UK University places are more competitive than ever

A recent article in The Times (29.06.22) states that this year’s admissions will mark the start of a “new tougher era” in the battle for university places.

According to Professor Lee Elliot Major, Professor of social mobility at Exeter University, grade inflation, a growing population of school leavers and new student loan rules from 2023, (lowering the threshold for graduates to start repaying their loans) means that this year is about to become one of the most competitive in living memory. Professor Major told The Times, “Students with high A-level grades will no longer be able to guarantee places” as universities have disclosed that they have fewer places on offer this year.

So how can we help our students get the places they deserve? Here we have put together some tips and advice so that you can help and encourage your children to write a strong and compelling Personal Statement. We view this as a process that should not be rushed, don’t skimp on research! This particularly applies to applications to research intensive degrees (e.g. Russell Group universities). Students need to show that they are interested and self-motivated enough to read some seriously academic material. By the end of the process the student will be well prepared and set up for a successful three years or more at university.

Research and reading

  • Make sure you know your shortlisted courses – look at the modules and know the difference between a BSc and a BA.
  •  Show your motivation for the subject and provide evidence to support your motivation. You need a wide variety of reading different academic sources not just lightweight introductory reading.
  • Academics need proof that you know what you are letting yourself in for. Prove you are interested by critically engaging with the subject and reflect on what you have read.

Make it Personal

  • Admissions Tutors want to get a sense of who you are – what are you offering? Are you good at languages? Tell them. Are you an ace communicator or debater? Let them know. Are you an avid scientific researcher? Write about it.
  • Your extra-curricular activities are not as important as your academic achievements – talk about them in terms of skills you are offering. Negotiation, communication, time-management, leadership and teamwork are all important skills that you will be expected to have.
  • Your writing style should be engaging and interesting. Use active verbs to bring your Personal Statement alive, encouraging the Admissions Tutor to read on and ultimately offer you a place.

Have a read of our blog Personal Statement Essentials – What You Need To Know for further tips and advice.

Each year www.UKStudyOptions.com helps students obtain some cracking university places. It’s not an easy process and the student has to put the work in. Our team of former admissions tutors provide support, guidance and expertise to cut through the confusion.

Contact us on hello@ukstudyoptions.com for details of our Personal Statement Package and how we can support you with your own Personal Statement.

The Cost of an Undergraduate Degree in the UK

A guest blog article from our partner TorFX who specialise in currency transfer.

As one of the most popular study destinations in the world, thousands of students move to the UK each year to start their undergraduate degrees.

The UK is home to over 160 higher education institutions, including some of the most prestigious, competitive and well-known universities in the world. It offers great choice to both British and international students alike.

The benefits of UK higher education are numerous; unrivalled student experience, globally-recognised education, excellent career prospects, and more but studying in the UK can be costly and families need to plan and budget effectively.

There are three main areas of costs that families need to consider when planning for university in the UK; tuition fees, accommodation and living expenses.

Tuition Fees

UK bachelors degrees are usually 3 years in duration for most subjects although some degrees may be longer such as Engineering, Architecture, Veterinary Science, Medicine and Dentistry. Scottish bachelors are typically 4 years. Before starting to budget for the cost of tuition fees, you need to check the duration of the course you are interested in.

Tuition fees in the UK vary depending on whether you’re a home or an international student.

Home students pay tuition fees of between £1,820 and £9,250 a year, depending on which UK country you study in. Most students can apply for a government-provided tuition fee loan that covers the cost of this and is paid directly to your university.

For international students, undergraduate degrees begin at around £10,000 per year and can go as high as £61,000 per year, depending on the course you’re applying to. Tuition fees also vary depending on the university you’re considering – more competitive institutions tend to charge higher fees. Some universities also charge international students additional college fees of around £10,000 per year. It’s best to check the fees for any course you’re thinking of applying to for the year that you are applying, as fees tend to go up each year by around 5-10%.

International students aren’t eligible for the tuition fee loan. You may be able to secure a scholarship, grant or bursary, although these can be highly competitive. It’s worth contacting the universities you’re interest in to see if they offer any funding.

Accommodation and Living Expenses

According to Unipol, rented student accommodation was about £166 per week on average in 2021-22, while private accommodation cost £155 per week for an en-suite room in a house-share and £228 for a studio flat.

Of course, this varies hugely across the country. Rural and northern towns tend to be cheaper, while cities and popular tourist destinations are far pricier. In London, costs were significantly higher. University accommodation averaged at £212 per week and private rooms averaged at £259.

Living expenses, meanwhile, sit around £389 per month. This includes everything from groceries and gift-giving to health expenses and household bills. Students with family abroad will likely have higher travel costs too, so that’s something to factor in.

Overall, students can pay between £600 and £1,100 a month on accommodation and living expenses. Online student calculators are a great tool for adding up the cost of living and comparing costs in different parts of the country to be able to budget more efficiently.

Once again, home students are eligible for a government maintenance loan to go towards their cost of living. The amount is based on your household income and in 2022-23 ranges from £3,597 to a maximum of £12,667 (for someone studying away from home in London) per year.

Maintenance loans rarely cover the total cost of living. Instead, students will likely need financial support or to work while they study.

As with the tuition loan, international students are not eligible for government maintenance loans. Instead, they’ll need to secure their own funding or apply for a scholarship.

How TorFX Can Help

While TorFX can’t shrink the price that universities charge for a degree, we can minimise extra costs associated with currency exchange.

If you’re transferring an international currency into Pounds to pay for tuition, accommodation and living costs, you are likely to be charged for the transaction. You are also vulnerable to fluctuating exchange rates, as US banks, for example, request that your payment be made before providing you with a rate.

Currency exchange providers, on the other hand, specialise in conducting international money transfers – and can often offer a more competitive exchange rate. At TorFX, an account manager will explain the current rates available and can offer a variety of tailored products to help get the most from your transfer.

Tools we offer include spot contracts, forward contracts and market orders. Respectively, these allow you to transfer money immediately at the current exchange rate, fix a favourable exchange rate up to two years ahead of a transfer, or target the rate you’d like to achieve so that if and when that rate is achieved, the transfer will take place.

We also offer stop loss orders. With these you can set your minimum exchange rate and if the market moves to this level, your transaction will go ahead, protecting you from further losses.

Whatever the cost of a UK university education amounts to, don’t be tricked into paying more than you need to. Contact TorFX today by filling out our form for an online quote.

UK University Fee Status Rules

If you are going to a UK university, your fee status, i.e. whether you are charged home fees or overseas fees, is determined by a set of rules.

The rules are set by the government, but they are published online by a charity called UKCISA who support students in understanding their fee status eligibility. Anyone can access and read the rules online.

These rules differ in each of the four UK nations. The rules that apply to you are based on where the university you are applying to is located. For example, if you are applying to Scottish universities, you need to understand the Scottish fee status rules. If you are applying to English universities, you need to understand the English fee status rules and so on. If you are applying to universities in different parts of the UK you must apply all the relevant rules.

Here’s where to find them:

English fee status rules

Scottish fee status rules

Welsh fee status rules

Northern Irish fee status rules

The rules are largely derived from case law of previous immigration or student finance court cases. This is often where certain terms and definitions within the rules are defined so you may also want to read this information also.

Ordinary Residence Case Law

We understand that these rules can be confusing and it’s not always clear how your fee status would be determined.

UKCISA, who train us at UKSO and university staff on how to apply the fee status rules, offer free advice to students on their fee status and can be contacted here.

The UK Study Options team has extensive training and experience of fee status issues that specifically affect expat students. If you would like some feedback on your fee status case, complete our online form and we’ll get back to you.

PLEASE NOTE: The guidance on fee status rules is regularly updated and the link to the latest guidance may change. The above links are the latest guidance at the time of writing, May 2022.

Fee Status For Medical Degrees

Expat students that live abroad in any of the three years prior to starting their medical degree are in danger of losing their eligibility for home fees at UK universities. Each university will undertake due diligence when assessing whether a student has maintained their eligibility for home fees but if the course is a medical degree there is further scrutiny.

This is partly because the degree is so expensive to deliver and partly because home and overseas places for medical students are capped by the UK Government. Institutions that offer home fee places to students incorrectly are at risk of being fined by the UK Government so fee status for medical degrees is of added importance.

Cost of medical degree for home students v overseas students

UK home fees for medicine vary from £1,820 per year at Scottish universities (Scottish nationals), £4.630 at Northern Irish universities (NI and ROI nationals) to £9,000 plus for Welsh and English universities. Universities fix these lower tuition fees for home students as their places are subsidised by the Government.

The true cost of delivering such intensive medical training is much higher; overseas medical students pay anything between £32,000 per annum to up to £61,000 per year (depending upon the UK country, the institution and whether it is for preclinical or clinical years) for 5 to 6 years. There may also be additional costs for overseas students, such as College fees at Cambridge university.

The disparity in cost to students means that if you are borderline for home fees, such as expat students, there is a real importance to maintain your home fee eligibility to avoid paying a much higher rate.

Overseas students will not be able to apply for a student loan as home students can, so there is the added burden of funding the higher tuition fees and living expenses yourself.

Competition for places is tough

Medicine is a notoriously competitive course to apply for in the UK. It’s not just a question of being academically able, there is strong emphasis on having the right aptitude for medicine, the skill-set, attributes, ethical qualities and to be able demonstrate their suitability for such intense training and demanding career.

To add to the competitiveness of the course, the UK Government has capped the number of medical students it is prepared to fund each year. There are 29,000 applications each year for around 9,000 places. Only around 7% of the total places are allocated to overseas fee-paying students. Needless to say, the competition for places is extremely high as a home student but even more so as an overseas student.

Additionally, some medical schools do not accept any overseas students, so if you apply to these schools and are assessed as an overseas fee-payer, you will be rejected for this reason and not because you don’t meet the entry requirements.

When applying for medical school with the intention of applying as a home fee student, it is important that you are prepared in advance; you will need to actively maintain your eligibility for home fees and gather strong evidence to support your case. Once the application goes in, the universities will send the expat student a fee status questionnaire so that they can gather the information they need, along with the evidence required, to assess the student’s eligibility. A delay in submitting information and evidence is likely to delay the offer for months at a critical time in the application cycle.

Each year we help hundreds of expat families achieve their dream of attending a UK university on home fees. We are education consultants specialising in university education. Our consultants have each been at the heart of university admissions in top tier universities – see our team and experience.

How has Covid-19 affected fees status?

Since Covid-19 hit, there has been one full UK university admission cycle. Throughout this, we have been supporting families around the world with their fee status queries and observing how Coronavirus has impacted the decisions universities make on who gets Home fees.

Maintaining ‘Ordinary Residence’ is a key criterion for achieving Home fee status for many British expats. One part of demonstrating that you maintain this status is through regular travel back to the UK (or EEA in some cases) during periods where you reside elsewhere. When subject to a fee status assessment by the universities that they are applying to, students are often asked about their travel pattern back to the UK over a number of years as a qualifying characteristic of Ordinary Residence. As Covid-19 grounded flights in early 2020, British expats who live abroad would have seen this important travel pattern interrupted, and thus threaten to jeopardise the Ordinary Residence status that they rely on to remain eligible for Home fees.

There has been no formal national guidance on how universities should take this into consideration when assessing a student’s fees. Instead, each university has been left to use their discretion on individual fee status cases. Overall, we have seen most universities being flexible regarding the travel element of students’ fee status cases, i.e., the lack of travel has not automatically disqualified a student from obtaining Home fees. Most institutions have been empathetic to the fact that families have not been able to get back to their home country. However, despite this flexibility, we have seen universities across the country becoming increasingly strict on fee status in the last year, resulting in many more British expat students being classified as Overseas fee-payers than in previous years. This is likely to be a result of the Pandemic and also Brexit falling within the same year; two big financial blows to the university sector leading to more hard-line policy on who gets Home fees.

We are now in a new academic year, where students who wish to start university in 2022, will also have been prevented from travelling back to the UK in recent years. We are keeping a close eye on fee status assessments and if the same concessions will be made in the current admissions cycle. But as each university uses their discretion and makes decisions on a case-by-case basis, there is no guarantee that this flexibility will continue. Covid-19 is likely to impact fee status for many years to come, so is there anything you can do to minimise the impact on your own fee status case?

Here are a few tips that have helped our expat families impacted by travel restrictions:

  • As always you should keep records of all your travel to the UK, dating as far back as you can.
  • If you booked any travel during the Pandemic which was cancelled or postponed, keep records of this also to show that you intended and attempted to go back but were prevented from doing so by things outside your control.
  • Don’t expect UK Admissions teams to know what travel restrictions there are around the world, as they differ in each country. Keep a copy of the current travel guidance where you live in case you need to show the university that you were subject to travel restrictions. Screenshots of a news articles or national Coronavirus updates can be helpful.
  • Itemise your travel pattern pre-pandemic, to show that prior to travel restrictions you regularly travelled back to the UK. Volunteer this information to the university when you are being fee status assessed.
  • Consider travelling back to the UK as soon as you’re able again to show commitment to maintaining your Ordinary Residence.

UK Study Options are experts on UK university fee status and we support families all over the world with their personal fee status cases. Find out if you’re eligible for Home fees by completing our online form.

What makes a standout postgraduate application?

Competition at the best UK universities at postgraduate level is tough, so it’s time to ‘cash in’ on all your accomplishments up to now. Universities will expect you to have used your undergraduate time wisely and to have developed yourself in a number of ways. An average candidate will have academic achievements, experience (professional and/or life) and well-developed soft skills. In your postgraduate application, you need showcase all of these. But the most promising candidates will have an impressive overall profile that can boast uniqueness, ambitious careers goals and a desire to ‘give back’ to their chosen institution.

When applying for a course at any university, some things are a given:

You must meet the entry requirements – this sounds obvious but it’s extremely important. Most universities publish the minimum entry requirements that they accept such as a 2:1 in your first degree or a number of years’ work experience. Actually, the average grade/work experience that applicants have is usually much higher, so meeting the entry requirement is by no means a guarantee of a place on the course, you need to offer more than this to compete for a place.

You must demonstrate a range of well-developed soft skills – teamwork, problem-solving, time-management, detail-orientated, creative, good communicator, networker – whatever is relevant and useful to your studies and future career. And you need to evidence these in your studies, work experience and achievements. You may be academically strong but without soft skills to match this, you will be limited in achieving your potential at postgraduate level.

The above merely makes for an adequate application which doesn’t guarantee you a place, so what makes a STANDOUT application? From helping students get into the top universities in the UK for over 10 years, we’ve come up with our top three things that make a standout postgraduate application.

What’s unique about you?

Does you profile bring something distinctive to this year’s cohort? Your personal combination of background, experiences, passions, goals is surely unique but easily overlooked when you take it for granted. Try and look at yourself objectively and articulate to prospective universities what you have to offer. What perspective, skillset, knowledge will you bring into the classroom/lab? How will you contribute to the diversity that universities love within their cohorts? Work out what this is and make yourself a ‘must have’ for any class of 2022. We can help you look at yourself with fresh eyes and enhance your profile, such as Imran, who we helped shape his Social Sciences degree, passion for agri-business and experience growing up in India into a impactful pitch to Warwick’s International Business MSc.

What’s the endgame?

Postgraduate education is a stepping-stone to a promising career so it’s assumed that you will have thought considerably about what you will do after you graduate. Universities will want to know about your career aspirations and see that you have thought about what challenges you may face in getting there, how you will resolve these and generally what your roadmap to success will be. It’s essential that these are realistic and well-researched. If the journey from undergraduate to postgraduate to career doesn’t make sense on paper, then you need to explain your rationale and convince the Admissions team that your postgraduate course is the right choice. At UK Study Options, we help students develop credible and compelling aspirations that complement and justify their academic journey – like Alex from Greece, who we supported from a Law degree, to studying Economics at Imperial, to a career in Finance in London.

What’s in it for them?

Sometimes the measure of a great student is what they will give back to the university. Beyond your studies, what will you contribute as a student or as a graduate? During your time at uni will you lead the entrepreneurship society? Will you help the university recruit the next cohort of promising students? Will you enter competitions and elevate the university name? Universities don’t have impressive communities of accomplished alumni by accident – they scout out such individuals. What will you go on to achieve as an alumnus/a? No doubt you are ambitious, so voice those ambitions, and give the university something that they want to put their name on, like Lara from Lebanon who following her degree in Information Management at UCL went on to work in counterterrorism.

The UKSO team has been supporting students in their applications to the top UK universities and courses at postgraduate level for over 10 years. Whatever your education goal, we can work with you to help you achieve it. Get in touch for a free consultation to discuss your study ambitions.

How to apply to a postgraduate course in the UK

Postgraduate admissions in the UK differs from undergraduate admissions. For a start, very few universities use a central application system such as UCAS. Instead, most universities require you to submit an individual application directly to the university. There is less standardisation across postgraduate admissions and each university has their own admission process that needs to be followed to gain entry. Therefore, it’s crucial that you do your research into each course that you’re considering making sure you submit a successful application.

Here we break down what you need to consider when applying to a postgraduate course in the UK.

Timeline – is there a deadline you need to meet or are admissions rolling? Many competitive courses have early deadlines and will not consider any late applications. Other courses will have open admissions that only close when the course is full, but it’s always advisable to apply early so you don’t miss out. Applications usually open in November for the following September, ideally you want to apply by March (or by any deadline). There may also be scholarship deadlines to consider if you need funding.

Entry requirements – what criteria do you need to meet for entry to the course? You’ll probably need to have achieved a minimum grade in your undergraduate degree (usually the equivalent of a 2:1) which may be in a particular subject. If English isn’t your first language, you may have to submit English language test results. And some specialist degrees might require work experience or other test scores such as GMAT (Business), BMAT (Medicine) or LNAT (Law). Each university will have different requirements so check every one.

Supporting documents – what documents do you need to submit as part of your application? It’s normal to submit a personal statement explaining your reasons for wanting to study the course. Unlike at undergraduate level where one statement is sent to all unis, you are expected to tailor this to each university you are applying to, even if it’s the same course. You may also need to submit a research proposal, CV, cover letter, career statement, other essays or video statement.

Interview – does the application process include an interview? Many postgraduate courses now require this to facilitate selection of the best candidates. This may be a traditional-style interview in-person or via video conferencing with an Admissions Tutor or Academic. Some universities are moving to an automated interview system, such as Kira Talent, where you are given questions to answer on the spot and your responses are recorded and timed.

With all this to consider, preparing for your postgraduate applications in the UK can mount up to quite a bit of work, so it’s advisable to limit the number of applications to 3 or 4 universities. It’s also a good idea to get support to make sure you’re submitting a competitive application. As ex admissions officers, the UKSO team is experienced in postgraduate admissions and will guide you through these demanding application processes to maximise your chance of success. Schedule a free consultation to discuss your study goals.

Why study a postgraduate course in the UK?

There are around 590,000 students studying a postgraduate course in the UK and with around 35% of students coming from another country. What attracts so many students from around the world to continue their studies at a UK university? Here we talk about the benefits of postgraduate study in the UK.

World-class

A long history of excellent higher education and world-renowned universities is one of the UK’s main draws for students. Many of the world’s best universities are based in the UK such as Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial, UCL, LSE and King’s, who consistently top global university rankings year after year. Organisations such as the Quality Assurance Agency and The Office for Students, assess institution for the quality of education and value they offer students which raises the bar for higher education in the UK, meaning whichever university you study at, you can be confident that you will leave with a quality degree that is recognised around the world.

Breadth and depth

There are hundreds of subjects to study at postgraduate level whatever your interests are, allowing you to either drill down further into your academic passion or take your career in a whole new direction. The most popular postgrad subjects are Business, Education and Medicine. But it’s also possible to study niche subjects like Golf Management, Brewing and Stand-Up Comedy!

As well as an impressive array of subjects on offer, students will study their subjects in great depth and can use their studies as a way to specialise in their field, give their professional profile the edge and enhance their career options. Graduates from UK postgraduate courses walk away with significantly more experience and knowledge in their field of study than those studying in other parts of the world.

Choice and flexibility

As well as subject breadth and depth, students have a multitude of qualification options available. From specialist taught degrees such as MA (Master of Arts) or MSc (Master of Science), professional degrees such as MEng (Master of Engineering) or MBA (Master of Business Administration) or research degrees such as MRes (Master of Research) or PhD (Doctorate), students can gain a reputable and recognised qualification in their chosen field.

You can also choose a study mode to suit your lifestyle whether full-time, part-time, distance (online), hybrid (part online, part in-person) and a schedule that fits your individual needs: daytime, evening, weekend, on demand etc. Some courses can be studied intensively, or over extended periods to allow for different paces of study or to fit around other commitments. This flexibility has led to one of the most diverse student cohorts in the world, made up of recent graduates, young professionals and senior professionals which only serves to enrich the classroom experience.

Careers

One thing postgraduate courses in the UK have in the common, is their focus on careers and employability. Designed to propel you into a promising career, postgraduate study prepares you for an evolving and competitive job market. Built-in work experience, internships, consultancy projects often found in postgraduate courses are aimed at developing the necessary skills required for a range of jobs and expose students to potential employers. Universities encourage employers from all over the world to recruit directly off campus to support students’ transitions from study life to work life. This seems to be ‘paying off’, as UK postgrads are 56% more likely to be paid a ‘high-skilled salary rate’.

With so many benefits, the UK proves to be an excellent study destination for postgraduate students whatever their education goals and ambitions. UK Study Options have over 10 years’ experience supporting students to make this journey and can help you make your too. Book a free consultation to find out how.

Fee Status Advice for International Schools

If you have British expat students at your international school who are looking to study at university in the UK, they may be classified as Overseas fee-payers, costing up to £350,000 more for their degree than if they were classified as Home fee-payers.

Providing advice on fee status to your students and parents is easy and can avoid them being classified incorrectly, as well as have other benefits to your school.

How does good advice on UK University fee status benefit your school?

  1. Improve your destination statistics.

If well-advised on fee status, students are more likely to get Home offers from all their university choices, including top institutions. Giving them the freedom to choose the best university and course for them – rather than their choice be dictated by where they managed to get Home fees.

  1. Improve your student retention.

Having clarity on the rules and regulations around fee status will help your parents make more informed choices about their child’s education. You can then retain students who would otherwise return to the UK before sixth form, thinking that this will secure them Home fees when it in fact may not.

  1. Increase confidence and reduce stress at application time.

Having a strong case for Home fees gives students and parents peace of mind during the application period and reduces the stress of having to appeal a fee status decision (which can take months). Clarity on a student’s fee status will speed up offers from the universities, allowing your students to just focus on which offer to choose.

How can you support your students and parents with their fee status queries?

  1. Get them thinking about it early!

Don’t wait until sixth form to encourage your students and parents to think about fee status. We recommend that Years 9 or 10 upwards have access to this information so they can make informed decisions about their living/work/study/travel plans well ahead of their application to university.

  1. Book a webinar with us.

We offer free webinars for schools on fee status that you can invite your students and parents to so they can be well-informed on fee status. Contact us to book a webinar.

  1. Share our blog.

We have loads of free advice on fee status that helps families navigate this complex topic on our Blog.

UK Study Options are leading experts on UK University Fee Status and we have helped over 1,000 families with their fee status queries. We are a team of ex Russell Group Admissions Officers who have many years’ experience of fee status assessment and we are trained by UKCISA on how to assess fee status.

Personal Statement for UK university applicants

Schools have broken up for the summer holidays, students are told to work on their Personal Statements ready to be handed in during the first week of term. Students may be planning to get it wrapped up in a day or so, after all what can be so hard about writing a Personal Statement, 47 lines long, about one side of A4 – 4000 characters (including spaces)? Well, plenty if you haven’t prepared enough in advance!

It’s particularly hard if you are planning to apply to a competitive subject or a high ranking university as you need a show-stopping Personal Statement that is clear, informed about your subject choices, articulate about your passion to study the subject and send the right signals that you are ready, academically able and willing to take a step into the next stage of your life as a university student.

Avoid the common pitfalls

You may think you are the only person who is applying for the course but the reality is that if it is a popular subject like Law or Economics or vocationally specific like Medicine or Veterinary Science there are likely to be at least 15 or more students each applying for one space on the course. They will all have the required predicted grades, so your Personal Statement is your opportunity to shine. Remember that the university admissions person who is choosing their students has studied the subject for many years so they will spot waffle and shallow interest a mile off. They are looking for keen students who are genuinely interested in the course, have done their best to inform themselves by reading widely ‘beyond the school curriculum’ (this means books outside those that you are told to read at school) and are offering something unique to bring to the course and their fellow students.

So, let’s get started

Before you get writing, make notes of books you have read, related resources, lectures you have been to, workshops attended, competitions entered etc. Did you agree with the writer/speaker? Why/why not? How did these resources make an impact upon your decision to study this subject?

  1. What prompted you to study the subjects you are taking at school? What do you enjoy about them and why? Have you become aware of specific skills a subject can give you? For instance, Maths develops strong problem-solving techniques.
  2. What about work-experience, work shadowing, part time jobs, school events that you have organised? What did you learn, did you acquire new skills, what existing skills did you utilise?
  3. Sports and social activities: Tutors want you to get the most out of your studies and will expect you to participate in some sporting and social activities. These may also help you to destress at exam time and get to meet a wide range of people from all cultures – part of the university experience.
  4. Finally, it’s good to reiterate your reasons for wanting to attend a UK university; to learn from your fellow students as well as the academic staff. To be at a culturally diverse and vibrant institution, to be stretched and challenged and to enhance your career prospects. All good reasons to go to university in the UK.

A word of warning! UCAS puts all the UCAS forms and Personal Statements through plagiarism software to avoid temptation to copy and paste the odd sentence that sounds good on the web! Make it yours, make it genuine, make it successful and good luck!

Some resources to help you get started:
Durham University
www.dur.ac.uk/study/ug/apply/ucas/personalstatement/

University of Warwick https://warwick.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/apply/tips/uow_personal_statement_guide_online.pdf

UK Study Options provide tailored student guidance on writing a personal statement for competitive university applications. Have a look at what our Personal Statement Package includes.

We also write a number of blogs on Personal Statement writing and the university application process in general, visit our blog page to find more useful tips and information.

Get in Touch

Email
hello@ukstudyoptions.com

Phone
+44 (0)208 1871865