The best personal statements are those that really go for it. Not in an off-the-wall kind of way, but by revealing something unique about you or your academic ideas or practical experiences. This is no place to hide behind waffle.
Journalism personal statements need to set out why you want to study it, and how your knowledge and experience supports this – particularly in the case of professionally accredited journalism degrees.
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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:
- State clearly why you want to study journalism, and explain that you know something about the work of the central figure in journalism – the reporter. If there’s a journalist you particularly admire, such as Mobeen Azhar or Pandora Sykes, explain why and what’s inspired you to follow in their footsteps.
- Admissions tutors recommend you read quality broadsheet newspapers and follow major developing news stories. Show you're aware of current affairs – maybe explain what you noticed about how the reporting of a topical event differed depending on which publication you were reading, and the impact this may have had on shaping public perception.
- Show you understand the power the media has, and the importance of reporting facts clearly and concisely. If you’ve followed a case reported to the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO) or Ofcom, write about what you learned about how journalists work in the UK.
- Mention where you hope this degree will take you, whether you want to work in written or broadcast journalism, and if you want to focus on a particular area like financial, environmental or consumer journalism.
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:
- Can you give examples of projects you’ve done at school, such as creating a magazine for an English project, writing an essay expressing your own opinions and thoughts, or a video you created to explain a science concept?
- Use your personal statement to demonstrate creative writing ability, accurate spelling, correct grammar, and a sound grasp of the English language.
- What other schoolwork or clubs have you done where you’ve shown good interpersonal skills, persistence, and an ability to dig deep into a wide range of topics?
- 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:
- For practical journalism courses, some (though not all) unis will insist on work experience. If you can, try to gain some work experience within a media environment, ideally in a newsroom of a local newspaper office. Free newspapers, local or hospital radio, or a TV newsroom could also give you insights into the reporter's job.
- Write about what you learnt. What skills did you observe as being particularly important? How has the experience impacted on your motivation to further your studies in journalism? See our guide for how to make work experience count in your personal statement.
- Alternatively, are there any other settings where you've written for an audience, such as your own blog or your school newspaper? If so, what have you learned from this about working towards strict deadlines, or how writing pieces for an intended audience can alter the language and style you use?
- If you’ve already had journalistic work published or broadcast, produced a blog, vlog, or podcast yourself, had a great reference from some relevant work experience, or anything else that may be relevant, consider sending them a link or clip separately.
- 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?
Perhaps you’ve always been a creative person, and enjoyed making collages, leaflets or a newspaper telling the news on your street. Think what you can say about yourself that shows your creativity, your interest in journalism, and a bit about you as a person. If you’ve grown up watching Blue Peter or Newsround and now love BBC News and keeping up with the broadsheets on X what was it about them that made you want to be a reporter, newsreader, or print journalist?
Your other interests or hobbies will also inform your journalism. You might be really into watching or playing football or tennis, and want to be a sports reporter. Or you might love watching documentaries and want to learn how to make them yourself. Mention programmes you watch, such as Stacey Dooley Investigates or Panorama, and critique what does and doesn’t work about them.
Where do you see yourself taking your journalism?
Do you want to start a podcast and investigate a topic you’re passionate about?
Or are you interested in ethical fashion and want to write for a publication such as More or Less or Calendar?
Think about your personal life and experiences too. If you’ve spent time in hospital or being treated by the NHS, maybe that’s inspired you to want to work in health journalism. It's even better if you can link back to something you've learned in your English, economics, or psychology studies, or read in The Times, The Guardian, or on the BBC website.
How can you demonstrate you have these skills?
Some more tips to consider
- Examples of your journalism: Give examples of work you’ve already created, whether that’s an essay, online article, blog, podcast, or YouTube video, which demonstrate the beginnings of your journalistic skills.
- Other relevant skills: Can you describe situations where you’ve demonstrated relevant skills like good communication, initiative, curiosity, and networking skills?
- Research the course: Why do you want to study journalism, 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? Make sure you tailor your statement to the course you’re applying for.
- Transferable skills: Whether through extracurricular or supercurricular activities, work experience or a part-time job, you’ll have lots of skills that will be relevant to your course. If you’ve competed in a sport or been involved in a community project, how has it developed your interpersonal skills, persistence, and ability to work well on your own and as part of a wider team?