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If you’re applying to graduate school, you’ll likely need to write a personal statement. But what exactly is a graduate school personal statement? And what should you write about to give yourself your best shot at admission?

In this guide, we teach you how to write a personal statement for grad school, step by step. But first, let’s go over how the personal statement differs from the statement of purpose as well as what schools look for in a great graduate school essay.

What Is a Graduate School Personal Statement?

A graduate school personal statement is an admission essay that typically focuses on your personal reasons for wanting to enter a grad program and particular field of study. Essentially, you must tell the story of who you are and how you developed your current research interests.

So is a personal statement for graduate school the same thing as a statement of purpose? Well, not always (though it can be). Here are the general distinctions between the two essay types:

• Statement of purpose:  A formal essay that summarizes your academic and professional background, research interests, and career goals. In this essay, you’ll usually explain your reasons for applying to grad school and why you believe the program is a good fit for you (as well as why you’re a good fit for it!).
• Personal statement: A less formal essay that focuses on your passion and motivation for wanting to enter your chosen field and program. This statement is typically more flexible than the statement of purpose, with a bigger emphasis on storytelling. Schools often encourage applicants to discuss (relevant) challenges in their lives and how they’ve overcome them.

Both the graduate school personal statement and statement of purpose are usually anywhere from one to three double-spaced pages long, depending on the program you’re applying to.

Below is a chart comparing the personal statement and statement of purpose:

Usually, the personal statement and statement of purpose are considered two different graduate school essay types.

But this isn’t always the case. While some schools consider the personal statement and statement of purpose two distinct essays, others use the names interchangeably.

For example, Michigan State University’s College of Engineering  considers them two distinct essays, while The Ohio State University uses “personal statement” to describe what is essentially a statement of purpose.

Many schools require just one essay  (and it’ll usually be the statement of purpose, as it’s the more academic one). But some, such as the University of Michigan , ask for both a personal statement and statement of purpose, while others, such as  Notre Dame’s Creative Writing MFA program , want an essay that combines the features of both!

Ultimately, the type of graduate school essay you  submit will depend entirely on where you’re applying.

What Do Schools Look For in a Personal Statement?

Many grad schools require a personal statement in order to learn more about you, your interests, your struggles, and your motivations for wanting to enter a field of study. Through this essay, schools can get to know you on a deeper, more intimate level and learn about you in ways they can’t through transcripts and letters of recommendation alone.

But what specifically do universities look for in a great personal statement for graduate school? Here are some of the most important elements to include in your essay.

A Compelling Story

First off, your personal statement must tell a story. After all, this essay is basically your autobiography: it introduces who you are, your interests and motivations, and why you’ve decided to apply to grad school.

Unlike the statement of purpose, the personal statement should focus mostly on your personal history, from your failures to your triumphs. All experiences should tie back to your field or research area, emphasizing what you’ve learned and what this means in terms of your potential as a grad student.

Since you’re talking about yourself, be conversational in your storytelling: use an authentic voice, open up about your experiences, and maybe even throw in a joke or two. Though you’re still writing an essay for school, it’s generally OK to be a little more informal here than you would in a statement of purpose.

That said, there are a couple of things you absolutely shouldn’t do in your personal statement.

• Open your essay with a quotation. Professors have heard the quotation before and don’t need (or want) to hear it again. Plus, quotations often take up too much space in an already short essay!
• Use clichés. Think of unique ways to tell your story and grab readers’ attention. Schools want to see you can be creative yet honest about yourself, so avoid clichés like the plague (see what I did there?).
• Get too creative. Your goal is to look like a serious, committed applicant—not a wacky risk taker—so write clearly and avoid any unnecessary distractions such as images, colors, and unprofessional fonts.

Most importantly, remember that your graduate school personal statement should focus on your successes. Try to use strong, encouraging words and put positive twists on difficult experiences whenever possible. It’s OK to mention your setbacks, too—just as long as you’re discussing how you ultimately overcame (or plan to overcome) them.

Inspirations for Your Research Interests

Schools don’t only want to see clearly defined research interests but also  why you have these particular interests.   While the statement of purpose elaborates on your professional goals, the personal statement explains what personally motivated you to explore your interests.

For example, in my personal statement for a Japanese Studies MA program, I wrote about my hot-and-cold relationship with the Japanese language and how a literature class and a stint abroad ultimately inspired me to keep learning.

Don’t make the mistake of going way back to the beginning to start your essay. Many applicants open their statements with something along the lines of “I fell in love with psychology when I was ten years old” or “It all started when I was in high school.” But these broad statements lack the creativity and zest needed to secure an acceptance, so avoid them at all costs.

Your Motivation for Applying to Grad School

Your statement of purpose should explain why grad school is a practical next step in your professional life—but your personal statement should focus on what personally motivates you to take this step.

Generally, schools want answers to the following questions:

• Why is grad school an appropriate step for you now?
• How will a graduate degree help you achieve your goals?
• Why didn’t you apply to grad school earlier (if you took time off after undergrad)?
• Were there any struggles or problems you faced that prevented you from applying to grad school before?

Be honest about why you’re applying, both to grad school and the program in particular. In my graduate school essay, I discussed how my passion for Japanese literature and desire to translate it inspired me to seek advanced language training at the graduate level.

Strong Writing Skills

A great personal statement shows that you can write cogently and coherently. After all, strong writing skills are imperative for success as a grad student!

So in addition to telling a good story, make sure you use correct grammar, spelling, punctuation, and capitalization. Use paragraphs to break up your thoughts, too. Because the personal statement is slightly less formal than the statement of purpose, feel free to play around a little with paragraph form and length.

Also, remember that  good writing doesn’t necessarily equal big words.  You’re writing about yourself, so use words that come naturally to you. Don’t grab a thesaurus and start throwing in a bunch of high-level vocabulary wherever you can; this will make your essay sound less authentic, not to mention stiff.

On the other hand, don’t get too colloquial. You’ll lose respect if you start inserting conversational words such as “gonna” and “gotta.” Therefore, look for the middle ground and write from there.

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Explanations for Any Hiccups in Your Academic Career

Lastly, the personal statement  gives applicants a chance to explain any problems or changes in their academic histories, such as low grades or gaps in education.

Because transcripts and resumes are severely limited in what information they give, schools often use the personal statement to understand your reasons for abrupt changes in your resume and/or transcripts, and to see how you’ve overcome these barriers in your education (and life).

Essentially, a personal statement equalizes the playing field by giving you full rein to explain yourself and emphasize your success over any struggles you’ve had.

How to Write a Personal Statement for Grad School: 9-Step Guide

The personal statement is a fiercely important part of your grad school application. In this section, we teach you how to write a memorable personal statement for grad school so that you’ll have a better shot at getting accepted.

Step 1: Start Early

Personal statements (actually, grad school applications in general!) take a lot of work, so don’t put off writing your essay until the week before your deadline. Rather, try to start working on your essay at least two or three months before your application is due.

You might want to give yourself more time to write it if you’re currently in school or working a demanding job. Setting aside more time lets you work on your graduate school essay routinely without having to squeeze in too many hours each week.

If you only have a month or less until your application deadline, get started on your essay pronto! Though it’s possible to write a personal statement quickly, I recommend carving out more time so that you can put more thought and effort into what you write and how you present yourself. (Doing this also gives others more time to edit your essay for you! We’ll cover this more in later steps.)

Step 2: Read the Instructions

Perhaps the most important step is to read your program’s instructions for the personal statement. Not following these instructions could very well result in a rejection, so always read these first before you start writing! Most programs put their personal statement instructions on their application materials pages.

Your program should give you the following information:

• What type of content your personal statement should include or generally focus on (you might even get an actual prompt to answer!)
• How long your statement should be
• What type of heading, if any, you must include on your statement
• How to save and submit your statement (e.g., .docx, PDF, etc.)

For example, let’s say you’re applying to the History PhD program at UC Berkeley . In this case, your personal statement can’t exceed 1,000 words (three double-spaced pages). You must also answer this prompt :

Please describe how your personal background informs your decision to pursue a graduate degree. Please include information on how you have overcome barriers to access in higher education, evidence of how you have come to understand the barriers faced by others, evidence of your academic service to advance equitable access to higher education for women, racial minorities, and individuals from other groups that have been historically underrepresented in higher education, evidence of your research focusing on underserved populations or related issues of inequality, or evidence of your leadership among such groups.

On the other hand, if you were to apply for an MS in Mining, Geological, and Geophysical Engineering at the University of Arizona , your personal statement would follow these parameters:

Your personal statement is an opportunity to sell yourself, in terms of your research interests, research experience and research goals. Unless you have extensive research experience, most personal statements should be about two single-spaced pages. Your writing should be clear, concise, grammatically correct and professional in tone. You may convey some personal experiences that have led to your current interests or that make you a particularly promising candidate.

Clearly, grad programs can approach personal statements quite differently. Some schools consider them the same as statements of purpose and want a formal focus on academic and research interests, while others want applicants to explain more informally the challenges they’ve overcome to get to this point.

Simply put,  follow your program’s directions exactly in order to give yourself your best shot at admission.  And if any part of the instructions is unclear, don’t hesitate to contact your program!

Step 3: Figure Out Your Angle

Your “angle,” or focus, in your graduate school personal statement will depend on a few key factors:

• What your grad program wants you to write about
• Your field of study and research interests
• How much experience you have in your field

As I mentioned in step 2, it’s extremely important to  read the personal statement instructions for your program. Many times these guidelines will tell you what to include in your essay, thereby clarifying what your overall angle needs to be.

Let’s look back at the example we used above for UC Berkeley’s doctoral program in history. If you were applying here and came from a low-income family, you could discuss how you’ve overcome these financial challenges in your life to get to where you are today.

No matter the prompt, you’ll need to discuss your research interests (to some degree) in your personal statement.  How much you talk about your interests, however, will depend on whether you have to submit a separate statement of purpose. If so, you can focus less on your research plans and more on your passions and motivations for applying.

On the other hand, if your personal statement is essentially a statement of purpose, dive deep into your research interests—that is,  be specific! For example, those applying to English lit programs should think about the works, eras, and writers they want to study, and why.

More broadly, though, try to answer the question of  what you hope to accomplish, either during or after the program. Is there any particular project you want to do? Skills you want to improve? Field you want to break into?

Finally, always choose a positive angle.  Use affirmative words and phrases to highlight both your successes and overall enthusiasm for the program.

Step 4: Ask Yourself, “Why This Program? Why This Field?”

Although the statement of purpose usually answers this question directly, you’ll likely need to address this in your personal statement as well—ideally, with a less academic and more conversational tone.

As you brainstorm, try to come up with answers to the following questions:

• What goals or experiences led you to apply to this program?
• How will this program help you grow on a personal level?
• What made you interested in this field? Why do you want to study it more?
• What are your research interests? How did you develop these interests?
• Are there any particular professors you wish to work with?

Step 5: Make an Outline

Now that you’ve brainstormed some ideas, it’s time to start outlining your essay.

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How you choose to outline your statement is up to you. Some people like drawing bubble charts for organizing their thoughts, whereas others (like myself) prefer to write a list of rough ideas in the general order they want to present them.

Even if you’re not sure whether you want to include something, just add it to your outline anyway. You can always cut it out later as you draft and edit.

Step 6: Draft Your Essay

It’s now time to start writing! Once you’ve got your outline ready, work on expanding what you’ve written into full-fledged paragraphs.

In the beginning, it’s OK to write down anything you feel is relevant, but as you continue to draft, try to look for any extraneous information you can chop.

Remember, most personal statements will be short— usually one to two double-spaced pages—so you don’t want to risk exceeding your program’s word limit. Schools want to see that you can tell a story concisely yet effectively.

If you’re having trouble coming up with a way to open your statement, try skipping around as you draft. Go ahead and jump to a paragraph you have more ideas for—it’s perfectly OK! Just make sure you start to tie all of your ideas together the closer you get to finishing your draft.

On a related note, be careful not to copy any material from your statement of purpose (if you’re required to submit two separate essays). These statements may share a little overlap but should still focus on different aspects of your (academic) life, accomplishments, and goals.

Step 7: Get Feedback

Once you finish drafting, give your essay to people you trust for feedback. This could be a parent, friend, sibling, or mentor (such as a former or current professor).

Ask your editors to give you  specific feedback  on what you can change, both stylistically and technically, to make it more impactful. Ideally, they’ll also note any unclear, awkward, or redundant ideas/phrases and will offer you helpful suggestions for improvement.

If you’ve written a separate statement of purpose, see whether your editors are willing to check that essay over as well so that you can ensure there isn’t too much overlap between the two.

Step 8: Revise & Edit Your Essay

Once you get feedback, revise and edit your personal statement using your editors’ comments as a guide.

For example, if your editors told you your essay lacked detail, look for places in your writing where you can be more specific and that are likely to have a strong impact on the admission committee.

As you revise, keep an eye out for any awkward sentences or extraneous information. Personal statements are usually pretty brief and you don’t want to accidentally exceed the word limit. So when in doubt, take it out!

Step 9: Proofread

The final step is to proofread your draft. Start by using your computer’s spell check function to quickly find any glaring typos and grammatical errors.

Then, proofread your essay one sentence at a time. Since it’s easy to miss errors in your own writing, I recommend editing your essay from back to front (i.e., from the last sentence to the first sentence). Doing this prevents you from glossing over words and lets you pinpoint punctuation, spelling, and grammatical errors more easily.

In addition, check that you have page numbers on each page (if required—though I suggest adding them regardless) and a proper heading (again, if required) that meets the requirements of your program.

Before you submit it, see if you can get someone else (preferably one or all of your editors from step 7) to look over your final draft as well.  If anyone spots a problem with your essay, go back to step 8. If you get all thumbs ups, read over your statement one last time and then turn it in without looking back! (Seriously, don’t read it again or you’re going to want to change something.)

The Key to a Great Graduate School Personal Statement

The personal statement is an essential part of your grad school application. Like the statement of purpose, it highlights your research interests, experiences, and goals.

But more importantly, the personal statement showcases  your unbridled passion for your field, lets you reflect on challenges you’ve faced (and subsequently overcome), and answers the overarching question of why you want to attend grad school.

A great graduate school personal statement will normally include most or all of the following elements:

• A compelling story
• Inspirations for your research interests
• Your motivation for applying to grad school
• Strong writing skills
• Explanations for any changes or problems in your academic career

Above, we walked you through how to write a personal statement for grad school. To recap, here are the nine steps to follow:

• Start early—at least two or three months before your application is due
• Read your program’s instructions for the personal statement
• Figure out your angle by brainstorming ideas
• Ask yourself, “Why this program/field?”
• Make an outline using charts, a list, etc.
• Draft your essay
• Get specific feedback from multiple editors
• Revise and edit your essay
• Proofread (and get other people to proofread it, too!)

What’s Next?

Need to write a statement of purpose, too? Waste no time!  Our expert guide offers tons of tips to help you come up with a statement of purpose that’s certain to impress admission committees.

Do your schools require a CV or resume?  If you’re totally lost on where to begin, read our guides to learn how to put together a great CV or resume for grad school. And for extra help, check out our four original CV and resume templates !

What do you need to submit for your grad school application?  Get the scoop on what kinds of materials you’ll need to prepare when applying to grad school .

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Author: Hannah Muniz

Hannah graduated summa cum laude from the University of Southern California with a bachelor’s degree in English and East Asian languages and cultures. After graduation, she taught English in Japan for two years via the JET Program. She is passionate about education, writing, and travel. View all posts by Hannah Muniz

• FindAMasters
• Postgraduate Personal Statements

Written by Ben Taylor

Once you’ve found the perfect Masters programme, the next step is to begin the application process. You’ll usually have to write a postgraduate personal statement that highlights your strengths, skills and experience, giving you the perfect opportunity to sell yourself and to show the admissions tutor that you’ll thrive at their university.

This page provides some practical tips on writing a successful personal statement for a Masters application, from the typical structure to avoidable mistakes – along with some examples of what to do and what not to do! We’ve also included links to several postgraduate personal statement examples in subjects including Business, Psychology and International Relations.

On this page

What is a masters personal statement.

If you’re applying for a Masters, it’s likely that you’ve already written a personal statement for a Bachelors degree and will have a good idea of how one works. Normally, a Masters personal statement won’t be wildly different to what you wrote back then.

You should say why you’re applying for this particular course and institution , talking about what makes it such an appealing place to study. Perhaps there’s a member of staff who you’re especially excited about working with, or a unique element of the curriculum that jumps out at you.

Demonstrate how and why you are invested in your subject. It’s important to mention your academic and employment history, explaining its impact on your choice of a postgraduate course.

What should I include in a Masters personal statement?

Give examples of some of the skills and experience you’ve developed at university or at work, and how they’ll help you succeed with a Masters degree. These could include:

• Time management
• Communication
• Internships
• Public engagement
• Conference attendance
• Relevant extracurricular activities

Your personal statement is an opportunity to write about your future career goals, and how you think this Masters will help you achieve them. You can also discuss preliminary ideas you might have for your Masters dissertation , giving the admissions tutor an indication of the specialist knowledge you have in your discipline.

If there are any significant gaps in your education or employment, you should offer a brief explanation of those extenuating situations (for example, illness or a gap year). Don’t dwell on any unfortunate circumstances though – always strike a positive, optimistic tone.

In most (but not all) cases, you’ll apply directly to the university for a Masters rather than through a centralised system like UCAS. This means you can tailor each personal statement to the institution and programme in question (rather than submitting a single personal statement for five courses, like at undergraduate level in the UK).

You don’t necessarily have to a completely new personal statement for each Masters programme you apply to (there will usually be a degree of overlap between them), but it’s worth putting the extra effort in to make sure your application doesn’t seem like a generic copy-and-paste job to the admissions tutor reading it. You can do this by mentioning the university and department by name, and by providing specific examples of their syllabus that you find intriguing. Pay attention to what makes this particular Masters unique and refer to this in your statement.

How long should a Masters personal statement be?

When writing a postgraduate personal statement, you should aim for a word count of around 500 words (one A4 side of text). Some universities will have more specific requirements, however – for example, they might ask you to submit your personal statement via a form on their website with a character limit.

The relatively short nature of a Masters personal statement means that you should focus on being as succinct as possible, getting straight to the point and avoiding unnecessary detail.

Frequently asked questions about Masters applications

If you have any other questions or concerns about applying for a Masters, our FAQ page features lots of useful information on the application process and beyond. Find out more .

How should I write a personal statement?

How you write your personal statement is just as important as the content; a clear, structured statement is proof of your ability to communicate effectively.

These are some of the most essential attributes of a successful postgraduate personal statement:

• Positive, enthusiastic language
• Professional tone of voice
• Compelling evidence to back up your claims
• Concise and clear sentences

Meanwhile, this is a list of the tendencies to avoid in your personal statement:

• Clichés – think of a way to put it that the admissions tutor won’t have seen lots of times before!
• Waffle – don’t use meandering, vague sentences
• Poor spelling and grammar – check, check and check again, running it past someone with a trustworthy pair of eyes

Don't : After falling in love with the Artemis Fowl series as a young child I have been driven to pursue the study of literature and I think your Masters would be the perfect place for me to continue my journey, given it’s world-leading status and your outstanding academic staff who’s expertise is aligned with my own personal interest in novels and poetry.

Do : Since graduating in 2015 with a First in Advertising from the University of Ogdenville, I’ve been working full-time as a copywriter for Hutz&co (one of Shelbyville’s largest marketing agencies). I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time at the company, learning a great deal about the importance of clear, compelling language. I’ve honed the communication skills I developed at university and feel well-equipped to continue my studies at North Haverbrook University.

Don’t make the mistake of using your undergraduate personal statement as a template for your Masters application. A Masters is a big step up from your undergraduate degree, and the admissions tutor will be looking for evidence that you’ve developed academically since then. Find out more about the differences between undergraduate and postgraduate courses .

Always give yourself enough time to complete your personal statement (and the application process in general) well before the deadline — don’t leave things to the last minute! It’s crucial to get another pair of eyes on your statement, so ask a friend or relative to proofread the text. It’s also worth checking if you have access to a careers adviser through your current (or previous) university who can help you with the application.

How should I structure a personal statement?

By carefully structuring your personal statement, you’ll present the admissions tutor with a logical and easy-to-follow text that shows exactly why you’re a perfect fit for a Masters. Make sure there’s a clear thread of argument linking each paragraph – avoid jumping from topic to topic.

Jot down a short plan before you begin working on the statement (don’t make it up as you go along!). In general, you should aim to write around five or six paragraphs, covering three broad categories:

• An attention-grabbing introduction that sums up your academic and employment background. Don’t be tempted to use a gimmicky inspirational quote or cheesy opener, you’ll stand out for all the wrong reasons!
• An engaging middle section that expands on your interests and provides concrete evidence of your strengths and skills.
• A concise conclusion that draws together the most important elements of your application and will leave a lasting, positive impression of your motivation for study on this particular Masters programme.

Bear in mind that admissions tutors will be reading dozens (if not hundreds) of personal statements. They’ll appreciate a well-organised, methodical text that signposts all the significant parts of your experience and skills.

Postgraduate personal statement examples

We’ve written a selection of postgraduate personal statement samples for several popular subjects.

If you’re working on a personal statement for your Masters application, hopefully they’ll give you some inspiration – but don’t forget that they’re certainly not a substitute for your own unique experiences and background!

• Business Studies
• Computer Science
• Data Science
• Engineering
• Forensic Psychology
• Graphic Design
• International Relations
• Library Science
• Public Administration
• Public Health

Want more advice on postgraduate applications?

Check out our full guide to applying for a Masters or visit our pages on entry requirements and postgraduate references .

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Thinking of applying for a Masters? Our guide explains the process, personal statements, references and deadlines for Masters applications.

The main requirement to apply for a Masters is usually a Bachelors degree in a relevant subject. Our guide explains the admissions requirements for postgraduate courses.

You may need a language certificate to apply for a Masters abroad. A range of tests are accepted in different countries around the world.

Applying for a Masters can feel a bit daunting. Here is a checklist of all the things you need to do to make sure you have everything covered in your Masters application.

Masters programmes are delivered in English at universities around the world, but you may need to submit a test score if this isn't your first language. Common tests include the IELTS, TOEFL, PTE and Cambridge English.

Find out more about how different graduate entry tests for Masters degrees work, with information on the GMAT, GRE and other admissions exams.

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Personal statements for postgraduate applications

Your Masters personal statement is an essential part of your postgraduate application as it's this document that will convince admissions tutors that you're worthy of a place on a course. Discover how to write a Masters personal statement and take a look at some examples for inspiration

What is a personal statement?

A Masters personal statement is a piece of writing that you submit as part of your  postgraduate application . It's your first real chance to sell yourself to the university and to demonstrate to admissions tutors that you're right for the course.

It's likely that you've already written a  personal statement for your Bachelors degree , so this should give you some idea of what to expect. However, don't be tempted to use your undergraduate personal statement as a template. You will have progressed academically since then and admissions tutors will want to see evidence of this.

Your postgraduate personal statement should be unique and tailored to the course that you're applying to. Use the opportunity to show off your academic interests and abilities, and to demonstrate that the programme will benefit from your attendance as much as you'll benefit from studying it.

'Personal statements have a two-way function in the application process,' explains Steve Carruthers, head of postgraduate admissions and student visa compliance at the University of East Anglia (UEA). 'They are critical to demonstrating the student is right for the course, showing their experience, knowledge, background and personality, as well as their interest in the subject. They also enable the admissions team to ensure the selected course is the best fit for the student's aspirations and goals, or to make alternate recommendations to ensure all options have been equally considered.'

How long should a postgraduate personal statement be?

A Masters personal statement should be around 500 words. This equates to one side of A4. However, some universities require more, often two sides. Some institutions also set a character limit instead of a specific word count, so it's important that you check the application guidelines before starting to write your statement.

As they're relatively short, don't waste words on autobiographical information. This isn't necessary in postgraduate personal statements. Instead, focus on why you want to study a particular programme and your potential to successfully complete the course.

What should I include in a Masters personal statement?

'The statement is a snapshot of who you are  and why you've chosen your course, so include everything that helps an academic or admissions team see that clearly,' advises Steve.

You should tailor your personal statement to fit the course you're applying for, so what to include will largely depend on the course requirements. However, in general you should write about:

• Your reasons for applying for a particular programme and why you deserve a place above other candidates - 'demonstrate your interest and passion for the course and subject. This tells admissions staff you're more likely to fully engage in your studies,' says Steve. Discuss your academic interests, career goals and the university and department's reputation, and write about which aspects of the course you find most appealing, for example particular modules or work experience opportunities. Show that you're ready for the demands of postgraduate life by demonstrating your knowledge and experience.
• Your preparation  - address how undergraduate study has prepared you for a postgraduate course, mentioning your independent work (e.g. dissertation) and topics that most interested you.
• Evidence of your skillset  - 'show your writing skills, intellect and ability to succeed academically, as well as the effect and impact you may have on the cohort as a leader, influencer, or enthusiastic team member,' adds Steve. Highlight relevant skills and knowledge that will enable you to make an impact on the department, summarising your abilities in core areas including IT, numeracy, organisation, communication, time management and critical thinking. You can also cover any grades, awards, work placements, extra readings or conferences that you've attended and how these have contributed to your readiness for Masters study.
• Your goals  - 'Your long-term plans and aspirations are also important to cover, as they both help ensure you've selected the best course to achieve these, but also give the academic team an understanding of how they might best support you through your studies,' says Steve.

Address any  weaknesses, such as lower-than-expected module performance in your undergraduate degree or gaps in your education history. The university will want to know about these, so explain them with a positive spin. Cover how these gaps and weaknesses have been addressed and what will be different in your  postgraduate studies.

How should I structure my personal statement?

Your personal statement should follow a logical, methodical structure, where each paragraph follows on from the one before. Make sure paragraphs are short, succinct, clear and to the point. Remember, you only have 500 words so use them wisely.

Capture the reader's attention with an enthusiastic introduction covering why you want to study a particular Masters. Then, engage the reader in your middle paragraphs by summing up your academic and employment background, evidencing your knowledge and skills and demonstrating why the course is right for you.

Your conclusion should be concise, summarising why you're the ideal candidate. Overall, aim for five or six paragraphs. You can use headings to break up the text if you prefer.

The majority of postgraduate applications are submitted online directly to the university. If this is the case, present your personal statement in a standard font such as Arial, Calibri or Times New Roman, text size 11 or 12. If your course application is submitted through UKPASS (UCAS's postgraduate application service) font style won't matter, as personal statements are automatically formatted.

How can I write a good postgraduate personal statement?

• Give yourself plenty of time and don't rush . Your personal statement can make or break your application so it needs to be right. Tutors can tell if you're bluffing, and showing yourself up as uninformed could be costly. Before you start, read the rules and guidelines provided, check the selection criteria and research the course and institution.
• Use AI tools responsibly - 'Remember, this is a 'personal' statement, so make sure it's all about you,' stresses Steve. 'Using AI such as ChatGTP or Google Bard to generate a statement may be easier, but generalised statements that miss out you, your personality and experiences will never be as effective. Personal stories and experiences really bring your statement to life, and this is one of those times it's ok to talk boldly about all you've achieved, and your qualities.'
•  Adopt a positive, enthusiastic and professional tone and write in clear, short sentences . Avoid elaborate or overly complicated phrases. Unless otherwise stated, all postgraduate personal statements should be written in English and your spelling, grammar and punctuation must be spot on, as the personal statement acts as a test of your written communication skills..
• Don't use the same supporting statement for every course . Admissions tutors can spot copy-and-paste jobs. Generic applications demonstrate that you have little understanding of the course. In order to stand out from the crowd, Masters personal statements must be unique and specific to the course and institution.
• Draft and redraft your statement until you're happy . Then ask a friend, family member or careers adviser to read it. Proofreading is incredibly important to avoid mistakes. Memorise what you've written before any interviews.

What do I need to avoid?

• follow online examples too closely, use them as a guide only
• use your undergraduate UCAS application as a template
• be negative
• lie or exaggerate
• use clichés, gimmicks, humour, over-used words such as 'passion' or Americanisms
• include inspirational quotes
• make pleading/begging statements
• needlessly flatter the organisation
• include irrelevant course modules, personal facts or extra-curricular activities
• use overly long sentences
• repeat information found elsewhere in your application
• leave writing your personal statement to the last minute.

How should I start my Masters personal statement?

Steve believes there is no right way to start a personal statement so try not to waste too much time coming up with a catchy opening. The more you try, the more contrived you'll sound and the more likely you are to fall into the trap of using clichés. 'A good rule of thumb is to make it interesting, personal (avoiding bland generalisms) and enthusiastic for your choice of study.’

'Your opening lines could include how your current interests (we're less interested in you as a six year old) have led you to apply for this course, and how you see it helping you achieve both your full potential and future aspirations,' says Steve.

Avoid using overused phrases, such as:

• For as long as I can remember…
• From a young age…
• I am applying for this course because…
• Throughout my life I have always enjoyed…
• I have always been interested in…
• I have always been passionate about…
• I have always wanted to pursue a career in…
• Reflecting on my educational experiences…

Admissions tutors read hundreds of applications per course so the opening paragraph of your personal statement needs to get straight to the point and make a real impact. Avoid overkill statements, gimmicks and popular quotes.

If you're really struggling, come back and tackle the opening once you have written the rest.

How should I end my personal statement?

Conclusions should be short, sharp and memorable, and leave no doubt in an admissions tutor's mind that you deserve a place on a course.

The perfect ending should pull all of your key points together without waffling or repeating yourself.

Like the rest of your Masters personal statement, keep the ending simple. Be succinct and make it clear why you'll be an asset to the university and end on a positive note, with a statement about why the institution would be lucky to have you as a student.

What are admissions tutors looking for?

'Passion for the subject, and an understanding of the key challenges and problems it's currently facing, as well as the research being undertaken to solve these or to move the field forwards, really endears you to the academics who you'll be interacting with,' explains Steve.

'Strong writing skills are a gift, so be clear and concise about what you want to say, and always get a second pair of eyes to check spelling and grammar as well as readability.'

Make sure you also provide:

• an explanation of how the course links your past and future
• an insight into your academic and non-academic abilities, and how they'll fit with the course
• evidence of your skills, commitment and enthusiasm
• knowledge of the institution's area of expertise
• reasons why you want to study at the institution.

Personal statement examples

The style and content of your postgraduate personal statement depends on several variables, such as the type of qualification that you're applying for - such as a  Masters degree , a conversion course or  teacher training . Here are some postgraduate personal statement templates to help you get started:

Business management personal statement

Postgraduate courses in business management are popular among graduates. To make your application stand out your personal statement needs to cover your motivations for choosing a specific course at a particular university, your career goals and how the Masters will help you achieve them. Be sure to mention relevant transferrable skills and work experience. Read up on management courses .

Computer science personal statement

If you'd like to complete a Masters but studied an unrelated subject at undergraduate level you'll need to explain why you'd like to change disciplines. In the case of computer science your personal statement will need to show that you possess the technical, mathematical and analytical skills necessary, as well as demonstrate your knowledge of the subject area. Gain an insight into the information technology sector .

Law personal statement

You'll apply for an LLM the same way you would for any other Masters, directly to the university. Whether you're undertaking a general LLM or a more specific programme, such as an LLM in human rights or international business law, you'll need to convey why you want to study the law in more depth and how this could potentially aid your career. Discover more about LLM degrees .

Nursing personal statement

If you didn't study the subject at undergraduate level but you'd like to apply for a postgraduate course in nursing your personal statement needs to convey your reasons for choosing this career path, as well as demonstrate a specific set of skills, knowledge of the working environment and relevant  experience. Find out more about working as an adult or children's nurse .

Psychology personal statement

Applications for conversion courses such as these are fairly straightforward and made directly to individual institutions. You need to explain why you want to change subjects and how your current subject will help you. Explain what experience you have that will help with your conversion subject, and what you hope to do in the future. Learn more about  psychology conversion courses .

Social work personal statement

If your Bachelors degree was in an unrelated subject but you now have ambitions to work as a social worker you'll need a Masters in social work (MSW) to qualify. Social work Masters have a substantial work placement element so you'll need to cover what you hope to achieve during this time as well as demonstrate other relevant experience. Find out more about social work courses .

PGCE primary personal statement

As well as detailing why you want to work with this particular age group, a PGCE primary personal statement should highlight the ways in which your educational background has inspired you to teach. You'll need to cover relevant skills you have gained and any related work experience, as well as demonstrate your knowledge of the primary national curriculum. Read up on PGCEs .

PGCE secondary personal statement

You'll need to cover why you want to teach at secondary level while also acknowledging the pressures and challenges of working with older pupils. As you'll be teaching a specific subject, you'll need to evidence your knowledge in this area and demonstrate how your first degree was relevant. It's also essential to highlight any related work or voluntary experience. Learn more about teaching personal statements .

Find out more

• Search postgraduate courses .
• Find out what else you must consider when  applying for a Masters degree .
• Completed your application? Discover what  postgraduate interview questions  you may be asked.

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How to Write a Graduate School Personal Statement (with example!)

Varonika Ware is a content writer at Scholarships360. Varonika earned her undergraduate degree in Mass Communications at Louisiana State University. During her time at LSU, she worked with the Center of Academic Success to create the weekly Success Sunday newsletter. Varonika also interned at the Louisiana Department of Insurance in the Public Affairs office with some of her graphics appearing in local news articles.

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Bill Jack has over a decade of experience in college admissions and financial aid. Since 2008, he has worked at Colby College, Wesleyan University, University of Maine at Farmington, and Bates College.

Maria Geiger is Director of Content at Scholarships360. She is a former online educational technology instructor and adjunct writing instructor. In addition to education reform, Maria’s interests include viewpoint diversity, blended/flipped learning, digital communication, and integrating media/web tools into the curriculum to better facilitate student engagement. Maria earned both a B.A. and an M.A. in English Literature from Monmouth University, an M. Ed. in Education from Monmouth University, and a Virtual Online Teaching Certificate (VOLT) from the University of Pennsylvania.

Congratulations on finishing your bachelor’s degree, and starting the next chapter! You might be thinking about applying to graduate school, and fortunately, it’s very similar to applying to an undergraduate program. However, it’s probably been a few years since you’ve had to write an application essay, so you might be wondering how to write a personal statement for graduate school. If so, this guide is the perfect resource for you! Keep reading below to find out more, and don’t forget to check out the example of a graduate school personal statement.

What is a personal statement?

A personal statement is an essay that encapsulates your personal journey and how that’s shaped who you are as an applicant. They are typically 400-600 words, but can be longer or shorter. 

Be sure not to confuse a personal statement with a statement of purpose as they are two different types of admissions essays. Use this as an opportunity to show colleges what you value and what’s turned you into an ideal student for your desired school. 

What should I write about?

Personal statements are your chance to get, well, personal. While you should answer the prompt in its entirety, you should also write about yourself. Bring a personal element into your essay like family or a story of you overcoming an obstacle. 

Ideally, your story should relate to what you’re trying to accomplish at your graduate school of choice. Tie it all together: your personal experiences, your desired major, and your ideal outcome. 

Tips for writing a personal statement for graduate school

It’s important to start your graduate application as soon as you’re able. Usually, the first round of applications receive the best financial aid packages, so start early! 

Starting sooner can also give you the time to outline your essay and get it read over by your support system. You’ll want it all to be perfect, so don’t rush.

Be transparent

Instead of telling admissions what you think they want to hear, be open and honest about yourself. You want them to understand you, and the only way to do that is to show who you actually are. Offer up personal stories or things that genuinely interest you so that you can show off your sparkling personality!

Be original

Graduate programs are often very competitive since there’s a smaller admissions pool. As a result, your essay should be as original as possible to stand out from the crowd. Tell your story in an organic way, and approach the given prompt with an open mind. 

Related : How to write an essay about yourself

Check your work

It’s extremely important for you to proofread and check for correct spelling and grammar throughout your personal statement. Even simply reading your statement out loud can help you catch any errors and make sure your words flow together. You should also consider having mentors or people within your support system read over your essay to ensure your message is clear.

Common mistakes when writing a graduate school personal statement

Reusing your undergraduate essay .

Reusing your first supplemental essay as a template is a big mistake you want to avoid. Years have passed since then, and you’ve learned new skills and grown as a person and a student. 

The experiences you previously wrote might not resonate with who you are today or tell the graduate team what they want to know about you. It may also have grammatical errors that you might not have noticed before, so take a little extra time to start from scratch and create something new.

Repeating what’s in your resume

It’s likely that your graduate school of choice will require you to upload a copy of your resume as part of your application. Therefore, the admissions committee will already know your professional background, so tell them something else about yourself or provide further depth to a job experience. Repeating yourself only tells them one thing, and you want to be the most well-rounded applicant that you can be.

Graduate school personal statement example

Prompt: Please discuss how your experiences, both personal and professional, have led you to pursue a graduate business degree at this time. What are your short- and long- term goals and how will this program and the J. Mack Robinson College of Business help you achieve these goals? (750 words max)

While many of the applications you receive will detail the many ways that person has been the first to do something, I pose a different perspective: hope to be the last. In other words, you might see me as a first-generation college student, but I see the makings of becoming the last generation to worry about generational wealth in my family. 

Though it is true that I would be the first in my family to get my master’s degree, I’m hoping that my future success means I’ll be the last “first.” It’s not lost on me what this title means, but most of all, it signifies the dawn of an era. A dynasty bred from the struggles and achievements of those before it.

These are big shoes to fill, but I’ve never been afraid of a challenge and the things I’ve learned have helped me secure my future. For example, by observing different business models throughout the years, I found a secret about marketing: people love a product that loves them back. In my case, a product that’s always loved me back were books. I’d fallen in love with bookshelves and bookstores alike, so it only makes sense that a culmination of my love of marketing and books is the goal of one day working in book publishing. I want to know the inner workings of book promotion including design decisions and book tours. Eventually, I plan on working at one of the big publishers such as Penguin Random House, Harper Collins, or Macmillan.

Fortunately, I’ve been given opportunities to decide on my own path, which I hope to execute at Georgia State University. This school’s unique curriculum will be an asset to me since there are classes that specifically cater to buyer behavior, and that’s an area of study I’m particularly interested in. The Social Media Intelligence Lab and social media marketing class will hopefully give me an inside look into influencer marketing and its impact on product profitability. According to your mission statement, GSU educates future leaders, and I want to be a part of that.

As a mentor of mine once said, knowledge is meant to be shared, and if it isn’t, it’s control. I hope to build up the people around me with knowledge and experiences as I go out into the professional world just as I hope this program will do for me. If I’m accepted into this program, I plan on using my creativity and drive for not only my success, but for my family’s as well. There may be times I fall short of a goal, but failure isn’t an option. Each benchmark professors put in front of me will be conquered, and one day, I’ll be one of your notable alumni. 

Why this essay works:

• The writer clearly researched the school and understands its values
• The prompt is answered completely and seamlessly
• The applicant knew their goals and thought of ways to achieve them at the college 
• This statement communicates not only what the college gains from this applicant’s admission, but also what the applicant gains
• It’s also well within the word limit

Frequently asked questions about how to write a graduate school personal statement

Do i have to write a personal statement to get into graduate school, how long is graduate school, do i have to take an exam to get into graduate school, scholarships360 recommended.

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• How To Write Your Postgraduate Personal Statement

Postgraduate study

• Qualification types
• What are the differences between an undergraduate and postgraduate personal statement?
• Why study postgraduate?

What's on this page?

What is a personal statement, preparing to write your personal statement, opening your personal statement, work experience and future plans, ending your personal statement.

Your postgraduate personal statement is your chance to get noticed for your expertise and experience you’ve gathered. It’s an important part of the application process as it allows you to talk about yourself and your passions and prove the value you can bring to your chosen university.

In this article, we’re going to talk you through how to write a postgraduate personal statement that stands out and gives you the best chance of being offered a place on the master’s programme you’re applying for. 

Shona Barrie – Director of Admissions, University of Stirling

You’ll have already written a personal statement for your undergraduate study, so you’ll know the importance of preparation. There are two things to think about when you’re planning:

• The practical and factual information you need to get across.
• Then, the more emotional, human parts of you that make you different to everyone else. 

Before you start writing, take some time to think about the key things you’d want your chosen university to know about you, and get them down on paper.

Questions to focus your mind

• Why have you chosen this master’s programme?
• Why are you passionate about this subject matter? 
• How has your undergraduate study influenced your decision to apply?
• Have you got any work experience that might help you?
• What life experiences have you had that you could talk about?
• What achievements can you talk about to support your application?
• Why do you want to study at this particular university?
• What plans and ambitions do you have for your future career?

Three top tips

Be specific.

Remember that a postgraduate personal statement needs you to talk specifically about the university you’ve chosen.

Demonstrate experience

Universities will be looking for postgraduate students who are able to demonstrate expertise in a particular subject – so include that.

Show what you've learnt

Tell the university about your university life as an undergraduate and include any clubs or societies you were involved in.

Admissions tutors will be reading a lot of personal statements so it’s important to grab their attention right from the start. 

You can find a full guide on How to start a personal statement: The attention grabber but here are the main things for you to think about. 

• Don’t overthink the opening . Just start by showing your enthusiasm for the subject, showcasing your knowledge and understanding, and sharing your ambitions of what you want to achieve.
• Avoid cliches . Remember, this opening part is simply about introducing yourself, so let the admissions tutor reading your personal statement get to know you. 
• Keep it relevant and simple . You’re limited on how much you can include so avoid long-winded explanations. Why use 50 words when ten can make your point?

Talking about the course

Now you’re ready to start talking about the course and subject you’re applying for.

There are four main areas you’ll need to cover in this section of your personal statement. 

• Why are you applying for this master’s?  Think about your undergraduate study and how this master’s will develop your expertise further. Do you have career aspirations this course will help you achieve?
• Why does the subject interest you? This is your chance to show your passion and really demonstrate who you are. If you have work or volunteering experiences related to the subject, include them here.
• Why do you think you’ll be an asset to the university?  Your personal and practical skills combined together create a unique picture of who you are and why you’ll be a successful postgraduate student, so include both. 
• How does your previous undergraduate study relate to the course? Showcase your enthusiasm for your current study and take the opportunity to demonstrate your skills and knowledge now, and how you want to build on that. 

Next, you’ll need to write about your personal skills and achievements.

Universities like to know the abilities you have that’ll help you on the course, or generally with life at university. Don’t forget to include evidence to back up why you’re so passionate about the programme you’ve chosen.

Your personal skills and achievements

Be bold and talk about the achievements you’re proud of., include positions of responsibility you hold, or have held, both in and out of school., what are the things that make you interesting, special, or unique .

Your work experience and future plans are important to include in your personal statement. You should share details of jobs, placements, work experience, or voluntary work, particularly if it's relevant to your course. 

• Try to link any experience to skills or qualities that’ll make you successful on your course.
• If you know what you’d like to do after as a career, explain how you plan to use the knowledge and experience you’ll gain.

It’s always good to connect the beginning of your statement to the end and a great way to reinforce what you said at the start. You want to see the ending as your chance to end in a way that’ll make the university remember you. 

This final part of your personal statement should emphasise the great points you’ve already made and answer the question of why you should be offered a place on the course. 

Read our full guide on How to finish your statement the right way .

Aakriti Labra – MSc Occupational and Organisational Psychology, University of Surrey

Now you’ve written your postgraduate personal statement, you’ll need to do a couple of final things before you submit it. 

• Have you proofread your personal statement? Don’t just rely on spellcheckers. We’d recommend reading it out loud as that’s a great way to spot any errors as well as checking it sounds like you. 
• Have you asked for feedback? Ask friends, family or your undergraduate university tutors to have a read through your personal statement and take their feedback on board.
• Check out our personal statement dos and don'ts Have a look at the common pitfalls against your final draft to make sure you haven't made any obvious errors!

Postgraduate

More advice.

Use the UCAS’ personal statement tool alongside this guide to help you structure your ideas.

Do you want to understand the differences between an undergraduate and postgraduate personal statement? Take a look at our guide here.

Why study a postgraduate course? Find out here.  

What funding is there for postgraduate courses?  

Sponsored articles UCAS Media Service

Student finance for postgraduate loans, how to find a job, five reasons to sign up to the ucas newsletter.

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How Long Should a Personal Statement Be: Writing a Strong Personal Statement

As part of your applications to graduate schools, you will need to write a personal statement. But what is a personal statement? What should you write about? And more importantly, how long should a personal statement be?

A personal statement is important because it allows you to make sure your application stands out from others. It will allow you to show off your biggest achievements in life and what you consider to be your best attributes.

Find your bootcamp match

Explore the below tips to learn how to write a strong personal statement and what length you should keep your personal statement at.

What Is a Personal Statement?

A personal statement is an essay explaining your reasons for wanting to enter the coding bootcamp , four-year program, or graduate program you are applying for. It is your chance to tell the school who you are and how you became interested in your field. 

In your personal statement, you should show your passion for the subject and motivation behind applying for the program. There should also be an emphasis on storytelling. Schools typically require applicants to write about challenges in their lives and how they have overcome them.

Maybe you are choosing a program that does not align with your previous education, or maybe you do not have specific work experience related to the field. In this case, a personal statement will help you emphasize your strengths and show why you belong in the program.

How Long Should a Personal Statement Be?

It is best to focus on the message you are delivering in the essay rather than the length. Requirements for the length of a personal essay may vary depending on the school to which you are applying. Typically, colleges and coding bootcamps ask for a word count of about 200 to 500.

How Long Should a Personal Statement Be for College?

While you won’t run into this often, you may find the occasional college application to a four-year school that requires a personal statement. If your ideal college requires a personal statement as part of the college application, you should plan on writing around 500 words. 

During the application process, you will likely find out the personal statement word limit set by your school. It is important to double-check the requirements set forth by your ideal college because 500 words is simply a ballpark number. Some schools may require shorter or longer essays.

How Long Should a Personal Statement Be for Grad School?

If you are working on a statement for graduate school applications, you can expect to write a bit more than you would for a four-year college. Typically, a grad school application requires a personal statement that is around two to three pages in length.

A personal statement for graduate school is also a bit more serious than one for a four-year college. You’ll notice the entire grad school application requires more application materials in general, like a cover letter . That means you will need to work extra hard to avoid awkward sentences, punctuation errors, and exceeding or not meeting the required length for your personal statement letter.

What Are Schools Looking for in a Personal Statement?

Through a personal statement, schools are trying to get to know you on a deeper level. It is important to include a story about yourself in your statement. It should be related to your personal failures and triumphs. 

All the experiences you write about should also be related to your field of study. It’s a good idea to avoid opening your essay with a quote and try not to use cliches or get too creative. You still want to come across as a professional, serious applicant.

The admissions committee will also be looking for your inspiration behind entering your chosen field. They will want to know what made you interested in the specialization. While explaining your interests, do not make the mistake of going back to the beginning of your life, or even to high school. Avoid starting your statements with “I fell in love with …. When I was 8.”

The school will want to find out what personally motivated you to apply. Be honest in your statement and explain why it is an appropriate step on your educational path, and how it will help you achieve your future career goals.

Of course, strong writing skills are crucial to a strong essay. A successful personal statement will show that you can write coherently. Make sure you use correct grammar, punctuation, and capitalization. Ask a couple of family members, friends, or former professors to proofread your essay when you feel you are finished.

There are five universal traits that most schools will be looking for you to demonstrate in your essay:

• Punctuality
• Ability to work independently
• Good communication skills
• Time management abilities
• Determination and perseverance

How to Start Off a Personal Statement

If you want to submit a stand-out personal statement letter with your college application, you’ll want to know exactly how to start off a personal statement. The opening sentence is incredibly important to your personal statement essay, as it needs to be clean, clear, and eye-catching.

Throughout each application cycle, the college admissions team will see hundreds of personal statements. Many applicants open their letters with a quote, and while this is not a bad idea, it has become generic. Try starting your personal statement off with a quick and interesting anecdote about a valuable experience that has impacted your desire to enroll in the program.

Any sort of life experience or challenging experience you can think of related to your field of study should go into the essay as early as possible. That being said, don’t cram in all of the relevant experiences you can think of in the first paragraph. If you find yourself doing this, try adding an extra paragraph to your opener.

A killer personal statement should also allude to a few personal characteristics that fit with the field of study. For example, in the law, medical, and philanthropic fields, you may want to start off your personal statement with a quick anecdote about a life experience that displays your ability to logically help others.

How to Start Off a Personal Statement: A Sample

The following sample is tailored to a student applying for medical school:

In 2016, I spent one month in rural Haiti volunteering at a hospital. This was an extremely challenging experience for me, as I saw many people in need of critical healthcare that simply was not available to them. However, it was this experience that helped me decide I wanted to attend medical school and study to become a doctor. 

I quickly learned to separate my logical self from my emotional self so that I could help people receive treatment as quickly and efficiently as possible, while also providing reassurance and bedside company to those who needed it.

Writing a Personal Statement Step-by-Step

Writing a personal statement can be challenging. On top of having to explain all of your strengths in one short essay, you will also need to follow the rules and have no grammatical errors. Here are eight steps to take when writing a personal statement:

1. Start Early

Start the process a couple of months before your application is due. Personal statements take a lot of work, especially if you are also balancing other commitments in your life. Setting aside extra time means you will not have to squeeze in hours of work at the last minute. Starting early also allows for careful planning to ensure everything down to the sentence structure is perfect in your finished application essay.

2. Read the Requirements Thoroughly

It is very important to make sure that you understand the instructions fully. Your program will give the information as to what content your statement should focus on, how long it should be, and even how to save your essay.

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Some colleges are very specific and will give you a character limit for your piece of writing, while others will be much more relaxed. If you have trouble finding the personal statement instructions, try reaching out to your school’s admissions staff.

3. Brainstorm Ideas

Brainstorm topics you would like to discuss. Common topics for this essay include extracurricular activities , a compelling story, and concrete examples of why you are one of the most qualified students for the program. 

This can give you a better shot at admissions by separating you from the other numerous candidates. Figure out how you will present your goals, what the program means to you, and why you are interested in it.

4. Make an Outline

Create a chart or a list of the things you plan to mention in your essay and the order you would like to discuss them. This is the time to develop your personal statement structure. You can find inspiration for your own essay by looking at personal statement examples online.

5. Draft Your Essay

Now, begin writing your admission essay. When you enter this stage, it is entirely okay to write down anything that seems relevant. While you continue to draft, you can take out parts that seem unnecessary. An admission tutor would be very helpful during the actual writing process and can help you become the perfect candidate.

6. Get Feedback

Allow people you trust to read your essay and provide feedback. They will see your writing with fresh eyes and tell you what needs to be fixed. Discussing your essay with people who have read it will help you improve your writing.

7. Edit Your Essay

Now that you have feedback, you will be able to revise and edit your statement based on the responses of people you trust. Look out for sentences with unnecessary information. Personal statements are intended to be short, so if one sentence is not essential, take it out. You can even send your essay to a personal statement editing service.

8. Proofread 

The last step is to proofread, a lot. Make use of your computer’s spellchecker, Grammarly, and any other resources available to you. Proofread one sentence at a time. Then, allow others to proofread your final draft. If they see a problem, go back one step, then proofread again.

How Long Should a Personal Statement Be FAQ

Typically, personal statements are double-spaced. You may find a college requiring single-spaced personal statements, but unless it is clearly stated, double-spaced is a safe option. If you are really unsure, reach out to your admissions office for guidance.

If your personal statement is too long, review it and remove any information that is not 100 percent necessary. Unless a sentence is providing clear, important information about you as a candidate for the program, it should be removed. You can look up personal statement examples to get a better idea of how yours should be.

Avoid saying anything in your personal statement that is negative or braggy, or that takes the focus away from you. Many students complain about past educational experiences, but if you do this, you will likely have a harder time being accepted into the program. You want to describe positive personal experiences you have had but aim to do so without bragging about yourself.

It can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks to write a personal statement. It primarily depends on how far in advance you plan your essay, your writing style, and how much time you put into editing and reviewing. Taking some extra time to write this statement is never a bad idea.

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• The University of Warwick

A guide to writing a Masters personal statement

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If you are considering postgraduate study, you will need to think about writing an application that demonstrates why you are the right candidate for the course and their university. This is where your personal statement comes in. 

You’ll already have written a personal statement for your undergraduate application, so the concept should be familiar. However, there are some things you should be aware of when it comes to writing specifically for postgraduate study. 

In this guide, we’ll explain how to write a stand-out Masters personal statement and provide you with some valuable insights from our Masters Recruitment Manager Danielle, here at Warwick Business School (WBS).

What is a Masters personal statement?

An MSc personal statement, also known as a ‘statement of purpose’, supports your application to study a postgraduate course at university. It should highlight your key skills and experience whilst demonstrating your understanding of the course and conveying your academic skills and interests.

From her experience in the Recruitment and Business Development team at WBS, Danielle gives her take on a personal statement: 

Your personal statement is your opportunity to sell yourself and differentiate yourself from any other applicant, share your passion for joining WBS and link your life experiences and skills to how you could contribute to a cohort.

How long should a Masters personal statement be?

A personal statement for postgraduate study should fit within two pages of A4. Whilst you won’t be penalised if it is slightly longer, you should always make sure the content is relevant and doesn’t repeat information elsewhere in your application. 

What do you need to prepare before writing a Masters personal statement? 

Before writing your personal statement for postgraduate study, there are a few things you should consider.

Research your options

Take the time to read through course pages and brochures. You’ll find in-depth information on what the course involves and how it might align with your career goals. Danielle explains how understanding what the course involves is key in demonstrating your suitability and passion for a course: 

All of our course webpages feature extensive information on the course modules, so take the time to show you’ve done your research in your personal statement. Your personal statement is your chance to relate yourself to our core values and demonstrate what a strong candidate you will be for one of our programmes. Ensure you also use this as an opportunity to link our programme to your future career.

Course titles should not be taken at face value. Whilst some universities will have courses with the same titles, the content will differ. You need to demonstrate you understand what the course entails and why you want to apply for a particular course as. Danielle adds:

Take time to look at the content of the course you are applying for; although course titles may be the same at different universities the course content can be different. Do your research and demonstrate this in your personal statement, showing how invested you are in studying at WBS.

Consider what you want from your studies

The range of choice when it comes to postgraduate study is vast, and it can feel overwhelming when deciding which course is right for you. 

Whilst opinions from your friends and family are important, they shouldn’t be the ultimate deciding factor when choosing a course. Ultimately you need to consider what you really want and whether it aligns with your career goals. 

Begin to prepare your application

Once you have decided which course you would like to apply for and you’ve ensured you meet the entry requirements, you will need to begin preparing your application. This includes collecting the correct documentation such as a CV, transcript, personal statement, and reference.

What should you include in a Masters personal statement?

Recruitment and admissions teams receive thousands of applications each year so it is important that your personal statement is to the point and demonstrates what they are looking for in their students. 

Danielle gives some insight into what our recruitment team looks for in a personal statement for a Masters degree:

Aim to keep your personal statement to the point by making sure you answer the following questions, addressing the key points our Selection Committee will be looking for:

• Why have you selected this course? What are your motivating factors?
• How do you see this course benefitting your career plans?
• What will you contribute to your cohort?

As well as addressing these key questions, you should also include the following:

Academic achievements 

You need to demonstrate how your undergraduate study has prepared you for a postgraduate course. You can do this by highlighting specific achievements, projects and pieces of work as well as mentioning any particular topics that interest you. 

Professional achievements

If you completed any professional work experience alongside your studies, it is a good idea to mention them here. Highlight any duties, tasks and responsibilities you had to demonstrate what you gained from this work experience. 

Relevant extracurricular activities

Including information about relevant extracurricular activities you are involved in can help to give a more rounded view of you as a person. This could include volunteering opportunities and any meaningful hobbies you have. 

Transferable skills

Your transferable skills should be highlighted throughout your personal statement. The types of things you could include are presentation skills, communication skills, analytical thinking and time management. Consider what you can bring to lectures and workshops. For example, if your course involves a lot of group work, use an example where you demonstrate your experience with this.

What should you avoid when writing a Masters personal statement?

Repetition of information.

When submitting both a CV and personal statement it can be easy to fall into the trap of just repeating the same information across both documents. Your personal statement is an opportunity for you to reflect and expand on what you have stated on your CV, rather than repeating the same information.

Not providing enough context

Simply listing your achievements without providing context will not prove to the recruitment teams that you are the right candidate for the course. Provide hard evidence to back up the statements you make and try to give two or three in-depth examples, rather than several weak answers. 

Not tailoring your application to the specific university or course

Recruitment and admissions teams are keen to hear why you have chosen a specific course and why you want to attend their university. You need to provide clear examples of what excites you about their institution and how you can align with their particular values.  

What do recruitment teams look for in a Masters personal statement?

University recruitment teams and selection committees review thousands of applications each year. To ensure your application stands out, you must show that you have taken the time to prepare and research your chosen university.

Recruitment teams want to see your passion for the subject and motivations for joining their institution. Detailing your experience and the skills you can bring will help to emphasise this. Danielle also suggests not overlooking the obvious when it comes to writing a personal statement:

It may sound simple but the first answer to this question is that the Selection Committee wants to see a well written, clearly structured personal statement which demonstrates good preparation and research.

What else do I need to include with my Masters application?

The documents you need to include in your application may vary by institution and course. But generally, as well as your personal statement, you will also need to include: 

• Academic and professional references
• Copies of your undergraduate degree certificate and academic transcripts
• A list of final year modules if you're still studying for an undergraduate degree
• A research proposal (not all courses will require this)

If you are an international student, there are some additional things you will need to provide including: 

• A copy of your passport
• Proof of your language proficiency through either a Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) certificate, or any others that meet requirements outlined on our course pages.

When are the deadlines for Masters applications?

Deadlines for Masters programmes vary quite widely between courses and universities. Information on specific deadlines can be found on their respective course pages and postgraduate brochures . You should aim to make an application early in the cycle to ensure there are still places available on the course.

Deadlines for scholarships and external scholarships can also vary, so if you wish to apply for these, you will also have to factor in these deadlines.

Frequently asked questions

Is there an interview for masters programmes.

At WBS, there are no interviews for MSc courses. Instead, all decisions are made based on the application you submit. Your undergraduate transcript will be reviewed in depth along with your CV and personal statement.

How many Masters can you apply for?

If you are applying to a UK university, you can apply for as many courses and universities as you like. However, you should not over-stretch yourself and you should only apply for courses that you are really passionate about.

Writing an appropriately tailored application can be time-consuming and attempting to write too many could jeopardise your chances of being successful. 

Do you have to pay for your Masters application?

We require an application fee of £75 to cover administrative costs. If you're applying to multiple Warwick courses, remember each course will warrant its own application fee. 

How do I apply for a Masters degree?

We have our own application system, and you can find linked 'how to apply' sections on all of our course pages. 

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Writing Personal Statements for Graduate School

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Personal Statements

Preparing a well-written and effective personal statement (sometimes referred to as statements of purpose or personal essays) that clearly articulates your preparation, goals, and motivation for pursuing that specific graduate degree is critically important. You will need to spend a considerable amount of time and effort in crafting these statements. The focus, structure, and length of personal statements vary from program to program. Some will have prompts or questions you need to answer, while others will leave the topic open-ended. The length varies widely as well. Read instructions carefully and make sure to adhere to all parameters laid out in the application guidelines.

Clear writing is the result of clear thinking. The first and most important task is to decide on a message. Consider carefully which two or three points you wish to impress upon the reader, remembering that your audience is composed of academics who are experts in their fields. Your statement should show that you are able to think logically and express your thoughts in a clear and concise manner. Remember that the reader already has a record of your activities and your transcript; avoid simply restating your resume and transcript. Writing your statement will take time; start early and give yourself more than enough time for revisions. If no prompts are given, you can use the questions below to begin brainstorming content to include in your statement.

• What experiences and academic preparation do you have that are relevant to the degree you’re seeking?
• Why are you choosing to pursue a graduate degree at this time?
• Why do you want to pursue this particular degree and how will this degree and the specific program fit into your career plans and your long-term goals?
• What specific topics are you aiming to explore and what does the current literature say about those topics?

After you’ve written a first draft, start the work of editing, refining, simplifying, and polishing. Provide specific examples that will help illustrate your points and convey your interests, intentions, and motivations. Is any section, sentence, or word superfluous, ambiguous, apologetic, or awkward? Are your verbs strong and active? Have you removed most of the qualifiers? Are you sure that each activity or interest you mention supports one of your main ideas? Spelling and grammatical errors are inexcusable. Don’t rely on spell-check to catch all errors; read your statement aloud and have it reviewed by multiple people whose opinion you trust. If possible, have your statement reviewed by a writing tutor. For individual assistance with writing your personal statement, consult with the writing tutor in your residential college  or the Writing Center within the Yale Center for Teaching and Learning .

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How to Write a Stand-Out Personal Statement for Your Graduate School Application

While deciding to embark on the path to graduate school is an exciting first step toward advancing your career, the application process can sometimes feel daunting and confusing.

One major part of the application that most schools require is a personal statement. Writing a personal statement can be an arduous task: After all, most people don’t necessarily enjoy writing about themselves, let alone at length.

A compelling personal statement, however, can help bring your application to the top of the admissions pile. Below, we’ve outlined what you need to know about crafting a personal statement to make your application shine.

What Is a Personal Statement?

The point of a personal statement is for the admissions board to gain a deeper understanding of who you are apart from your education and work experience. It explains why you’re the right fit for the program and a worthwhile applicant. It’s also an opportunity to highlight important factors that may not be readily available in the rest of your application.

A personal statement is different from a statement of purpose (if you’re asked for that as well). A statement of purpose will touch on your academic and career goals, as well as your past credentials. While those should also be discussed in your personal statement, it’s more about your life experiences and how they’ve shaped you and your journey to graduate school.

Questions to Ask Yourself Before Writing a Personal Statement

Before you start crafting your essay, there are a few prompts you can ask yourself to help clarify what you want to accomplish.

• What are the key points you want to communicate about yourself?
• What personal characteristics or skills do you have that make you a strong candidate for this field?
• What exactly are your career goals, and how does graduate school play into them?
• What have you learned about this field already? When did you first choose to follow this path, and what do you enjoy about it?
• What do you think is important for the admissions board to know specifically about you?
• Are there any discrepancies or causes for concern in your application you need to address? For example, is there a career and schooling gap, or a low GPA at one point? This is the time to discuss whether a personal hardship may have affected your academics or career.
• Have you dealt with any unusual obstacles or difficulties in your life? How have they affected and shaped you?
• What sets you apart and makes you unique from other graduate school applicants?
• What factors in your life have brought you to where you are today?

Top Tips for Writing a Graduate School Personal Statement

Pick a few points to emphasize about yourself . Introduce yourself to the admissions board. Select key factors about your background that you want the university to know — elements that reveal what kind of person you are and demonstrate why you’re a strong candidate for the school and field of study.

Be very specific . Again, a personal statement is all about communicating what distinguishes you from other applicants. To accomplish that, you need to share specific anecdotes that underscore your statements. If you say you’re a strong leader, present an example of a time you’ve proven that skill through work, school or your personal life. These specific, personal stories provide a deeper understanding of who you are and prove your intentions.

Do your research . Demonstrate what attracted you to the program. If there is a specific faculty member or class that caught your attention, or another aspect of the program that greatly interests you, convey it. This shows you’ve truly researched the school and have a passion for the program.

“Whatever the topic may be, I would recommend writing in a manner that reflects or parallels the institution’s and/or department’s missions, goals and values,” said Moises Cortés, a graduate/international credentials analyst for the Office of Graduate Admission at USC .

Address any gaps or discrepancies . Explain any factors that may have impacted your academic career. If you had an illness or any other personal hardships that affected your grades or work, discuss them. If there is a discrepancy between your grades and your test scores, you can also take the time to go over any extenuating circumstances.

Strike the right tone . While it’s important to give readers a glimpse of your personality, avoid oversharing or revealing intimate details of your life experiences. You should also avoid making jokes or using humorous cliches. Maintain a professional tone throughout your writing.

Start strong and finish strong . As with any piece of writing, you want to draw in your readers immediately. Make sure to start off with an interesting and captivating introduction. Similarly, your conclusion should be a well-written, engaging finish to the essay that highlights any important points.

“ For a personal statement, I think the first and last paragraphs are most important and should always relate the program they are applying to their own experiences and ideas,” Hoon H. Kang, a graduate/international credential analyst with the Office of Graduate Admission, told USC Online.

Proofread, proofread and proofread again . We can’t emphasize enough the importance of rereading your work. Your personal statement is also an analysis of your writing skills, so ensure you have proper grammar and spelling throughout. In addition, we recommend having multiple people look over your statement before submission. They can help with the proofreading (a second person always catches a mistake the writer may miss), give advice about the statement’s structure and content, and confirm it’s the proper recommended length.

Once you’ve considered all of the above and reviewed and edited your personal statement to perfection, it’s time to submit and check off any remaining application requirements, including your resume and letters of recommendation .

Personal statements are arguably one of the most challenging aspects of applying to graduate school, so make sure to revel in this accomplishment and acknowledge your successes.

For more information, visit the  Office of Graduate Admission at USC  and explore  USC Online ’s master’s degrees, doctoral programs and graduate certificates.

How To Write A Master’s Personal Statement: An Expert Guide

If you’re applying for a postgraduate qualification, you’ll need to write a master’s personal statement . 

This critical part of the application process is often one of the most demanding, and it’s easy to feel unsure about what to write.

Don’t worry! This is a comprehensive guide to how to write a master’s degree personal statement .

I’ll walk you through the complete process and give you the tools and techniques you need to ace your application.

I’ll even share my master’s degree personal statement template, absolutely free!

So, how do you write a master’s personal statement?

A master’s personal statement is written in three phases. Firstly, you must gather as much research and contextual information as possible to support your application. Then you should structure your material in an order that conveys your academic journey before editing and proofreading in depth.

Before you get started on your master’s personal statement, you also need to understand what it is and what it’s for. 

Here’s a brief overview, in case you’re not sure…

How To Write A Master’s Personal Statement

What is a master’s degree personal statement.

A master’s personal statement is usually between 500-1000 words. It should outline your interest in a specific graduate program and illustrate your academic and professional suitability. It should clarify your past and future research interests and evidence the value you will bring to an institution.

A personal statement is often the only opportunity an applicant has to engage directly with an admissions committee and highlight their suitability. 

It’s your chance to celebrate previous academic achievements, clarify your skills and interests and outline your professional ambitions.

In contrast with many undergraduate admissions platforms, a statement of purpose focuses on your academic career and your research potential. It’s less about your personality, hobbies or life experiences.

When faced with several similarly qualified and experienced applicants, a university will often use the personal statement as the deciding factor in making an offer. According to the admissions team at the University of Sussex :

Your personal statement is where you show us your commitment, dedication and motivation for studying the course. It is your chance to show us the course is for you.

So, how do you start the process of writing a master’s personal statement?

Begin by taking some simple, actionable steps to lead you to a larger goal . That way, it won’t feel like such a mountain to climb. You’ll also give yourself time to get your statement written to a high standard.

Here are the steps to take, in the order you need to take them…

1 Research Your Subject & University Options

When preparing your master’s personal statement, the first thing to do is carefully research the courses, subjects and faculty options available to you. 

Institutions like Imperial College London , the University of Edinburgh and the London School of Economics offer a wide range of course information online. You should also ensure that you use research tools such as whatuni.com and The Uni Guide , as they give valuable insight from a student perspective.

Grab a large folder or create a document on your laptop and make some notes under the following headings:

What Subject Best Suits My Research Goals?

As a graduate student, you’ll likely have a field of expertise you want to explore. Nonetheless, taking the time to sift through the related options thoroughly can be enlightening. 

Majoring in Biochemistry as an undergraduate doesn’t mean that it’s the right subject for postgraduate study. You might want to study Structural Biology , Molecular Biophysics , Chemical Engineering or Computational Genetics .

Equally, you may be working in a professional sector and want to take on a course that complements your role. It’s an increasingly popular approach, and as prospects.ac.uk , a leading higher education website points out, the most popular reasons for undertaking a postgraduate degree include progressing a current career path or improving employment prospects.

Ensure that you extend your subject search beyond the obvious and widen your options by talking with peers and advisors.  

Contact practitioners in the industries you’re interested in pursuing and establish the most appropriate routes forward.

Which Course Offers Me The Right Content?

Don’t just look at the subject. It would help if you thought about how a complete course is structured as well. How a subject is taught and the opportunities it presents can be as impactful as the subject itself.

Here’s a quick checklist for graduate study programs:

• Do you know what each course module covers?
• Do you know which modules are core and which are optional?
• Have you checked that all modules are accessible through a range of pathways?
• What is the tutor system like?
• What is the balance of practical work to live lectures and independent research?
• How will you be supported as a learner?
• How are units or modules assessed and awarded?
• What are the numbers of students in each cohort?
• What connections can be made with industry?
• Who are tenured and visiting teaching staff?
• What are the opportunities for internships, placements or years abroad?
• How flexible is the course structure?
• How does the course rank for results and student satisfaction?
• What relevant outcomes are achieved by grad school alumni?

Once you’ve answered these questions for every course you’re interested in, you’ll be well-placed to make the right decision. If you can’t find the answers, contact the institution directly, and ask for clarification.

If they can’t give it, perhaps it’s not the right course for you.

Which Institution Best Meets my Needs?

Lastly, you need to research each institution’s broader potential. After all, you’ll spend a significant amount of time and money in one place. 

It’s sensible to find out if your personal needs will be met, as well as your academic ones.

Use the following prompts to help your note-taking:

If you can, you should pay an in-person visit to your grad school shortlist. Talk to current staff and students and spend some time on campus.

That’s the only way to really know if it’s for you!

2 Summarise Your Previous Academic Achievements

Lists of your formal qualifications and academic experiences will doubtless appear elsewhere in your application. There is no need to repeat them in the body of your personal statement.

However, you should take the opportunity to summarise key academic achievements, especially if they support your application directly. 

Use these suggestions as prompts for developing a detailed list of accomplishments:

• Have you received accreditation, membership or recognition from relevant bodies or organisations?
• Have you participated in exclusive workshops, lectures or invitation-only events?
• Has your work been published or been seen outside academia?
• Have you developed networks or contacts of value to your continued study?
• Have you established businesses or shown entrepreneurial spirit within your discipline?

It would help if you also considered the following in more depth…

Previous or Ongoing Original Research

If you have authored established or ongoing original research, you should ensure that you include details of this in your statement of purpose. In the planning stages, make a note of the nature and scope of the research and summarise your findings. 

As you develop your master’s personal statement, you should also indicate how your ongoing and future research goals connect to your university application. 

How has your research qualified you to pursue this field of study?

Placements and Academic Exchanges

Significant achievements that applicants often neglect to include are previous placements within a relevant industry and cultural/educational exchanges. 

Make a note of the placements you have undertaken, voluntary or paid. Consider the roles you undertook and the relevant skills you developed. 

You should also note how the placement has enhanced your suitability for the course.

Similarly, if you’ve completed an academic exchange or spent a year abroad, then make sure you outline the skills you developed. You should also consider the value of a culturally diverse experience and the benefit of broad perspectives on your continued study and research.

Don’t worry if you seem to be writing lots of notes; you’ll edit them down later on.

I don’t mean qualifications here. 

Instead, what prizes, awards or accolades have you accomplished? Don’t be modest about listing them in your notes. This is also the place to consider successful dissertation topics, essay competitions and publications. 

Like all the content you’ll be including, you’ll want to ensure you do more than simply include a list or description. 

You’ll need to be clear on exactly how the knowledge or experience gained has added value to your application or made you a suitable candidate.

You might also want to reflect on how higher-level qualifications, such as undergraduate degrees, have prepared you for postgraduate study. Don’t simply list results, but consider how the processes and techniques of advanced study have equipped you with specific, relevant skills.

When you begin to collate this information, you should remember that admissions teams look for success and potential. 

Your master’s personal statement should evidence your successful academic career and illustrate your continued academic potential.

3 Outline Your Relevant Professional Experiences

A master’s personal statement must clearly outline your relevant professional experiences. By clarifying the value of your career in relation to your academic achievements, you will evidence your suitability for graduate study and reinforce your potential value.

Be Specific About Your Professional Successes

If you have achievements or accomplishments in the professional sphere, you should outline them in your statement of purpose. 

As well as the academic success I’ve already mentioned, you should include any of the following professional achievements:

• Mentoring of peers, students or employees
• Successful implementation of systems, processes or technology 
• Promotions or positions of responsibility
• Increases in pay, awards received, or grants obtained
• Presentations given or resources created
• Additional professional qualifications earned
• Courses taken or facilitated
• Valuable client networks
• Appraisals or reviews

Depending on your areas of research and employment, you may have other elements to add. Just ensure you note any professional accomplishments that will lend authority to your application.

Outline the Value of Previous Accomplishments

It’s not enough to make lists of accomplishments, however. A list without context doesn’t offer much meaning to the reader. 

Once you’ve got a list of your professional achievements written, you should make some further notes about the value of each one.

Use your master’s personal statement to show an admissions committee that you are aware of the value of your achievements. 

It suggests that you also understand the value of your prospective course of study.

Examples of value include:

Show how Your Research Matches Your Application

Once you’ve established your achievements and the value gained from them, you should link the outcomes to the course requirements.

The most effective way to do this is to go through the course descriptor, highlighting the essential skills, attributes or requirements needed for entry. Then, cross-reference this list with the outcomes you’ve already identified. 

When you find matches, you’ll know which elements to highlight in your master’s personal statement.

Here’s the whole process:

4 Prove Your Connection to the Discipline

When writing a master’s personal statement, you must demonstrate a proven connection to your discipline. Admissions committees want to see evidence of the logically structured development of your engagement over a reasonable period. This should link to the relevancy of the application. 

What’s the best way to write this?

Use the following checklist to help you make a list of the different ways in which your previous experiences demonstrate a commitment to your field:

• Have you taken additional courses or classes to develop your knowledge?
• Have you researched relevant theories and methodologies?
• How have you contributed to the body of knowledge in your field?
• Do you use social media to promote your online content?
• Have your studies or observations led to any advancements?
• Can you write a chronological account of your interest in the field?
• Which major projects and studies have you contributed to?
• How has work shadowing/placement or employment built your skills?
• Which figures do you admire in your field and why?
• Have you taken active steps to engage with relevant networks?
• Can an admissions committee see your logical career progression?
• How have you inspired others in your field?
• Can you identify an inciting moment of engagement with your subject?

Write Your Experiences in Chronological Order 

Once you’ve made some notes under as many of these headings as you can (and have identified some headings pertinent to you), then you should write them up in chronological order, ensuring that you keep your ABCs clear…

In doing so, you’ll convey a compelling and relevant history that clearly outlines your commitment to your field.

One of the very best ways to learn how to write a master’s personal statement is to look at a variety of examples and analyse their strengths and weaknesses.

You can check out my collection of personal statement examples here or hit the image below.

5 Link Academic Ambitions With Course Content

This is an excellent opportunity to use your master’s personal statement to look to your future success. Identify your academic and professional ambitions and link them with what the course offers. 

In doing so, you’ll reassure admissions teams that you’re a good fit.

A personal statement should outline your goals clearly and indicate the steps you have already taken towards achieving them. Most importantly, it should clarify how the successful completion of the course will enable these goals to be met.

Start Practicing Self-Reflection And Goal Setting

The College for Adult Learning features a great post on setting academic goals , but in the first instance, you should reflect on what it is you want from your graduate degree and how it might advance your research opportunities. 

To get started, note down some answers to questions like these:

• How will this degree advance my understanding of my subject area?
• How will this degree help me develop a broader or deeper range of specific skills?
• Which modules or opportunities do I find most engaging or essential?
• Which grad school facilities are vital to my ongoing research?
• How will this degree enable my career within a specific sector?
• What are my academic aims for this degree?
• What are my personal aims for this degree?
• How can I contribute to the learning community and my wider field of study?
• Which faculty staff members are inspirational, and why is learning from them essential?
• Does the degree offer links to industries that are relevant to my goals?
• Why is the degree course a logical next step for me?
• What has been achieved by course alumni, and how does that relate to my ambitions?

Perhaps the most critical question you can ask is:

How does what is on offer enable me to fully engage in specific areas of research with the depth and scope I require?

Note down your answers to these questions. Once you’ve developed two or three key ambitions that link your application with your long-term goals, you can use these examples in your statement of purpose.

6 Define the Value of Your Transferable Skills

Transferable skills are a valuable component in a master’s personal statement. Examples include qualities such as resilience, organisation and empathy. By including them, you establish your flexibility, depth of character and suitability for study at a high level within a learning community.

Academic history, qualifications and professional experience are central to a strong postgraduate personal statement. 

However, transferable skills can also play a role in evidencing your suitability and compelling the reader to make you an offer.

Transferable skills are the personal qualities you possess that enable you to function successfully in life and in more general academic situations. You may have a growth mindset and view challenges as positive opportunities. Perhaps you are a successful independent learner? Maybe you practice active listening or have developed stamina through regular participation in sports.

Don’t Ignore Your Transferable Skills

Don’t ignore the value that these kinds of qualities can add to your resume. Institutions are looking for academically gifted individuals. They’re also looking for students who will survive and thrive in their community.  

If an admissions committee can see that you have a wide range of well-rounded capabilities that enhance your academic ambitions, your application will be far more successful.

I’ve got a great post here, all about transferable skills . Check it out and use the suggestions to help you identify your own.

7 Recognise What Makes You A Unique Candidate

In business terms, we’re talking about your unique selling point . What is it about you, your achievements and ambitions that make you stand out positively? Everyone is unique, but the important thing is to highlight that uniqueness relevantly.

For a master’s personal statement, that uniqueness should be defined by your depth of knowledge and potential. 

It is irrelevant that you got a prize in a judo contest or play in a rock band in your spare time . What is important is proving that your unique blend of achievements, experiences, skills and ambition make you an ideal candidate. 

What Makes You Uniquely Qualified?

• Have you a proven track record of success in your field?
• Have you built up a network or following that facilitates your research?
• Have you been awarded previous grants, bursaries or scholarships?
• Will your proposed research enhance the grad school’s reputation?
• Do your qualifications exactly match the course criteria?
• Have you already developed working relationships with members of the community?
• Do you bring existing sponsorship or financial security with you?
• Are your ambitions likely to affect real change in your field?
• Do you bring additional expertise or strengths not present in the faculty?

Once you’ve identified your strongest USP, you must hone it into a compelling short paragraph. 

Use the three-part model below to make sure you include each necessary element.

• Clarify what uniquely qualifies you for grad school
• Explain the value to both parties if an offer is made
• Predict the positive outcomes of successful study

Done your research, made all your notes and crafted short responses? You’re ready to write the first draft of your master’s personal statement.

8 Develop a First Draft Outline

If you’ve followed the steps in this post, then writing the first draft of your postgraduate personal statement shouldn’t be too daunting.

Using the guidance I’ve already given you for identifying which elements to include, go through each heading in your notes and extract the relevant content. You should structure your writing in a specific order. 

It’s the order in which you’ve worked through this post:

• The central inspiration or motivation behind your application 
• The reasons why a particular institution is a suitable choice for you
• A summary of your previous academic achievements, reinforcing your suitability for the course
• Your relevant professional experience and its relevancy to your application
• Your expertise in the field, subject, discipline or specialism
• Your ambitions, how you’ve pursued them and why grad school is the next step
• Your transferable skills and how they will help you
• Your unique qualities and value to the institution or community to which you are applying

Tell Your Story in Chronological Order

You’ll notice that broadly speaking, this takes you through a past-present-future structure. That’s a good way to think of it, too. A master’s personal statement gives you the opportunity to put your educative journey into context. Presenting it in a chronological way is ideal.

To help you with this, you can download my free master’s degree personal statement template by clicking here . 

It will give you all the information you need to create a perfectly structured postgraduate personal statement!

9 Evidence the Quality of Your Writing

In addition to outlining your academic capabilities, your master’s personal statement must evidence the quality of your academic writing. This will demonstrate that you have the literary skills necessary to flourish in a graduate program.

From using the correct sentence starters to making sure that quotes are included correctly , there are several ways to impress with your writing. You should aim to use a formal, concise tone that avoids slang, conversational language or specific dialects. Keeping your writing on-point and compelling is the key.

The Right Vocabulary for Your Statement of Purpose

Aim to include a balance of subject-specific vocabulary in your persona statement. You should use the opportunity to reinforce your academic credentials by using the appropriate language in the right context. 

Remember that members of the admissions committee are likely to be aware of your field but may not be experts. Try to strike a balance between evidencing your depth of knowledge and not alienating the reader. 

Keep in mind that a master’s personal statement should be about you, your achievements and your goals, and not an academic essay.

There are some great tips about writing style in my post on what not to include in a personal statement .

Check Your Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar

It’s critical to ensure that your master’s personal statement is free from errors. Postgraduate programs inevitably require a high level of academic writing. If your application is full of errors, readers will assume that your graduate work will be of a similarly poor standard.

I recommend Grammarly to lots of the applicants I work with. It’s the ideal tool for ensuring your personal statement is accurate and concise. What’s more, you can use it to sharpen all your academic writing once you achieve your place on the course.

Pick up the free version here , or hit the banner below for more information. 

You can use the free resources in my post on what to check in a personal statement to make sure you’ve got all the bases covered.

10 Share your Drafts with the Right People

With your first draft completed, you should share your personal statement with a limited number of readers prior to submission.

The aim of sharing your in-progress application is to gather constructive feedback from people who are suitably informed about both your achievements and your potential.

You should make sure that they have access to your complete application, as well as the course outline and requirements.

It’s essential that you pick a limited number of well-qualified readers, as too many will result in an overwhelming number of contrary notes. You might consider the following individuals:

• Colleagues, peers or professional counterparts
• Mentors, counsellors or coaches
• Contacts in academia
• Supervisors or employers
• Professional service providers
• Informed friends and family

Regardless of where you get your feedback, you should ask your readers to comment under the following headings:  

Once you’ve received their feedback, take the time to identify common responses and themes before developing your final draft. 

When you’re happy with the outcome and have developed an outstanding application, it’s time to submit your statement of purpose and wait for the offers!

Tips Before Submitting a Personal Statement 

I’m often asked the same questions about master’s personal statements, so if you’re wondering the same things, here are some quick tips. Before you hit ‘send’, check out the following…  

How do you Start a Personal Statement?

Starting a master’s personal statement can often be the hardest challenge that candidates face. The prospect of starting with a blank page can be daunting, and it can often lead to delays in submitting an application. 

Do not write the first draft of a personal statement from scratch or try to write the opening paragraph first. Instead, gather key information and make comprehensive notes before creating the content.

Don’t forget to download my structure template for more free advice, or check out my post on how to start a personal statement here .

How Long Should A Personal Statement Be?

Most institutions will suggest the length of the master’s personal statement they would like you to write, but if you aren’t given a limit, then work to a maximum of 100 words. That should give you plenty of scope to go through the necessary content without being repetitive.

If your personal statement comes up shorter than this, don’t worry. As long as you’ve covered all the elements above, that’s fine. Quality is always better than quantity!

For more information about how long a personal statement should be, check out my post here .

How Do I Write About Myself?

I get asked this a lot! Candidates often find it very challenging to write about their own achievements without feeling that they are being boastful or repetitive. 

Just remember, no one knows you as well as you do! You’ve got to convince an admissions team of your suitability and motivation, and that means writing about your achievements and ambitions with confidence and purpose.

Check out my article on how to write about yourself here , and give your writing the edge when it comes to master’s degree personal statements.

Good luck with your statement of purpose, and don’t forget to contact me if you’d like some 1-1 support.

You’ve got this!

Research and content verified by Personal Statement Planet .

David Hallen

I've worked in the Further Education and University Admissions sector for nearly 20 years as a teacher, department head, Head of Sixth Form, UCAS Admissions Advisor, UK Centre Lead and freelance personal statement advisor, editor and writer. And now I'm here for you...

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This is how to write a personal statement for a Master's

In theory, a personal statement should be easy. but we understand how hard it is to put pen to paper. read our latest blog by postgraduate student, kristina, on how to write a personal statement when applying for your master's. , what should i include in a postgraduate personal statement, 1. why do you want to study this course.

2. What relevant skills can you bring from previous academia? 

3. What relevant skills can you bring from your personal or professional life? 

4. Why this specific course?

Tips for writing a university personal statement

1.  Rediscover your old statement as a reminder

2. Start early so you can take your time, and revisit 

3. make sure your ending is strong and clear, 4. make sure every point you make is evidenced, 5. draw on your undergraduate successes, 6. write for academics , 7. tailor your application to your course, 8. get a second opinion.

Find out more and watch our 'how to apply' video

It can be tricky to put down in words why you should be accepted on a course, especially when you're trying to be persuasive, formal and concise all at once. Below, I've collated both what to include in a personal statement, as well as top tips to make sure your personal statement accurately reflects you, your passion and why you're a perfect fit for the postgraduate course of your choosing.

This section has two clear and distinct points. Firstly, you need to project your passion for the subject. In my opinion, the hardest part about this is being engaging and passionate, without sounding cliched or insincere.

Secondly, you need to have some kind of idea how this Master's relates to your life goals. Is there a specific job you want? Or, perhaps a specific organisation that you’d like to work for? Maybe you have plans to study this subject beyond your Master's, and you intend on completing a PhD?

The admissions team is more likely to recruit you if they think that you might contribute to the academic field, or to the specific university department.

2. What relevant skills can you bring from previous academia?

Once you've stated why you want to study a course, now you need to argue why the university should want you. At this stage, give a succinct but comprehensive overview of your relevant skills and academic experience. For example, “ During my undergraduate studies, I improved my mathematical, analytical and problem-solving skills .”. Then go into detail about specific case studies, assignments, achievements etc..

The key point here is to make sure everything you mention is relevant. It's natural to want to sell yourself by listing all of your achievements, but only showcasing relevant information can act as a testament to your essay-writing skills. 

3. What relevant skills can you bring from your personal or professional life?

Have you had relevant jobs/volunteering/internships? This is an opportunity to show that you’ve taken initiative to develop skills in the field beyond compulsory academic activities. This section doesn't just reflect your abilities, but your passion for your chosen career path through the fact you've dedicated your personal time to expanding your skills. 

So you've said which subject you want to study, you've shown how you fit the requirements and how you intend to put your learnings to good use. Now, explain why you want to study this specific course. Mention the modules by name and how the learning formats will help your learning i.e. if there's lab work, field work etc. This is your opportunity to show you have carefully considered the different postgraduate courses available to you, and state your reasons for narrowing it down to the one you're applying for. 

Tips for writing a university personal statement 

1. rediscover your old statement as a reminder.

Writing a personal statement for a Master’s degree is much the same as writing one for an undergraduate degree. My first tip would be to search through your old files and find the personal statement you submitted to UCAS all those years ago.

Whilst the content will be very different, reminding yourself of the structure you used and the topics you covered is just one way to trigger ideas for what to write in your new personal statement.

In fact, I have a folder on my laptop full of all my old job and university applications so that I can draw inspiration and sometimes re-use relevant sections, whilst slightly modifying them to fit the role I am applying for. This saves a lot of time. 

Writing ~1,000 words in one sitting probably isn’t the best idea. Whilst everyone has different styles of working, I personally feel that the best way to write something like this is to start out with a bullet point plan. This way you don’t have to simultaneously think about content, structure, and wording, you can just brainstorm ideas for the content, then reshuffle them into an order that makes sense and flows. Once you've sorted this out, you can spend time thinking about how you will construct the sentences and paragraphs.

Being organised like this gives you the freedom to take breaks and revisit your personal statement at a later time or date. 

The first and last paragraphs are the most important. The serial-position effect in psychology shows that people tend to remember the first and last items on a list much better than they remember the content in the middle, so your introduction and conclusion should be your best-selling points.

Anyone can say that they have a specific skill or interest in a certain topic, but you need to convince the admissions team that you know what you’re talking about.

A key framework to follow is skill > evidence & understanding > outcome. For example, state you have a relevant skill (e.g. scientific literature reviews) and then talk about specific techniques (e.g. avoiding bias, using a reference manager) or specific examples (dissertation topic and what methods you used / conclusions you reached / real world implications of the topic). The outcome will often be that you achieved a high grade or were praised.

Talking in detail about your dissertation is imperative for research master’s or those which include a dissertation. If you achieved a first-class grade for it, or are predicted a first-class grade, then mention it.

 Write academically (e.g. “it is” rather than “it’s”) and formally, but balance this with conveying enthusiasm and not sounding robotic. One way to test whether your writing flows is to read it out loud to yourself.

Tailor your application so that it is very specific to the course. Mention specific modules or interests/skills that relate strongly to aspects of the course. Most courses have their own webpage on the university website. This page is your most important resource for ensuring that you write a persuasive personal statement, as it will outline relevant skills, interests, career paths, module descriptions etc.

Ask someone to proofread the final draft. Fresh perspectives are always valuable. Also, it’s often easier for someone else to point out your strengths and accomplishments than it is for you to.

Overall, your personal statement needs to be lots of small anecdotes that relate to each other and can be joined up to tell one overarching story about you, to persuade the admissions team that you will succeed in the course, benefiting the university and also your own progress in life.

Find out more

Watch our 'how to apply for a Master's' video - it breaks down the process into 7 steps...

We also have a blog about applying for funding, why not read this blog by student Amy Harris on funding a Master's ?

Published By Kristina on 02/09/2020 | Last Updated 23/05/2024

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How To Write A Personal Statement For Masters (17 PDF Sample Examples)

Published: 14 Mar 2022 Study Abroad 107,862 views

A personal statement for masters program is one of the most important parts of your college application and writing a good one is what’s the exception between receiving an offer and being rejected.

If you’ve been tasked with presenting a personal statement, you should keep in mind that whatever you submit must put you forward as the right candidate for the course. Additionally, it should convince the admissions officers that you deserve a place on your program of study.

Achieving the above, is a skill most postgraduate students are yet to acquire but thankfully this article on How To Write A Personal Statement For Masters covers everything you need to know on doing this.

In this article you’ll learn:

• What is a personal statement?
• Tips for making your personal statement for masters stand out
• How to write a personal statement for masters
• Personal statement for masters sample
• Examples of personal statement for masters
• Conclusion – things to avoid when writing a personal statement for masters

Read:  Admission Interview Tips .

What Is a Personal Statement?

A personal statement AKA admissions or application essay or statement of purpose is a type of essay or written statement a candidate presents to a college, university, or graduate school they are applying to, explaining why they want to attend that school, study a particular course, and why they would be a perfect fit for these things.

A personal statement for masters is an essay you submit specifically for your postgraduate application. Writing one presents the opportunity for you to promote yourself to a school and show the admissions teachers that you are the perfect candidate for a course.

Tips For Making Your Personal Statement For Masters Stand Out

Before we get into how you should write a statement of purpose for masters, we would first like to share with you certain tips to include in your essay to make it stand out from that of other applicants and be convincing enough to any admissions officer that reads it. The tips we have mentioned here, cover general things like starting and ending your personal statement, timing, length, and what to include and what not to include in the essay, etc.

1. Starting And Ending A Personal Statement

When starting a personal statement, you would want to right off the bat grab the reader’s attention. To do this, start the statement by writing about your degree of choice, next why you want to study it and then how you got interested in it.

The next 2 sentences after that should cover a summary of your background in the chosen field, and you conclude by saying what you plan to do once you acquire your graduate degree.

Also start with that the evaluators reading want to hear first, then every other information should come second. You will notice we’ve used in the sop examples for masters we will share with you later in this article.

2. Plan Ahead

A personal statement is not something you rush while writing, which means if you want to get something good before you application then you must start to decide things like the length and how long it should take to complete.

Let us throw more light on this…

For length, a personal statement should be brief ranging somewhere between 500 -700 words, although schools often detect how long it should be. So, this is dependent on the institution you are applying to.

In terms of what to say in a statement, you could include personal experiences like why you were driven to apply for the program, an experience you had with a scholar in your chosen discipline, a course you took that inspired you to pursue masters, or a key moment during your studies which further motivated you.

No matter what you decide to write, just keep in mind that you need to take your time to craft something good even if it means creating several drafts before the real thing and do not forget to proofread the statement for errors.

3. Research Your Program Of Study

Researching your program of study is one way to establish that you truly understand the discipline you’re getting into and prove to the admissions officer that you thoroughly thought about it before applying.

And because you want to put yourself forward as a serious candidate, one way to make you research easier is for you to visit the website of the department you are applying to. This page will contain information about faculty members, their specialisation, and publications.

From the intel, you gathered there you can now identify which professors match your interests and which ones you will benefit the most from learning under. After you’ve found this out, relate the same in a sentence or two in your statement of purpose for masters.

Example: “I would be honoured to study under the tutelage of Professor Nadia whose work I found resonated strongly with my beliefs and intended projects in this course”.

4. Avoid Clichés, Junks, And Many Details

When writing a statement of purpose for master degree try to avoid clichés, junks, and unnecessary details so that you don’t lose or bore your readers in between. Be as concise as possible, even if it’s your chance to express yourself.

A personal statement is an opportunity for the admissions committee to get information that tells the that you are suitable for the course. So, when you overpower your statement with too many words, stories, and useless details, you come off as someone who is just trying to meet the word count.

5. Include Your Personal History Only If It Adds To The Statement

Do not include your personal history in your statement of intent for masters if it is not relevant to your purpose of study. This means no need for you to tell that story about that time you helped someone treat a cut and immediately realised that you wanted to be a doctor or nurse or how you developed a taste for reading at a very young age.

We can guarantee you that the hundreds of other applications competing for the same spot you are felt the same way, so saying those things really doesn’t make you unique.

On the other hand, if you are going to add personal history to your statement, you can put in things like an internship you did and the experience you got from the job, a major research project you ran by yourself, publications you’ve read or published, conferences you’ve attended or presentations you’ve done. These experiences are more concrete and are directly related to your program of study. They also set you apart from other applicants.

6. Don't Use The Same Personal Statement For All Your Applications

One common mistake applicant make that you shouldn’t is using the same statement of purpose for master degree for all your applications. Using the same information repeatedly even if you are going to change the university names is risky and could land you in a big mistake on a day you forget to be thorough.

All programmes have their own unique set of questions they want to see answered and information they need in your personal statement.

And even if some of them like extracurricular activities, proposal for project, why you are applying to the school, your unique qualities, and research works you’re doing might appear the same, do not use one statement to respond to all of them.

Write a new unique personal statement every time you want to apply.

Check out:  How to Write a Good CV for Students - Resume Examples for Students (PDF).

How To Write A Personal Statement for Masters

When writing a personal statement for masters there are several steps and ground rules you need to follow to ensure that it comes out good enough to impress the admissions team of a school, and ultimately convince them to give you a spot on your program of study.

If writing one is something you are currently struggling with and can’t seem to get down the process of it right no matter what, this section on how to write a personal statement for masters, discusses in detail everything you need to get help with yours.

There are 4 parts to consider when writing your personal statement and we have listed them below:

1. Planning A Personal Statement

A personal statement is a piece of writing showing your academic interests and is only for application purposes which means there is no room for any autobiographical information in it about your personal life. Be as to-the-point as possible when writing it and stick to telling the school why you are the right person for the course, plus any other extra information detailing your achievements.

Before You Start:

Allot plenty of time to write your msc personal statement so that you don’t rush it. Remember, this simple piece of writing is your one shot at convincing a school that you are the best applicant they’ve seen and as such can either make or break your application.

Read the information expected of you from the university, rules and guidelines given, selection criteria and understand what they mean. Also research the institution.

Do a thorough research on the course you are applying for; this will help you explain better why you want to study it. The tutors interviewing you can tell when you are lying and presenting yourself as uninformed can cost you the admission.

Ensure that you don’t use the same personal statement for all your applications.

When Writing:

When writing the statement there are some questions to ask yourself that can help you plan it better. Those questions are:

• Why you want to study a master’s and how does it benefit you in future?
• How does the course you have chosen fit into your pre-existing skill set?
• How do you stand out from the crowd as an applicant - e.g., work experiences you’ve had in the same field you are applying for?
• What do you aspire to do or be as a future career and how will the course help you achieve that?
• How can your work or skillsets contribute positively to the department/ university you are applying to, or society at large?

On the other hand, if you are applying for the masters to change from the field you studied in your undergraduate to another field, you should tell the school why you decided to take a different path in your studies.

Questions to ask yourself for this include:

• Your reason for deciding to change your discipline.
• How your undergraduate degree will be material for bringing fresh insights into your masters course.
• How changing your study path will help you attain your future career.

2. Structuring A Personal Statement

Having good structure for your personal statement for master degree is important because it ensures that everything from the beginning, middle, and ending of the statement is written and equally falls in place perfectly.

We’ve left some tips for you below to help you:

Start your personal statement with an attention-grabbing introduction that is not dramatic or cliché. That means you should not begin with any of these over-used phrases we’ve listed out below:

For as long as I remember…

Since my childhood…

I want to apply to this course because I’ve always felt a strong connection to it…

All my life, I have always loved…

My interest in (course) always ran deeper than…

I’ve always been zealous about…

Ever since I was a child, I’ve always wanted to pursue a career in…

My past educational experiences have always…

You would want to be as snappy as possible with your opening because the admission officer has over a hundred applications to read and can’t waste all their time on yours. This means you should avoid overpowering it with unnecessary facts, quotes, and stories from your life.

The middle part of your ma personal statement is where the main content of the write-up should be. This is where you show your dedication to the course you’ve chosen, what motivated you to choose it, and why you are the right candidate for it.

When writing the middle part of a graduate personal statement, you should:  

• Give concrete reasons why you want to study a course at the University. The reason could be because of how the course is aligned to your future career or the University’s reputation in teaching that program.
• Mention relevant things like projects, dissertations, or essays you’ve done, and any work experience you have.
• Show proof of your core skills like and how they can contribute to the department.
• Prove what makes you a unique candidate.
• Discuss who your main influences for wanting to study the course are and why.
• Add experiences like memberships to clubs that are related to your field, papers you’ve written before, awards, scholarships, or prizes.
• Draw focus to how the course links to your past and future.
• Mention your academic and non-academic skills and how they fit the course.

For Formatting:

• Keep the statement length between 250 -500 words or as directed by the school.
• Sentences should be no more than 25-30 words.
• Use headings to break up the content – Why this university? Why this subject? Etc.
• Make claims and provide evidence to back each of them up. This can be done by discussing your work experience and academic interests.

Language and tone to use:     

• The tone for your masters application personal statement should be positive and enthusiastic, to show you eagerness to learn and so that you convince the evaluators that you have what it takes to succeed.
• Use exciting and refreshing language, and an engaging opening line.
• Ensure you grammar, punctuations, and spellings are accurate.
• Avoid exaggerated claims you cannot backup.
• Don’t use cliché generic terms and keep your focus on the course.

Keep the ending of your essay for master degree application concise and memorable, leaving no doubt in the admission officers mind that you deserve a spot on the program.

To create the best ending summarise all your key points without dragging it our or repeating yourself. The ending should be simple, end on a positive note and make it clear that the school will be lucky to have you on their program.

Personal Statement for Masters Sample

In this section, we have left a masters personal statement example for you, which you can use as material to write yours for any course of study you are applying to a school for.

Personal Statement PDF

You can also download this statement of purpose sample for masters degree pdf here and take your time to read it later – Personal Statement For Masters Sample .

See Also:  Student CV Template .

Examples of Personal Statement for Masters

We have taken the time to source for some of the best postgraduate personal statement examples, which you can use in addition to the personal statement for masters program example as a template to write yours.

While you scroll through our list, you will find the perfect masters essay example for any field you wish to apply for, from business administration, to Psychology, to information technology, and lots more.

1. msw personal statement

We have found one of the best msw personal statement examples out there for you.

social work masters personal statement .  

2. personal statement for masters in public health

mph personal statement examples

3. personal statement for masters in management

Personal statement for master degree sample for masters in management .  , 4. personal statement for masters in education example.

personal statement for masters in education example

5. psychology masters personal statement

psychology masters personal statement example

6. sample personal statement for masters in data science data science masters personal statement

7. speech and language therapy personal statement statement of purpose for masters sample: speech and language therapy

8. business administration personal statement personal statement for masters in business administration

9. personal statement for masters in cyber security pdf masters degree personal statement examples for cyber security

10. personal statement for masters in finance msc finance personal statement examples

11. statement of purpose for masters in information technology pdf msc personal statement examples for information technology

12. international development personal statement statement of purpose for masters example

13. msc international business management personal statement international business management personal statement examples

14. computer science masters personal statement

statement of purpose for masters in computer science pdf

15. personal statement for masters in economics statement of purpose sample for masters degree in economics

16. mha personal statement statement of purpose format for masters in health administration    

Conclusion – Things to Avoid When Writing A Personal Statement For Masters When writing a personal statement for university masters, there are some things you should avoid, so that you don’t ruin your essay. We have listed out those things below: •    Avoid negativity. •    Following an online template blindly. •    Do not include unnecessary course modules, personal facts, or extra-curricular activities in your personal statement. •    Do not lie or exaggerate an achievement or event. •    Do not include inspirational quotes to your statement. •    Avoid using clichés, gimmicks, humour, over-used word such as 'passion' or ‘driven’. •    Do not make pleading statements. •    Avoid mentioning key authors or professors in your field without any explanation. •    Avoid using sentences that are too long. •    Avoid flattering the organisation or using patronising terms. •    Do not repeat information in your statement that you have already listed in your application. •    Avoid waffling i.e., writing at length. •    Don’t start writing your personal statement at the last minute.  

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How to write a personal statement for Masters courses

A good personal statement can mean the difference between getting an offer and being rejected. Your personal statement should show us that you are the right person for the course.

Alternatively, you can see our advice for writing a UCAS personal statement .

Learn how to:

• plan your personal statement
• structure your personal statement
• use engaging and convincing content  and language .

Planning your personal statement 

A personal statement is a piece of writing that you submit as part of your application. It is a statement of academic interests and should not contain any autobiographical information about your personal life.

Instead, it should show us that you are the right person for Sussex by telling us why you want to study your course , and any extra information about your achievements to date. 

See our Masters courses for more information

When you have finished planning your personal statement, you can use our  postgraduate application system  to start your application. 

You need to:

• carefully read the information required of you 
• research the course you are applying for, so that you can explain why you want to study it. If you are applying for more than one course, do not use the same statement for all applications.

The following questions may help you plan your personal statement:  

• Why do you want to study a Masters and how will it benefit you?
• How does the course fit your skill set?
• How do you stand out from the crowd - e.g. work experience?
• What are you aspiring to be/do in your future career?
• How can your work contribute to the department/University/society?

If you're applying for a subject that is in a different field to your undergraduate degree, tell us why you have decided to change your direction of study. 

Think about: 

• how you will bring fresh insight to your course as a result of your undergraduate degree
• the reasons for deciding to change your field of study
• how changing your direction of study will help you with your future career.   

Use a tight structure in your personal statement and make sure each paragraph logically follows on from the one before. 

Your personal statement must:  

• have an eye-catching and interesting introduction, and an engaging middle part and conclusion
• have an introduction that acts as a framework for the rest of your statement, with the main part of your statement detailing your interests, experience and knowledge
• be between 250 and 500 words 
• have short sentences of no more than 25-30 words
• use headings (if you wish) to break up the content - for example, 'Why this university?' 'Why this subject?' 'Ability', 'Personal experience' and 'Career aspirations'

'My passion for Psychology stems from my interest in how dementia affects the personality of patients living with the condition. That's why I spent my gap year working with the Alzheimer's Society, supporting patients and families by visiting them at home and holding surgeries to give them and carers someone to talk to.'

'It was not until my grandmother was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and ischaemic dementia that the link between brain functioning and cognition became a passion. The enormity of the precision at which the brain functions to produce our cognitive abilities, socially acceptable behaviours and intricate physiological processes astounded me. I found myself questioning the cognitive functions and human behaviours I had previously just accepted, desperate to understand how the unseen and seemingly small entities within the brain could impact our daily behaviour.'

• the conclusion should sum up your main points, reflect on your main accomplishments and clearly show your desire to study.

Your personal statement is where you show us your commitment, dedication and motivation for studying the course. It is your chance to show us the course is for you.

Your personal statement should:  

• give strong reasons as to why you want to study the course at Sussex. This could be for your future career or because of the University's reputation
• mention relevant study - including projects, dissertations, essays - or work experience 
• provide evidence of your key skills including, research, critical thinking, communication, organisation, planning and time-management and show how you can contribute to the department
• show what makes you stand out as a candidate
• explain who your main influences have been and why
• draw on your other experiences: for example are you a member of a society, have you written any papers or won any awards, scholarships or prizes?
• highlight your career aspirations and show how the course will help you achieve them.  

See an example personal statement [PDF 31.95KB]  

Your tone should be positive and enthusiastic. It should show your willingness to learn and persuade us you have what it takes to suceed on one of our courses. 

You should:  

• use fresh and exciting language to make your application stand out, and use engaging opening paragraphs
• use accurate grammar, punctuation and spelling 
• use clear language in short sentences and avoid extravagant claims

Example: 

Don't:  'I was inspired by the University's world-renowned researchers and world-leading facilities.'

Do:  'I was inspired to study Animal Biology because of the groundbreaking work into the behaviour of bees that is being led by Sussex Professor Francis Ratnieks. I follow the work of the University of Sussex Laboratory of Apiculture and Social Insects and would be proud to study in such a renowned department and contribute to its highly ranked research.'

•  proofread your statement and ask a friend or relative to read it. 

You might also be interested in:

• our Masters courses
• postgraduate application system guide
• student support
• how to apply for a Masters course

Frequently asked questions

How long is a personal statement.

The typical length of a personal statement for graduate school applications is between 500 and 1,000 words.

Different programs have different requirements, so always check if there’s a minimum or maximum length and stick to the guidelines. If there is no recommended word count, aim for no more than 1-2 pages.

Frequently asked questions: Graduate school

In the US, most graduate school applications require you to include:

• Transcripts from previous educational institutions
• Standardized test scores (such as the GRE or MCAT)
• A graduate resume
• 2–3 letters of recommendation
• A statement of purpose

Some programs may ask you to write a personal statement in addition to, or instead of, a statement of purpose. You may also be asked to an interview .

Always carefully read the application instructions for the specific program you’re applying to.

Most medical school programs interview candidates, as do many (though not all) leading law and business schools.

In research programs, it depends—PhDs in business usually do, while those in economics normally do not, for example.

Some schools interview everyone, while others only interview their top candidates. Look at the websites of the schools you’re applying to for more information on whether they conduct interviews.

In addition to thinking about your answers for the most commonly asked grad school interview questions , you should reach out to former and current students to ask their advice on preparing and what sort of questions will be asked.

Look back through your resume and come up with anecdotes that you could use for common questions, particularly those that ask about obstacles that you overcame. If you’re applying for a research program, ensure that you can talk about the previous research experience you’ve had.

You should also read as much research in your field as possible. Research the faculty at the schools you’re applying to and read some of their papers. Come up with a few questions that you could ask them.

Graduate schools often ask questions about why you are interested in this particular program and what you will contribute.

Try to stay away from cliche answers like “this is a good program” or “I got good grades in undergrad” and focus instead on the unique strengths of the program or what you will bring to the table. Understand what the program is looking for and come up with anecdotes that demonstrate why you are a good fit for them.

Different types of programs may also focus on different questions:

• Research programs will often ask what topics you’d like to research and who you would like to work with, as well as specific questions about your research background.
• Medical schools are interested in your personal motivation, qualities such as integrity and empathy, and how you’d respond to common ethical dilemmas.
• Business schools will focus on your past work experience and future career prospects, and may be particularly interested in any experience you have managing or working with others.

Some students apply to graduate school straight from undergrad, but it’s also common to go back to school later in life. The ideal time to do so depends on various financial, personal, and career considerations . Graduate school is a big commitment, so you should apply at a time when you can devote your full attention to it.

Your career path may also determine when you should apply. In some career fields, you can easily progress without a graduate degree, while in others—such as medicine, business, and law—it’s virtually impossible to move up the career ladder without a specific graduate degree.

Most graduate school applications for American graduate programs are due in December or January for a September start.

Some types of programs, especially law school, are rolling applications, meaning that the earlier you apply, the earlier you’ll hear back. In this case, you should aim to apply as early as possible to maximize your chances.

Medical school follows a completely separate timeline with much earlier deadlines. If you’re applying for medical school, you should speak to advisors at your university for more information.

A good starting point to aim for is about 18 months before you would start the program, or 6–9 months before the applications are due.

In the first few months of the process, research programs and study for any standardized exams you might need.

You can then begin writing your personal statements and statements of purpose , as well as contacting people to write your letters of recommendation . Ensure that you give recommenders plenty of time to complete their letters (ideally around 2–4 months).

In the US, the graduate school application process is similar whether you’re applying for a master’s or a PhD . Both require letters of recommendation , a statement of purpose or personal statement , a resume or CV , and transcripts. Programs in the US and Canada usually also require a certain type of standardized test—often the GRE.

Outside the US, PhD programs usually also require applicants to write a research proposal , because students are expected to begin dissertation research in the first year of their PhD.

A master’s degree usually has a higher upfront cost, but it also allows you to start earning a higher salary more quickly. The exact cost depends on the country and the school: private universities usually cost more than public ones, and European degrees usually cost less than North American ones. There are limited possibilities for financial aid.

PhDs often waive tuition fees and offer a living stipend in exchange for a teaching or research assistantship. However, they take many years to complete, during which time you earn very little.

This depends on the country. In the United States, you can generally go directly to a PhD  with only a bachelor’s degree, as a master’s program is included as part of the doctoral program.

Elsewhere, you generally need to graduate from a research-intensive master’s degree before continuing to the PhD.

This varies by country. In the United States, PhDs usually take between 5–7 years: 2 years of coursework followed by 3–5 years of independent research work to produce a dissertation.

In the rest of the world, students normally have a master’s degree before beginning the PhD, so they proceed directly to the research stage and complete a PhD in 3–5 years.

A PhD, which is short for philosophiae doctor (doctor of philosophy in Latin), is the highest university degree that can be obtained. In a PhD, students spend 3–5 years writing a dissertation , which aims to make a significant, original contribution to current knowledge.

A PhD is intended to prepare students for a career as a researcher, whether that be in academia, the public sector, or the private sector.

A master’s is a 1- or 2-year graduate degree that can prepare you for a variety of careers.

All master’s involve graduate-level coursework. Some are research-intensive and intend to prepare students for further study in a PhD; these usually require their students to write a master’s thesis . Others focus on professional training for a specific career.

It’s best to ask in person if possible, so first reach out and request a meeting to discuss your graduate school plans.

Let the potential recommender know which programs you’re applying to, and ask if they feel they can provide a strong letter of recommendation . A lukewarm recommendation can be the kiss of death for an application, so make sure your letter writers are enthusiastic about recommending you and your work!

Always remember to remain polite. Your recommenders are doing you a favor by taking the time to write a letter in support of your graduate school goals.

This depends on the program that you are applying for. Generally, for professional programs like business and policy school, you should ask managers who can speak to your future leadership potential and ability to succeed in your chosen career path.

However, in other graduate programs, you should mostly ask your former professors or research supervisors to write your recommendation letters , unless you have worked in a job that corresponds closely with your chosen field (e.g., as a full-time research assistant).

Choose people who know your work well and can speak to your ability to succeed in the program that you are applying to.

Remember, it is far more important to choose someone who knows you well than someone well-known. You may have taken classes with more prominent professors, but if they haven’t worked closely with you, they probably can’t write you a strong letter.

The sections in your graduate school resume depend on two things: your experience, and the focus of the program you’re applying to.

Always start with your education. If you have more than one degree, list the most recent one first.

The title and order of the other sections depend on what you want to emphasize. You might include things like:

• Professional experience
• Voluntary and extracurricular activities
• Publications
• Awards and honors
• Skills and certifications

The resume should aim for a balance between two things: giving a snapshot of what you’ve done with your life so far, and showing that you’re a good candidate for graduate study.

A resume is typically shorter than a CV, giving only the most relevant professional and educational highlights.

An academic CV should give full details of your education and career, including lists of publications and presentations, certifications, memberships, grants, and research projects. Because it is more comprehensive, it’s acceptable for an academic CV to be many pages long.

Note that, outside of the US, resume and CV are often used interchangeably.

No, don’t include your high school courses and grades. The education section should only detail your college education.

If you want to discuss aspects of high school in your graduate school application, you can include this in your personal statement .

A resume for a graduate school application is typically no more than 1–2 pages long.

Note, however, that if you are asked to submit a CV (curriculum vitae), you should give comprehensive details of all your academic experience. An academic CV can be much longer than a normal resume.

Always carefully check the instructions and adhere to any length requirements for each application.

If you’re applying to multiple graduate school programs, you should tailor your personal statement to each application.

Some applications provide a prompt or question. In this case, you might have to write a new personal statement from scratch: the most important task is to respond to what you have been asked.

If there’s no prompt or guidelines, you can re-use the same idea for your personal statement – but change the details wherever relevant, making sure to emphasize why you’re applying to this specific program.

If the application also includes other essays, such as a statement of purpose , you might have to revise your personal statement to avoid repeating the same information.

A statement of purpose is usually more formal, focusing on your academic or professional goals. It shouldn’t include anything that isn’t directly relevant to the application.

A personal statement can often be more creative. It might tell a story that isn’t directly related to the application, but that shows something about your personality, values, and motivations.

However, both types of document have the same overall goal: to demonstrate your potential as a graduate student and s how why you’re a great match for the program.

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• Should I Do A Masters?
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Writing A Postgraduate Personal Statement

• Postgraduate Jobs

If you're applying for a Masters degree or other type of postgraduate course, we know that writing the personal statement is the most difficult part of the application process. Our guide will help you put together a polished statement that will give you the best chance of success with your application.

What is a postgraduate personal statement?

A postgraduate personal statement for is a creative piece of writing that forms part of your postgraduate application. It acts as a window of opportunit to sell yourself to the university and demonstrate to admissions tutors you are right for the course.

All postgraduate personal statements should be unique and tailored to the Masters course you're applying to. This is your chance to showcase your academic interests and abilities, why you would be a valuable student for admissions tutors to have in their department, and how it will help you with your ambitions and future career plans.

How long should my postgraduate personal statement be?

A postgraduate personal statement should usually be around 500 words long. This is roughly one side of A4, although some universities may ask for up to two sides, and others might set a character limit instead of a specific word count. This is why it's important to check the guidelines before you begin writing your first draft.

Don't include information that is already in the rest of the application form - instead, focus on why you want to study a particular programme and how you will successfully complete the course.

How do I write a good postgraduate personal statement?

To make sure your postgraduate personal statement is a success, we recommend following these top tips:

1. Tailor each application

A postgraduate personal statement is a document used to highlight your personal experience, skills, grades and other supporting factors that will assist when you embark on completing a postgraduate application, either for a Taught Masters , Research Masters or PhD .

Each time you submit an application, you will usually be required to write a personal statement.

Do not use the same statement for each application – each one will require slightly different content depending on the university you are applying to and the content of the course. 

Therefore it’s important to research each university and what’s involved in each course, so you can see what is unique about each of your choices and how they each stand apart from the others.

2. Don't write too much

Typically you will be allowed around 1 side of A4 to say why you think you should be accepted on to the course. The structure of your statement we will cover later in this article as there are many things to consider first. 

Sometimes you will just be asked to provide a statement that supports your application, though at other times you will be given more of a description of what to include. 

For example, if you are applying for a PGCE course you may choose to use the following tip:

Describe briefly your reasons for wanting to teach giving the relevance of your previous education and experience, including teaching, visits to schools and work with other young people.

There will be times when you are not given any clear indication of what you should include in your statement, so we’ve written some guidelines to help you put together a well-structured statement.

Our advice is aimed at giving you a outline to follow if this is the case. 

3. Make some notes about yourself

Before starting to write your first draft of your personal statement , use the questions below as a guide.

Try to put together a paragraph of 2 or 3 sentences for each question, as this will help you construct a good personal statement that focuses on what the reader is interested to find out. Think about:

• Why do you want to pursue postgraduate study? This would likely to be based around your career choice and personal development and achievement.
• What are your reasons for wanting to study at a particular university? It may be the university’s educational reputation, the course you want to join is highly recommended for excellence, or that the location is where you would like to pursue your career goals following completion of you course. 
• Why is this particular course of most interest to you? Perhaps consider the career route you wish to take means the course is highly relevant to that choice or that you want to study it because of  your personal interests. 
• What aspects of the course are of particular interest to you? e.g. specialist modules, work placement opportunity. You may have discovered that the chance of work experience whilst you study; or the excellent job prospects upon completion of your course are particularly alluring. 
• What previous academic and practical experience have you got that shows your interest in your chosen subject? Did you take up work experience whilst studying at your last educational facility or were your grades particularly impressive? Maybe you have been part of a specialist club or have taken on additional interests in your chosen subject. What about mentioning if you took a year out to get involved in a relevant activity? Make sure you include everything that is relevant to your application.
• What skills do you have that will help you make the transition between undergraduate and postgraduate study and make you succeed in the research area? Consider in this area if you have taken part in a skills programme which helps you with language and study as an undergraduate or postgraduate. Think about the skills you learned or developed during your undergraduate degree or other previous studies. These might include time management, IT, numeracy, communication or analytical skills, as well as practical skills gained from field or laboratory work. Try to give an example that demonstrates you have each of these skills - admissions tutors want to see proof behind your claims. 

4. Use examples

Now you've made some notes, go through them and make sure you can back up what you want to say with examples.

Remember that you need to show, not tell, so jot down as many examples as you can, including achievements, skills and knowledge.

The points above in number 3. should help you with this, and if you need some inspiration, take a look at our postgraduate personal statement examples .

5. Pay attention to detail

• Always use good vocabulary and grammar – well-written sentences that flow easily will make your statement more fresh and dynamic compared to other applicants. There are many ways to discover good grammar and language by visiting the library or going online - some pieces of software available free of charge can check your grammar for you. Avoid Americanisation’s (unless of course you are American!).
• Do not use overly long sentences.
• Try to keep the tone of your statement positive and enthusiastic. You also need to demonstrate you are able to make the points required in a concise manner, and make sure you adhere to the word limit.
• Write a draft and keep checking it, shortening if you need to and rewriting it until it feels right. Perhaps get someone else to read it and provide you with any errors they spot as you tweak it. When you've completed your final draft, make sure you use the spelling and grammar checker on your computer to correct any obvious mistakes.

6. Structure your statement

Make sure your statement has a good structure, with a clear introduction, main body and conclusion.

The aim of the introduction is to grab the reader’s attention and hold it so they remain interested and read to the end of your statement.

In the main body of the statement you should concentrate on relating your skills, knowledge and experience in the field and how this relates to the course you are applying for.

When you think your statement is as good as you can make it, ask a few friends or family members to take a look at it and see if they can suggest any improvements. You could also ask one of your last teachers to check it for you.

Print off a copy of each statement you write as what you have written will probably be referred to in your interview. It’s important you remember what you have written so you can answer any questions from the admissions tutors as fully as possible.

7. Sell yourself

As mentioned above, there are many different things to include, which you will need if you are going to sell youself as much as possible.

The following is a list of areas you could potentially cover in your statement, remembering to keep a positive view on all of the things you choose to include: 

• Why you want to do this particular course/study this particular area of research – write down your reasons why you are interested in and enthusiastic about pursuing further study into the field. 
• Convey your motivation and mention any relevant projects, dissertations or essays that demonstrate your skills. Put down anything that shows creativity, responsibility and independence.
• You should also mention any prizes or awards you have, plus any relevant travelling experiences or time spent studying abroad. 

8. Make sure it's personal

It's important to remember that a personal statement is meant to be "personal".

Almost every postgraduate course requires one, it provides the department with information about you whereas your application will cover the formal details such as where you last studied, your grades, which course you are applying for. 

No matter which course you intend to apply to you will need to consider the language that you use, get the grammar and spelling correct, and make sure it is tailored to the course and university you are applying to.

There's nobody else who knows you and your experiences as well as you do, so you are the best person to write your personal statement in order to present yourself in the best possible light. 

You may wish to ask yourself this question – could my personal statement apply equally to, say, my friend or my neighbour? 

If the answer is "yes" then it is probably too general and you need to make it more specific and more personal.

9. Leave plenty of time

Don't underestimate how difficult it can be to write a good personal statement that will do you justice. Therefore make sure you give yourself ample time to write it.

Start writing your notes and getting your first draft together early, then you won't have the added pressure of trying to meet the deadline.

Further information

For more tips and advice on applying for a postgraduate course, please see:

• Should I do a Masters course?
• Pros and cons
• Postgraduate courses
• Entry requirements
• Choosing a university
• Taught vs Research Masters
• Taught Masters Degree
• Personal statement examples
• Postgraduate funding

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By Nik Taylor (Editor, The Uni Guide) | 18 August 2023 | 22 min read

How to write an excellent personal statement in 10 steps

Stand out from the crowd: here's how to write a good personal statement that will get you noticed

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Your personal statement forms a core part of your university application, and the sooner you get going, the better you can make it. You may think that your personal statement won’t matter as much to unis as your grades and experience but a great personal statement could make all the difference between you and a candidate with the same grades. Sure, your application might not reach that deal breaker stage. But is it something you want to leave to chance?  Here we’ll take you through the process of planning, writing and checking a good personal statement, so you end up with something you can submit with confidence. And to make sure the advice we're giving you is sound, we’ve spoken to admissions staff at loads of UK universities to get their view. Look out for video interviews and advice on applying for specific subjects throughout this piece or watch our personal statement playlist on YouTube .

• Are you looking for personal statement examples? Check our library of hundreds of real personal statements, on The Student Room

Personal statement deadlines

You'll need to make sure you've got your personal statement written well in advance of your application deadline. Below are the main university application deadline dates for 2024 entry.

2024 entry deadlines

16 October 2023: Deadline for applications to Oxford and Cambridge universities, along with most medicine, dentistry, and veterinary courses.   31 January 2024: Deadline for applications to the majority of undergraduate courses. After this date, universities will start allocating places on these courses –   but you can still apply after the 31 January deadline , as this article explains . 30 June 2024:  Students who apply after this date will be entered into Clearing .

• Read more: Ucas deadlines and key application dates

What is a personal statement?

A personal statement is a central part of your Ucas application, where you explain why you’ve chosen a particular course and why you’ll be good at it. It's your chance to stand out against other candidates and hopefully get that all-important offer. You only write one personal statement which is then read by each university you apply to, so if you are applying for more than one subject (or it's a combined course) it's crucial that you include common themes or reference the overall skills needed for all subjects. Personal statements are especially important if you’re trying to get on a very competitive course, where you need to do anything you can to stand out to admissions tutors. Courteney Sheppard, senior customer experience manager at Ucas, advises that your personal statement is "the only part of the application that you have direct control over. Do lots of research to demonstrate your passion, curiosity and drive to pursue your chosen subject." There’s a limit on how much you can write: your personal statement can be up to 4,000 characters (including spaces) or 47 lines of 95 characters (including spaces); whichever is shorter. This may appear generous (read: long) but once you've got going you may find yourself having to edit heavily.

• Read more: teacher secrets for writing a great personal statement

1. Plan what you want to cover

The first thing you need to do is make a plan. Writing a personal statement off the top of your head is difficult. Start by making some notes, answering the following questions:

• What do you want to study?
• Why do you want to study it?
• What is there about you that shows you’re suited to studying this subject at university? Think about your personality, as well as your experiences.
• What are your other interests and skills?

These few points are going to form the spine of your personal statement, so write them in a way that makes sense to you. You might want to make a simple bulleted list or you might want to get all arty and use a mindmap. Whatever you choose, your aim is the same. You want to get it clear in your own head why a university should offer you a place on its course. Getting those details down isn't always easy, and some people find it helpful to make notes over time. You might try carrying a notebook with you or set up a memo on your phone. Whenever you think of something useful for your personal statement, jot it down. Inspiration sometimes comes more easily when you’re thinking about something else entirely. It might help to take a look at The Student Room for some sample personal statements by university and sample personal statements by subjects , to give you an idea of the kind of thing you want to include. 

• Read more: personal statement FAQs

2. Show off your experience

Some things are worth adding to your personal statement, some things are not. Firmly in the second camp are your qualifications. You don’t need to mention these as there’s a whole other section of your personal statement where you get to detail them very precisely. Don’t waste a single character going on about how great your GCSE grades are – it’s not what the admissions tutor wants to read. What they do want to see is: what have you done? OK, so you’ve got some good grades, but so do a lot of other applicants. What have you done that’s different, that shows you off as someone who really loves the subject you’re applying for? Spend some time thinking about all the experience you have in that subject. If you’re lucky, this might be direct work experience. That’s going to be particularly appropriate if you’re applying for one of the more vocational subjects such as medicine or journalism . But uni staff realise getting plum work experience placements is easier for some people than others, so cast your net wider when you’re thinking about what you’ve done. How about after-school clubs? Debating societies? Are you running a blog or vlog? What key skills and experience have you picked up elsewhere (eg from hobbies) that could be tied in with your course choice? Remember, you’re looking for experience that shows why you want to study your chosen subject. You’re not just writing an essay about what you're doing in your A-level syllabus. Use this checklist as a guide for what to include:

• Your interest in the course. Why do you want to spend three years studying this subject at university?
• What have you done outside school or college that demonstrates this interest? Think about things like fairs/exhibitions, public lectures or voluntary work that is relevant to your subject.
• Relevant work experience (essential for the likes of medicine, not required for non-vocational courses such as English )
• Skills and qualities required for that career if appropriate (medicine, nursing and law as obvious examples)
• Interest in your current studies – what particular topics have made an impression on you?
• Any other interests/hobbies/experiences you wish to mention that are relevant either to the subject or 'going to uni'. Don't just list your hobbies, you need to be very selective and state clearly what difference doing these things has made to you.
• Plans for a gap year if you’re deferring entry.

Read more: 6 steps you need to take to apply to university

3. Be bold about your achievements

Don't be bashful about your achievements; that’s not going to help you get into uni. It's time to unleash your inner Muhammed Ali and get all “I am the greatest” with your writing. Do keep it focused and accurate. Do keep your language professional. But don’t hide your qualities beneath a layer of false modesty. Your personal statement is a sell – you are selling yourself as a brilliant student and you need to show the reader why that is true. This doesn’t come naturally to everyone, and if you’re finding it difficult to write about how great you are it’s time to enlist some help. Round up a friend or two, a family member, a teacher, whoever and get them to write down your qualities. Getting someone else’s view here can help you get some perspective. Don’t be shy. You are selling your skills, your experience and your enthusiasm – make sure they all leap off the screen with the way you have described them.

• Read more: the ten biggest mistakes when writing your personal statement  

4. How to start your personal statement

Type your personal statement in a cloud-based word processing program, such as Google Docs or Microsoft Word and don’t copy and paste it into Ucas Hub until it’s finished.  One of the benefits of doing it this way is that you can run spell check easily. (Please note, though, that Word adds "curly" quotation marks and other characters (like é or ü) that won't show up on your Ucas form, so do proofread it on Ucas Hub before submitting it to ensure it is how you typed it.)  Another big benefit is that you'll always have a backup of what you've written. If you're being super careful, you could always save your statement in another place as well. Bear in mind that extra spaces (eg adding spaces to the beginnings of paragraphs as indentation) are removed on Ucas. In your first sentence, cut to the chase. Why do you want to do the course? Don’t waste any time rambling on about the daydreams you had when you were five. Just be clear and concise – describe in one line why this course is so important to you. Then, in the rest of your intro, go into more detail in demonstrating your enthusiasm for the course and explaining how you decided this is what you want to do for the next three or more years. However you choose to start your statement, just avoid the following hoary old chestnuts. These have been some of the most used lines in personal statements over the years – they are beyond cliche, so don’t even think about it.

• From a young age I have (always) been [interested in/fascinated by]…
• For as long as I can remember, I have…
• I am applying for this course because… 
• I have always been interested in… 
• Throughout my life I have always enjoyed… 
• Reflecting on my educational experiences… 
• [Subject] is a very challenging and demanding [career/profession/course]… 
• Academically, I have always been… 
• I have always wanted to pursue a career in… 
• I have always been passionate about…   

5. Focus your writing on why you've chosen that subject

So you’ve got your intro done – time to nail the rest of it. Bear in mind that you’ve got to be a little bit careful when following a personal statement template. It’s easy to fall into the trap of copying someone else’s style, and in the process lose all of your own voice and personality from your writing. But there is a rough order that you can follow, which should help keep you in your flow. After your opening paragraph or two, get into any work experience (if you’ve got it). Talk about extracurriculars: anything you've done which is relevant to the subject can go here – hobbies, interests, volunteering. Touch on your career aspirations – where do you want this course to take you? Next, show your enthusiasm for your current studies. Cite some specific examples of current work that you enjoyed. Show off your relevant skills and qualities by explaining how you’ve used these in the past. Make sure you’re giving real-world examples here, not just vague assertions like “I’m really organised and motivated”. Try to use examples that are relevant.   Follow this up with something about you as a person. Talk about non-academic stuff that you like to do, but link it in some way with the course, or with how it shows your maturity for dealing with uni life. Round it all off by bringing your main points together, including a final emphasis of your commitment to studying this particular course.

• Read more: how to write your personal statement in an evening  

6. How long should a personal statement be?

You've got to work to a very specific limit when writing your personal statement. In theory you could use up to 4,000 characters – but you’re probably more likely to be limited by the line count. That's because it's a good idea to put line breaks in between your paragraphs (to make it more readable) and you only get a maximum of 47 lines. With this in mind, 3,500 characters is a more realistic limit. But when you’re getting started you should ignore these limits completely. At first, you just want to get down everything that you feel is important. You'll probably end up with something that is far too long, but that's fine. This is where you get to do some polishing and pruning. Keep the focus of your piece on the course you’re applying for, why you want to do it and why you’re perfectly suited to it. Look through what you’ve written so far – have you got the balance right? Chop out anything that goes on a bit, as you want each point to be snappy and succinct.

• Read more: universities reveal all about personal statements  

7. Keep it simple

8. Smart ways to end your personal statement

Writing a closing line that you’re happy with can feel as tricky as coming up with your opener. What you’re looking for here is a sign-off that is bold and memorable. The final couple of sentences in your statement give you the opportunity to emphasise all the good stuff you’ve already covered. Use this space to leave the reader in no doubt as to what an excellent addition you would be to their university. Pull together all your key points and – most importantly – address the central question that your personal statement should answer: why should you get a place on the course?

• Read more: universities explain how to end your personal statement with a bang  

9. Make sure your personal statement has no mistakes

Now you’ve got a personal statement you’re happy with, you need to make sure there are no mistakes. Check it, check it a second time, then check it again. Once you’ve done that, get someone else to check it, too. You will be doing yourself a massive disservice if you send through a personal statement with spelling and/or grammatical errors. You’ve got months to put this together so there really is no excuse for sending through something that looks like a rush job. Ask your teachers to look at it, and be prepared to accept their feedback without getting defensive. They will have seen many personal statements before; use what they tell you to make yours even better. You’ve also got another chance here to look through the content of your personal statement, so you can make sure the balance is right. Make sure your focus is very clearly on the subject you are applying for and why you want to study it. Don’t post your personal statement on the internet or social media where anyone can see it. You will get picked up by the Ucas plagiarism checker. Similarly, don't copy any that you find online. Instead, now is a good time to make your parents feel useful. Read your personal statement out to them and get them to give you feedback. Or try printing it out and mixing it up with a few others (you can find sample personal statements on The Student Room). Get them to read them all and then try to pick yours out. If they can't, perhaps there's not enough of your personality in there.  

10. Don't think about your personal statement for a whole week

If you followed the advice at the very start of this guide, you’ve started your personal statement early. Good job! There are months before you need to submit it. Use one of these weeks to forget about your personal statement completely. Get on with other things – anything you like. Just don’t go near your statement. Give it a whole week and then open up the document again and read through it with fresh eyes. You’ll gain a whole new perspective on what you’ve written and will be well placed to make more changes, if needed.

• Read more: how to write your personal statement when you have nothing interesting to say  

10 steps to your ideal personal statement

In summary, here are the ten steps you should follow to create the perfect personal statement.  

Personal statement dos and don'ts

• Remember that your personal statement is your personal statement, not an article written about your intended field of study. It should tell the reader about you, not about the subject.
• Only put in things that you’re prepared to talk about at the interviews.
• Give convincing reasons for why you want to study the course – more than just "enjoying the subject" (this should be a given).
• For very competitive courses, find out as much as you can about the nature of the course and try to make your personal statement relevant to this.
• Be reflective. If you make a point like 'I like reading', 'I travelled abroad', say what you got from it.
• Go through the whole thing checking your grammar and your spelling. Do this at least twice. It doesn’t matter if you’re not applying to an essay-based course – a personal statement riddled with spelling mistakes is just going to irritate the reader, which is the last thing you want to do. If this is something you find difficult then have someone look over it for you.
• Leave blank lines between your paragraphs. It’s easier for the reader to get through your personal statement when it’s broken into easily digestible chunks. Remember that they’re going to be reading a lot of these! Make yours easy to get through.
• Get someone else's opinion on your statement. Read it out to family or friends. Share it with your teacher. Look for feedback wherever you can find it, then act upon it.
• Don’t write it like a letter. Kicking off with a greeting such as "Dear Sir/Madam" not only looks weird, it also wastes precious space.
• Don’t make jokes. This is simply not the time – save them for your first night in the union.
• Don’t criticise your current school or college or try to blame teachers for any disappointing grades you might have got.
• Be afraid of details – if you want your PS to be personal to you that means explaining exactly which bits of work or topics or activities you've taken part in/enjoyed. It's much more compelling to read about one or two detailed examples than a paragraph that brushes over five or six.
• Just list what you're doing now. You should pull out the experiences that are relevant to the courses which you're applying to.
• Mention skills and activities without giving examples of when they have been demonstrated by you or what you learnt from them. Anyone can write "I have great leadership skills" in a PS, actually using a sentence to explain when you demonstrated good leadership skills is much rarer and more valuable.
• Refer to experiences that took place before your GCSEs (or equivalent).
• Give explanations about medical or mental health problems. These should be explained in your reference, not your PS.
• Apply for too many different courses, making it difficult to write a convincing personal statement which supports the application.
• Write a statement specific to just one institution, unless you're only applying to that one choice.
• Copy and paste the statement from somewhere else! This means do not plagiarise. All statements are automatically checked for plagiarism by Ucas. Those that are highlighted by the computer system are checked manually by Ucas staff. If you’re found to have plagiarised parts of your statement, the universities you apply to will be informed and it could jeopardise your applications.
• Use ChatGPT or another AI program to write your personal statement for you. Or, if you do, make sure you thoroughly edit and personalise the text so it's truly yours. Otherwise you're very much at risk of the plagiarism point above.

You may want to look at these...

How to write your university application.

Tips for writing your university application, including deadlines and personal statements

The Ucas personal statement is changing in 2025

A question-based personal statement will be required as part of university applications from autumn 2025 onwards

How long does it take for universities to reply to your application?

It might feel like it's taking forever for your uni offers to come through. Find out what's going on, and when you should hear back

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How to Write a Statement of Purpose for Grad School

Posted by Luke Dane | Aug 13, 2024 | Master's Programs

Graduate school is an educational endeavor that requires hard work, dedication, and standing out from the crowd. In addition to submitting undergraduate transcripts, GRE test results, and letters of recommendation, graduate school applicants must write a statement of purpose. 

A statement of purpose, also known as a personal statement, allows applicants to explain what they want to get out of graduate school and why they’re a good fit. 

“Your statement of purpose is your one opportunity to showcase your unique experiences, future goals, and how the graduate program will help you achieve those goals. Your statement should be authentic, relevant, concise, and professional,” said Precious Jordan-Talley , SDSU Global Campus Admissions Supervisor. 

Writing your first statement of purpose may feel daunting, but these tips and tricks will help you get the ball rolling. 

Understand the Prompt 

While the outline is similar, each grad school has its own prompt. Regardless of the specific prompt, your statement should answer: 

• What do you want to study and why
• What experiences do you have in your field
• What do you plan to do with your graduate degree 

Admissions committees seek out applicants who provide clear responses to these questions and demonstrate their plans and interests based on their expertise. Overall, Your statement of purpose should answer why you chose your field of study and why you have the background to excel in it. 

Show Your Best Self 

Including additional skills on your statement of purpose can help strengthen your application, but be selective about which skills you choose to add. 

Instead of adding all the skills in your pocket, hone in on the ones you can apply to your degree. Weave in personal anecdotes that showcase your skills to upgrade your statement of purpose from an application to a story. 

For example, many graduate students get to teach undergraduate classes. Therefore, including skills like teaching, public speaking, or communication would be beneficial skills to add. 

Stand Out From Others 

As of fall 2020, graduate school applications rose 7.3% , making it more crucial than ever to stand out from the crowd of applicants. 

Making your statement of purpose a story is a great way to set yourself apart from others. Simply put, describe how your skills, experiences, and backgrounds shaped you into who you are today.

Let’s say you’re applying for our master’s in meeting and event management. Instead of listing your experience in this industry, provide a story of how you developed an interest in this field through exploring and honing different skills. 

Listen to Feedback 

Receiving feedback from a trusted mentor, preferably a professor writing your letter of recommendation, is crucial before submitting your statement of purpose. Having another expert edit your paper can help with content, spelling, grammar, and word choice. 

Editors can also give you a new perspective. Since they have a fresh set of eyes, they can see your topics from another angle and offer suggestions to improve the quality of your statement. They can help you develop new perspectives to incorporate into your writing. 

“You’ll want to strive for depth by highlighting key experiences that can attest to your qualifications, problem-solving skills, and achievements,” said Precious Jordan-Talley . “Make sure there is a smooth and logical flow throughout your essay and solicit feedback from professors or colleagues to gain different perspectives and make improvements. I recommend exploring courses with Ed2Go to brush up on your writing skills.”

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• Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/fact-checking-attacks-on-walzs-military-record-by-vance-and-other-republicans

Fact-checking attacks on Walz’s military record by Vance and other Republicans

This fact check originally appeared on PolitiFact .

Republican vice presidential nominee and Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance sought to negatively frame the 24-year military career of newly minted Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz, Minnesota’s current governor.

“When the United States Marine Corps, when the United States of America, asked me to go to Iraq to serve my country, I did it,” Vance  said  Aug. 7 at the Shelby, Michigan, police department. Vance  served  as a combat correspondent for the U.S. Marine Corps from 2003 to 2007 and deployed to Iraq for six months in 2005 but  did not experience combat .

Vance continued, “When Tim Walz was asked by his country to go to Iraq, do you know what he did? He dropped out of the Army and allowed his unit to go without him. … I think it’s shameful.” At a different event, Vance used the phrase “ stolen valor ” to describe his accusations against Walz.

On X, Rep. Ronny Jackson, R-Texas, made a  claim similar to Vance’s,  writing, “Tim Walz TURNED HIS BACK on the soldiers in his unit because he was TOO afraid to deploy to Iraq!!”

READ MORE: Democrats defend Walz’s military record as Vance, GOP begin attacks

Walz retired from the Minnesota National Guard in May 2005. He had submitted retirement paperwork five to seven months beforehand, Fox News  reported , citing the Minnesota National Guard.

In March 2005, Walz’s battalion had been notified about a possible deployment to Iraq within two years, Walz’s congressional campaign said in a  news release  that month, citing the National Guard Public Affairs Office. The Minnesota National Guard said the battalion then received an official order about mobilizing for deployment to Iraq in July 2005, after Walz retired.

Vance’s statement misleads by distorting the timeline. Walz had not been “asked by his country to go to Iraq,” as Vance said. He had been given a two-year window for a potential, not definite, deployment. And the official deployment notice came after Walz’s retirement.

Walz has said since before his Army retirement that he left to run for Congress. He filed his candidacy paperwork in February 2005, before the March 2005 notification about the potential deployment.

This is not a new line of attack. When Walz ran for a second term as Minnesota governor in 2022, his Republican opponent, who did not serve in the U.S. military,  criticized  Walz for leaving the National Guard before his unit deployed to Iraq.

Two retired Minnesota National Guard command sergeant majors also  penned a paid letter  to a Minnesota newspaper in 2018 claiming Walz “embellished and selectively omitted facts” about his military service. This letter resurfaced on X after Vice President Kamala Harris tapped Walz as her running mate. Other  guard   members  who served with Walz have defended him.

Walz’s spokesperson in the Minnesota governor’s office did not respond to a request for comment, and the Harris-Walz campaign declined to comment.

When reached by  The New York Times , a Harris-Walz campaign spokesperson didn’t provide new details about Walz’s retirement timeline and instead highlighted Walz’s record advocating for veterans and their families.

When contacted for comment, Vance’s campaign spokesperson sent links to the 2005 Walz campaign news release about the potential deployment and several news stories that quote former members of Walz’s battalion who were upset with him for not deploying to Iraq.

Walz’s military timeline

Walz enlisted in the Nebraska National Guard on April 8, 1981, two days after his 17th birthday. In 1996, Walz transferred to the Minnesota National Guard, where he served in the 1st Battalion, 125th Field Artillery until he retired May 16, 2005, Army Lt. Col. Kristen Augé, Minnesota National Guard’s state public affairs officer, told PolitiFact in a statement.

During his service, Walz responded to floods and tornadoes, specialized in heavy artillery and was recognized for his proficiency in sharpshooting and hand grenades, Minnesota Public Radio  reported .

On Aug. 3, 2003, Walz and his battalion were deployed to Italy to support U.S. operations in Afghanistan under Operation Enduring Freedom. Walz returned to Minnesota in April 2004, Augé said.

WATCH: A look at Walz’s record and how he could bolster Democratic support in the Midwest

In May 2005, Walz, then 41, officially retired from the Minnesota National Guard to campaign for Minnesota’s 1st Congressional District. He  filed  his statement of candidacy paperwork with the Federal Election Commission on Feb. 10, 2005. Walz was elected to Congress in November 2006.

Al Bonnifield, who served with Walz in the Minnesota National Guard, told  Minnesota Public Radio  in 2018 that Walz weighed his retirement from the guard and congressional run “very heavy.” Bonnifield reiterated this to  The Washington Post  on Aug. 7.

“Would the soldier look down on him because he didn’t go with us? Would the common soldier say, ‘Hey, he didn’t go with us, he’s trying to skip out on a deployment?’ And he wasn’t,” Bonnifield said in 2018.

Doug Julin, who served as a more senior command sergeant major in Walz’s battalion, said Walz went over his head to get retirement approval before the unit’s deployment was official, because Julin would have “analyzed it and challenged him,” the  New York Post  reported Aug. 8.

Others who served in Walz’s battalion have said he “ditched” them and his actions were “dishonorable,” Fox News  reported .

Battalion’s deployment to Iraq

Walz’s unit received an “alert order” for mobilization to Iraq on July 14, 2005, Army Lt. Col. Ryan Rossman, Minnesota National Guard’s director of operations, told PolitiFact in a statement.

The unit received the official Department of the Army mobilization order Aug. 14, 2005, and mobilized Oct. 12, 2005, Rossman said.

The unit deployed to Iraq in March 2006 and was deployed for 19 months, according to an October 2007  congressional resolution .

The two retired Minnesota National Guard command sergeant majors who wrote the 2018 letter said the battalion received a “warning order” in early 2005 “to prepare to be mobilized for active duty for a deployment to Iraq.” They did not specify the warning letter’s date. Augé of the Minnesota National Guard told PolitiFact the agency doesn’t have information about any unofficial orders that might have been sent to the battalion.

An  archived March 20, 2005, press release  from Walz’s congressional campaign website said the National Guard Public Affairs Office announced March 17, 2005, “a possible partial mobilization of roughly 2,000 troops from the Minnesota National Guard.” The announcement said a portion of Walz’s battalion could be mobilized to serve in Iraq within the next two years.

Walz said in his campaign’s press release, “As Command Sergeant Major I have a responsibility not only to ready my battalion for Iraq, but also to serve if called on. I am dedicated to serving my country to the best of my ability, whether that is in Washington, D.C., or in Iraq. I don’t want to speculate on what shape my campaign will take if I am deployed, but I have no plans to drop out of the race.”

Although Walz had been  promoted  in 2004 to command sergeant major, he retired in 2005 as a master sergeant,  one rank below  command sergeant major, “for benefit purposes because he did not complete additional coursework at the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy,” Augé said.

Joseph Eustice, a 32-year military veteran who served in and led the same guard unit as Walz, told  The New York Times  and  NewsNation  in Aug. 7 interviews that when Walz decided to retire in May 2005, their unit had heard rumors of a potential deployment to Iraq, but had not received official orders.

Vance said, “When Tim Walz was asked by his country to go to Iraq, do you know what he did? He dropped out of the Army and allowed his unit to go without him.”

Vance’s statement ignores that Walz’s unit was not officially ordered to go to Iraq until July 2005, two months after Walz officially retired.

After 24 years of military service, Walz said he retired from the Minnesota National Guard in May 2005 to run for Congress. He had submitted retirement paperwork five to seven months beforehand. He filed candidacy paperwork in February 2005.

READ MORE: 5 things to know about Tim Walz, Kamala Harris’ VP pick

There’s an element of truth in Vance’s statement because in March 2005, before Walz officially retired, his battalion was notified of possible deployment to Iraq within two years. Walz was aware at the time of his retirement that deployment could be possible and one of his fellow guard members described Walz’s retirement decision as “very heavy.”

But the March 2005 notification gave a time frame of two years for a possible — not definite — deployment that would not occur immediately, which is the way Vance’s statement framed it.

At PolitiFact, the burden of proof is on the speaker, Vance, who did not provide details to support his statement. We rate it Mostly False.

PolitiFact Researcher Caryn Baird contributed to this report.

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How to cite ChatGPT

Use discount code STYLEBLOG15 for 15% off APA Style print products with free shipping in the United States.

We, the APA Style team, are not robots. We can all pass a CAPTCHA test , and we know our roles in a Turing test . And, like so many nonrobot human beings this year, we’ve spent a fair amount of time reading, learning, and thinking about issues related to large language models, artificial intelligence (AI), AI-generated text, and specifically ChatGPT . We’ve also been gathering opinions and feedback about the use and citation of ChatGPT. Thank you to everyone who has contributed and shared ideas, opinions, research, and feedback.

In this post, I discuss situations where students and researchers use ChatGPT to create text and to facilitate their research, not to write the full text of their paper or manuscript. We know instructors have differing opinions about how or even whether students should use ChatGPT, and we’ll be continuing to collect feedback about instructor and student questions. As always, defer to instructor guidelines when writing student papers. For more about guidelines and policies about student and author use of ChatGPT, see the last section of this post.

Quoting or reproducing the text created by ChatGPT in your paper

If you’ve used ChatGPT or other AI tools in your research, describe how you used the tool in your Method section or in a comparable section of your paper. For literature reviews or other types of essays or response or reaction papers, you might describe how you used the tool in your introduction. In your text, provide the prompt you used and then any portion of the relevant text that was generated in response.

Unfortunately, the results of a ChatGPT “chat” are not retrievable by other readers, and although nonretrievable data or quotations in APA Style papers are usually cited as personal communications , with ChatGPT-generated text there is no person communicating. Quoting ChatGPT’s text from a chat session is therefore more like sharing an algorithm’s output; thus, credit the author of the algorithm with a reference list entry and the corresponding in-text citation.

When prompted with “Is the left brain right brain divide real or a metaphor?” the ChatGPT-generated text indicated that although the two brain hemispheres are somewhat specialized, “the notation that people can be characterized as ‘left-brained’ or ‘right-brained’ is considered to be an oversimplification and a popular myth” (OpenAI, 2023).

OpenAI. (2023). ChatGPT (Mar 14 version) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com/chat

You may also put the full text of long responses from ChatGPT in an appendix of your paper or in online supplemental materials, so readers have access to the exact text that was generated. It is particularly important to document the exact text created because ChatGPT will generate a unique response in each chat session, even if given the same prompt. If you create appendices or supplemental materials, remember that each should be called out at least once in the body of your APA Style paper.

When given a follow-up prompt of “What is a more accurate representation?” the ChatGPT-generated text indicated that “different brain regions work together to support various cognitive processes” and “the functional specialization of different regions can change in response to experience and environmental factors” (OpenAI, 2023; see Appendix A for the full transcript).

Creating a reference to ChatGPT or other AI models and software

The in-text citations and references above are adapted from the reference template for software in Section 10.10 of the Publication Manual (American Psychological Association, 2020, Chapter 10). Although here we focus on ChatGPT, because these guidelines are based on the software template, they can be adapted to note the use of other large language models (e.g., Bard), algorithms, and similar software.

The reference and in-text citations for ChatGPT are formatted as follows:

• Parenthetical citation: (OpenAI, 2023)
• Narrative citation: OpenAI (2023)

Let’s break that reference down and look at the four elements (author, date, title, and source):

Author: The author of the model is OpenAI.

Date: The date is the year of the version you used. Following the template in Section 10.10, you need to include only the year, not the exact date. The version number provides the specific date information a reader might need.

Title: The name of the model is “ChatGPT,” so that serves as the title and is italicized in your reference, as shown in the template. Although OpenAI labels unique iterations (i.e., ChatGPT-3, ChatGPT-4), they are using “ChatGPT” as the general name of the model, with updates identified with version numbers.

The version number is included after the title in parentheses. The format for the version number in ChatGPT references includes the date because that is how OpenAI is labeling the versions. Different large language models or software might use different version numbering; use the version number in the format the author or publisher provides, which may be a numbering system (e.g., Version 2.0) or other methods.

Bracketed text is used in references for additional descriptions when they are needed to help a reader understand what’s being cited. References for a number of common sources, such as journal articles and books, do not include bracketed descriptions, but things outside of the typical peer-reviewed system often do. In the case of a reference for ChatGPT, provide the descriptor “Large language model” in square brackets. OpenAI describes ChatGPT-4 as a “large multimodal model,” so that description may be provided instead if you are using ChatGPT-4. Later versions and software or models from other companies may need different descriptions, based on how the publishers describe the model. The goal of the bracketed text is to briefly describe the kind of model to your reader.

Source: When the publisher name and the author name are the same, do not repeat the publisher name in the source element of the reference, and move directly to the URL. This is the case for ChatGPT. The URL for ChatGPT is https://chat.openai.com/chat . For other models or products for which you may create a reference, use the URL that links as directly as possible to the source (i.e., the page where you can access the model, not the publisher’s homepage).

Other questions about citing ChatGPT

You may have noticed the confidence with which ChatGPT described the ideas of brain lateralization and how the brain operates, without citing any sources. I asked for a list of sources to support those claims and ChatGPT provided five references—four of which I was able to find online. The fifth does not seem to be a real article; the digital object identifier given for that reference belongs to a different article, and I was not able to find any article with the authors, date, title, and source details that ChatGPT provided. Authors using ChatGPT or similar AI tools for research should consider making this scrutiny of the primary sources a standard process. If the sources are real, accurate, and relevant, it may be better to read those original sources to learn from that research and paraphrase or quote from those articles, as applicable, than to use the model’s interpretation of them.

We’ve also received a number of other questions about ChatGPT. Should students be allowed to use it? What guidelines should instructors create for students using AI? Does using AI-generated text constitute plagiarism? Should authors who use ChatGPT credit ChatGPT or OpenAI in their byline? What are the copyright implications ?

On these questions, researchers, editors, instructors, and others are actively debating and creating parameters and guidelines. Many of you have sent us feedback, and we encourage you to continue to do so in the comments below. We will also study the policies and procedures being established by instructors, publishers, and academic institutions, with a goal of creating guidelines that reflect the many real-world applications of AI-generated text.

For questions about manuscript byline credit, plagiarism, and related ChatGPT and AI topics, the APA Style team is seeking the recommendations of APA Journals editors. APA Style guidelines based on those recommendations will be posted on this blog and on the APA Style site later this year.

Update: APA Journals has published policies on the use of generative AI in scholarly materials .

We, the APA Style team humans, appreciate your patience as we navigate these unique challenges and new ways of thinking about how authors, researchers, and students learn, write, and work with new technologies.

American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.). https://doi.org/10.1037/0000165-000

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