I need to write a statement of purpose or personal statement
Work out which statement each program wants, find the thread that connects your experience, and write a specific draft you can tailor.
In short
Start here, today. Copy the exact prompt, the word or page limit and the name of the document for each program into one file. Then finish this sentence as honestly as you can: “Across my studies and work, I keep coming back to…” This takes about 25 minutes.
After that, work through these steps. Choose one to jump to it.
Step by step
Tick each step as you finish it. Open a step for the how.
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Read each prompt as a set of questions
Underline every question in the prompt, and note the limit and how it's counted, since some portals count characters rather than words. If a program asks for more than one statement, work out what each one is for so you don't repeat yourself. Look for any published selection criteria too, because they tell you what readers will be looking for.
Find your thread
List your most important courses, projects, jobs, volunteering and challenges, starting from your Wins and Accomplishments list if you keep one. Beside each one, note what you did, what you learned and what question or goal it left you with. Then look for the idea you keep returning to, because that thread becomes the spine of your statement. The Simpl-Ify Writing Studio lessons “Knowing your story” and “Choosing your anchor” take you through this step by step, with templates.
Use evidence instead of adjectives
For every quality you want to claim, give one specific example and then say what it shows. “For my final-year project I surveyed 200 commuters, then rewrote the survey after a pilot showed two questions were confusing” tells a committee far more than “I am detail-oriented.” Results, numbers, outputs and feedback all count as evidence.
Follow a clear structure
A reliable order for a statement of purpose is what you want to study and why, how your studies and experience prepared you, what you want to do in this program and with whom, why the program fits and where you hope it leads. Draft the body first and write the opening last, starting close to your thread rather than with a quotation or a definition. The Writing Studio lesson “Drafting the statement” takes you through a full first draft, and the outline below gives you a starting shape.
Tailor the parts that should change
Keep a core version of your thread, preparation and goals. For each program, rewrite the paragraph on why this program, naming two or three faculty members, courses, labs or resources and saying exactly how each one connects to your plans. Check that everyone you name still works there and, for research programs, is taking students, and make sure no other university's name has slipped in.
Get feedback from two kinds of reader
Ask someone in your field, such as a lecturer or supervisor, whether the content is convincing, and someone outside it whether it's clear. Log their comments in the Feedback Tracker and deal with content and structure before wording. Leave at least two weeks before your first deadline for revisions, plan them as short sessions in Writing Sessions and read the final version aloud once before you submit.
Words you can use
Is this you? Signs to look for
- Your draft opens with a quotation, a dictionary definition or a story about always knowing what you wanted to do.
- You're not sure whether a program wants a statement of purpose, a personal statement, a research statement or something else.
- Your statement lists everything you've done and reads like your CV in paragraphs.
- You have one draft, several programs and a different word limit for each.
Why this happens
Programs use these names in different ways, which is part of what makes them confusing. Broadly, a statement of purpose looks forward: what you want to study, why, how you've prepared and why this program. A personal statement tends to be more about who you are and how your experiences led you here, although in the UK a postgraduate personal statement often does both jobs. A research statement or proposal focuses on the project you'd like to do. UC Berkeley, which asks for two documents, is clear that “The Personal History Statement should not duplicate the Statement of Purpose.” Whatever the label, answer the question the prompt actually asks.
Committees read statements for evidence. They want to know whether you'll do well in the program, whether your interests fit what they offer and whether you understand what you're applying for. MIT's EECS Communication Lab advises being direct and concrete about your achievements and putting numbers on your experience where you can. One specific example will do more for you than a paragraph of adjectives like passionate, hard-working or curious.
Length and tailoring matter too. UC Berkeley suggests that around 500 to 1,000 well-selected words usually works better than a longer statement with less clarity, unless a program sets its own limit, and the University of St Andrews advises that a postgraduate personal statement should be no longer than one A4 page. St Andrews also says your statement should match the course you're applying to. You don't need to start from nothing each time, but the parts about why this program and these people should be rewritten for each one.
Worth a look (7)
- Application Writing lessons, Simpl-Ify Writing StudioStep-by-step lessons on knowing your story, choosing your anchor and drafting your statement, with templates you can copy.
- Writing your statements, UC Berkeley Graduate DivisionHow a statement of purpose differs from a personal history statement, with advice on length and on researching each program.
- Personal statements, University of St Andrews Careers CentreA UK view of the postgraduate personal statement, including length, structure and how to address weaknesses.
- Graduate school statement of purpose, MIT EECS Communication LabWhat committees look for and how to describe your experience concretely, useful well beyond engineering.
- FindAPhDA large searchable database of PhD projects, programs and funded studentships, strongest for the UK and Europe but with places worldwide. You can filter by subject, country and funding.
- FindAMastersA directory of master's degrees and other postgraduate courses at universities around the world, with guides to funding and applying. Handy for comparing taught and research master's options.
- MastersportalSearch and compare master's programs worldwide by subject, country, fees and scholarships. Browsing is free, and a free account lets you save programs.
When to bring someone in
Ask a lecturer or supervisor in your field to read a draft, because they know what committees in your area expect. A writing centre or career centre can help with clarity and structure if you have access to one, and some career centres also help recent graduates. If English isn't your first language, a careful reader can help you catch small errors, as long as the ideas and the voice stay your own.
Find the right person, or talk to Ify