview, if you have one) relates to qualifications, grades and other administrative information – as well as the teacher reference. Your personal statement, therefore, is an opportunity to bring yourself to life on the page – to show your abilities as a well-rounded, enthusiastic and passionate prospective student.
In terms of how the personal statement is used, each university and admissions team may have a different approach. For some universities, personal statements might form the basis for distinguishing between candidates, or assessing a candidate’s dedication or suitability for a course. In other cases, personal statements might serve as an initial check on competency and suitability before a more extensive admissions process (for example, admissions tests and interviews).
But, in general, it’s fair to say that personal statements form an important part of the process – you could think of it as the first personal impression you make on the admissions team.
In fact, we know first-hand how the personal statement can help students highlight their unique academic identity. Our Personal Statement Tutors don’t just offer feedback; they develop a concrete plan for developing your statement. If you’re applying to university for 2026 entry, speak to The Profs today and start your UCAS application with confidence.
The most notable change is that personal statements are changing from one longer piece of text (4,000 characters / 47 lines of free writing) to a more structured format. Applicants applying for 2026 entry will now answer three questions:
Each question has a minimum of 350 characters, with the overall limit remaining at 4,000 characters.
We’ll run through these questions in more detail later in this guide, together with suggestions for what to include under each heading. But first, the question you might be asking: is this just a structural change? Or is there more to it?
In order to answer this question, let’s look at the reasons UCAS provided for the change.
In their ‘Reforming admissions’ announcement, UCAS describe the changes as motivated by the need to bring ‘focus and clarity’ for students, and to ‘support comparability’ for providers. The change is also rooted in making the university admissions system a little bit fairer, and to allow students a chance to clarify and articulate their ambition. In other words, establishing a specific format provides a fairer opportunity for students to cover all required topics, and ensures that candidates with less essay-writing experience are also able to address all necessary aspects sufficiently.
The changes are also intended to reduce stress for students – a 2022 UCAS survey showed that 83% of students found the personal statement process to be stressful, and that there was a high reliance on others for support and guidance in the process. This last aspect – the need to rely on others – is one thing UCAS seeks to reduce with the introduction of the new format.
So, has the actual content requirement changed? The short answer is no, the basic things you’d have previously included in your personal statement should still be covered in the new structured questions. But a slightly more nuanced answer might indicate that there are some changes to take into account.
In an older format, candidates might have dedicated less time to outlining their initial passion and interest – in the past, candidates might have preferred to use their allocated characters to discuss achievements, extracurriculars, work experience, and so on.
However, in this new format, candidates are given 350 characters at a minimum for discussion of their initial passion. In order to continue to show exceptional levels of interest, passion and preparation, it will therefore be important for candidates to weave in super-curricular activities and studies into the ‘why do you want to study this course?’ question (for example, additional reading undertaken on the topic, or other supercurricular resources).
Another change of approach or style might be found in the final question (‘what else have you done to prepare outside of education, and why are these experiences useful?’). The question now makes it clear that the link between achievement and relevance to the course is paramount – whereas previously a student might have listed off a range of extracurricular pursuits to show a ‘well-rounded profile’, the explicit link to the useful nature of the experience or achievement is now specifically required.
When it comes to preparing the personal statement draft, therefore, it will be important to make a note of the relevance of each experience, achievement and accomplishment mentioned, and to spell this out directly.
Struggling to highlight your relevant or transferable skills? Finding it tough to articulate your passion for and knowledge of your subject?
Our University Admissions Tutors can help. Whether you need support showcasing an extracurricular activity or framing your achievements in a way that reflects readiness for undergraduate education, The Profs provide expert, tailored guidance to help your application stand out.
Let’s begin by looking at the three separate questions in turn.
UCAS recommends demonstrating ‘passion and knowledge’ of your chosen subject area in this question, as well as demonstrating to the reader why your course is a great fit for you. UCAS also provides three illustrations of content you could include here:
‘Motivations’ includes aspects you might typically have associated with the ‘why this course?’ question: things that inspired you, experiences you had that opened your eyes to a certain topic or course, role models or individuals that shaped your passion, etc. Remember that storytelling strategies can be compelling – if you have an authentic personal experience that led you to your interest in the course, describe it in a way that captures the reader’s attention. Remember, though, that all stories or personal experiences must link directly back to the course in question, making the connection between you (as a candidate) and the reader (as an admissions representative for the course).
‘Knowledge’ includes reading and resource-seeking outside your existing curriculum, and includes aspects that are normally described as ‘supercurriculars’. These are generally considered to be curiosity-led pursuits that enable you to understand your subject in more detail, and prepare you for higher-level study. Resources could include books, podcasts, videos, webinars, presentations, websites, etc., depending on the course and particular subject.
Remember that, especially for competitive universities and demanding courses, admissions teams will want to ensure that you understand the programme you’re applying for in a good level of detail. This is not only because it means you’ll enjoy your studies and thrive in a university setting, but it also shows a higher level of understanding and dedication to the course applied for, which is important before committing to further education.
For inspiration on supercurriculars and ‘knowledge’-based activities, check out these resources from Cambridge University (click here) and Oxford University (click here). Many universities include their own list of suggested resources or activities for prospective applicants, so make sure to check out the website for the university and course you’re applying for.
‘Future plans’ refers to your intentions for the future, and if you have particular career goals in mind. This may be particularly important for practical courses, or courses leading to competitive industries – it can help to indicate to admissions teams that you have a sense of what you’d like to do in future. However, it’s important to note that some degrees have a strongly academic focus, and are not tied inevitably to a particular career route, so for students applying for academically-focused courses at competitive universities, it may be best – depending on the circumstances – to focus more on an academic passion for the degree topic, and less on what an eventual degree will be used for. (This determination will, of course, differ between applicants.)
UCAS guidance indicates that this section of the personal statement should be focused on the way in which your studies relate to your chosen course, including not only your subject selection, but also the transferable skills you’ll be taking from your current education into your university studies. This section is a chance to talk about the ways in which your subject selections have prepared you for your chosen university course, and might also draw out some high-level abilities (such as perseverance, determination and motivation) that your education has provided so far.
UCAS guidance also suggests that this section includes ‘any relevant educational achievements’. This would typically include things like ‘prefect’ or ‘ambassador’ roles within school, essay competitions, awards or accolades received at school, prizes for academic achievement, or other accomplishments within the educational context. You might also consider including other educational-related endeavours, such as writing for a publication, creating an academic-related podcast, or other similar pursuits.
This question addresses what are typically known as ‘extracurriculars’: as UCAS guidance describes: ‘activities you have undertaken outside of your formal education or personal experiences which further demonstrate your suitability for the course’. UCAS describes this section as ‘highly personal to you’, and suggests that you might include the following (where relevant):
When filling out this final section, it’s worth checking back through all of your achievements to make sure you have everything covered. Items not previously covered might be included in this final section. Remember that every item discussed must make the link back to your chosen university subject: ask yourself why an experience or achievement is relevant to the course for which you’re applying to study. Remember, also, that for candidates applying to courses with a strong academic focus, the main emphasis within your personal statement essay should be your suitability as an academic candidate for the specific course (rather than extracurricular hobbies or interests, especially where unrelated to the course).
At The Profs, our Admissions Tutors are here to help you craft a standout personal statement. Each tutor has at least two years’ teaching experience and a deep understanding of what university and college admissions teams are looking for. We’ve already helped thousands of students secure offers from top universities — and we can help you do the same.
Many universities have published guidance on the new format – make sure to check the university admissions pages for your selected universities to ensure you’re up to date.
Cambridge University guidance emphasises that the personal statement is used to determine academic potential, and so should carry a clear focus on academic interests, supercurricular studies, enthusiasm and commitment to the chosen course.
LSE states that 80% of the character count should be dedicated to questions 1 and 2, with the remaining 20% on question 3. They note that writing the minimum character count of 350 characters for this final question is ‘entirely acceptable’.
The University of Portsmouth stresses that the structural changes should give you more opportunity to demonstrate skills and stand out in your application, but caution that the focus should remain on demonstrating why your chosen universities should offer you a place.
Since the new format requires a more structured approach to showcasing your achievements and interests, it might be helpful to spend some time in the planning and organisation stage before getting started with your draft.
One approach could be to write down everything you can think of that you might want to mention – achievements, reading lists, passions, interests, experiences, etc. From there, you can divide the content between the three questions, keeping in mind that the focus should remain on the link between you as a candidate, and the course you’re applying for.
Applicants for competitive or academically-demanding courses should make sure the content reflects a capability and comfort in relation to academic study, as well as a thorough understanding of the course, and a genuine sense of passion for further education.
As with the previous personal statement format, remember that the quality of writing itself is an indication of your capabilities and academic suitability, so ensure that your draft is error-free and grammatically correct. Remember also to check that you’re comfortable with all the information included – if you’re preparing for an interview, it’s possible that your interviewer will pick up on achievements, interests or opinions in your personal statement as a way to explore your suitability for the course.
It’s also helpful to remember that the readers of your personal statement are faced with the task of reading hundreds (or more!) of personal statements, and that well-written, compelling and engaging material is likely to catch their attention, rather than material that feels repetitive, disengaging or lifeless.
Use the UCAS personal statement builder to get started.
Questions to ask yourself while drafting:
Our expert Personal Statement Tutors will guide you through every step of the process — from brainstorming ideas to polishing your final draft. We’ll help you make the most of this opportunity to showcase your potential, demonstrate to universities and colleges why you’re a strong candidate, and write a personal statement that gets results.
UCAS rules on plagiarism are clear, and prohibit the use of others’ materials to create your personal statement. However, there are some cases in which AI tools may be helpful, according to current guidance. UCAS suggests AI tools may be useful in the research stage, for providing structural guidance, or for checking readability (or spelling / grammar).
Bear in mind that current AI tools are more likely to generate impersonal, high-level suggestions for content, and that personal statements should be entirely personal to you, so it would not be effective to allow an AI tool to generate your personal statement, or any part thereof.
This depends somewhat on the university and course selection. While a personal experience can be a great way to indicate how an interest developed, universities with a stronger academic focus may prefer a clear emphasis on academic passion and supercurricular commitment. If you are choosing to include a personal story, ensure that it retains a clear link to the course for which you’re applying.
A good opening for a personal statement is clear and direct; avoid clichés or overly dramatic phrases. It’s best to start with your motivation for applying, such as your intended career path or strong interest in the course or subject area. From there, you can transition into discussing your wider reading or experiences related to the subject.
Remember, a well-written statement can help students really stand out, especially since universities often receive applications from different academic backgrounds. Personal statements can feel difficult to write without a clear plan, but starting with your motivation gives you a natural way to lead into your academic interests and preparation.
Please wait until you are redirected, submitting your enquiry can take up to 5 seconds! 
Or fill in the form below and we will call you:
We do not facilitate cheating or academic misconduct in any way.
Please do not call or request anything unethical from our team.
The UK’s highest rated tuition company since 2016 on Trustpilot
