You may be fascinated by the historical, social, and cultural impact of religion and theology, and wish to explore it further at uni – so get that across in a personal statement that’s well written, clear, and gives admissions tutors an insight into where your interests lie, and why you’re suited to this kind of course.
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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:
- Show you have a genuine interest in religion and theology by referencing books or content you’ve read, and what inspired you to learn more. For example, you may have read Simon Schama’s The Story of the Jews, which has given you the desire to deepen your knowledge of the history of Judaism. Or maybe you heard an In Our Time episode about karma and you want to learn more about religious concepts.
- How else have you engaged with religion and theology already? Perhaps you’ve visited a famous mosque or cathedral, or watched videos about Mecca or Jerusalem. Can you expand on something that’s grabbed your attention? Perhaps you wish to study the Hebrew Bible or understand the significance of religious rituals in the 21st century. Just make sure what you’re saying relates to the course you’re applying for.
- If you know, give a sense of where you hope this degree might take you. You may want to work in the church, but you may also be interested in diplomacy, teaching, or further academia.
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:
- Write about what you’ve studied already that relates to religion and theology – that could be learning about the Reformation in history, or discussing religion in philosophy. What skills have you picked up from these too, such as critical thinking, independent thinking, and questions around morality or ethics?
- Essay-writing subjects will be useful too, so think about the skills you’ve picked up in English or history, like research and persuasive writing.
- If you’ve done a lot of reading at school or in your spare time, you’ll also have picked up useful skills around literature and critiquing texts, which you can use on this course.
- 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:
- What do you do in your spare time that’s relevant to studying religion and theology? Perhaps you enjoy visiting art museums or churches and you know a lot about Christian iconography, or you’ve developed your critical thinking and philosophical skills through art appreciation, reading literature, listening to podcasts, or going to talks.
- How can you show you’re a versatile person who’s developing a broad cultural knowledge? You may work part-time or volunteer with people from different backgrounds, which has given you an insight into other people’s religions and beliefs.
- What personal experiences have you had that have led you to become a flexible thinker, or to question existence or morality? You don’t need to go too deep, but reflecting on what role religion has or hasn’t played in your own life may show your ability to question and reflect.
- 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?
If you follow a particular religion, you could give admissions tutors an insight into how that religion impacts your daily life and explain why you wish to study other religions and theology. Perhaps you were inspired to apply for this course after a school trip or holiday you went on? What was it about Lourdes or Vatican City that grabbed your attention, and made you want to look deeper into religion and theology?
If you volunteer for a charity or have a weekend job, what interests you about other people, their lives, and their religions?
Perhaps you enjoy watching films and documentaries or listening to the news on the radio, and you’ve noticed how integral religion and theology are to our everyday lives.
Some more tips to consider
- Research the course: Why do you want to study religion and theology, what specific aspects of the course interest you, how does it relate to your academic studies, and what additional interests or other activities have led you to apply?
- Write clearly: Make sure you answer the statement questions clearly, showing you’re capable of structured thinking and understanding.
- Be reflective: Try to think of specific occasions or unique ways you’ve demonstrated your potential, whether through volunteering you’ve done in an art museum or historical home, clubs you’ve been part of, or competitions you’ve entered or won.
- Examples of your relevant skills: Describe situations where you’ve demonstrated relevant skills like teamwork and independent work, analytical reasoning, good communication, and 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’re part of a football or hockey team, how has it developed your interpersonal skills, time management, motivation, and understanding of diversity?