Changes to the UCAS Personal Statement
31st May 2026 17:29
2026 is the first year that students entering university will have written their personal statement in the new question format. UCAS has recently changed the personal statement from one long answer to three structured questions.
The UCAS personal statement has long been an important part of a student's university application, with universities using it alongside predicted grades to determine whether to offer a university place. The personal statement is the only opportunity for a student to personalise their application and stand out from the competition. In lieu of an interview, it is almost the only way to differentiate between students with the same grades, and for universities which offer interviews, like Oxford and Cambridge, it remains an important part of their decision about whether to offer an interview or not.
The new format of the personal statement is three questions with students asked to write a minimum of 350 characters (around 60 words) for each question, and a limit of 4000 characters (around 700 words) for the whole personal statement. This 4000 character limit hasn't changed from the old style of personal statement, but the amount students write for each question is their decision within the above constraints.
The three questions are:
1) Why do you want to study this course or subject?
2) How have your qualifications and studies helped you to prepare for this course or subject?
3) What else have you done to prepare outside of education, and why are these experiences useful?
UCAS hopes that the new structure will help applicants to scaffold their answers to ensure they write what universities want to hear. In particular this is seen as a way to make the university application process fairer for pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds, where the former open nature of the personal statement could be seen as intimidating to those with less support.
Jo Saxton, the Chief Executive of UCAS said she wanted to make sure that "the doors of opportunity stay open for as many students as possible so that they can benefit from a university education". She added "I saw first-hand how the personal statement can help students really clarify and articulate their ambition, but alos how challenging it can be for those with less support".
The three answers are reviewed as one, rather than in isolation, so students don't need to worry about under which question they include certain information, and there is no need to repeat anything.
The first question, why do you want to study this course or subject? is an opportunity for students to explain their motivation and their knowledge of, and interest in, the course. Here they can also talk about their future career plans and why the university and/or course is a particularly good fit.
The second question asks students to explain what makes them prepared for the course, and this is where past studies, training and their existing skills make the student capable of thriving once at university. Any relevant achievements in their education so far should be mentioned to convince their chosen university that they will be an asset.
The last question is less about academia and gives students a chance to be more individual and discuss interests which might set them apart from the other applications. This answer can include, work experience, employment and volunteering, and also the student's personal life experiences, their hobbies and what they do outside of school. For anyone with a deferred entry, they can explain what they have done between leaving school and applying to university, whether it's a gap year or a significantly longer gap.
AI has created a challenging dilemma for all of us whether it's writing a report at work, submitting coursework or writing your personal statement for university, and UCAS is well aware of the potential for students using AI software such as ChatGPT to write their personal statement. Universities are already combating this by looking for patterns in students' work which suggest over-reliance on AI software, and UCAS advises students to use it to brainstorm, help with structure and help with readability.
However, the view of Courteney Sheppard, the Head of Customer Contact at UCAS, on further use of AI software is: "The personal statement is exactly that; personal. It is a chance to showcase your passion and research, and explain why you want to study this course."
Please see the UCAS website for further guidance on the personal statement.