2024: The Final Year of Traditional UCAS Personal Statements—What You Need to Know Before the Big Change

The UCAS Personal Statement has been an integral part of the university application process in the UK since 1993, but things are soon changing. From 2025, UCAS will require applicants to complete a questionnaire, made up of three key questions. 

This change is in response to feedback from students and university officials, and the shift in format is influenced by UCAS’ desire to modernise the application process.

The UCAS report revealed that 83% of students found the current method of Personal Statement too stressful, and by offering students a roadmap for answering the distinct questions, UCAS hopes to widen access and participation. 

This means that moving forward, 2024 is the last year students will be able to write a traditional Personal Statement for their admission.

It’s important to learn how to make your Statement stand out and explore expert services to maximise your chances for this final year. Keep reading to see our tips for successfully applying through UCAS in 2024, and how you can make the writing process less stressful with some help and advice from Personal Statement Service!

How to craft the perfect 2024 UCAS Statement

It is crucial to make the most of the Personal Statement format while you can, as this is the last chance to do so in its current shape. 

Every good Personal Statement needs a thorough plan, taking into consideration character and line limits, an effective opener as an introduction, and a conclusion that will leave a lasting impression on its reader. 

What do you want the admissions officer to understand about your enthusiasm for your chosen course, at every given step of your essay? 

Give yourself time to self-reflect on your achievements thus far and your goals for the future; sometimes it takes a while to come up with what makes your relationship with your subject unique, so start brainstorming early on.

Equally, it is important to research your chosen subject and gain a deep understanding of the finer details of each course and what its respective university requires of you. With each draft, you should aim for a more refined Statement than the last, honing in your argument and narrative. 

Because the Statement requires applicants to cover a wide range of topics, it is necessary to clearly sign-post your writing and guide the reader through each point you are making about your application.

Impressing admissions officers is achieved by highlighting your passions, academic achievements and extracurricular activities in a genuine and positive light. 

What you are ultimately giving the admissions officers is a story, a narrative about your relationship with your chosen subject, and why you intend to take your interests further at university. 

It is important to build a cohesive picture of your motivations, and this is often successfully achieved by tying personal experiences to academic interests.

Give a unique picture of your suitability for the course. Drawing on your personal experiences and achievements demonstrates to admissions officers that you’re a right fit. These can range from events and open days you’ve attended, and work experience you’ve had (especially useful for vocational courses), to any extra reading you’ve done around the subject, or courses you’ve completed. 

What did these entail, and more importantly, what did you gain and learn from these opportunities? And how can you apply these experiences back to your motivations?

The Personal Statement should be all your own writing, but seeking help from teachers, mentors, and peers is encouraged. A fresh pair of eyes is indispensable for offering feedback and points of improvement on a structural level, so be sure to factor in the feedback and refinement period in your writing timeline. 

Focus on thoroughly proofreading your work, double-checking for errors in spelling, grammar, and punctuation. 

Crafting a standout UCAS personal statement requires careful planning, self-reflection, and revision, but by following these strategies for success, you can create a statement that effectively enhances your application to UK universities.

Secure place at the prestigious universities in the UK with Personal Statement Service

Looking Ahead

Let’s look at the new UCAS application format, starting in 2025, in more detail. The revamped process aims to streamline the application approach by replacing the single, all-encompassing Personal Statement. 

Candidates will be asked to complete a questionnaire made up of three questions, about their motivations for their chosen course, what qualifications they have for this further study, and any extracurricular activities that contribute to their application.

 In three key words, these questions boil down to: Motivation, Academics, Experiences.

These questions are designed to be more obviously structured than the Personal Statement, asking student explicitly to elaborate on these three aspects of their suitability for the course. 

Compared to the combination of content and writing style in the Statement, which gave students more free reign in their writing, answering the questionnaire requires precise replies to the specific question asked. 

Though these changes mark a significant departure for the UCAS process, this doesn’t mean however that applicants won’t have chances to stand out: your experiences, enthusiasm, and intellect will speak for themselves, and your writing should reflect that regardless of format!

That being said, it is key that applicants this year take advantage of their unique situation and use the current format to their advantage. 

The Personal Statement gives more opportunity than a questionnaire in showcasing creative freedom and stand-out stylistic writing. 

Learning how to marry content and form successfully is crucial for this final year, so implement the tips above to craft an exceptional and distinctive Statement which speaks to your interests and impresses universities.

Focus more than ever on what makes you a suitable candidate for your course, and how you can provide evidence for your dedication and commitment to its study. 

This isn’t a journey you have to take alone, though. Here at Personal Statement Service, we have abundant experience in guiding students through the UCAS process, and this year is no different. 

Don’t miss out on perfecting your UCAS personal statement in its final year, and explore our expert, tailored services to make your application shine!