Personal and supporting statements

What's a personal statement?

A personal statement is used in applications for further study, particularly postgraduate courses. It helps you stand out by showing your motivation, suitability, and future goals.

Your personal statement should:

• Show your passion for studying
• Highlight relevant skills and experiences
• Outline your academic and career goals

Most postgraduate applications are made directly to institutions. However, certain postgraduate courses may go through UCAS or the GOV.UK portal. Check this before applying.

 

Structuring your postgraduate personal statement

Always check the institution's website and course information for guidelines, such as:

• word counts
• suggested templates
• formats to use.

It’s important to tailor your statement to the specific course and university you're applying to. 

Below is a suggested structure to help you write your statement:

 

1. Introduction

• Clearly show your interest in the course and subject area.
• Explain your motivation for studying it.
• Highlight what attracts you to postgraduate study at the institution e.g. modules, employer links, teaching facilities or academic specialisms.

 

2. Academic Preparation

• Explain how your undergraduate degree has prepared you for post graduate study. This could be key modules or your dissertation.
• Highlight transferrable skills you’ve gained, such as critical thinking, research skills or time management, providing specific evidence/examples of these skills.
• Cover any relevant academic achievements.

 

3. Work Experience & Skills

• Describe relevant work experience. This could be volunteering, internships or employment.
• Reflect on what this has taught you or what you’ve gained from it. Show how it supports your future study (e.g. industry knowledge).
• Use the STAR technique to structure your examples.

 

4. Future Goals

• Explain how the course supports your career plans and aligns with your future ambitions.

 

5. Conclusion

• Summarise your motivation and suitability. Reaffirm your enthusiasm for the course and university.

 

Resources

• Personal statements for postgraduate applications | Prospects.ac.uk
• How To Write Your Postgraduate Personal Statement | UCAS

What's a supporting statement?

A supporting statement is used in job applications, commonly in:

• Education
• public sector
• non-profit organisations.

It allows you to demonstrate how you meet the essential and, if possible, desirable criteria outlined in the person specification.

A person specification is a document that lists the skills, experience, and knowledge required for the job.

Person specifications often distinguish between:

• Essential criteria – requirements you must meet
• Desirable criteria – additional attributes that strengthen your application

Your statement should show how you meet the essential criteria first, then address the desirable criteria. Your supporting statement is assessed against these criteria.

 

Structuring your supporting statement for job applications

View your statement as a collection of short evidence-based statements or paragraphs based on the person specification's criteria. Keep these tips in mind:

• Follow the order of the criteria in the person specification to create a logical flow to your supporting statement. 
• Use the criteria as subheadings or number your paragraphs if the person specification uses numbered headings. This'll help the recruiter understand how you meet each criterion.
• Always use specific examples to explain how and why your skills and experience meet the criteria – avoid generic statements. The STAR technique can help you to structure your examples. Focus on examples from the most relevant experiences you’ve had. If needed, draw from your wider experiences and explain how you can transfer these skills into the new role.
• Where possible, group similar criteria together to avoid repetition. For example, can you include a situation when you demonstrated problem-solving and excellent communication skills at the same time.
• Where word count allows, include a short introductory statement at the start and a concluding paragraph at the end.

 

Writing style

• Use positive and impactful language, reflecting the job description and company language. Check the company website for their business values or mission statement. Consider how you could include how your personal values align to their strategic aims in your supporting statement.
• Quantify your achievements whenever possible. Did you score highly for the module your example is from? Did you receive positive feedback from a line manager or customer? Quantified results make your examples more tangible for the reader.
• Follow the specified word count if there is one. Otherwise, aim for 1-2 pages of A4.

 

Top tips

• Tailor your supporting statement for every job you apply for. 
• Proof-read your statements and ask others to check them too.
• Create your statement in a separate Word document. Once you're happy with it, copy and paste it or upload into the application form. This'll help you spot spelling and grammar errors. It'll also stop you from sending your application in before your statement is finished.
• Remember that these statements are your opportunity to sell yourself. Be positive, use convincing language, and persuade the reader that you're the perfect candidate!

 

Resources

• Complete our Writing a Supporting Statement eLearning. 
• How do I write a supporting statement for my application? - jobs.ac.uk