Tell admissions tutors what fascinates you about classics, any particular areas you’d love to focus on, and what attributes you can bring to the course. Carpe diem and let your passions show!
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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:
- Try and bring your love of classics to life with evidence. What currently inspires you about the subject? Whether it’s TV programme Treasures of Ancient Greece, TV series Troy: Fall of a City, or a recent trip you went on to Rome or Athens, relate it to what you hope to explore further on your chosen course.
- Can you reference books you’ve studied that have inspired your interest too? Perhaps you’ve read Professor Mary Beard’s SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome, or you’re a fan of Stephen Fry’s Heroes: The myths of the Ancient Greek heroes retold. Explain how they’ve made you want to study classics at degree level.
- If it's relevant, explain where you see yourself in the future and how a classics degree can help you get there, whether you want to write, study law or go into politics. Don't forget to elaborate on why – if you mention a blog you write, work experience you’ve had at a council, MP’s office, or at a law firm, your statement will look stronger.
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:
- If you’ve already studied Latin, that may have sparked your original interest in Classics, but it also means you can speak the language, so make sure you highlight that by giving examples of texts you’ve read, or language exercises you’ve done. You must check the entry requirements for the course you’re applying to, as Latin A level is a prerequisite for some three-year courses, where others require Latin, Greek, or a modern foreign language at Grade 7 GCSE or above, and others have no language requirements at all.
- If you’ve studied history or philosophy at A level or equivalent, can you pick a relevant topic you did, and show how you went above and beyond the syllabus? Perhaps you carried out your own research into Socrates or Plato, or went to see the Greek and Roman life room at the British Museum?
- Illustrate how studying history or other subjects like English or law have enabled you to think analytically and critically, as well as carry out independent research and writing. Mention specific projects, such as studying Roman history, and how the skills you picked up will relate to your degree.
- 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:
- Can you think of any creative ways you’ve engaged with classics? It could be through work experience or creative writing, reading poetry in Latin, or an interest in current affairs and how Greek and Roman culture helps us to understand them, or maybe something about how your hobbies and personal interests fit with classics. For example, if you act or love watching theatre, are you interested in the Greek tragedies or mythology?
- Think how your commitment to a weekend activity like a competitive sport or drama group helps with your time management, and communicate how you’ll use this effectively during your degree.
- Write about relevant skills you’ve picked up in part-time jobs or work-shadowing too, such as project management, good communication, or language skills.
- 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
Think about vlogs you make, Latin clubs you started, or historical reenactments you like to go and watch, which tell admissions tutors something unique and interesting about you.
If you can, relate your interests back to the subject area of your degree – whether you’re passionate about the literature of Ancient Greece or how women were treated in Ancient Rome.
Think of what other personal qualities you have, such as good planning or research skills, and where you got these from. These attributes may come from your studies, a part-time job or volunteering you’ve done at a library, museum or charity. Make sure you also match what you’re saying to the course you’re applying for.
Finally, relate what you’re excited about studying back to something you’ve seen on Pompeii the new dig, viewed online in the Met’s Greek and Roman art collection, or read in Classical Art from Greece to Rome or a book you studied during Latin A level, for example.
Some more tips to consider
- Confidence and motivation: To study classics, you need to demonstrate you can work well independently and be self-motivated, as well as be confident giving presentations and writing essays.
- Examples of your relevant skills: Can you describe situations where you’ve demonstrated skills like good communication or teamwork, problem-solving, initiative or achieving goals?
- Research the course: Explain why you want to study classics, what specific aspects of the course interest you, how it relates to your academic studies, and what additional reading or other activities have led you to apply.
- Making your work experience count: It’s not just what you've done but how you've reflected on it. Whether you work-shadowed at a museum, heritage site, newspaper, or think tank, make sure you spell out what you personally gained from it.