best maths personal statement

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Mathematics Personal Statement Guide

Your Personal Statement plays a crucial role in your mathematics university application , as i t’s the first chance you have to introduce yourself as an individual to the admissions tutors .

Y ou can demonstrate your passion to study maths, show the contribution you would make to the cohort, and prove that you have the abilities and motivation to receive an offer.

A lot of applicants struggle to write personal statements. It’s difficult to balance writing about academic interests with personal achievements, keep everything relevant to the maths courses you’re applying to, and fit it all within just over one A4 page of text.

To help you get on the right track, our Personal Statement Guide takes you through everything you need to know to create a great maths personal statement :

Why are Personal Statements Important?
What Should I Include in a Mathematics Personal Statement?
What Should I Avoid in a Mathematics Personal Statement?

Advice on How to Start a Mathematics Personal Statement

Advice on how to finish a mathematics personal statement .

What Should I Avoid in a Mathematics Personal Statement ?

Do not be wishy-washy with your statements . Rather than saying that you have always loved maths, perhaps explain how numbers or equations fit into your world view; rather than saying you like a particular mathematician, discuss their specific contributions and how they have inspired your maths journey.

Being specific and digging down into the academic side of maths is what is really going to impress admissions tutors.

Avoid cliched statements like the plague . Even though you are passionate about maths, don’t state “I am passionate about maths”; find a less cliched way to say it instead.

Your statement might require several drafts to ensure the language is interesting yet accurate, but it’s worth it: if you came up with something in a minute, then it’s likely so did lots of other applicants.

Don’t be tempted to mention personal achievements that are not related or involve transferable skills relevant to maths. We understand that it’s tempting to include details of your Judo black belt, your gold Duke of Edinburgh award, or your prize for best history essay, but unless you can clearly argue its relevance to studying mathematics, then it won’t impress the tutors.

There are a thousand different ways that you can begin a personal statement, which often makes it the most difficult part of the process.

There’s one one-size-fits-all answer to this: some applicants begin with a quote from a mathematician that has inspired them, others start by discussing what inspired them to pursue maths at university, whilst others jump straight into a discipline that they find most interesting.

The opening of the statement sets the tone for the entire personal statement , so it’s crucial that it’s in your own words and reflects your own personality; admissions tutors will be able to tell if it’s someone else’s words! If you’re struggling to find an opener, we recommend drafting the rest of the personal statement before coming back to write the introduction.

This can help you have a better idea of what opening will best set the groundwork for the rest of the statement body.

Knowing how to close out a personal statement can be just as difficult as beginning one. The final paragraph of your personal statement should round up the statement and summarise your dedication to maths and your academic interest.

Like the opening, the final section of your personal statement will likely need a good few rewrites, so don’t feel disheartened if you haven’t captured it perfectly first time round.

What are some Tips for Writing a Strong Mathematics Personal Statement?
How Long Should my Mathematics Personal Statement Be?
What Kind of Extracurricular Activities Should I Include in my Mathematics Personal Statement?
How Can I Tailor my Mathematics Personal Statement to the Oxford/Cambridge Course?

Getting started is one of the trickiest parts of the personal statement process. We recommend making a big list of everything you have done or are interested in to help focus your mind.

Just because STEM subjects like maths seem less creative than other subjects, it doesn’t mean that your inspiration has to be stale. Perhaps try:

Watching films about maths or mathematics (the most famous examples are Good Will Hunting, Moneyball, and A Beautiful Mind ) to get you in the right frame of mind
Getting into a podcast about maths (Oxford University has one called The Secret of Mathematics )
Reading some accessible maths books (such as Humble Pi: A Comedy of Maths Errors by Matt Parker or The Simpsons and their Mathematical Secrets by Simon Singh)

Remember to Keep note of the things you read, watch, and experience that inspire you as you do them; this will help make writing the statement easier.

UCAS has strict limits for all personal statements: 4,000 characters or 47 lines on the UCAS form (whichever limit is reached first). This is roughly one to two sides of typed A4.

This may feel like a lot of space, but once you get going you’ll realise that it’s not! We recommend using up the majority if not all the space given to you so that you give admissions tutors the best possible idea of who you are as a maths student.

It can be difficult to decide what you should or shouldn’t include in a maths personal statement.

As a general rule, if you include something, you must be able to relate it to maths – either through its content or through transferrable skills.

For example, if you spent time working as a maths tutor or competed in maths competitions, then clearly these are relevant. However, the link you find can be more creative than this: perhaps you have studied multiple languages which exercises your skills at pattern-spotting, or maybe you have won a critical thinking essay competition which demonstrates your problem-solving skills?

The key is to think outside of the box, and for every activity you mention, clearly state how it links to important maths-related skills.

Tailoring a personal statement to any one course is difficult, since the same statement is sent by UCAS to all of your university choices (of which you have up to five). This means that you should not directly mention the specifics of any one course, since it signals to other universities that you are not considering their course as your main option.

Instead, we recommend targeting Oxbridge through the style of your statement: keep it tight to the academic study of maths and demonstrate your analytical skills.

Showing that you’ve researched maths outside of school to a high level, and leaving out any personal interests that don’t relate to maths, is a good way to keep Oxbridge tutors interested.

Book your Mathematics Personal Statement Package

You can contact our Oxbridge-graduate Consultants on +44 (0) 20 7499 2394 or email [email protected] to discuss our personal statement packages.

If you’d like to know more about Mathematics, we have admissions test guidance and interview preparation readily available.

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Mathematics Personal Statement Examples

Hopefully, these examples of Mathematics Personal Statements will help you create a unique statement for your UCAS application .

I have always been fascinated by the world of mathematics and its ability to explain and understand complex phenomena in the world around us. From a young age, I have been drawn to the beauty and elegance of mathematical concepts and their ability to provide answers to some of the most challenging questions we face.

At school, I have excelled in mathematics, consistently achieving top grades in my exams and regularly participating in extra-curricular math competitions. I have particularly enjoyed studying topics such as calculus, algebra, and geometry, and I have found that my natural aptitude for problem-solving has allowed me to excel in these areas.

In addition to my passion for mathematics, I have also developed a strong interest in computer science. I have taught myself several programming languages and have enjoyed using these skills to create my computer programmes and simulations. I believe that the combination of my mathematical knowledge and computer programming skills would make me an ideal candidate for a degree in mathematical sciences.

As a university student, I am eager to continue exploring the fascinating world of mathematics and to push myself to the limits of my abilities. I am confident that a degree in mathematical sciences would provide me with the knowledge and skills necessary to pursue a successful career in this exciting and rewarding field.

I am applying to your university because I believe that it offers an outstanding programme in mathematical sciences, with a strong emphasis on both theoretical and practical applications. I am particularly impressed by the diverse range of research opportunities available, and I am eager to participate in cutting-edge research projects that will challenge and inspire me.

As a student with a passion for mathematics, I am excited at the prospect of studying at such a prestigious institution and I am confident that your programme would provide me with the knowledge and skills necessary to pursue a successful career in this field.

At school, I have consistently achieved top grades in my mathematics exams, and I have regularly participated in extra-curricular math competitions. I have a particular interest in topics such as calculus, algebra, and geometry, and I have found that my natural aptitude for problem-solving has allowed me to excel in these areas.

In addition to my passion for mathematics, I have also developed an interest in computer science. I have taught myself several programming languages and have enjoyed using these skills to create my computer programmes and simulations. I believe that the combination of my mathematical knowledge and computer programming skills would make me an ideal candidate for your degree programme.

As a university student, I am eager to continue exploring the fascinating world of mathematics and to push myself to the limits of my abilities. I am confident that a degree from the University of Cambridge would provide me with the knowledge and skills necessary to pursue a successful career in this exciting and rewarding field.

I am particularly impressed by the wide range of research opportunities available at your university, and I am eager to participate in cutting-edge research projects that will challenge and inspire me. I am also excited by the opportunity to study at such a historic and prestigious institution, and I believe that the intellectual environment at Cambridge would be the perfect place for me to grow and develop as a student.

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By Nik Taylor (Editor, The Uni Guide) | 21 September 2023 | 5 min read

Writing a mathematics personal statement: expert advice from universities

Ace your maths personal statement with these tailored tips from university admissions teams

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The university application personal statement is changing in 2025
University admissions service Ucas has announced that a new style of personal statement will be launched in 2025. This will affect anyone making a university application from autumn 2025 onwards. .

Don’t list out your A-levels

Read more: how to write an excellent personal statement in ten steps

Focus on yourself

Read more: how to write your university application

Don’t use quotes unless you’re expanding on them

Read more: teacher secrets for writing a great personal statement

Mention any maths-related activities you’ve been involved with outside the classroom

Read more: personal statement FAQs

Include your unexpected extracurriculars

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

Don’t make excuses for disappointing grades

Read more: universities reveal all about personal statements

If you’re not taking the traditional A-level route to university…

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

Talk about the future

You may want to look at these..., personal statement secrets – universities reveal all.

Want to know how to craft an amazing personal statement? Take some advice from the experts...

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Sample Math Personal Statement (Oxbridge)

by Talha Omer, M.Eng., Cornell Grad

In personal statement samples by field | personal statements samples by university.

The following personal statement is written by an applicant who got accepted to top graduate programs in math. Variations of this personal statement got accepted at Oxford, and Cambridge university. Read this essay to get inspiration and understand what a top math school PS should look like.

Sample Math Personal Statement for Oxbridge

The challenges involved in problem-solving have always been vital to my passion for studying Mathematics. However, the first beauty of mathematics I observed was in my childhood when I first encountered Geometry.

It was a simple but exciting problem relating to circles; thus, I got myself attached to the subject. I have always been a bright student in Mathematics, and later on, I realized that Mathematics is my thing. Besides Mathematics, no other field grabs my attention. I have also won the National Calculus competition in my country.

Throughout my voyage, I have kept my studies limited to the curriculum. Still, I have also explored different things, which gave me significant exposure to what we have accomplished in Mathematics and what is left for us to do.

I eagerly want to contribute to the development of Mathematics. My current area of research is regarding simplicial complexes, which borrow ideas from Graph Theory and Combinatorics. I want to pursue my education by enrolling in the Math program at Oxford and eventually do Post Doctorate in Pure Mathematics. My area of interest lies in Algebraic Topology and Algebraic Geometry. I want to become a researcher and devote my life to the nourishment of Mathematics.

Aside from that, I am very fond of the Birch and Swinnerton-Dyer Conjecture, which motivated me to choose the abovementioned areas. I learned about this conjecture when searching for methods to determine the solutions of polynomials having two variables. After digging further into things relating to this conjecture, I was amazed and startled by the beautiful work of Bryan Birch, Peter-Swinnerton Dyer (pioneer of the conjecture), Louis Mordell, Gerd Faltings, Manjul Bhargava, and Victor Kolyvagin. Their astonishing and brilliant results grabbed my attention, and I got myself attached to the conjecture.

It is surprising that different branches of Mathematics, such as Number Theory, Topology, and Algebraic Geometry, are connected abstractly. In my leisure time, I’m continuously exploring what has been accomplished so far regarding this conjecture and developing the background of Mathematics that I would need to understand and work on the conjecture. I’m eagerly looking forward to meeting this challenge in life.

Accomplishing such dreams in my country is nearly impossible as we have limited resources and no exposure to modern tools of Mathematics. However, I am much inspired by Oxford University and find it an ideal place for me to pursue my further education. Oxford has a phenomenal reputation globally and has played a significant role in current research and development of Mathematics.

I am very fond of Professor XYZ and Professor XYZ, currently members of the senior faculty at Oxford. There are of research that coincides with my area of interest. Professor XYZ’s work on 3-Dimensional Topology and Differential Geometry is advanced. His lectures on youtube are very insightful and give an excellent understanding of the subject.

On the other hand, Professor XYZ’s expertise in the subject of L-functions would help me understand the BSD conjecture. Besides that, the atmosphere of Oxford is also very appealing as it focuses on the character-building of its students. There are several societies at Oxford for this purpose, one of which is the Oxford Invariants Society. Such activities keep the student attached to people outside their field and allow them to communicate knowledge between them. The exposure of a student is bound to increase in such an atmosphere. Unfortunately, the universities in my country lack such activities, and I dreamed of such an atmosphere. It would be an honor to educate myself in such an ideal institute under the supervision of the mentioned Professors.

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Mathematics personal statements

Mathematics with statistics degree personal statement example (1a)

This is a real personal statement written by a student for their university application. It might help you decide what to include in your own. There are lots more examples in our .

Mathematics and Statistics have interested me all my life and the latter in particular is a large part of my life and my way of thinking. I think mathematics is a most interesting subject. It is amazing that a series of simple numeric characters represent most of the problems in the world. I fell in love with mathematics when I was a young pupil, I selected the right formula and did some simple computational processes and I arrived at the correct answer. I have chosen to study mathematics and statistics at university because I am really addicted to it. I can use mathematics to solve a variety of difficult problems by dividing the problem into smaller parts, then solving each part one by one using logical processes, to achieve the final solution. I think this mode of mathematical thinking is very useful in real life as well, because it can be used to simplify challenging problems.

Statistics as a subject is needed in order to analyse, organise and research data. We can use statistics to work out and analyse if a proposal is going to be successful or not. Statistics is another reason why I am so interested in mathematics. If pure math is abstract, statistics is much closer to our life. We use data to enable an analysis of different views which is likely to lead to an informed decision. Thus important decisions can be made from statistical research. For example a doctor may consider using a new drug instead of an older one, having set up null and alternative hypotheses and testing a sample statistic doctors can make an informed choice based on statistical analysis. If I use statistics, to arrive at a decision it is achieved in a more logical way. I like to explore football statistics and analyse the different player’s performance. For example, what percentage of shots on target does Rooney manage each match?

When I have free time, I like to research the formulae in my school syllabus and explore the historical roots of how someone came up with these. For example, the ‘Stirling formula’, in which Stirling discovered how to work out the natural logarithm of a huge factorial number.

During my work experience for a charity organisation last summer, I had to develop my communication skills when collecting money from people on the street. In addition I was asked to visit the elderly and housebound in their homes, particularly in a situation, when there were few members of their own family. I am able to maintain a good work-life balance by regularly playing sport; football and badminton. The social and physical challenges have helped me to improve my communication skills.

I also enjoy the team aspects of sport, while keeping fit. I am a keen member of a table tennis club and played in the Suffolk tournaments. This experience enables me to meet many professional players, which gives me a breadth of insight into life outside school. Life at school offers me many opportunities which I am able to take up, such as being a member of the Maths Challenge competition. This requires fast mental skills for working out the different questions. It trains my brain and I can put into practice some aspects of A Level Statistics. In addition, I was chosen to be a boarding prefect this year. I am required to share the pastoral responsibility for the male boarders, alongside staff members. This involves me in meeting numerous boarders, who regularly share concerns and joyful events in their lives. Through this experience I have grown more tolerant of people and different cultures.

I hope to use the statistical knowledge for my future as a statistics researcher, where I may work in a survey company which collects data and interprets it. By analysing the mixed data I would enable the company to improve its profit. My aim would be to make the data more organised and reach a satisfactory conclusion. I am really looking forward to university life and to contributing and participating in many aspects of life there, in addition to developing my knowledge and engaging in lively discussions.

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Successful Oxbridge Personal Statements

Your Personal Statement is the first demonstration of your character that the admissions teams at Oxford and Cambridge will see. Your perfect Personal Statement can only be written by yourself as it has to convey exactly who you are, why you want to study at Oxbridge and why you deserve to be there. But that doesn't mean help isn't available. There are many things to learn that can improve the effectiveness of your statement when implemented correctly. One of the best ways to get a deeper understanding of what makes a good Personal Statement is to read successful statements that have transferable qualities. This page features over 25 Successful Oxbridge Personal Statements from a whole variety of subjects. Read through them and learn what makes them so good (as well as the mistakes that some make), so that you can create a strong base for your own writing.

Why are Personal Statements Important?

Your personal statement is essentially you introducing yourself to the Oxbridge admissions teams and explaining why you should be given an offer on their courses. It’s a piece of writing that will have a lasting impact throughout the application process, so you need to make the best first impression.

The admissions teams aren’t just interested in the achievements that you have made or the grades you have earned; they are looking for applicants with the right attitude for the course. They need applicants who can go the extra mile, have a true understanding of the subject and have the qualities needed to become successful in their chosen field. All of these things can be expressed in a well-written personal statement.

How To Prepare for your Personal Statement

Your personal statement may not be prepared for in the same way as an entrance exam, but there are still things you can do both before and during the writing process.

Firstly, it’s a good idea to view examples of successful personal statements, such as the 25 + available below. It helps to view those related to your chosen subject, but there are still benefits to looking through as many as possible.

Beyond this, learning specific techniques and advice from experts will also help. Our Premium Oxbridge Programmes provide a wide variety of support, including books and courses, all of which are designed to help you write the perfect personal statement. View our courses page to find out everything that we can do to help your application.

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We have developed an 80-page E-Book filled with expert Personal Statement Advice. Inside, you’ll find guides on planning and writing your personal statement, as well as our full collection of 25+ Successful Oxbridge Personal Statements.

To access all this for free, just enter your name and email address and you’ll be sent the guide directly to your inbox.

Successful Oxbridge Personal Statement Examples

Successful humanities personal statements, cambridge law ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆, oxford law ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆, oxford law & french ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆, oxford economics & management ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆, cambridge economics ★ ★ ★ ★ ★, cambridge land economy ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆, cambridge classics ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆, oxford classics ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆, cambridge pbs ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆, oxford psychology ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆, cambridge philosophy ★ ★ ★ ★ ★, oxford ppe ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆, cambridge english ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆, oxford english language & literature ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆, oxford modern languages ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆, oxford geography ★ ★ ★ ★ ★, oxford history ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆, successful science personal statements, cambridge medicine ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆, oxford medicine ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆, cambridge veterinary medicine ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆, kcl dentistry ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆, cambridge natural sciences (bio) ★ ★ ★ ★ ★, cambridge natural sciences (phy) ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆, oxford physics ★ ★ ★ ★ ★, oxford chemistry ★ ★ ★ ★ ★, cambridge engineering ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆, oxford engineering ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆, cambridge maths & physics ★ ★ ★ ★ ★, oxford computer science ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆, personal statement posts from our blog.

The Ultimate UCAS Personal Statement Guide
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Successful Personal Statement For Medicine At Oxford University

Writing a Medicine Personal Statement for Oxford? If so, you’re in the right place! In this post, we go through a REAL Personal Statement submitted to UCAS for a candidate wishing to study Medicine at Oxford.

Successful Personal Statement For Law At Cambridge

Writing a Law Personal Statement for Cambridge? If so, you’re in the right place! In this post, we go through a REAL Personal Statement submitted to UCAS for a candidate wishing to study Law at Cambridge.

Successful Personal Statement Example For Computer Science At Oxford

Read through a successful Computer Science Personal Statement for Oxford with a full analysis by Oxbridge Tutors. Find out why the Personal Statement helped the candidate to receive an Oxford offer.

Successful Personal Statement For Economics At Cambridge

Read through a successful Economics Personal Statement for Cambridge with a full analysis by Oxbridge Tutors. Find out why the Personal Statement helped the candidate to receive a Cambridge offer.

Successful Personal Statement For Economics & Management At Oxford

Writing an Economics and Management Personal Statement for Oxford? If so, you’re in the right place! In this post, we go through a REAL Personal Statement submitted to UCAS for a candidate wishing to study E&M at Oxford.

Successful Personal Statement For PPE At Oxford

Writing a PPE Personal Statement for Oxford? If so, you’re in the right place! In this post, we go through a REAL Personal Statement submitted to UCAS for a candidate wishing to study PPE at Oxford.

Successful Personal Statement For Law At Oxford

Read through a successful Law Personal Statement for Oxford with a full analysis by Oxbridge Tutors. Find out why the Personal Statement helped the candidate to receive an Oxford offer.

Successful Personal Statement For Natural Science (Physical) At Cambridge

Read through a successful Natural Science Personal Statement for Cambridge with a full analysis by Oxbridge Tutors. Find out why the Personal Statement helped the candidate to receive a Cambridge offer.

Successful Personal Statement For Natural Sciences (Biological) At Cambridge

Writing a Natural Sciences (Biological) Personal Statement for Cambridge? If so, you’re in the right place! In this post, we go through a REAL Personal Statement submitted to UCAS for a candidate wishing to study Natural Sciences at Cambridge.

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Mathematics

Author: charlotte rougier, applied in: winter 2015, university offers: oxford, imperial college, warwick, bath.

For me, Mathematics is all about creativity, exploration and discovery. That's what makes it exciting and challenging.

I was impressed by the lecture "Birth of a Theorem" given by the Fields Medal winner Cedric Villani at the Royal Institution last April because of his enthusiasm in research and his desire to make his work accessible. The most compelling aspect of his speech was his analogy between the study of Mathematics and adventure, with challenges, failures and successes. The lecture and subsequent readings triggered in me an interest in taking the initiative to explore areas beyond what has already been proven.

"Fermat's Last Theorem" by Simon Singh and the square root of -1, described in "17 equations that changed the world" by Ian Stewart, captivated me. The story of Fermat's equation, based on modular forms and elliptic curves, showed me that building bridges between mathematical concepts and between mathematicians from different eras is essential. I also particularly enjoy the idea of proof and discovered how both proof by contradiction and by induction were used to solve Fermat's equation. The square root of -1 intrigued me as I realised that enigmatic numbers could turn out to have unexpected properties. The fact that it can unite both numbers e and pi in a single elegant equation, Euler's equation, drew my attention. Whilst I was particularly looking forward to studying analysis at university, this also developed my interest in algebra.

Following this line of thought, I deliberately sought out opportunities to explore what researchers currently study. I was offered two one-week work experiences in two different laboratories of mathematical research at the Pierre and Marie Curie University in Paris last February and April. Among all the areas being covered by the first team, some questions really caught my interest. For example, how satellites transmit signals to GPS devices and how these devices know how far away we are from satellites. I also discovered intriguing properties of prime numbers, like Fermat's Little Theorem. This illustrates the gripping challenge of finding logical relationships between numbers, something I have always enjoyed. The second team focused on Statistics and I contributed to the analysis of linear regression with PhD students. Belonging to a team in such atmosphere of reflection and cooperation during those two weeks confirmed my early determination to study Mathematics.

In fact, my interest in this subject has, for many years, driven my academic choices. I have chosen the scientific section with additional Mathematics. I regularly take part in Mathematics competitions. For instance, I won a Silver medal in the Intermediate Maths Challenge in 2013. I have also followed the English AS and A Level Mathematics syllabus and FP1 outside school to practice this subject from a different perspective. In addition, following a recommendation by my teacher, I tutored a student in the year below in Mathematics over the last year and a half. His average grade increased by 50%. Tutoring leads me to carefully consider the best method to tackle problems logically and rigorously and improves my ability to transfer reasoning.

Outside school, I have been determined to push my limits. I grasped opportunities to demonstrate my competitive spirit, my leadership skills and my enthusiasm for new experiences. I was one of two girls in my school selected for an international football tournament in Johannesburg during the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. Last year, I captained my team during the International Youth Games, a four days sport competition. I have enjoyed playing tennis for twelve years and I am now ranked 7.2.

In summary, I am extremely motivated and determined to study Mathematics. It clearly fulfils my ambition to explore an intriguing field which presents limitless opportunities while keeping me challenged, captivated and exhilarated.

Please note UCAS will detect any form of plagiarism. PSE and its contributors do not take any responsibility for the way in which personal statements are used.

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I am enjoying my courses of A-Level Mathematics, Further Mathematics, Latin, General Studies and Statistics (AS). In addition, I was somewhat disappointed not to be able to take History at A2-Level, but only at AS-Level, since I have found History to be a challenging, yet rewarding subject. I am keen to read-up on different areas of Mathematics, in addition to those covered at A-Level, such as Topology and Number Theory, little of which is studied in-depth at A-Level. In addition, I enjoy reading contemporary Mathematics books, such as 'The Man Who Loved Only Numbers', the biography of Paul Erdös; a man who particularly inspires me. I have also taken part in National Mathematical Challenges and Olympiads, exams that I particularly enjoy participating in. As part of a school initiative set-up by myself, I now tutor one outstanding Mathematician in the Lower 6th Form.

I am trying to challenge him beyond the syllabus and explain the ideas and methods that I have learned over the past few years, helping me to develop my ability to communicate mathematically with other people. I take great pleasure in attempting challenging, non-standard problems that require a substantial amount of thought and ability. In this respect, the books 'The Mathematical Olympiad Handbook', STEP papers and similar publications have provided me with a great number of demanding problems that I have enjoyed attempting.

I enjoy Mathematics and feel that the elegance and logic of the subject is the reason for my desire to study it at a more advanced level. I realise that Mathematics is extremely important in daily life and in the systems in which we live and, as such, I believe a Mathematics degree, whilst being enjoyable and challenging, would give me a good platform on which to base a career of my choice. However, a long-term ambition of mine is to work towards a doctorate in Mathematics, something that I am determined to try to achieve.

Aside from Mathematics, I am interested in Classics. I am studying Latin at A-Level, enjoying the challenge posed by difficult 'unseen' translations, as well as reading our set authors, including Cicero, Catullus and Ovid. I have also been involved in some extra-curricular Latin in the form of Prose Composition, additional translation of Latin texts and the International Latin Exam (on which I achieved a perfect score).

As a member of the school community, I believe that I have been able to contribute greatly. I play for the school rugby and cricket First teams and I enjoy playing cricket and tennis recreationally, being a member of local clubs for both sports. I have represented the school in county chess tournaments, captained the general knowledge team and have recently been appointed as a school prefect. In such a way, I feel I have been able to develop my leadership skills and to build up my confidence and my sense of responsibility.

I am greatly looking forward to the transition from School to University because of the independence and opportunities that University life will offer. I believe that the challenge of studying and developing my Mathematics to a higher level is going to be one that I will thoroughly enjoy.

Profile info

There is no profile associated with this personal statement, as the writer has requested to remain anonymous.

Author's Comments

I applied for Maths at Cam, Dur, War, Bris, Bath, Umist.

Related Personal Statements

I think this person should of.

Sun, 12/09/2004 - 00:00

i think this person should of included more non-academic stuff,sounds like a 'mr no life' to me

I disagree with 'guest'; i

Sat, 18/09/2004 - 00:00

I disagree with 'guest'; i think this personal statement is very well written and shows a genuine interest in maths. Perhaps mentioning one or two out of school interests would have been good, but at the end of the day, universities want to see that you have a passion for your subject, and this person clearly does!

Thu, 23/09/2004 - 00:00

Masterpiece! Shows great interest and passion for mathematics, however some non-academic stuff would have made it perfect PS! Well done to anyone who has written

I think this statement

Mon, 06/12/2004 - 00:00

I think this statement incudes everything the admission people look for. However, with taking three maths related a levels, I would have liked more indications of being "rounded", and I have never liked "determined to try".

I think this person is now at

Sun, 02/01/2005 - 00:00

I think this person is now at Trinity Cambridge...so its a good PS.

not bad.....

Mon, 03/01/2005 - 00:00

not bad..... but there are still many things to be improved.

the writer should include

Wed, 08/06/2005 - 00:00

the writer should include more non-acodemic stuff like sports and leisure. Other than that, the ps was very well written

We had it drilled into us

Fri, 09/09/2005 - 00:00

We had it drilled into us that unis generally aren't interested in stuff not related to your subject, though it doesn't hurt to mention it briefly they would prefer you to focus on the course you want to take, which this PS does very well

general studies is not an A

Sun, 18/09/2005 - 00:00

general studies is not an A-level

you can take a general

Sun, 02/10/2005 - 00:00

you can take a general studies A level. I am!

what is everyone talkin about

Thu, 22/06/2006 - 00:00

what is everyone talkin about, does he not mention his sports, and chess, i would say that was his non school stuff. the worst thing you can do is just go on for ages about your extra curricular

You do not mention table

Tue, 18/09/2007 - 10:41

You do not mention table tennis anywhere.

Wed, 19/09/2007 - 08:37

Why every single one of them is like TOO GOOD!!

answer to the comment above,

Fri, 15/08/2008 - 15:46

answer to the comment above, i have read this book, it is really interesting, i reccommend it to you.

Back to the statement, i think that this is a good statement but doesnt stick out to me like others have, theres a lot about him and not linked in with him liking maths all of the time, whjich can be done well, and not be made to seem over the top

after reading personal

Sat, 23/08/2008 - 15:09

after reading personal statements like this one, i feel as though i have no chance to get into a good university if i am up against people like this!!! i cant say that i have read these books or taken part in an olypiad because i havent. what do i do???

Sat, 23/08/2008 - 15:10

Wed, 01/10/2008 - 10:28

hey hey heyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy !

this ps is super duper i enjoyed it! thanks for a great read :) im going to read it over and over because it is so...xx

i like maths and jam

Wed, 29/10/2008 - 20:01

Wed, 17/12/2008 - 02:50

i feel that it is a very well written piece as he has balanced his ambition for mathmatics with his fondness of latin...

however i believe that the second last paragraph should contain more detail abt his prefectship/sport activity.....

everyone who commented on

Mon, 28/09/2009 - 21:16

everyone who commented on this is stupid. telling him to put more about extra-curricular!! don't you understand that unis don't give a shit about that, all they want is for you to be passionate about your subject. for me what is wrong with this is that there's too much waffle. you mention too many things and don't go into detail in any of them, you need to be more specific about areas of maths you're interested in and why

Doesn't need to list these

Wed, 09/12/2009 - 14:15

Doesn't need to list these subjects, has included too little information about the books he has apparently read, uses the word "enjoy" too often and doesn't mention enough about the "initiative".

too many 'challenge' and

Tue, 15/12/2009 - 12:43

too many 'challenge' and 'enjoy' but otherwise I think it is pretty good. Very useful to me since I'm doing CLassical Civ alongside Maths and Further Maths:)

Add new comment

Widening Participation Outreach at City

Empowering underrepresented learners to access and succeed in higher education, mathematics – boost your personal statement.

Virtual Work Experience

Luckily, logical thinking and problem-solving skills are the enviable traits of students who have a strong mathematical ability and such versatile skills are transferable to any workplace. Although gaining work experience is not highly essential for a maths degree, it is another way of showing an admissions tutor (the person who reads your personal statement) that there is more to you than just your studies.

Work experience has been difficult to obtain this year due to Covid-19, but there are plenty of virtual work experience opportunities available through the online platform Inside Sherpa. If you’re having problems accessing the site, just view it on Chrome. Some current opportunities on offer will enable you to develop employability skills as well as financial maths skills, such as the Auditing opportunity, where you can gain experience in payroll tax or the Citibank experience where you can perform a discount cash flow analysis. For something more data-driven and analytical, try the Virtual Data Analytics Experience with KPMG . However, if you are seeking a more general type of business insight, Barclays Lifeskills are also offering virtual work experience at Freeformers , a digital transformation agency.

If any of the above does not suit you, try and gain some experience at your own school in the autumn term. You could ask a maths teacher if you can assist their lessons in order to help younger year groups or try volunteering your time with maths tutoring opportunities through Vinspired . Although opportunities are currently available on the website, check to see if they can be done virtually as your safety is paramount.

Learning Online and Wider Research

If you know where to look, you will find that you have several opportunities to develop your skills and knowledge of maths online, so start researching your chosen university courses to gain insight into what you will be studying at degree level. For an introduction to Calculus, Differential Equations, Data Science, Maths for Machine Learning, Fibonacci Numbers and the Golden Ratio, try the online learning platform Coursera where you can access free short courses to expand your knowledge. Also check under the Science, Maths and Technology section of the free Open University online courses. For further mathematical puzzles and cryptarithms or academic maths courses, you can also try the platform FutureLearn . These courses will require your commitment but think of all the skills you will be developing!

Logic and Problem-solving skills

You can probably evidence plenty of logic and problem-solving through your A Level Maths or Further Maths course. However, do you have any experience of these skills outside of your maths lessons? Do you play a sport where you use special tactics? Or do you enjoy mathematical puzzles such as Sudoko online? You may also want to start solving daily mathematical problems such as those available through the website nrich or brush up on your spreadsheet skills by taking a free Excel course. Problem-solving skills can also be evidenced by getting involved in competitions. Try looking for some on the Maths Careers website or for summer programmes, go to gothinkbig – both of which have some brilliant careers resources too!

And finally, remember that an admissions tutor also wants to see evidence that you are a well-rounded individual and that there is more to you than just maths so do include other hobbies and interests you have too!

These are only some ideas to keep you busy, but do keep an eye out for other opportunities too. For other ideas related to maths, do also check out the personal statement blogs for Engineering and Business, Accounting, Finance and Economics too!

For further advice on your personal statement, email: [email protected]

* Always be cautious and check any online forum or employer with your teacher or people at home first, as your safety is paramount!

Personal Statement

Introduction.

As part of your UCAS application , you will be required to write a personal statement with a maximum of 4,000 characters. This is sent to each of your chosen universities, who use it – along with the other parts of your application, such as exam grades – to assess your suitability for their course and whether to make you an offer.

Your personal statement allows you to demonstrate to the admissions tutors why you are applying for their course; what interests you about the subject and why they should accept you – showing that you have the achievements, qualities and skills they are looking for. For more competitive courses, there will often be little difference between your grades and the grades of other applicants, so it is essential to make your personal statement effective by devoting appropriate time to its preparation.

It can be tough getting started on your personal statement – however, the earlier you begin drafting it, the more time you’ll have to finalise it before the UCAS deadlines for submission of your application (15 October 2017 for Oxbridge and Medicine/Dentistry/Veterinary Science, and 15 January 2018 for most other courses). Although there is no definite formula for writing a personal statement, and different subjects require different styles, the following advice breaks down the process and offers guidance for each step of completing a science-based personal statement.

Aims of the Personal Statement

Ultimately, the aim of your personal statement is to show the university’s admissions tutors that you are a good fit for their course, bearing in mind that different universities may be looking for slightly different attributes in their students. Some universities offer specific guidance on what they are looking for in personal statements through their website or course prospectus – use these to research and make notes of any specific admissions advice for the courses you are applying to, as this will allow you to tailor your personal statement to your preferred universities.

In order to produce an effective personal statement, you will need to address a number of key points that the admissions tutor will be looking for, and cover these in a well thought-out and well written manner. To achieve this, your personal statement should demonstrate:

your interest, enthusiasm and passion for the subject, giving evidence and examples of specific areas of interest
the relevant skills you have learnt from your studies, extracurricular activities and employment, and how these have prepared you for a degree course in your chosen subject
your ability to articulate your enthusiasm for, and knowledge of, the subject by writing long prose in a clear, confident and structured manner, using a wide range of vocabulary
the ways in which you have been following up your interest and furthering your understanding in the subject at a higher level, outside the syllabus (i.e., projects, further reading)
that you are well informed about what is involved in taking your subject at degree-level
that you are a well-rounded individual with hobbies outside of your subject
that you have a general idea of what you want to do after university

The most effective personal statements cover the above points implicitly, backing up claims through discussions and experiences which show the admissions tutor your passion for the subject, rather than vague generalisations and statements such as “I am passionate about physics” – they will already assume this. Isolate a reason as to why you personally engage with your subject and then discuss specific examples to substantiate this, eg. through a reflective discussion of further reading you have done. Write with quality, not quantity, in mind – the admissions tutor will be more impressed to read in detail what you learnt from one or two specific experiences or books, as opposed to a section which brushes over four or five. At the same time, don’t let the personal statement become a mini essay trying to simply demonstrate your knowledge of a topic you found through further reading – keep the discussion personal, showing what you got out of reading or learning it and why you found it interesting – for example did it relate to another subject you’ve studied?

For competitive courses and courses for which applicants are interviewed, another key aim of your personal statement is to persuade the admissions tutor to make you an offer or invite you to interview, as opposed to another applicant with equal grades. Your personal statement should illustrate and highlight your abilities, written with an intellectual flair that will impress the admissions tutor, all whilst being interesting, relatable and personal to you – it is a personal statement, after all. Quiet confidence is an effective style – avoid appearing overly modest and avoid being overly arrogant .

The next step is to think about what you’re going to include in your personal statement to meet these aims. This topic is discussed in the following section. Later, once you have completed the first draft of your personal statement, refer back to these aims and remove any content that is not contributing to them, as it doesn’t belong in your personal statement.

What to Include

Below is a list of points students tend to talk about in science-based personal statements, divided into two main sections: academics and non-academics. By dedicating some time to brainstorm answers to these, you will be significantly closer to getting started on your personal statement. At this stage, don’t worry about sentence length, order, connectives or how much space you will devote to each point in the final version – structuring will come later. Jot things down that you consider minor – you’re not committed to actually include any of these things in your statement once you start writing it. The only limitation is do not lie.

Reasons for choosing the course:

Why does the subject interest you? This leads on to why you have chosen the course, a key factor that the admissions tutor will want to know.
Why do you want to study the subject at a higher level? Answer this in terms of the new skills and knowledge you will gain, show you understand what is required of you in studying the subject at degree level and that you have the potential to succeed.
Which aspects or areas of your studies have you enjoyed most so far? For example, any particular content, experiment, project, or an approach to learning – convey your understanding of how this relates to work you would do on a degree course, eg. how you displayed teamwork in undertaking a project, or how it increased your interest in the subject.

Demonstrating interest in the subject outside of the curriculum:

Demonstrate any further reading you have done around the subject – eg. from books, respected newspapers, scientific journals, documentaries, websites, blogs, podcasts, radio programmes, lectures attended – explain the content of the further reading briefly and then focus on how you, personally, engaged with it, by reflecting on why it made an impression on you, and by giving your critical views on it.
Mention any trips you attended to relevant institutions, through school or on own initiative – eg. university residentials or taster days, summer schools, work experience, volunteering, trips to industry/research institutions such as JET or CERN – as with further reading, reflect on your experiences, relate them to the course or your current studies, and explain what you’ve learned from them and how they’ve helped develop your interest in the subject.
Describe skills you developed, used and improved through doing extracurricular activities, competitions, awards – eg. relevant clubs, societies, CREST projects/awards, Olympiads, maths challenges – these will often demonstrate skills such as problem-solving, teamwork, leadership, critical thinking, initiative, creativity and independent research skills. Don’t just mention them for the sake of it – explain how they have increased your interest and understanding of your chosen subject.
Summarise any mentoring, work experience or shadowing you may have done – these can demonstrate that you have initiative; and for work experience or shadowing, describe what you enjoyed about experiencing what it’s like in a higher-level research/industry environment. Mentoring shows your interest in engaging younger pupils – explain why you enjoyed this, and how it helped your own studies.
If you have done (or are doing) an Extended Project Qualification (EPQ), explain how it relates to your interest in the subject and how the skills you gained from it will prepare you for university – the EPQ shows you are able to think analytically and independently and demonstrates transferable skills such as independent study, effective research, public speaking, time-management, recognising bias, organisation, motivation, planning and monitoring own progress.

Future plans:

Outline any potential long-term career plans you have – explain why you are attracted to the career and how you would use the experiences, skills and knowledge you would gain from the degree course.
If you don’t currently know what want to do after university, discuss what aspect of university you are most looking forward to and what you want to gain from the course and university life.
If you are planning to defer your university entry, briefly outline any gap year plans you have – focussing on any potential academic or subject-related plans (eg. work experience in industry), or explain what you will learn from travelling or employment, and why it will benefit you at university.

Non-Academics

Transferable skills and knowledge:

Write about the relevant skills you have learnt from any jobs, placements, work experience or volunteering you have done – for example, useful skills for university include the ability to work independently, teamwork, organisational skills, good time management, problem-solving, listening, critical thinking, etc.
Mention also any positions of responsibility you’ve held, both in or out of school – for example, if you’ve been a member of a club or society (in your community or at school), or led important team projects – this shows good leadership skills.

Other relevant interests, hobbies and achievements:

To help show you are a well-rounded individual, list any non-subject related activities, hobbies and spare-time interests you have, no matter how minor – for example, do you take part in any sports teams, music rehearsals, drama schools, travelling or reading?
Also discuss any non-academic accomplishments such as a Duke of Edinburgh award. These wider interests are valuable as they demonstrate your talents, and can indicate characteristics whose transferable skills will be useful for succeeding at university, even if they don’t directly relate to your subject.

Once you have brainstormed and thought carefully about your answers to the above questions, you need to choose which points you feel you should include in your personal statement. If your list involves too many similar things, for example, a large number of books that you’ve read, select just two or three which you enjoyed the most, or which made the biggest impression on you. This way, you can elaborate in more detail on your experience of reading them – the admissions tutors would prefer to see this than simply seeing a list of books. Always try to avoid making generic statements – make sure you give a personal take on everything you mention in your statement – talk about the details in the book that you found most inspiring. In terms of which experiences to include in your statement, more recent ones are more valuable than older ones, as the admissions tutors want to know you as you are now, and how you will be at their university. Show the admissions tutors you know your own strengths and make sure you understand topics and details in your personal statement well enough to talk confidently about them at interview, if your university uses interviews as part of their selection process.

If you have worked through the above list and feel you don’t have enough exciting experiences or exotic excursions to write about, compared to other people’s statements you may have read, there is no need to worry. By spending some productive time researching through books and science news websites and publications, and reflecting on what you have learned, you should still be able to collect sufficient material to write a very good statement for a science-based subject. The admissions tutor will not be judging you based on the fact you might not have had the same opportunities as other people.

Note, there is no need to list your qualifications (eg. “I am currently taking A-Level Maths, Physics and Chemistry and achieved … grades at AS”) in your personal statement – this is already covered in the Qualifications section of your UCAS form, which the admissions tutors will see on the same page as your personal statement – you will be wasting valuable characters in your statement if you were to list these here, too.

Although there is no set structure for science-based personal statements, the following can be used as a guide:

A punchy opening paragraph about your general interest in the subject and why you want to study it.
A couple of mainly academic paragraphs as the body of the statement – these are more flexible – discussing your experiences of the subject in more detail.
The penultimate paragraph in which non-subject related content such as extra-curricular activities and hobbies are discussed.
A punchy closing paragraph about your aspirations, commitment and what makes you look forward to the course.

Universities typically recommend that you focus around 75% on academic subject-related discussion, and 25% on non-subject related extra-curriculars.

Organise your material and use a sensible order that will make your text flow – the key is to make your statement easily readable for the admissions tutor. Keep sentences short, as overly-long sentences can be difficult to follow and make your statement cumbersome. Clearly defined paragraphs can help with this but, on UCAS Apply, you can’t indent lines and, if you leave lines between paragraphs, these empty lines will count towards the 47 lines you are allowed, leaving you with fewer characters to use.

Extra Additions

There are a number of additional matters to include in your personal statement if you are an international student, a mature student, or are planning to take a year out before going to university (a gap year):

Gap year students

Briefly explain, in a few sentences before the conclusion of your personal statement, why you want to take a gap year and outline any plans you have, focussing on potential academic plans (eg. work experience in industry). If you don’t have any academic-related plans, explain what skills you will learn from travelling or employment, and how they may relate to your course.

Mature students

Use the personal statement additionally to explain what you’ve been doing since leaving formal education, why you want to return to study, and demonstrate how you will cope with the rigours of academic work – using experiences in employment to evidence this. To provide more details of current or previous employment, send a copy of your CV directly to the universities you are applying to (don’t send it to UCAS). If your degree will result in a change of career, explain why you have decided to follow a new direction.

International students

Your personal statement should also explain why you want to study in the UK and demonstrate that your English language skills are sufficiently advanced to allow you to successfully complete a degree course taught in English. You can show this by giving examples of any English courses or tests you’ve taken, saying if any of your previous studies have been taught or examined in English, and describing any activities where you have used English outside of your studies. You should also discuss why you want to be an international student in the UK, rather than study in your own county. Read UCAS’ International Undergraduate Guide for Students for more information.

More than one subject

If you are applying for courses in more than one subject area, you have to try to make your personal statement fit with the different courses you are applying for across your chosen universities, since you can only submit one personal statement through UCAS. You can either choose to emphasise the subject you prefer (or the one which is more competitive) – while, at the same time, explaining that you also have an interest in the other subject – or you can take a thematic approach by focussing on ideas, topics and skills which are applicable to both courses.

Your personal statement is a formal piece of writing and the style in which you write it should reflect this. It should sound natural – but not chatty – and use diverse vocabulary – but not overly complex words with which you’re not familiar; everyday formal language is fine . Spelling, grammar and punctuation should all be correct, and avoid contractions and abbreviations (such as “I’d” and “didn’t”). Addressing the reader (the admissions tutor) directly using “you” is not usual practise in personal statements. Assume the reader already has a level of knowledge – for example, there is no need to explain what Duke of Edinburgh awards are, or to describe what a well-known book is about. Avoid making lists or using repetitive language (“I enjoy…”, “I enjoy…”) in your statement.

Although you want to make your personal statement stand out from other applicants’, there is a line between standing out to the admissions tutor in the right way and in the wrong way. Originality is a key part in making your statement personal – and although it might be tempting to include (or even start) your statement with a quotation by an important figure in your subject, this is very commonly done by many applicants, and can come across as clichéd. Quotations are someone else’s words, and the admissions tutors want to hear your own! The use of jokes – no matter how well intentioned – is also discouraged as they can be misinterpreted by the reader, who may not have the same sense of humour as you. Re-evaluate any use of the words “love”, “adore” or “ignited” (in fact, any fire-related metaphors) as these have a tendency to sound cheesy and their use is rarely justified, given how many synonyms exist for these words. Avoid clichés along with intellectual pretensions and overly hyperbolic phrases, as these can sound tacky when reading the personal statement in a formal environment.

Before you start to write each sentence, consult the planning sheet you made from the questions under “ What To Include ”. Using these notes, you will be able to incorporate more effectively which ideas and statements you want to convey in each sentence. Try to use connectives to link sentences in order to improve the flow of the text; but avoid using filler sentences or vague and generic statements which add nothing to your statement. Write succinctly and remove anything that doesn’t contribute to its aims (laid out in “ Aims of the Personal Statement ”). There is no need to state repeatedly in different words how passionate you are about your subject – this should be shown implicitly through your evidence of wider reading and subject-related experiences. When discussing further reading, be specific and give brief examples from the book to provide insight in your own thinking in relation to what you have read – show you have formulated an opinion on the book, how it has made an impression on you, and what you got out of reading it.

You should do more than simply describe the subject-related experiences in which you have been involved: elaborate on and emphasise what you took away from them, how they increased your interest in the subject and, show evidence of useful and relevant skills you gained or improved through the experiences. You will often not even need to state the skills themselves – and if you do, avoid listing too many. Fully utilise each experience – show through your discussion of it that you enjoyed it and really engaged in it – in turn, this will help your style be enthusiastic and positive to the admissions tutor.

When entered into UCAS Apply, your personal statement will lose any formatting within it – bold, italic or underlined words are not allowed, and many types of special characters and symbols will be removed – including accented characters (à, é, ù), € and special quote and bracket characters (eg. “ ‘ ’ ”, {}, \ – though the characters “, ‘, () and / are allowed). Tabs and multiple spaces will be condensed to a single space, so you are not able to indent lines. You can leave an empty line between paragraphs to more clearly define these, but this will reduce your character amount.

Never lie, embellish or exaggerate any statements in your personal statement – apart from anything else, you may be asked to expand on them at interview and find yourself caught out. Of course, there’s no need to be an expert in quantum mechanics if you mention your interest in the field, but be prepared for questions in the interview that will show you know at least the basics of it to reassure the interviewer that you have done sufficient research in to it. Don’t make unsupported claims for yourself, either – always back yourself up with evidence or examples. Most important, never, ever plagiarise anyone else’s work in your statement, or pay for someone to do it for you. UCAS uses a similarity detection system to scan your personal statement against every other applicants’ (including previous year’s) – and if plagiarism is detected in your statement, your chosen universities will be told.

Feedback and Finalising

Once you have completed your first draft of your personal statement and are reasonably happy with it, it is time to show it to teachers, advisors and family and ask for their constructive feedback and comments on it. Some advice will likely be simple – correcting any accidental spelling, grammatical or punctuation mistakes (ensure the corrections are right!), and suggesting rephrasing of unclear sentences – but some suggestions might be more substantial and require more consideration. Don’t take any criticism personally – people are genuinely trying to help by offering their opinions. If you seriously disagree with any suggestions in particular, you can choose to ignore them – it is your personal statement and you have to be happy with the final version you submit. Redraft as necessary, let a range of (trusted) people have a look at your new version and repeat this re-drafting process as long as you think the feedback you are getting is useful. It is generally not a good idea to post your personal statement online on forums or discussion boards, as anyone is then able to copy it and pass it off as their own.

If you have have gone over the 4000 character limit and there is still academic content you are adamant on keeping in your personal statement, ask your referee – usually a teacher or admissions/senior tutor at your school/college – if they can mention it in your reference, as an alternative approach.

Once you are happy with the final version of your personal statement, paste it into UCAS Apply before your school or college’s internal deadline, pay UCAS the £24 fee, and submit your application to your chosen universities. Good luck!

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Ensure your enthusiasm for economics stands out

It's key to explain in your personal statement why you’re interested in economics and why you want to study it.

Think about the following:

Show an appreciation of mathematical concepts.
Reflect on something that has given you an insight into local, national, European or global economic issues, and explain what interests you about it.
If you have already been studying economics at A level (or equivalent), talk about an area of the course you’ve found especially interesting.
If you haven’t studied economics before, explain what has inspired your interest in it.
What especially appeals to you about the subject or the courses you’ve chosen? You can look up specific course details using our course search .
Demonstrate that you have a real interest in economic principles and concepts.
Show some understanding of economic theory.

What to include in your economics personal statement

Your long-term goals: explain how your degree choice fits with your future ambitions and career aspirations.
Wider reading: do pick out one or two specific issues that had an impact on you – just saying you subscribe to ‘The Economist’ or ‘The FT’ or that you’ve read ‘Freakonomics’ or ‘The Undercover Economist’ won't have an impact unless you elaborate. Better still, think outside the box and write about something you’ve read that’s slightly more obscure. As one admissions tutor said: 'If I read about ‘Freakonomics’ one more time, I’ll scream.'
Economics-related experience: reflect on any work experience, responsibilities, or non-academic interests or achievements that are relevant to economics or demonstrate appropriate skills or qualities.
Other relevant insights: if you’ve undertaken an economics-related project, Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) or summer school, reflect on any insights this has given you.
Demonstrate your skills: give examples of skills you possess that will serve you well as an economics student and mean you're able to proactively contribute to the course. These could include self-motivation, teamwork, the ability to think logically, effective time management, good communication, or problem-solving skills.

What not to include in your economics statement

We've also picked up some tips on what to avoid:

Don’t skim the surface – be specific.
Don’t give a shopping list of things you’ve read or done.
Don’t exaggerate.
Don’t waste space trying to impress with things you’ve done that aren’t relevant – relate everything to the courses you’re applying for.
Don’t make sweeping claims about your 'passion for economics', how you’ve 'loved it from an early age' and 'what an honour it would be to get accepted at your university'.
Avoid grammar and spelling mistakes.

As the University of Bristol's ' Why Study Economics? ' website says, 'a straightforward personal statement that gets all the core points across in a coherent way serves the purpose best'. So do say something that will stand you out from the crowd, but avoid being too off-the-wall.

Don't be too bland and generic, either. London School of Economics says 'your statement should be as original as possible to differentiate you from other applicants' while the University of Nottingham looks for 'students with a wide variety of interests and enthusiasms from a wide variety of backgrounds'. Strike the right balance by demonstrating your enthusiasm, your intellectual curiosity, and the quality of your insights.

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