Ucas Personal Statements For 2026

A personal statement: what is it?

The personal statement of a candidate is an opportunity to draw attention to their special skills and background. It's considered one of the most important parts of a student’s application process since it gives the applicant a chance to discuss topics other than their grades, like themselves and their interests.

With the help of this blog, we'll help you understand the major changes that have happened in the format and structure of the UCAS personal statement for 2026 candidates.

Why has the format for personal statements changed?

Announcements that the personal statement will henceforth consist of three distinct questions instead of a single, longer paragraph may have reached you. In order for your application to truly shine, UCAS  wanted to make the process simpler and more organised. They recognise that facing a blank page can be intimidating, so the new questions should help you get started by highlighting your accomplishments and yourself. This will allow the candidate to provide compelling examples that demonstrate their suitability for the course they have chosen.

In order to help the applicant succeed with their applications, the three questions will help them structure the responses and make sure they include just what schools and universities want to see. In order to help them keep track, each response will have a minimum character count of 350, which is prominently marked on the question boxes. Additionally, there will be an overall character counter. Both what they are expected to include and the 4000-character restriction (including spaces) are unchanged.

The Three New Personal Statement Questions

Here are the three new Personal Statement Questions:

1. Why do you want to study this course or subject?

In this question, the candidate has the opportunity to state their motivations for studying their desired course, their interests and understanding of the specific field, and how the course can be the perfect fit for the candidate’s future plans.

2. How have your qualifications and studies helped you to prepare for this course or subject?

Here, students can always showcase the transferable skills that they have gained during their schooling and how the qualifications and skills can help them succeed in this field.

3. What else have you done to prepare outside of education, and why are these experiences useful?

This is the candidate’s chance to discuss the extracurricular activities that they have engaged in, or they can also discuss their life experiences that can make their application stand out. This is considered to be a very personal section for the candidate,and they have to include every detail very thoughtfully.

What colleges and institutions are searching for?

Admissions officers are basically searching for proof in the applicant’s personal statement that they must have the necessary abilities, experiences, and potential to be an excellent student, as well as that the candidate is enthusiastic and informed about the subject they wish to pursue further.

Team Leader for HE Admissions at Hartpury University and College, Helen Bousfield-Myatt, said,  “We want to know why someone applied for the course, what piques their interest, and what motivates them to continue their education and career in this field. A candidate is more than just their credentials; their extracurricular activities are just as significant. To comprehend this, we consult the personal statement.”

What do college and university admissions officers want to see?

It can be a daunting task for an applicant to decide what they should put in their personal statement, but here are some pointers that can help them get started.

• Has someone, a news article, a documentary, or a podcast influenced you? Do you want to pursue a career in this field of study? Write that down and make it sound personal and interesting.
• Be explicit about what it is about the subject that fascinates you; instead of stating that you like it or are excellent at it, always attempt to explain the "why" behind your arguments.
• What are you interested in learning more about, what do you already know about the topic, and what qualifies you to learn about the topic?
• Have you completed any assignments or essays on this topic in college or at school? Consider your personality, your life experiences, and your abilities. How do these aspects of yourself make you a good fit to study the subject?
• How have you demonstrated your interest in the subject outside of the classroom or college setting? Have you participated in organisations or competitions, taken online courses, or done additional reading?
• Instead of mentioning your grades and subjects, try to think of unique things you've learnt during your studies that relate to the subject. Your current subjects and grades will be provided elsewhere in your application.