You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience.

Having trouble viewing in Internet Explorer 11? We're working on this. For the best user experience please try using a different web browser.

Skip to main content Skip to search Skip to menu
HomeStudyHow to ApplyPersonal Statement Guide
Search
Menu
  • Study
    • Back
    • Study with us
    • Undergraduate
    • Postgraduate
    • Online study
    • International students
    • Research degrees

    Virtual Open Day

    Sat 15 May 202110:00 - 17:30

    Our virtual Open Days give you and your family and friends a chance to experience Falmouth from...

    Student Funding

    We offer a range of financial support to try and ensure that all students can succeed and fulfil their potential during their studies.

  • Apply
    • Back
    • How to apply
    • Student funding
    • Accommodation

    Preparing for Your Interview

    What's an interview like and how can you prepare? Read our advice and tips and search for course information here.

    Application Toolkit

    Our Application Toolkit holds lots of advice and information about applying to Falmouth University.

  • Experience Falmouth
    • Back
    • Open Days & events
    • Student life
    • Student Voice
    • News & stories
    • About us

    Virtual Open Day

    Sat 15 May 202110:00 - 17:30

    Our virtual Open Days give you and your family and friends a chance to experience Falmouth from...

    Ask a Student

    Our students are here to tell you all about life at Falmouth. From settling in and studying to making friends and making memories.

  • Research & Innovation
    • Back
    • Discover R & I
    • Our projects
    • Research with us

    How to Apply for a Research Degree

    Whether you’re applying for a MPhil or PhD research degree, find out about the key stages of the application process.

    Launchpad (with MSc Entrepreneurship)

    Drive the development of a high-growth tech start-up, supported by a stipend. Alongside this, you’ll benefit from business guidance, mentoring and...

  • Business collaboration
    • Back
    • Working with industry
    • Launchpad Outreach
    • Academic partnerships

    Launchpad Outreach

    Discover Launchpad Outreach, our fully funded business support programme.

    Working with Industry

    Business support, industry collaborations and impactful innovation. Find out more about how we work with businesses.

  • Support
    • Back
    • Student & staff portal
    • Student support
    • Find us
    • Contact us

    Term Dates

    Find out all the key dates and study blocks for undergraduate, postgraduate and research degrees.

    Accommodation

    Explore all our on and off-campus accommodation options and discover modern, well-equipped spaces designed to fit a range of budgets.

Prospectus

Explore our future-focused undergraduate and postgraduate degree courses by viewing our prospectuses.

Virtual Open Day

Sat 15 May 202110:00 - 17:30

Our virtual Open Days give you and your family and friends a chance to experience Falmouth from...

Coronavirus Information

Find out how we're keeping our community safe, and how you can help.

How to Write Your Personal Statement

What is a personal statement?

Your personal statement is an important part of your application. This is your chance to tell universities why you're the right student for them. Tell us about your skills, experiences and extracurricular activities, what excites you about your chosen field of study and what your ambitions are for the future. 

Tips for writing your personal statement

Show us that you're...

Committed. Throughout your personal statement you should show that you’re committed to the course you’re applying for and that you have the maturity, skills and experience to thrive at university.

Inquisitive. Tell us about your interests and activities beyond the realms of your chosen study area. 

Attentive. Make sure your application is clearly structured and easy to read. Don't worry about using elaborate language, keep sentences short and make sure you double and triple check for spelling and grammar mistakes. 

What should it include?

Personal statements with a clearly defined structure are not only more understandable and compelling but also easier to write. Use the following three section approach to build your personal statement:

Part 1

Explain why you are making the application (30-50%)

Part 2

Highlight your academic experience, knowledge and abilities (25-35%)

Part 3

Summarise your extracurricular interests and skills (20-30%)

How long should it be?

Personal statements for universities are a maximum length of 4,000 characters or 47 lines of text. That’s approximately two pages and about four to five paragraphs.

How should it look?

UCAS will strip out all fancy formatting like bold, indents and tabs so don’t worry about doing those things. All you need is blank lines in between paragraphs to make it easy to read.

Remember what you've written

Anything you say in your personal statement is likely to be brought up at your interview, so keep a copy of your statement to re-read beforehand.

You might also like

Page
Page

Preparing for Your Interview

What's an interview like and how can you prepare? Read our advice and tips and search for course information here.

Page
Page

Portfolio Advice

What is a portfolio and how do you make one? Read our guide.

Ready to apply?

Visit our apply page and take the next step in your university journey.

Apply now

Any questions?

If you need to speak to someone about your application then you can get in touch on the details below:

E: futurestudies@falmouth.ac.uk  

T: +44 (0)1326 254350 

WhatsApp: +44 (0)1212 852937 

SMS: +44 (0)1277 420398

EmailFacebookTwitterLinkedInMessenger
  • Courses
  • Departments
  • Staff
  • Academic partnerships
  • Jobs
  • Corporate information
  • News
  • Alumni
  • Contact
  • Find us
  • Events
  • Staff & Student Portal
  • Falmouth Campus
    Woodlane, Falmouth
    Cornwall TR11 4RH
    01326 211077
  • Penryn Campus
    Treliever Road, Penryn
    Cornwall TR10 9FE
    01326 370400
© Falmouth University 2021
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Data Privacy
  • Copyright
  • Terms of Use
  • Cookie Policy
  • Student Regulations

TEF Gold Logo