How to end your personal statement | Undergraduate | UCAS

You want to leave the admissions tutor reading your personal statement with a strong lasting impression – one that will leave them no choice but to make you an offer (or invite you to an interview).

There are several ways you can do this.

HE Careers Adviser Liz says:

A good ending can link back to what you claim at the beginning or be a short summary as to what you’re looking forward to at university, new challenges etc… or even your commitment as to why you would be an ideal candidate (without bragging).

Read more here about how to begin a personal statement. Then follow our tips on how to bring it all together at the end.

Top tips

Don’t waffle

Think about what you’re writing in this critical spot – what’s your reason for including it here? Keep the ending of your personal statement short, concise and to the point.

Avoid famous quotes

Like the start of your personal statement, try to avoid cliches, quotes or asking rhetorical questions you're not going to answer.

Make yourself stand out

Careers expert Alan Bullock says: 'Give them one more little insight into your ideas, interests, or skills, or be specific about something you personally want to achieve from the course or from your wider university experience.’

Keep notes as you write

Inspiration can strike when you least expect, especially while you’re writing the main section of your statement. Note any thoughts down straightaway so you can come back to them when you’re ready.

Shona Barrie – Director of Admissions, University of Stirling

‘It all comes back to why they would pick you. How can you demonstrate you’re the one you want them to make the offer to?’

How to end your personal statement: What to write

A key academic skill at degree level is being able to form a structured written argument, including a conclusion that summarises the key points.

As Liverpool student Joseph says:

You don’t want a conclusion in the same way as you would for an essay, as that’s just taking away from your word count. Don’t draw it out.’

In other words, keep it to the point and punchy.

There’s no set way to end your statement. Instead, think about the following and how it might help you to stand out:

Tie it back to what you’ve written earlier

Revisit the key points you’ve already spoken about in the main body of your personal statement and emphasise them again in your conclusion. This could be reiterating key skills, interests, and experiences you’ve already touched on, giving them one last chance to hit home (but don’t just regurgitate what you’ve already said).

Talk about the future

Looking to the future is an optimistic way to finish. It shows you’re goal-oriented, and you’ve carefully thought about how this course fits into your plans. You don’t need to have the next ten years mapped out, but if you’ve a broad sense of your career path – or any related life ambitions you want to fill – it’s worth mentioning them here, as well as how this course will help you achieve those.

Learn more about career prospects for your subject (and more) in our subject guides.

Think about your university experience

You could conclude by talking more generally about what you want to get from your overall university experience. For instance:

Would you like to build your confidence meeting people from a variety of backgrounds?
Are you hoping to engage with a local community through a mutual passion or vocation?

Also, talk about how you will be an asset to a university.

Remember, all of your UCAS choices will see your personal statement, so it may be best to keep it general, rather than being specific about one university.

The personal statement tool image

Don’t be tempted to copy or share your statement

UCAS scans all personal statements through a similarity detection system to compare them with previous statements.

Any similarity greater than 30% will be flagged and we'll inform the universities and colleges to which you have applied.

Find out more

Chloe Ng – Higher Education Career Coach, Manchester Metropolitan University

‘I recommend finishing on a more personal note, such as how your personality could make you a valuable student.’

Dos

Do tie it all in together – your passion for the subject and your future career.
Do think about what you will bring to the broader university experience (not just the academic side).
Do check your spelling and grammar – admissions tutors say it demonstrates an attention to detail and accuracy.

Don'ts

Don’t go off on a tangent right at the last minute.
Don’t list too many career ambitions at the end – keep it focused.
Don’t repeat yourself – they only need to read each point once.

Final thoughts

Be positive and remember concluding your personal statement is a reminder to the admissions tutor on why they should choose you over someone else.
If you’re struggling with the ending, take a break and come back to it.
Even though you might want it off your plate, it’s important not to rush the ending.
Re-reading what you’ve got so far may also help you see what you’d like to reiterate in (or leave out of) the conclusion.