• Telephone Tel: +44 (0) 20 7499 2394
  • Email Email: [email protected]

Strategic Guidance

  • Private Oxbridge Consultation
  • International Oxbridge Consultation
  • Postgraduate Applications Guidance
  • Book a Complimentary Call

Comprehensive Support

  • The Premier Service
  • Oxford and Cambridge Interview Preparation Weekend (2024 is Fully Booked)

Targeted Support

  • Oxbridge Personal Statement Support
  • Oxbridge Admissions Test Support
  • Oxbridge Interview Preparation Support
  • Oxbridge Interview Preparation Day 2024

Application Guidance

  • ‘Aspiring to Oxbridge’ School Talk
  • Teacher Training Workshop
  • Individual Guidance Consultations

Personal Statement Support

  • Personal Statement Group Workshop
  • Personal Statement Consultations

Admissions Test Preparation

  • Admissions Test Day
  • Admissions Test Course

Interview Preparation

  • Interview Preparation Day
  • Interview Preparation Course

Free Library

  • Oxbridge Interview Resources
  • Admissions Tests Resources
  • Student Library
  • Webinar Library

Our Publications

Course reports, oxbridge applications.

  • Become A Tutor
  • Our Offices
  • Dukes Education

News & Press

  • Widening Access
  • Publications
  • Sign In Register
  • Sign In    Register

Changes to the UCAS Personal Statement in 2024

This month has brought the news that, as of 2024, UCAS is no longer going to require applicants to write a personal statement when applying for university.

***Please note this information is outdated; for more information please see our latest blog post here. ***

For years, the ucas personal statement has been a thorn in the side of applicants to uk universities everywhere - requiring students to spend the best part of several months reading, planning, and writing their magnum opus to impress their chosen universities. this month has brought the news that, as of 2024, ucas is no longer going to require applicants to write a personal statement when applying for university. in this blog, we’re going to take you through why this change is happening, how the personal statement’s going to be replaced, and how this is likely to affect you as an applicant..

NEED STRATEGIC GUIDANCE?

Our Private Consultations provide in-depth evaluation, strategy and next steps to achieve results. Suitable for those aged 14 upwards.

Why the change?

This change has been made in light of arguments by some that the existing personal statement system affords an advantage to more privileged students who have greater access to expert guidance and advice. with students from a greater variety of backgrounds attending university at a higher and higher rate every year, ucas have felt the need to reform the application process with the aim of widening access for all students, irrespective of their knowledge regarding the application process or whether they know someone who has made a successful application before. as reported by the times, ucas consulted with 1,200 students, 170 teachers, and over 100 universities and colleges before making these reforms, meaning that the new system is designed with not just universities but also applicants in mind, hopefully meaning that it suits the students applying as much as fitting the universities’ requirements., what is replacing the personal statement, as of 2024, rather than having an open response box in which to fill in their own, self-constructed personal statement of 4,000 characters, students will instead be asked to respond to a series of structured questions which focus on six key areas:, motivation for the course - why do you want to study these courses, preparedness for the course - how has your learning so far helped you to be ready to succeed on these courses, preparation through other experience - what else have you done to help you prepare, and why are these experiences useful, extenuating circumstances - is there anything that the universities and colleges need to know about, to help them put your achievements and experiences so far into context, preparedness for study - what have you done to prepare yourself for student life, preferred learning styles - which learning and assessment style best suit you, and how do your course choices match that, what does this mean for my application, in real terms, this shouldn’t change your personal statement process too much - in essence, the new system effectively de-constructs your personal statement so that it’s clearer what you should reflect upon and how to structure your answers. most of these questions focus around topics that you’re likely to be answering in your personal statement anyway, so there’s no need to go and completely scrap everything you’ve been thinking of already, private consultation.

Looking for Expert Advice on your application? Get a bespoke, honest appraisal of your chances of success and tips on how to improve from one of our Oxbridge experts with our Private Consultation.

RECENT ARTICLES

Scholarships for international students applying to uk universities, what to expect in your oxbridge interview, can i prepare answers for my oxbridge interviews, looking to apply to oxbridge.

Contact our Oxbridge-graduate consultants and book a Private Consultation for strategic guidance.

Our Oxbridge-graduate consultants are available between 9.00 am – 5.00 pm from Monday to Friday, with additional evening availability when requested.

  • Tel: +44 (0) 20 7499 2394
  • Email: [email protected]

Oxbridge Applications, 58 Buckingham Gate, London, SW1E 6AJ

  • Private Oxbridge Application Consultation
  • Oxbridge Personal Statement Support Package
  • Oxbridge Mock Interview Preparation and Support
  • Personal Statement Workshop and Checks
  • Schools Mock Interviews – Online and In-School
  • Teacher Training Workshops – Online and In-School
  • Oxbridge Preparation Days – Online and In-School
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Safeguarding & Child Protection
  • Company Registration Number: 3757054

Recently Updated Blogs

Blog scholarships for international students applying to uk universities, blog what to expect in your oxbridge interview, blog can i prepare answers for my oxbridge interviews, blog how to prepare for unseen materials in your oxbridge interviews, blog how can i make last-minute improvements to my admissions test performance, choosing a college, a slippery question, added to cart.

IMAGES

  1. How to Write a Personal Statement for University

    do 2024 uni applicants have to write a personal statement

  2. How to write a personal statement

    do 2024 uni applicants have to write a personal statement

  3. University Personal Statement Guide Step by Step Help Sheet

    do 2024 uni applicants have to write a personal statement

  4. How to Write a Personal Statement

    do 2024 uni applicants have to write a personal statement

  5. ⛔ Personal statement examples for undergraduate admission

    do 2024 uni applicants have to write a personal statement

  6. How do you write a personal statement for university?

    do 2024 uni applicants have to write a personal statement

VIDEO

  1. How to prepare your personal statement for the residency application #doctor #medschool #students

  2. Unilever: Placements and Graduate Opportunities

  3. HOW TO WRITE PERSONAL STATEMENT FOR PGCE|M AHMAD NAZEER

  4. 3 SECTIONS of a Personal Statement 🔥for Study Abroad #shorts

  5. Write personal statement for gks scholarship 🇰🇷#southkorea#seoul#gksscholarship

  6. Sharing my experience of writing PERSONAL STATEMENT for UGRAD 2024