Sample personal statement
What is a personal statement?
When you apply to a college or university in Britain for an undergraduate or postgraduate degree, you are often asked to write a one-page personal statement. This is a short essay that tells the university why you are applying, and also why you would be a good student to have on their course. The essay below is from a Taiwanese student wishing to do a Master's Degree (MA) in Teaching English as a Foreign Language at Central Midlands University in Britain.
I have been interested in English since I was twelve, when my family took a trip to Australia. I thought then how useful and exciting it would be to talk to the people I met. It was not only the Australians who spoke English, but also other tourists we met who had travelled there from all over the world. Whether they were from Germany, Indonesia, or Brazil, their common language was English, and I wanted to share that language with them.
I worked hard at my English studies at secondary school. I was a member of our school's English Conversation Club, and in my last year I was secretary of the club. I also took part in the national English Speech Contest for three years.
At university, I studied English literature. I also had English conversation lessons at a private school two evenings a week. In addition, I made friends with some of the international students at my university, and we always spoke together in English. During my last two years at university, I took a part-time job tutoring university, primary and secondary school students in English grammar and conversation.
Because of my long interest in English and my experience teaching English, I would like to become an EFL teacher. I have chosen to study in Britain so that I can also learn about the culture of an English-speaking country. I have heard about Central Midlands University from other graduates, and I am impressed with the classes offered there and the quality of the teaching. I think I would be a valuable addition to your EFL course because I could share my own experiences of learning English. I look forward to the opportunity to further my own knowledge of English and of British culture, and to meeting the challenges of both learning and teaching with the other students on the course.
Works consulted
Taken from "Academic Writing" by Macmillan Publishing