You’ll only write one personal statement, which will be sent to all the universities you’re applying to, and it’s unlikely you’ll be sending any additional (supplemental) essays. In some cases, it might be an actual professor reading your essay. The UCAS Personal Statement will be read by someone looking for proof that you are academically capable of studying that subject for your entire degree. Your UCAS personal statement should focus less on cool/fun/quirky aspects of yourself and more on how you’ve prepared for your particular area of study. When you apply to UK schools, you’re applying to one particular degree program, which you’ll study for all, or almost all, your time at university. Here are some key differences between the UCAS and the US Personal Statement: HOW IS THE UCAS PERSONAL STATEMENT DIFFERENT FROM THE US PERSONAL STATEMENT? How long is that, really? Use your “word count” tool in Google or Word docs to check as you go along, but 4,000 characters is roughly 500 words or one page.
You’ve got 4,000 characters and 47 line limit to show colleges what (ideally) gets you out of bed in the morning. UCAS gives a nice explanation here, but in short, this is your chance to stand out against the crowd and show your knowledge and enthusiasm for your chosen area of study. The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) Personal Statement is the main essay for your application to colleges and universities in Great Britain.
