UCAS Just Changed the Personal Statement—Here’s How to Crush It!
If you're planning to apply to UK universities in 2026 or beyond, listen up! UCAS is shaking things up in a big way. Gone are the days of the dreaded one-page, freeform personal statement. Instead, you'll be answering three clear, structured questions about your passion for your course, your academic prep, and your relevant experiences outside of school.
Sound better? Maybe. Sound scarier? Also maybe.
But don’t worry, I’m here to break it all down and give you the best strategies to ace your new and improved personal statement.
So What’s Changing?
Instead of writing a one-size-fits-all essay, you’ll now have to respond to three specific prompts. Each answer has to be at least 350 characters, and the total word count for all three combined can’t go over 4,000 characters (including spaces).
Here’s what UCAS will ask:
1. Why do you want to study this course or subject?
Think of this as your "Why this major?" question. This is your chance to geek out about why you love Biology, Engineering, History, or whatever you’re applying for.
2. How have your qualifications and studies helped you prepare for this course?
Basically: What have you done in school that proves you're ready for this? This could be specific classes, projects, or skills you’ve picked up along the way.
3. What else have you done to prepare outside of education, and why are these experiences useful?
Here’s where you talk about internships, clubs, part-time jobs, competitions, summer programs—anything that’s helped you develop skills for your course.
Why is UCAS making these changes? The goal is to make things clearer and fairer for everyone. A lot of students struggle with the current open-ended format, and universities want more focused answers. So, instead of staring at a blank page wondering where to start, you’ll have a roadmap to follow.
Wait, How is This Different from the US Personal Statement?
If you’re considering both UK and US universities, you might be wondering: Hold on, isn’t this just like the Common App essay? Well, not really.
Here’s a quick breakdown:
Example Comparison
Imagine you're applying for Computer Science. I know, it’s a hot topic these days, and hella-hard to get in.
A UK Personal Statement Answer Might Look Sometime Like This:
"My A-level coursework in Mathematics and Computer Science has given me a strong foundation in programming and logical problem-solving. I developed a machine-learning algorithm for stock predictions, which deepened my interest in AI and data science. I am eager to study Computer Science at university to further develop these skills."A US Common App Essay Might Look Like This:
"I was 10 years old when I built my first website—a clunky fan page for my dog, full of blinking text and pixelated gifs. At the time, I didn't know this curiosity for coding would lead me to designing apps for local businesses by 16. Technology has always been my playground, and Computer Science is my way of making an impact on the world."
Bottom Line: In the UK, your personal statement is an academic pitch—you’re showing that you're ready for the course. In the US, your essay is a story about you—they want to see who you are as a person.
So, if you’re applying to both UK and US universities, you’ll need to write two completely different statements.
How to Nail Each Section
1. Be Specific About Your Course Motivation
Instead of saying:
"I’ve always loved psychology, and I’m fascinated by how people think."
Try this:
"I became fascinated with psychology after reading ‘The Lucifer Effect’ by Philip Zimbardo. My A-level coursework on cognitive biases deepened this interest, and I now want to explore how psychological principles shape decision-making in real-world scenarios."
What works? It’s specific and personal—not something anyone could copy and paste. If you can, name a book, a project, a lecture, or an experience that sparked your interest.
Expert Tip: If you're applying for something competitive (hello, Medicine, Law & CS students), universities will want to see that your interest goes beyond just liking the subject. Prove that you like it enough to do something about it!
2. Make Your Academic Prep Shine
This is where you show how your school subjects have set you up for success. But don’t just list your grades—explain why they matter for your course.
Instead of:
"My A-levels in Maths, Physics, and Computer Science have helped me develop analytical and logical thinking."
Try this:
"In A-level Computer Science, I built a machine-learning algorithm that predicts stock trends. This hands-on project challenged my coding skills and gave me a glimpse into the data-driven world of Artificial Intelligence, which I want to explore further in my degree."
What works? It’s concrete and unique—it tells the reader exactly what you’ve done and why it’s relevant.
Expert Tip: Even if you don’t have a flashy project, you can talk about essays you wrote, topics that fascinated you, or problems you solved in class. Just make sure it clearly connects to your degree.
3. Show Off Your Outside-the-Classroom Experiences
This part lets you highlight anything outside school that proves you're a great candidate. Work experience? Perfect. Summer research? Awesome. Sports, clubs, volunteering? Yes, yes, yes!
Instead of:
"I worked at a café, which helped me develop customer service skills."
Try this (for a Business applicant):
"Working at a café taught me how small businesses operate. I started tracking sales trends and suggested changes to our menu, which led to a 10% revenue increase. This experience strengthened my understanding of business strategy and inspired me to study marketing."
What works? It connects directly to the course (not just “I worked a job”) and shows impact.
Expert Tip: Even if your experiences aren’t directly related, you can highlight transferable skills like leadership, teamwork, or problem-solving.
What Does This Mean for Me?
The good news? The structure makes writing your statement way easier. You don’t have to wonder, Am I saying the right things? UCAS is telling you exactly what they want to know.
The tricky part? You need to make every section count. There’s no space for fluff or generic statements—each response needs to be clear, personal, and well thought out.
Here are some tips:
✔ Start early! Don’t wait until the last minute. Your answers will be much stronger if you take time to refine them (as with any good essay writing).
✔ Be honest and personal. Admissions officers want you, not a generic, over-polished answer.
✔ Get feedback. Teachers, mentors, or even friends can help you tweak your responses. Sometimes, setting your essay aside for a few days before revisiting it with fresh eyes can help, too.
✔ Make sure your three answers complement, and build upon each other. Each section should add something new—don’t repeat the same points.
✔ Use UCAS resources. Check out their official advice here to stay updated.
Yes, this is a big change. But honestly? It’s a good one. Instead of stressing over how to structure a whole essay, you now have clear guidance on what to say.
So take a deep breath, start brainstorming, and get ready to write an application that truly shows off who you are and why you belong in your dream course.
And if you need a sounding board or more personal guidance to standing out in the admissions process, hit us up and we’d love to help! You got this!