Tell admissions tutors why you’re excited to study policing, what you already know about the profession, and what skills and attributes you have that make you the perfect person for the course – and the job. Be enthusiastic, relevant, and reflective: then you’ll have a personal statement that fits the bill.
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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 policing – have you always wanted to help people, did you have an inspiring school visit from a Police Community Support Officer (PCSO), or maybe watching The Met made you want to join the profession?
- Explain what you already know about the kind of work involved. Perhaps you’ve been reading about Policing in the UK, you’ve spoken to police officers in your area or you’ve listened to podcast Tango Juliet Foxtrot, and you can reflect on where you see yourself fitting in?
- Write about the impact you hope to make and, if you know, where you want to go –whether that’s working your way up to detective, improving diversity and inclusion, working within communities, or focusing on crime prevention.
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:
- Give examples of projects you’ve done at school that show you have good written and communication skills, which you’ll need in policing. That could be writing essays, giving presentations, or working on a group project.
- What other schoolwork or clubs have you done where you’ve shown good interpersonal skills, persistence, and resilience? You may have persevered to get to a certain level in a sport for physical education (PE) A level, or equivalent, or worked well as part of a team on a geography field trip, for example.
- 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:
- You’ll need to be physically and mentally fit for policing, so give examples of sports you play or fitness classes you go to. Think of how you’ve built up good listening skills and empathy too, whether through volunteering for a charity like The Samaritans or helping a friend or sibling who was struggling in school.
- Think how you can show your emotional resilience. Maybe you’ve had your own struggles with anxiety or bullying that you’ve overcome, or maybe you can reference literature you’ve read that has given you a greater understanding of the human psyche or the challenges some people face in their lives.
- How can you demonstrate your critical thinking and problem-solving skills? Perhaps you enjoy Sudoku, puzzles or crosswords? Give a specific example of a situation you resolved, whether that was de-escalating a fight at school or figuring out a way to submit your coursework when your computer crashed.
- 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
Your personality and ability to cope under pressure will be important for a policing degree
Write about what you’re like with your family or friends if you feel comfortable doing that. Perhaps you come from a large family or you’re part of two separate friendship groups, and you’re good at negotiation and conflict management.
Perhaps you enjoy boxing and it’s kept you not only physically fit but it’s also taught you how to communicate effectively, and how to manage your emotions or frustration in certain situations?
What insights have you personally gained into policing? Where relevant, reference books and news articles you’ve read and reflect on what you’ve learned. Perhaps you researched the Stephen Lawrence murder inquiry and can reflect on that, or perhaps you’ve read about how the police managed antisocial behaviour during the Covid-19 pandemic. Relate your observations back to how you’re suited to working in policing, and why you want to go into it.
Some more tips to consider
- Research the course: Why do you want to study policing, 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: If you’ve ever spoken to a police officer, workshadowed in a police station, security firm, or community event, that’s great — but make sure you reflect on what you personally gained from it.
- Relevant skills: Can you describe situations where you’ve demonstrated skills like good communication, empathy, resilience, and quick decision-making?
- 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, physical and mental agility, and ability to work well on your own and as part of a wider team?