PGCE Application
There are a variety of different pathways into teaching, from early years degrees, direct entry programmes, and the Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE). Putting together your PGCE application relies on fluently communicating your passions and goals for the future, and why applying for a PGCE is the right move for you. To submit your UCAS PGCE application, you will need an exemplary personal statement, and an attitude to match. Read on to discover our top tips for making a successful application to a PGCE course through UCAS.
The PGCE Application Process
The application process for a PGCE differs slightly from your average UCAS application, or applications of any sort at undergraduate level. You are only allowed to select three different courses when applying. You are almost guaranteed to be expected to interview, prior to being offered a place, and as with all postgraduate applications, your personal statement will need to be of the highest possible quality. PGCE courses are known for being competitive, so do your research and get writing!
We have compiled a list of the best tips and tricks for ensuring your postgraduate teacher training application goes exactly to plan. From structuring your application to writing your statement, and waiting it out until the offers come rolling in, there is always more to learn when it comes to perfecting the art of personal statement writing.
Planning & Time - When it comes to putting together your PGCE application, perhaps the very worst thing you can do is rush it. Before selecting the three courses you wish to apply for, be aware that different universities have different deadlines for when applications need to be submitted through UCAS. In addition, be sure to give yourself plenty of time to plan your document before you start putting it together. Ending up with too many words is always preferable to having too few; if your initial draft is too long to fit the 4,000 character limit set out by UCAS, you will be glad for the extra time to edit and redraft before submitting the finished statement.
Motivations - Teaching is a vocation — that is, a career that requires true passion and dedication to succeed in. You might refer to it as a ‘calling’. Be aware, however, that PGCE admissions teams read thousands of statements every year, and that overused phrases are unlikely to go over well. The teachers that students remember as having made a difference to their lives are the ones who truly make the profession their own, and bring a totally unique spin to the classroom. Starting out your application with as much innovation, enthusiasm and drive as you hope to one day bring to teaching is an easy way to put your best foot forward.
Experience - If you are in a position to apply for a PGCE course, you will hopefully have already undertaken work experience, or a placement within a teaching environment. The practical applications of teaching are very different to the theoretical ones, and admissions boards will want to know you have hands-on experience. Be sure to talk about your experience within your personal statement, with a particular emphasis on what you learned, what you got from the experience, and what you would bring to future placements.
Your Subject - As the name might suggest, a Postgraduate Certificate in Education comes with the prerequisite that you will have first completed an undergraduate degree in a subject of your choosing. Assuming this subject is the one you wish to go on and teach, PGCE admissions boards will want to know everything about your subject choice, and why you wish to teach it. This can, and should, form the very basis of your document, just as it will form the basis of your future teaching career.
Interview - As with all university interviews, you should expect your statement to come under serious scrutiny. It is common for interview panels to focus the majority of their questioning on the content of your personal statement, as they will want to hear you explain it in your own words, and expand upon the contents. Preparation before interview is especially vital for PGCE candidates, as performance, confidence, and public speaking skills are all important aspects of teaching successfully. Making a positive impression on a PGCE panel will be good practice for making a positive impression in future job interviews, and for making a positive impression on your future students.
Calm - An aspect of teaching that will certainly pay to practice early is staying calm under pressure. When you have submitted your application, or when you are waiting for the results of an interview, it pays not to hyperfixate on things you are no longer able to change. Stay as calm as you can, and resist reading back over your document post-submission. Some anxiety during the interview is to be expected, but the better prepared you have been before and throughout the process, the better your chances of success will be.
PGCE Application
UCAS Personal Statement for PGCE
Writing a successful personal statement for a PGCE qualification depends a great deal on ensuring the following factors are accounted for:
Language & Tone - Whilst teachers are valued, in many cases, for their sense of humour, a less than sincere impression is not one you want to make upon a university admissions board. Keep your tone personal, but professional, avoid jokes or flippancy, and make sure your statement is a true reflection of everything about you that cannot be highlighted by your academic achievements.
Authenticity - Overused or hackneyed quotes regarding teaching, and your motivation, are best left out of your personal statement. Admissions teams go through thousands of documents every year, and it is imperative that yours stands out as much as possible if you wish to be successful in achieving a place on a PGCE course.
Tailoring - Though you are allowed to apply for three different PGCE courses through UCAS in one application year, you only have the chance to submit one personal statement, applicable to all three universities. Your statement should highlight a truly balanced view of yourself, your past accomplishments, and your future goals, without sounding too generic.
Edit, Edit, Edit - Admissions teams will take a dim view of any overlooked spelling and grammar errors in your document, and if any happen to slip through the net, you can almost guarantee it will have a negative impact on your application. You might want to have an independent third party read through your statement ahead of submission. A second pair of eyes will often catch errors or inconsistencies you may have missed — a process that will ultimately result in you submitting a far better personal statement overall.
PGCE Personal Statement Writing Services
Our company is the UK’s leader when it comes to writing and editing bespoke UCAS personal statements for undergraduate and postgraduate courses. Our staff are exceptional writers and education experts, with decades of combined experience in writing unique professional statements on behalf of prospective students.
If you already have a drafted document, and would simply appreciate an edited version, our proofreading service is able to provide just that: a swift and professional edit of your personal statement that does not add additional content, but helps to maximise the impact of what is already there.
For those seeking a more detailed service, our Standard and Elite packages involve writing a personal statement on your behalf. Simply fill in a provided questionnaire with as much detail as possible about your PGCE application, and leave the rest to our writers. We provide a speedy service, resulting in a totally unique individual statement. Our Elite service is especially well-suited for applicants to postgraduate degrees, including PGCEs, anyone applying to Oxford or Cambridge, or anyone for whom the peak standard of personal statement is required.