Personal statement is one of the most important components of your master’s application. We have created a detailed guide that will help you logically structure your personal statement and cover all the essential information that you should include in this document. Once you have your first draft ready, do not forget to e-mail it to your UniLink Buddy. They will provide you with as much feedback as needed and will help you master your personal statement!
The personal statement is your opportunity to tell universities and colleges about your suitability for the master’s course(s) that you hope to study. You need to demonstrate your enthusiasm and commitment, and above all, ensure that you stand out from the crowd.
DOs and DONT’S
- Do show you know your strengths, and outline your ideas clearly.
- Do be enthusiastic and specific – if you show you’re interested in the course, it may help you get a place.
- Do read about your course on the university website (explore the field in more depth).
- Don’t be tempted to copy someone else’s personal statement, you are unique and the statement is about yourself.
- Don’t use verbs contractions such as I’ve, don’t, that’s, instead you should write I have, do not, that is.
- Don’t use phrases such as “Dear Sir or Madam”, Yours Sincerely, etc. – personal statement is a formal essay, not a formal letter.
- Don’t inform the reader about your name, age or nationality – this is something the admissions tutor knows prior to reading your personal statement.
- Do mention the name of the university and course you are applying to. We will firstly finalise the personal statement for your top choice. Once this one is ready, you will create 1-4 copies of this document and tailor those so they are suitable for the other universities and courses you are applying to.
Note: Your master’s personal statement can be as long as 7500 characters with spaces.
Section 1: INTRODUCTION
The introduction is a very important part of your personal statement. The admissions tutors read hundreds of personal statements that is why you need to make sure that your statement is catchy and grabs the reader’s attention from the very beginning. Do avoid clichés and vague phrases, instead be more specific and creative.
Tell the university the reasons why that subject interests you, and include evidence that you understand what is required to study the course.
Why are you applying for your chosen course(s)?
Do you remember the moment you started to think about studying this course?
Do you have any personal experience with the chosen pathway? Why does this subject interest you? Why do you think this field / course is important/relevant nowadays?
Mention the exact name of the university and course you are applying to and show the university that you have read something about them. What accreditations does this university/course have? What are you expecting to gain from studying this course?
Section 2: ACADEMIC BACKGROUND
In this section you should mainly talk about your education thus far. Which university and what course did you study/have you studied? How will the knowledge you have gained throughout your undergraduate studies help you succeed in your postgraduate studies? What modules were your favourite? What modules did you excel at? What was/is the topic of your bachelor thesis/final project? What about the research method, purpose of your study, and outcome of your research?
Did you represent your university in certain sports? Did you work as a student ambassador, student rep, mentor or so? Mention any relevant activities you have participated in as a part of your university studies.
You should also briefly mention your secondary school studies. Was this school specialised? What subjects did you excel at and what did you sit your high school final leaving exam (e.g. Maturita) in? You can also mention any interesting activities, and projects you took part in. Did you take part in the organisation of some of the events your school held?
Do your current or previous studies relate to the course(s) that you have chosen? If so, how?
Section 3: OTHER SKILLS AND ACHIEVEMENTS
Do you educate yourself outside the school? Are there any extra skills and achievements that you feel are worth mentioning? You can surely mention any workshops and conferences you have attended and you may also highlight your engagement with extra literature and other study materials (e.g. specialised magazines, newspapers). Can you think of someone whose work has inspired you somehow?
Universities like to know the skills you have that will help you in the course, or generally with life at university. List these skills here and any supporting evidence to back up why you are so excited about the courses you have chosen.
Include any other achievements you are proud of, positions of responsibility that you hold or have held out of school, and attributes that make you interesting, special, or unique.
Section 4: WORK EXPERIENCE
Include details of jobs, placements, work experience or voluntary work. Try to link any experience to skills or qualities related to the course. Do not forget to mention all your duties and responsibilities and explain what skills you have developed throughout carrying those duties.
Section 5: HOBBIES AND INTERESTS
Think about how your hobbies, interests, and social activities demonstrate your skills and abilities. If there is anything that relates or is linked to your course or to the skills needed to complete a university course, include it – the more evidence the better.
Section 6: CONCLUSION AND FUTURE PLANS
Why did you choose a university in the country you are applying to? If you have already studied in the country you now wish to pursue your master’s at, mention why you think this destination suits you the best and what you appreciate about the local education system.
What is it that you are excited about when it comes to studying and living in this destination?
Why do you think you are suitable for the course(s)? Summarise the skills and knowledge you are offering. If you know what you would like to do after completing the course, explain how you want to use the knowledge and experience that you gain. You can be very specific. You should also again mention the name of the university and course you are applying to. What master’s modules are you excited the most about? Show the university you have done some research about them – what is it that made this university stand out for you?
Do you have questions or are you unclear about any part of you Personal statement? Get in touch with you UniLink Buddy and he/she will be more than happy to help 🙂
