Try to give tutors evidence in your personal statement that demonstrates why you’re genuinely inspired by physics and astronomy. Tell them what motivates you about the subject personally, and write about it in an interesting, honest, and reflective way.
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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:
- As an admissions tutor from Lancaster University puts it: 'If the Big Bang theory sparked your interest in physics, explain why'. Likewise, guidance on the University of St Andrews website says: 'We do expect you to know clearly why you wish to follow a degree programme in physics (and astronomy)… use your personal statement to tell us’. Remember to explain why any existing passions make you a good fit for the course you’re applying for.
- Give an example of an interest in physics or astronomy that you've explored for yourself outside your school or college syllabus, and especially any wider reading you’ve done. Admissions tutors often read about the same books over and over again, so try and either give your own personal take on a science book or article in a popular magazine like The New Scientist or choose something slightly more obscure.
- Roddy Vann, Professor in the School of Physics at University of York, says he’s unimpressed by applicants who just say things like ‘I have read A Brief History of Time’. He would prefer you to express your opinion on a contemporary issue, like your views on whether we should build more nuclear power stations. It’s not so much what you read, it’s what you think that matters.
- If you know where you want your physics and astronomy degree to take you, talk about your future career and aspirations too.
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:
- What projects or coursework have you done that’s relevant? Durham University website says it looks for 'a genuine interest in science and technology’. If you designed a water bottle rocket-launcher, and subsequently learned it was Newton’s second and third laws that made it work, then evidence that in a short, reflective paragraph.
- The University of Bristol is looking for evidence you appreciate the importance of maths in a physics degree, as well as explaining why you want to pursue study in physics or astronomy. Can you give examples of something relevant you studied, or a particular area of maths you enjoy and how it will help you – such as calculus, linear algebra or differential equations?
- 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:
- Think about what relevant skills you’ve picked up from outside your studies, such as analytical skills, critical thinking, and attention to detail through things like chess, puzzles or programming. Think about practical skills too, like visiting observatories, or experience in labs.
- What other skills have you picked up from either your schoolwork or jobs you’ve had, such as problem-solving when your printer broke the night before an assignment was due, or when a customer complained and your manager wasn’t there.
- What other skills or attributes do you have that you can bring to this degree? Perhaps you can illustrate your curiosity through hobbies you have such as going to contemporary art exhibitions or reading about how the Ancient Egyptians used astronomy. Or maybe you can demonstrate your willingness to work hard and complete something, through your commitment to a sport or activity throughout your school years.
Dos
- 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'ts
- 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?
Tutors at the University of Bath want to see something that gives them some evidence of your interest, motivation, and commitment to the subject, including your wider reading or any events you’ve attended, and your extracurricular activities and interests.
If you’re a fan of The Sky At Night and/or you follow Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock, explain what you’ve learned and how you’d like to explore that further in your degree.
Writing about your interests
When you write about your extracurricular interests – whether it’s sport, the creative arts, a part-time job, or something you do that helps others – expand on what qualities you’ve learned from those, such as balancing work and leisure time, time management, learning about the world or different ways of thinking.
It's even better if you can then link it to something specific you've learned in your business, maths, or physics studies, or read in Astronomy, BBC Science Focus, or on the BBC website. Write about it in a reflective way that reveals something about what it is that inspired you in particular.
Some more tips to consider
- Check the website: Individual university websites are a great resource for advice. For example, tutors at the University of Bath want to see something that’s original, to the point, grammatically sound, and not too quirky.
- Be honest: Remember, if you’re invited to an interview, your statement is sure to form the basis of at least one or two of the questions. This could also be the case if you're invited to an applicants' open day, where your personal statement may act as an ice-breaker in an informal interview or discussion with staff. Keep this in mind, and don’t write anything that you wouldn’t be happy to talk about in more detail if you were asked.
- Research the course: Why do you want to study physics and astronomy, 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 your work experience count: It’s not just what you've done but how you've reflected on it. If you work-shadowed in an observatory or an engineering firm, that's great, but it will have zero impact unless you spell out what you personally gained from it.