Try and demonstrate your enthusiasm about the course and what exactly interests you in it. Or, as Dr Fatimah Zainudin from the University of Southampton’s business school puts it, 'What we love to see is a passion for the subject itself. If you fall in love with the subject, that’s what will lead to success on the course’.
Sheffield Hallam University is looking for you to demonstrate 'an interest in and awareness of accounting and finance, or some level of practical experience'.
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Think about why you want to study the subject
- Have you been inspired by someone, a news story, a documentary, or a podcast?
- Do you have career aspirations in this area of study?
- What interests you about the subject – be specific; rather than saying you enjoy it or are good at it, try to explain the ‘why’ behind your reasoning.
- What do you already know about the subject and what are you looking forward to learning more about?
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What makes you suitable to study the subject?
- Have you done projects or essays in this subject at school or college?
- Think about who you are as a person; your personality, your strengths, your experiences in life – how do these make you suited to study the subject?
- How have you shown an interest in the subject outside of school or college – have you done extra reading, online courses, been part of clubs or competitions?
- Your current subjects and grades will be included elsewhere in your application, so try to think about specific things you’ve learned during your studies that relate to the subject, rather than listing your grades and subjects.
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Look at the bigger picture
- Have you done any work experience, an internship or had a part-time job in this subject area or related? Most job or work experience will give you transferable skills, even if it’s in a different industry.
- Do you have any hobbies you can mention that might relate to your chosen subject? Many hobbies show that you can be motivated outside of school to achieve and succeed in something you’re interested in.
- Think about how your life and personal experiences have helped make you the person you are today, and how these challenges and experiences can support your application by evidencing essential qualities for certain subjects.
- If you’ve got ambitions and goals for your life and career, can you express how this subject will help you reach these goals?
Guidance and examples you can use
Question 1: Why do you want to study this course or subject?
This is your opportunity to showcase your passion and knowledge of your chosen subject area and to demonstrate to universities and colleges why it’s a good fit for you and your future ambitions.
Examples:
- Demonstrate what's sparked your interest in finance and accounting, and show it. If you were given a copy of The Accounting Game or The Joy of Accounting and something clicked, try and get that across. Or even if you’ve always had a head for numbers and want to apply these skills to a business setting.
- Back up your interest in studying with evidence of your relevant skills, knowledge or experiences and show you understand something about what’s involved, whether that’s the financial markets, taxation, or business ethics.
- The University of Bristol is looking for 'intellectual curiosity – reading or research beyond the A level (or equivalent) syllabus’. Mention any books, channels or podcasts you follow such as Bloomberg Surveillance or Money Box, and why.
Question 2: How have your qualifications and studies helped you to prepare for this course or subject?
This is your chance to shout about the relevant or transferable skills you’ve gained from your formal education and highlight your understanding of how they will help you succeed in this subject area.
Examples:
- Bristol is also looking for 'interest and commitment to the subject. Can you mention relevant topics you’ve touched on during your A level, BTEC or Higher course, such as business policies or corporate finance?’.
- University of Bath admissions tutors are expecting students to have an interest and aptitude for 'quantitative analysis of business issues'. Demonstrate this with evidence showing your abilities for applying mathematical skills to the analysis of business problems.
- Have you had to give a presentation or lead a group project, which can illustrate your presentation and communication skills?
- Have you done any online courses to boost your knowledge in the subject? For example, why not try Subject Spotlights or Virtual Work Experiences from Springpod to grow your skills and interest?
Question 3: What else have you done to prepare outside of education, and why are these experiences useful?
This is your chance to talk about any other activities you have undertaken outside of your formal education, or personal experiences which further demonstrate your suitability for the course. This section is likely to be highly personal to you and anything you do include should reflect on why you’re including it.
Examples:
- Do you have a part-time job, or have you done work experience? It doesn’t matter whether it’s a couple of weeks spent shadowing an accountant, a few hours talking to one, a part-time job in a financial, retail or business environment, or a scheme like Young Enterprise. What does matter is that you write about something relevant and what you've learned from it. But, as Sheffield Hallam and LSE say on their websites, experience is not essential, so don’t panic if you don’t have any.
- What hobbies do you have that admissions tutors might want to hear about? Maybe you enjoy crochet or crafts, which demonstrate an attention to detail, or you play FM25 or AirwaySim, which can add to your accounting skills.
- Talk about other relevant skills you’ve gained from jobs or volunteering, such as looking after money whilst fundraising for a charity, time management through balancing your studies and extracurricular activities, or teamwork from a sport or other activity.
- Do relate any examples back to the subject you’re applying to – make it relevant
- Do make it personal – admissions staff want to get to know who you are
- Do use a spell-checker and grammar-checker to ensure there are no errors
- Do ask people for feedback, whether that’s family members or teachers
- Do your research to find out what universities are looking for, and make sure you include evidence to show how you are suitable for the course
- Don’t just list out examples, subjects you study, or experiences you’ve had without any evidence
- Don’t copy something you’ve seen online or use AI to write something for you
- Don’t make things up just because you think they’ll make you look good on paper
- Don’t leave it until the last minute – you need time for several drafts
- Don’t worry about making each section the same length; as long as you hit the minimum character count, you can use the 4,000 characters across each answer in the way that suits you best
How to set yourself apart
The key to setting yourself apart in your application is to remember how important the ‘personal’ bit is to your personal statement. What makes you, you?
Your commitment to studying accounting or finance as an academic subject is usually the key requirement. However, if you can also show that extra ingredient of passion and a glimpse of the ‘chemistry’ that exists between you and the subject, then your application really will stand out.
Maybe you’re a fan of CSI: Cyber, or you’re a subscriber to MoneyWeek. Whatever it is, illustrate how this interest feeds your desire to study accounting and finance further.
If you started a maths club at school or took part in competitions, mention those achievements. Or if you’ve been asked to help a friend or relative with their accounts, or you’ve taught yourself how to use some basic accounting software, these things all show a willingness to learn and go the extra mile. Similarly, if you love playing The Sims, Fortnite or Minecraft in your spare time, reflect on what they’ve taught you about the economy or budgeting.
So what?
If you do choose to include extracurricular activities, make sure they’re relevant or showcase appropriate personal characteristics, skills, or achievements.
Apply the 'so what?' test: If you play the flute or basketball, can you make that relevant to your future success at university or should other factors take priority in your 4,000 words?
Some more tips to consider
- Research the course: Why do you want to study accounting and finance, what specific aspects of the course interest you, how does it relate to your academic studies, and what additional reading or other activities have led you to apply?
- Structure and organisation: To study accounting and finance, you need to demonstrate you’re capable of managing yourself, whether that’s through your rigorous academic studies to date, or balancing school and activities outside of it.
- Commitment: If you want to study accounting, for example, can you demonstrate that you’ve got the commitment and focus you’ll need to complete the course? When have you seen something else through to completion?
- Examples of your relevant skills: Can you describe situations where you’ve demonstrated relevant skills like attention to detail, analytical thinking, initiative, integrity and achieving goals, whether through learning something like coding or a musical instrument, or volunteering for a charity?