Personal statements
The personal statement explains to university admissions staff why the student wants to apply for that course. It should highlight additional transferable skills that are beneficial to the course, for example, organisation, leadership and time management. It should also include evidence of where they have developed these skills, perhaps drawing on sixth form studies, part time work and extra-curricular interests.
For students applying to start university in 2025 the personal statement will take the form of a mini essay. If your young person will be applying to start university in 2026 onwards, the UCAS personal statement will be split into three sections each with a question.
You should encourage them to think about all of the attributes they have that make them a strong student. Help them to recognise key skills from their everyday lives (for instance a daily paper round shows that an individual is reliable) and proof read their work to ensure it is free of any mistakes. If they are struggling to find examples for their skills you could recommend they carry out some wider reading, related field trips or work experience to address this.