cambridge personal statement due date

How to apply

You apply to Cambridge via UCAS , just as you would apply to any other UK university. However, applications at Cambridge are handled by the individual colleges, not by a department or faculty. 

Most applicants select a college where they would like to live and work, and that college will then deal with their application. However, you do not have to choose a college – instead you can make an ‘open application’ and the central Cambridge Admissions Office will then allocate you to one of the colleges, which will deal with your application in the usual way. We ensure that ‘open’ applicants have the same chance of gaining a place as ‘direct’ applicants to the college. However, from your point of view, you may well decide that you want to have direct control over which college you may end up at. Obviously, we recommend St Catharine's...

At the outset it is worth mentioning that entry is entirely on the basis of academic potential (with 'clinical' potential mixed in for prospective medics and vets). Most people who apply are very able, and will attain (or already have) excellent grades at A Level, or equivalent (see our page on admissions requirements for more information). Regrettably, we have to make difficult choices, and every year we turn away well-qualified applicants simply because we don’t have the capacity to teach every one. But if you don’t apply, you cannot be considered. So why not give us a try?

St Catharine's does not accept applications from:

• those applying as graduates for Law, Medicine or Veterinary Medicine
• those part-way through a degree at another university
• those wishing to study Architecture, Design, Education, History of Art, or Linguistics

We also discourage applications from students who would be under 17 years and 9 months when they start their course. (Medicine applicants must be 18 by the November 1 of their first year of intended study - this is a University rule which applies to all colleges.)

See our page with important advice for applicants  for further information.

Next tab:  The application process

If after reading this website you still have questions about applying to St Catharine's for an undergraduate degree, please visit the St Catharine's prospectus  or email us at  [email protected] .

There are a some additional steps and things to consider when applying to Cambridge. This page is to give you an idea of what you need to do.

Application process

Below is a summary of the application process for Cambridge. If, after reading this, you have any further questions, see our 'important information' page or get in touch using the details at the bottom of this page.

There are two or three things you must submit as part of your application, depending on your situation. Every year we unfortunately have to reject applications because candidates have not sent us the appropriate information.

• all must submit a UCAS application
• all must submit a subsequent Cambridge-specific online questionnaire - you will be sent information about this once you have applied via UCAS.
• most science applicants and many arts/humanities applicants must ensure they are registered for pre-interview assessments -  by 29th September in 2023 except Law which has a deadline of 15th September 2023.

Applicants for some subjects will be asked to express a course preference during their application - for example, Modern Linguists will have to select languages. Natural Science applicants must select a 'physical' or 'biological' preference - if you are not sure you neatly fit either of these two categories, see the 'what we look for' tab on our  Natural Sciences page .

Application timetable

Before the main ucas submission deadline - special cases.

• Applications for Organ Scholarships must be in by the start of September.
• Medicine applicant must sit the UCAT, and Law applicants the LNAT - check the  UCAT  and  LNAT  websites for registration deadlines.
• Some  non-UK applicants may have to apply early - please see our page for international students for more information.

29th September (in 2023) - deadline for pre-interview assessment registration

•  applicants for subjects in which an admissions written assessment is set should have been separately registered for this, usually by your school, or an exam centre - see  this link  - PLEASE NOTE: FROM 2022 ONWARDS, THIS DATE IS EARLIER THAN IN PREVIOUS YEARS

16th October (6pm UK time) - deadline for the UCAS application

• All applicants should submit a  UCAS form , including a course at Cambridge as one of your choices, and indicating St Catharine's as your preference college in the 'campus code' field.  Check  the UCAS website  for precise details of the deadline, as we cannot accept late applications.

23rd October (6pm UK time) - deadline for the  Cambridge-specific application questionnaire

• Soon after submitting your UCAS form, you will receive an email link to the online Cambridge-specific application questionnaire (My Cambridge Application). Some parts of this questionnaire may not seem relevant to you, in which case, don't worry. However, you  must  submit it by the deadline.
• Currents students have begged us (!) to mention to you that if you gain a place at Cambridge, the picture you submit as part of this form will be used for various purposes once you start here (e.g. your university card)  - so make sure it's a picture you like!

Mid-October - pre-interview admissions assessments (many sciences and a few arts/humanities subjects)

• These assessments are sat in a local exam centre - for most applicants, this is their school. If you school cannot act as a centre, you will need to find a centre nearby.

Early November - submission of written work (some arts/humanities subjects)

• Soon after the Cambridge-specific questionnaire deadline, if you have applied for an arts/humanities subject which requires the submission of written work, you will be contacted with full details of what to do. Please see  this page  for information about the written work you are required to submit for some subjects.

First three weeks of December - Interviews (and near-interview admissions assessments in some arts/humanities subjects)

• Almost all in-Cambridge interviews take place between these dates. All candidates should ensure they are free to be interviewed during that period.
• If you are invited for interview you will be given full details of how the interview will be conducted - also, our student team will be able to assist you.
• In some subjects you will be asked to read a text before the interview(s), and in others there is an 'at-interview' assessment you will sit on a day near your interview - and again, you will be given full details of this in advance.
• You will have been given an opportunity to tell us if you need any special conditions for your interview, so please inform us in advance - once the timetable is arranged, adjustments are difficult and sometimes impossible.
• Please see  this page  for guidance on preparing for interviews.

By late-January - decisions made

All candidates will receive a decision by email. There are three likely outcomes:

• That St Catharine's would like to make you an offer (conditional or firm as appropriate).
• That another college would like to make you an offer, after the Intercollegiate Winter Pool. This system allows colleges to make good applicants to whom they themselves were unable to make offers, available to other colleges. Many very well qualified students follow this route. We will usually be looking for candidates in some subjects, and we always do our best to find places at other colleges for those we have placed in the pool. For this reason, every January many applicants instead receive an offer from a college other than the one they applied to. Please note that decisions made at the pool are sent out at the same time as decisions made by the colleges to which applicants originally applied, so any written communcation you receive will take into account any redistribution to other colleges.
• That neither St Catharine's nor another college is able to make you an offer.

The only applicants who may not receive a decision letter at this time are:

• A very small number of applicants - mainly in arts subjects - may be called for further post-pool interviews at a different college in January. At St Catharine's we do very few of these, and we would try to complete them before the main decision-notification day, anyway.

If your application has been unsuccessful, you cannot re-enter the admissions process for that year - at St Catharine's or any other college. The only exception to this is that some unsuccessful UK-domiciled, UK-schooled applicants will be told in their January decision letter that they are eligible for the University's 'reconsideration' process because they meet certain widening participation criteria. This is a route by which, if you subsequently meet the University's typical conditional offer level in your exams, you may opt in August to be reconsidered for entry to the University. Please see  this page  for further information, but note that you should assume you are not eligible for this scheme if you are not notified in your January decision letter.

By mid-February - entry for STEP exams

• All candidates whose offer of a place is conditional upon STEP grades (only Mathematics at St Catharine's) must be entered by their examination centre (usually their school) for the relevant papers. See  this link  for details.

Early May - acceptance of offers on UCAS

• All offers must be accepted (as firm or insurance offers) or rejected through UCAS. Check the  UCAS website  for the exact deadline for this.

Before mid-August - some examination result become available

• Grades for many examination systems become available before UK A-level results are published. If you receive your results before mid-August, and have met your offer, then your place will be confirmed.
• If you have narrowly missed your offer, then we will probably decide to wait until A-level results are published in mid-August, so we can compare your performance fairly against the entire field of our offer-holders.

Mid-Augus​t - examination results

• Once A Level and STEP results have been published, places are guaranteed for all conditional offer candidates who achieve the grade requirements set - your application status will be .changed on UCAS, and you need simply await information from us about accommodation and starting here as a student
• Some applicants who narrowly miss achieving their offers may nevertheless have their places confirmed, or be placed in the summer Intercollegiate Pool which takes place the day after A-level results are published. If you have taken A-levels, please contact us as soon as you can on results day with details of your module marks. All decisions will be finalised by Friday evening.
• St Catharine's aims also to admit some students via the reconsideration process. This is  only  open to previous applicants who meet certain specific criteria - and all of these candidates will have been informed of their eligibility previously - you do not need to contact us. If you are eligible, and you achieve the University's typical conditional offer in your subjects, we  strongly  recommend you participate in this process - a decision is usually made within 36 hours of the publication of A-level results. For more details see  this link .

Last day of August

• All applicants who meet their offers following a re-mark by the last day of August will be allocated a place to start their studies at St Catharine's. Applicants who meet their offers by means of exam re-marks finalised after that date cannot be guaranteed a place that year - although we will endeavour to provide a place to start in the year for which they originally applied.
• The last day of August is also the deadline for completing our online accommodation application form (which is sent to you a few days after A-level results day).  All  first years are housed on our main site, but incoming students should submit this form by August 31 to increase their chances of being allocated to one of the the accommodation 'bands' they requested. All responses received before the deadline are considered equally. Obviously, if you have been informed relatively late of your place here - for example because you were waiting for a re-mark - we will be lenient about the deadline!

Next tab:  How we make our decisions

There is no single criterion on which we base our admissions decisions. We make an overall assessment of:

• your academic performance at school in public exams,
• information on your UCAS form,
• your performance in any admissions assessments we may ask you to sit, 
• how you perform at interview (your ability to discuss topics raised in your personal statement, and your ability to apply academic skills you have learnt at school to novel information, concepts and tasks) and
• contextual information about your previous educational opportunities and support.

Although applying to Cambridge is competitive - we have approximately four/five applicants for each place - there are few hard-and-fast rules to applying to St Catharine's. The occasional low GCSE grade, aberrant A Level module score, or hasty interview response is unlikely to adversely affect your chances. Also, depending on the circumstances, we are sometimes able to accept candidates who have not quite made the terms of their offer.

At St Catharine's we use  all  the information available to us at each stage of the academic selection process, so there is no single overriding criterion which 'trumps' all the others.

1. Public examinations

Attainment in public exams, such as A levels or the IB, remains the cornerstone of our admissions system. That said, most candidates apply before they have finished their school exams, so usually receive offers conditional on them reaching a certain level in those exams.

Not all applicants to Cambridge have perfect GCSE scores - indeed, many successful applicants do not. As a general rule of thumb, if you have been entered for the GCSE higher tier exams, and have gained at least a few A/A*/7/8/9 grades, and are now comfortably expecting to attain A grades at A Level then you should feel confident about making an application. We are also happy with IGCSEs - indeed, these can be slightly more demanding than their GCSE counterparts, so we often find that applicants have taken slightly fewer of them.

At present the University's typical conditional offer is as follows:

• most science courses: A*A*A
• most arts and humanities subjects: A*AA
• Economics: A*A*A
• Veterinary Medicine: A*AA

We usually set offers at these levels, but may occasionally tailor offers to match the individual applicant, and you should also read the St Catharine's webpage about the subject for which you wish to apply, for details of any specific requirements. We may, or may not, specify in which subjects we would like you to achieve an A*, or exclude certain subjects (for example, if a science applicant is taking a fourth, arts/humanities subject).

Most of our conditional offers are based on A level exams which candidates sit in one go in their last year at school - although our actual requirement is that you study for and sit three A-levels 'within a three year period'. Thus, if you are taking a subject early, such as Maths, you need only take two other subjects at the end of school - see our ' important advice ' page for more details.

If an applicant is taking four 'relevant' subjects, we may sometimes set a lower requirement in the fourth subject simply to ensure they complete the course and take the exam - for example, by giving an A* A* A C offer in a science subject. Otherwise we find that offer holders drop school subjects which we think would stand them in good stead for university! See our ' important advice ' page for more about the pros and cons of doing more than three A-levels.

We may take into account certificated AS results, where available, along with all other relevant information, when assessing candidates' applications and deciding on offers.

We encourage potential applicants to tailor their choice of school subjects to optimise their chances of gaining admission to the courses they wish to study at university. If you read the specific page for your subject on this website, and indeed on the websites of other universities, you will get an idea of what subject choices may help. Some subjects, such as Medicine, have very specific requirements, whereas others, such as Law, do not.

If after choosing subjects to increase your chances of gaining a place to read your chosen university subject, you are left free to select additional A Level subjects, then St Catharine's particularly values traditional academic subjects. These include English Literature, all non-native languages, History, Geography, Maths, Further Maths, Physics, Chemistry and Biology. Many of our applicants are studying three such subjects at A Level, but obviously there are A-level subjects not  on that list which may be very relevant to your proposed course of study - Music, Sociology, Government and Politics, or Psychology, for example. Do contact us if you would like any further advice.

International Baccalaureate

A typical offer would be 40-42 overall and 7,7,6 in higher level subjects.

We often find that applicants to science courses have not been permitted to take three science/maths subjects at Higher Level of the IB - and if this is so, we recommend taking two science/maths subjects at Higher Level and one at Standard Level. In this case, we may set conditional offers which include a requirement for the Standard Level science/maths subject  instead of the Higher Level 'non-science' subject.

If you are taking Maths as an IB subject with a view to applying for a science subject or Economics, your are strongly advised to take IB Higher Level 'Analysis and Approaches'. However, if this option is not available at your school, please contact us.

Scottish qualifications (Advanced Highers)

The typical offer is Courses with a typical A-level offer of A*AA generally require A1, A2, A2; and for courses with a typical A Level offer of A*A*A, offers are usually A1, A1, A2..

However, in some cases, two Advanced Highers and an additional Higher may be acceptable (e.g. when an applicant is prevented from studying more than two Advanced Highers due to reasons outside their control) – such applicants are considered on a case-by-case basis and should contact us for advice.

If your school/college can only offer a limited range of Advanced Higher qualifications, or you are only able to take two, please do indicate this in the 'Teaching difficulties' section of the Cambridge online questionnaire, so that this can be taken into account when assessing your application.

Pre-U system

We set offers based on the following equivalence between pre-U grades and A-levels. For example, D2, D3, D3 is equivalent to an A*AA offer, and D2, D2, D3 is equivalent to an A*A*A offer. Successful candidates taking a mixture of pre-U and A Level qualifications will usually be given an offer which is equivalent to A*A*A or A*AA, although it may include multiple possible permutations!

STEP (Sixth Term Examination Paper)

At present, we require attainment in particular STEP papers as a part of our offer only for Mathematics or Maths with Physics ( not Physical Natural Sciences or Engineering) - see the Maths subject page.

The Extended Project Qualification (EPQ)

The EPQ would not normally form part of a Cambridge conditional offer, and we do not expect you to do one. However, if you are doing an EPQ, do mention it in your personal statement, and you may be asked about it at interview. Also, do bear in mind that your other university choices may include your EPQ in an offer, or reduce your conditional offer if you do well in it.

Students following other examination systems - especially outside the UK

We receive large numbers of applications from candidates following alternative examination routes. Since our offers are all tailored to the individual, this poses no problem to us whatsoever, and we welcome applications from all bright and motivated students. We usually follow the University's list of recommended requirements for all these qualifications - follow this link .

2. Information on your UCAS form and Cambridge Supplementary Application Questionnaire

Personal statement - how do we use it.

We do not assess the 'quality' of your personal statement, partly because applicants receive widely differing amounts of help with their statements. For example, it will not usually be used to decide who we interview, or to whom we make offers. The only time it would be used in these decisions is if a personal statement indicates that an applicant has completely misunderstood the nature of the course for which they are applying - and this is rare.

However, you should be aware that the personal statement can be extremely important in your application to  other  universities, so we advise you to tailor it to what  they  want, not us - and there is a helpful guide to writing your personal statement on the UCAS website. If the Cambridge course you are applying to is different, or has a different name (e.g. Natural Sciences), to your chosen course at other universities (e.g. Chemistry), then you should use the name it is given at those other universities - we are used to this.

Personal Statement - evidence of interest in your subject beyond your school studies

We may select things on your statement - especially 'supercurricular' academic interests and activities beyond your school curriculum - and discuss them with you at interview, This is often the only contribution your personal statement makes to your application to us. Please note:

• these activities may include reading printed or electronic resources (text, audio or video) or attending subject-related events or competitions
• you should not feel you have to spend any money - accessing web or library resources, or participating in school-based activities is fine
• you should interpret the phrase 'subject-related' very broadly - for example, applicants to any science/maths subject should feel free to mention activities in any science/maths subject
• supercurricular study will be helpful for your other university choices as well, so we recommend you use much of the space in your UCAS application explaining how wider study has contributed to your enthusiasm for, and ability to succeed in, your chosen university course

Applicants occasionally ask us what wider study they should do, to which the answer is that they should be guided by their own interests - don't feel you have to read a certain novel just because you think everyone else is, or that watching YouTube videos explaining how scientists blow things up is not sufficiently academic. That said, there is some useful guidance at this link .

Personal Statement - what about extracurricular activities?

Extracurricular recreational activities are not considered by St Catharine's or Cambridge during your application. This is partly because they are not directly relevant to assessing your academic potential, and also candidates vary greatly in their access to extracurricular activities. However other universities probably will be interested in your extracurricular activities, so do include them in your UCAS application.

School reference

Understandably, most of our applicants' school references are good - explaining how well they are performing at school, and that they are expected to do well at university. As a result, school references often do not form a large part of our selection process. However, if you or your school have faced any particular challenges, then this is a good place for this to be mentioned, and we will certainly take such information into account.

Predictions

If you are applying while still at school, as part of the UCAS process your teachers will be asked to make predictions of your eventual exam results. However, these predictions are not an important part of the admissions process at St Catharine's. This is because (1) accurate predictions are very difficult to make and (2) some schools and teachers tend to 'under-predict' or 'over-predict' for various entirely understandable reasons. As long as your predictions approach the 'general range' of our conditional offers, then they will often play little role in our decision whether or not to interview or make an offer. Also, we do not usually consider your predictions when setting your conditional offer level.

Cambridge additional online questionnaire

This is an additional form you must fill in, and the deadline for submission is usually one week after the UCAS deadline. You  must  complete this form, but don't worry if you think you have not written much! The questionnaire allows us to gather various information about the educational support you have had at school, and it also allows you to tell us anything 'Cambridge-specific' about your application. If you feel you have written everything you need to on your UCAS application, then it is fine to leave the respective boxes blank on the questionnaire - most applicants do.

3. Cambridge Admissions Assessments, and other additional assessments

Applicants in most subjects will be asked to complete a written admissions assessment for which they must be entered when they apply to Cambridge - please make sure you discuss this with your school in advance   of the late-September application deadline. These assessments are sat either before or during the interview process:

• (most sciences and some arts/humanities subjects): 'before-interview' assessments are taken in local examination centres - usually applicants' own schools, usually between mid-October and early November, or
• (some arts/humanities subjects): near the day of interview

Details of which courses have which assessments is provided on this page of our college website.

The aims of these assessments are to provide a measure of how applicants are progressing in their academic studies, and indicate their future academic potential. Details and sample papers may be obtained on the University' admissions website here  and its individual subject pages here . Please note, the assessments are meant to be difficult, so don't worry if they look difficult to you! The aim is to provide a wide spread of marks to help us distinguish among a very able applicant field, so candidates often receive offers having achieved scores which might seem low compared to their achievement in school and public exams. Please note:

It is very important that no one should be disadvantaged by the use of written assessments. It is for this reason that no preparation should be required to take these assessments, other than diligent participation in A-level (or equivalent) courses, and familiarising yourself with the sample papers. Also, the assessments received an enthusiastic reception at focus groups including teachers from a variety of school types. In addition, Cambridge has drawn on its many years’ experience conducting pre-interview assessments for Medicine, specifically designed to treat all applicants fairly.

However, we do realise that some applicants will have had less help than others when preparing for the assessments (as of course they may have had throughout their education), so we take contextual information about educational support into account when looking at assessment scores.

If you are a student for whom English is not your first language, then any offer of an academic place may include an additional requirement that you pass an English proficiency exam - click the 'International Students' menu tab for information.

4. The interview

The interview is the other piece of academic information we use when deciding to whom to make our offers. Please see our advice on preparing for interviews. 

In some arts/humanities subjects you may be asked to submit written work you have done as part of your normal school studies, and which has been marked - this is as much to assess the level of feedback and guidance you have received as to allow us to read what you have written. Thus, this written school work may be one of the things we discuss at interview. If we need written work to be submitted, we will provide full guidance - and please be assured that you do not need to write anything especially for your application.

5. Contextual information about your previous educational opportunities & support

This information is very important in allowing us to make our admissions decisions. See our webpage giving more detail about what information we use.

Complaints and appeals

If you wish to make a complaint or appeal about your applications, please see this page .

Next tab: you are encouraged to check whether any of the questions listed in the  Important Advice  tab applies to you.

Most of our undergraduate applicants will be applying to university for the first time, and it's natural that you will have questions. If the answers below don't contain the information you're looking for, feel free to get in touch using the e-mail address at the foot of this tab.

If my education has been disadvantaged in some way, can this be taken into account? 

Yes, absolutely. For example, St Catharine’s enthusiastically supports the Cambridge Extenuating Circumstances Scheme .

I don't feel I have had access to good advice about applying to Cambridge - what should I do?

The first thing to say is please do not worry. Our admissions system focuses on specific academic things such as previous exam performance, our own admissions assessments, and how you fare at interview - and even when assessing these we always take into consideration information about how much educational support applicants have had.

Also, we do not base our decisions on things which are very dependent on how much guidance students have received - how polished their UCAS personal statement is, or how 'slick' they are at interview. The best advice is simple: do as well as you can in your public exams, don't worry if you find the admissions assessments 'hard' (some bits of it are meant to be), and be ready to talk about academic things at interview. And, of course, apply!

Should I take more than three A-levels? Will I be at an advantage?

You should be aware that (1) we assess applicants' school performance based on their three best 'relevant' subjects, and (2) A-level, Scottish system and many other conditional offers are usually based on achievement in three subjects. Thus, sitting four or more A-levels is not a direct advantage for an applicant to St Catharine's, and it is a personal decision whether doing more than three subjects is right for you. One disadvantage of doing more than three subjects is that you might think you are 'spreading yourself too thin'. Conversely, the advantages of doing more than three subjects are things you need to make your own personal decisions about:

• You may decide that you can maximise your chances of achieving your three-subject-based offer if you take four or more relevant subjects.
• You may feel that doing more subjects will help you get offers from your other university choices.
• You may consider that taking extra subjects will be a good preparation for your eventual university course.
• You may simply wish to continue with additional subjects because you enjoy them or because they provide you with skills which could be useful in the future (e.g. a language for a scientist, or Maths for an arts/humanities student).

If an applicant is taking four 'relevant' subjects, we may occasionally set a lower requirement in the fourth subject simply to ensure they complete the course and take the exam - for example, by giving an A* A* A C offer.

What subjects should I take at school?

First of all, you should read the information on the webpage relating to the specific university subjects in which you are interested - subject choice is extremely important for some Cambridge courses, and largely unimportant for others.

• If you want to apply for a science subject we strongly encourage you to take three of the following - Maths, Further Maths, Physics, Chemistry, Biology.
• Things are often more flexible for arts and humanities subjects, but it is a good idea to take subjects directly related to your chosen university subject, and then 'top up' with ' Russell Group facilitating subjects ' such as English Literature, any non-native language, History, Geography, sciences or Maths.
• Obviously, applicants for certain courses often take subjects which are not Russell Group facilitating subjects, such as Music, Government and Politics, Classical Civilisation, Economics, Sociology, Psychology, and so on.
• However, we do not favour subjects which have less academic content, such as Art. Theatre Studies is an acceptable subject for potential English applicants.
• Archaeology  and Law  are notable because they encourage applicants who are currently studying sciences, arts, humanities, or any mixture of the three. Studying Law at school does not provide any particular advantage when applying to study Law, and indeed most of our applicants are not studying it.
• Please note that we consider Further Maths as a full subject in its own right - indeed, it is highly desirable for many of our courses.

There are some subjects we offer, for which you do not have to be formally studying the equivalent subject at school. These include Archaeology, Classics, Computer Science, Economics, Geography, Law, Music, Theology, Philosophy and Psychology. In addition, school Biology is not required for Biological Natural Sciences, Medicine or Veterinary Medicine. This may be for one of the following reasons - see individual subjects pages for details

• No specific prior knowledge is required (e.g. Law),
• Other subjects provide just as good a preparation (e.g. physical sciences for Veterinary Medicine)
• Other qualification types are acceptable (e.g. grade 8 Music Theory for Music)
• The University has developed alternative course routes for applicants who have not studied the subject at school (e.g. Classics)
• Enthusiasm and aptitude can be demonstrated by self-taught or recreational involvement (e.g. Computer Science).

If I have taken an A-level early, will it be taken into account when a conditional offer is made?

We frequently receive applications from candidates who have taken an A-level one year early - often, but not always, it is Maths. In general we require applicants to have studied for and sat 'three A-levels taken within a two-year period', as we believe this is an indication of how a future student will cope with the workload involved in studying for a degree.

Because of this, our conditional offers do not usually include any A-level subjects taken early. However, you should be aware that 'early' A-levels still support your application in two ways. First, good performance in 'early' A-levels will certainly be taken into account in the assessment of your academic potential when we are considering to whom to make offers. Second, were you to narrowly miss your eventual conditional offer, high marks in a previous A-level would be one of the factors taken into account when deciding whether to still offer a place.

For example, if someone is studying Maths, Further Maths and Physics then they should study the three subjects and sit the exams  within  a two year period. If their school policy is for them to sit Maths at the end of their first year of A-levels, then their Maths grade will form part of their UCAS application, and we would set an offer based on Physics and Further Maths. (If they were studying a relevant fourth subject, then that would also be included in the offer, although were the applicant to narrowly miss their offer, the grades in all four would be taken into account when decided whether to still offer them a place.)

Is it ok if two candidates from the same school apply to the same course, the same college, or even the same course at the same college? 

Because we simply seek applicants with the most academic potential, we don't mind if we receive applications from candidates at the same school (this happens quite often), even for the same course. Each application will be considered on its merits.

Can I take a year out before starting at St Catharine’s? 

We are generally happy for candidates to apply to defer entry for a year, especially if they have specific plans for that 'year out'.

• However, please note that we discourage deferred entry in Mathematics.
• The situation is slightly complicated in Medicine, because the University and each individual college have strict, externally-imposed numerical quotas of medical students which they must admit each year (the St Catharine's quota is 11). Thus, any candidate applying for a deferred medical place is considered in the light of the  likely  field of Medicine applicants in the following year. However, if you wish to take a gap year, our advice is still to apply at the earliest opportunity - for most applicants this is their last year of school - because if you are not successful in gaining a place on a medical course, you can then re-apply during that gap year (see below, 'Does St Catharine’s consider candidates who are applying to university, or even Cambridge for a second time? ')
• In certain circumstances we will consider applicants who wish to defer for two years - in the past this has usually been applicants from Singapore who are expected to undertake national service. If you are in this situation, then you should apply via UCAS to defer for  one  year, but also email the St Catharine's Admissions Office to advise us of your intentions. Then, if you are successful, we would make you an offer deferred for one year in the first instance, but then move your entry year one further year into the future once this becomes possible in the UCAS system.

I am not from the UK – how does the application process work for me? 

Applicants from other EU member states and outside the EU are considered in exactly the same way as UK applicants, and make up perhaps 25% of our students. There are no maximum or minimum numbers of non-UK EU or non-EU students we must take, so admission is based entirely on academic grounds.

The only exception is that the University as a whole does have a maximum quota of non-EU Medical students - see  this link . If you are unsure of your status,  you may want to contact our admissions office for more information. See also our page for international students , or the University website .

What score do I need to get in my Admissions Assessment to be interviewed, or made an offer?

There are no absolute admissions assessment score thresholds for being called for interview or being made an offer. This is for two reasons:

• The assessment papers are not standardised from year to year, so the average and spread of candidates' raw marks will vary between years. Because of this, we start by looking at where each applicant falls within that year's distribution of marks.
• We then look at lots of other information as well and certainly do not base our decisions entirely on assessment scores. We also look at public exam performance, the written content of the application, contextual information, and interview performance if an interview has yet taken place.

Does St Catharine’s consider candidates who are applying to university, or even Cambridge, for a second time? 

We are very happy to consider such applicants in exactly the same way as we consider first-time applicants, although we would normally expect you to have met or exceeded the University's typical conditional offer in the relevant subject. If you've applied to Cambridge before, our informal advice is that you may want to consider having a fresh 'bite at the cherry' by applying to a different college the second time round.

We would encourage all potential applicants to think extremely carefully before turning down confirmed places at other universities with a view to applying to Cambridge. Clearly this is an individual decision which depends on a candidate's perception of the place they hold, and what offers they might achieve in a second round of applications, but do be aware that the success rate of applicants to Cambridge is approximately 1 in 5.

If your exam results exceed your expectations, then in mid-August you could consider entering the UCAS 'adjustment' process to seek an offer at a different university. However, at present Cambridge participates in the adjustment process in only a limited way (see this link ), considering only applicants who meet certain widening participation criteria, all of whom will have been notified of their eligibility by e-mail in the spring.

Can I apply to St Catharine's if I am resitting some exams / taking additional exams because I did not reach the University's typical offer level at my first, 'end-of-school', exam sitting?

An important part of our academic requirements is that applicants should have achieved their exam results as part of a 'normal workload' – for example three A-levels studied within two years. There is no opportunity* to resit exams at the University of Cambridge, so we would have strong reservations about an applicant's ability to cope with the pace and intensity of our degree courses, had they not met this requirement.

Most of our applicants have met/exceeded, or are on course to meet/exceed our academic requirements, so unless there are clear and strong extenuating circumstances, it would therefore be unlikely we would offer to a candidate if they have not met those requirements. You should also read the preceding section about applying to university for a second time.

(*Medicine and Veterinary Medicine students are eligible for resits in their professional qualification exams, but not in their classed Cambridge University exams.)

Does St Catharine’s consider applications to undergraduate courses by applicants already enrolled on courses at other universities?

We do not accept applications from candidates enrolled on undergraduate degree courses at other universities. An obvious exception to this is if you are just about to finish a degree course elsewhere and wish to apply as an affiliated student, in which case, see the next question. Also, you can of course enrol on short, non-degree, courses in advance of coming to Cambridge, if you wish.

We strongly discourage students from withdrawing from courses at other universities so they can apply to us. You should bear in mind that our applicants-to-offers ratio is 4-5:1, and that leaving a previous course could be seen as demonstrating a lack of commitment to higher education. Leaving a university course may also adversely affect funding opportunities to study in the future.

Does St Catharine’s consider affiliated student applications (students who already have a degree)? 

We strongly recommend that potential affiliated applicants contact us in advance. Please note that we do not accept affiliated student applications in Law, Medicine or Veterinary Medicine - we recommend that you get in touch with one of the colleges which specialise in such students. Indeed, all graduate applicants may wish to consider applying to one of the Cambridge colleges which specialise in admitting and supporting such students - Clare Hall, Darwin, Hughes Hall, Lucy Cavendish, St Edmund's and Wolfson.

Does St Catharine’s consider mature (i.e. over-21) applicants?

We are happy to receive applications from mature students in all subjects. However, applicants in Medicine and Veterinary Medicine are strongly advised to consider applying to a college more used to considering such applications: Wolfson, St Edmund's, Lucy Cavendish (women only) and Hughes Hall (medics, but not vets).

Entry criteria for mature students are generally similar to those for other applicants - we will usually expect you to be studying (or have recently studied) at an appropriate level, and we will expect you to be able to show recent evidence of your academic ability. We are prepared to take mature students from non-standard academic backgrounds, but it is essential that you make contact with the Admissions Office at an early stage so that we can discuss your needs and give you realistic advice.

Does it matter which other universities I have applied to? 

No. No one involved in the admissions process will know where else you have applied. We encourage you to use all the spaces available on your UCAS form (this advice includes medical and veterinary applicants who are sometimes erroneously told by other universities not to use their fifth, 'non-medic/vet' space).

Be aware, however, that UCAS does not permit applications to both Cambridge and Oxford in the same year (except for their Graduate Medicine Courses, for which St Catharine's does not accept applications). 

If I do not get into my college of choice, can I still get into Cambridge? 

Yes, through the Intercollegiate Pool - see the page about preparing for interviews  for more information.

Where can I read an independent description of the admissions process?

For a very informative article about how we make our decisions, please go to the Guardian website .

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Personal statements

Your personal statement gives you the chance to tell us:

• why you're interested in the course you want to study and what excites you about it
• about your academic interests
• how you've explored your interests outside of school. For example, books you've read or podcasts you've listened to

Your personal statement must be no more than 4,000 characters and is sent to all five of your university choices.  

Please remember that interviewers will review your personal statement as part of the admissions process. Make sure you read through your personal statement before your interview and remind yourself of its contents. Your interviewers may or may not draw on your personal statement during your interview.  

In addition to your UCAS application, My Cambridge Application gives you the opportunity to submit a second personal statement. This should not repeat information but instead be used to expand or fill in gaps in your personal statement. This option is mainly used by those students applying to unique courses at the University of Cambridge to express what about this course attracted them. 

Preparing your personal statement

Information about preparing a personal statement can be found at the:

• College Application

The Best Cambridge Personal Statement Examples

A deep perusal of Cambridge personal statement examples can help you understand how to go about crafting your own finely honed statement. You can also look at college letter of intent samples, diversity essay examples – also called diversity secondary essays – or the Common App essay for inspiration.

Writing college essays is tough. Whether you need help with how to start a college essay or how to structure your college essay, reading essay samples written for Cambridge will help you navigate this intimidating process and submit a personal statement that impresses the admissions committee. Now let’s dive in!

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Article Contents 8 min read

Cambridge personal statement examples, example no.1.

Working as a private tutor has changed my life dramatically. I started out because some of my peers wanted assistance with their studies, but I quickly became frustrated. Tutoring seemed like an easy way to make money. All I had to do was explain some concepts – or so I thought. When I started tutoring, I would read out a lesson or concept, then go over problems with my student until I knew they could handle that particular problem, and I would be back for the next session. However, I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something deeper to teaching a subject.

I was working with my friend Eli on math every week. What frustrated me with Eli was that, although he could grasp concepts, he was always in need of help. I realised that I wasn’t helping Eli; I was only teaching him one concept at a time. What I needed to do was teach Eli how to learn. It wasn’t enough to show him answers and equations; I had to teach him how to spark his curiosity. I had to teach him how to think, not what to think. This was the missing element in my instruction. It wasn’t enough that I should help a student grasp a difficult concept, but rather to acquire the tools he would need to grow in his curiosity and approach to studying.

Want to learn easy ways to make your college essay standout? Watch this video:

When next I taught Eli, I changed my methods. Instead of just telling Eli when to use a specific calculus formula, I started bringing in oddly shaped containers and showing him how calculus would be useful in determining their volume. Giving him physical mysteries to solve and showing him the applicability of calculus fired Eli’s imagination and engaged him far more. I was on my way to teaching Eli how to think.

Eli needed fewer sessions after that, which became my measurement of success. Strangely enough, doing my work optimally would put myself out of a job. While there will always be new students to help, the goal of a teacher or tutor should not be to keep working with one student, but to help that student move beyond the teacher and then to seek out the next growing mind to aid.

I felt like I was ready to throw my computer monitor out the window or give up entirely on coding. I was trying to learn how to programme a video game, but I was becoming frustrated with my project. Our deadline was looming, and I felt like I had taken on a bigger project than I could handle.

Fortunately, I learnt the most valuable lesson that day. My friend, Kaylee, noticed my frustration and asked, “Can I help?”. I showed her what was wrong, and she helped me move past my hurdles and smooth out my code. I shared some of my ideas, and we both went away with a better understanding of computer coding. Along with improving my own project and getting over my own frustrating hurdle, I was also able to help Kaylee. Our conversations throughout the day had me suggesting several shortcuts to tighten up her coding language, making it more efficient and precise. While I hadn’t intended to help Kaylee, our collaboration benefited her as well.

The lesson was to stay connected. We live increasingly in a virtual world, from social media to online work-from-home jobs, and it is harder than ever to maintain connections with actual human beings. This led Kaylee and me to found the “Human Programming Club,” which emphasised human interaction, along with collaboration and a team effort. The club grew to include several schools in our area, which improved the programming experience of a lot of computer science students in our city.

Your Computer Science programme emphasises these human and collaborative elements. In second year, students work on a group project “…which reflects current industrial practice.” This emphasis on working together attracted me to your programme and is the reason I am applying. The Cambridge Ring, which emphasises social, career and community, is something I would love to be a part of. This is also because I have long-term goals that I believe will be best served with this type of education.

My plan is to bring the liveliness of the Human Programming Club to our current computing technologies, both in programming environments and through the interactions we have with machines and with apps in our day-to-day lives. I want our interactions with computers to serve relationships and human society, not replace them. Most importantly, I want to bring an inclusiveness and sense of belonging to the world of programming. When we emphasised these aspects of our Human Programming Club, we saw an increase in underrepresented persons among the membership. Making marginalised persons feel more accepted in the world of coding and computer science would be amazing. You also offer positive action programmes for women and LGBTQ+ computer science students, and I find this encouraging and something I would like to support.

I believe your programme is optimal for me to work towards those goals, and I hope to hear from you – and connect – soon.

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Example No.3

The sky seemed smaller when I saw the eagle pass across the sun. I immediately pulled out the nature journal I had with me. These journals have kept track of every scientific discovery I have experienced. I did a quick sketch of the bird – some extras of the wings – and wrote down my observations. I also recorded questions about the bird – mostly diet and habitat – that occurred to me while sketching. My journals, based on Kipling’s “six honest serving men” (What, Why, When, How, Where and Who), guided and augmented my insatiable curiosity. I returned from my US vacation with two full journals of sketches and questions about everything. Fascinated with how a bird’s wing works, it became an obsession at the library for weeks.

These questions gave me purpose in another favourite place of mine: the lab. I couldn’t wait to get home and get into the science labs of my school, which would provide me the opportunity to ask my questions and get answers. My teacher, Mr. Shepherd, books the lab for me after school to allow me to go deeper into research. He has helped me set up experiments in aerodynamics, lift and velocity, which would help me to understand a bird’s wing better.

I also used my shop class time to build different gliders to test. I tried one that really flapped, but it never got off the ground. Still, I learnt why it couldn’t work – the wood was too heavy for the small engines I used. That failure became as informative as a success would have been.

I love all aspects of scientific inquiry, and it is for this reason that I have applied to your Biological Sciences programme, which is both comprehensive and focused. I am particularly interested in your research projects on organisms, evolution and ecology. How do new species arise? How did we get to the species we have now? Birds’ wings didn’t come from nowhere, and I’d love to explore the past, present and future of the evolution of species. I believe your programme will allow me this opportunity.

Cambridge recommends that you follow the UCAS advice on personal statements when writing your own. While acceptance to Cambridge is based solely on academic criteria (ability and potential), your personal statement may be discussed during the interview, so it is an important aspect of your college interview prep .

When writing your personal statement, consider the following 4 points highlighted by Cambridge:

It will also be helpful to keep Cambridge’s core values and mission statement in mind and reflect those ideals in your essay.

Also remember that every essay is, to some extent, a “ why this college” essay . You should always use that as a baseline for how to write a college essay .

Mission Statement

“The mission of the University of Cambridge is to contribute to society through the pursuit of education, learning and research at the highest international levels of excellence."

Core Values

Freedom of thought and expression

Freedom from discrimination

Integrating Values

You don’t need to specifically use the exact wording Cambridge chooses, but your essays should reflect these goals. Here’s what every essay can include:

• Something to show that you think about your community and the global community, to correspond with the stated goal of contributing to society
• A focus on education and research – mentioning your curiosity or pursuit of knowledge
• Expressing yourself and telling your story to fulfil one half of the core values
• Are there any ways you represent diversity? This could be in your personal profile or experiences, but more important will be ways you might have contributed to assisting diversity, progress, or the advancement of underrepresented persons.

All Cambridge personal statements have a 4,000-character cap, which includes spaces, and must be no longer than 47 lines. Some universities might have college essay topics , but Cambridge’s personal statements are not prompt-based.

These three examples should give you a good sense of the structure, tone and content you can consider in your Cambridge personal statement.

If you still need more examples, you can get good insights from different institutions’ requirements, such as the Oxford personal statement . Columbia Medical School secondary essay examples or Brown Medical School secondary essay examples might not seem germane to your Cambridge essays, but they will still provide you with the structure and focus you need. Looking at other essay systems, such as the one that applies to the AMCAS personal statement , might also give you ideas.

Cambridge University personal statements should be no more than 4,000 characters, and this number includes spaces.

No. If you express yourself well, it doesn’t really matter if you have a shorter personal statement. Brevity is a good thing, provided you have fully communicated why you are the perfect candidate for the programme to which you are applying.

Give examples of your connection to the programme you are interested in, and remember the rule of “Show, don’t tell” when communicating this. Traits you want to show include curiosity, passion, and personal growth. You might choose to highlight some of your extracurriculars for college , too.

Anything irrelevant, which has no bearing on your goals or accomplishments, as well as anything negative. You don’t want to cast yourself in a negative light or just be perceived as a negative person. 

Stay very focused on one or two main points. You must show your greatest strengths and connect yourself to the programme. You don’t need to include everything, so just focus on one, driving point.

Start with a good “hook” sentence and use your opening paragraph to set up the rest of the essay. Keep to one theme per paragraph and link everything together with your conclusion for the perfect essay.

They will want to see creativity, curiosity, persistence, a good work ethic, a connection to the material and some sense of goals and aspirations. College admissions consulting , such as a college essay review service , can give you excellent advice on your personal statement. 

Two or three weeks, working daily on your statement, to give you the chance to not only write, but re-write, refine, edit, proofread and find someone to read and critique your paper.

Brainstorming for a few minutes will help. Take two or three minutes and a blank page and write down everything you love about your chosen subject. Free-associate, and you’ll almost definitely have something when your time is up.

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12 Personal Statement FAQs and answers!

There is often a large amount of confusion surrounding how to write personal statements, especially when it comes to oxford and cambridge and other top research universities., every year, we have thousands of students ask us what qualities go into making a successful personal statement., to help, we have broken down this question into 12 of the most frequently asked questions our prospective students ask when they are trying to draft their personal statements., 1. how do i write the introduction.

Introductions are often disappointingly generic. To help you achieve more specificity and concision, the best way to write a good personal statement introduction is to complete the rest of it first. When you are getting started on the first draft, it can be overwhelming to begin at a blank page, but discussing your achievements and interests – relevant to the courses and universities you are applying to – can help you clarify what your motivation to study the subject really is. Then you can come back and explain the reasons behind your passion for Mathematics, Anglo Saxon literature or your subject of choice.

2. How many books should I talk about?

This question can be answered in various ways depending on the subject you intend to study. Clinical scientific subjects will not require many book mentions, however, Arts and Humanities personal statements for Oxbridge see a great benefit from discussing at least two books in detail, with further reading mentioned.

It’s also important to remember that academic sources shouldn’t be only limited to books. A well-rounded personal statement discusses specific theories, touches on lectures you have attended or essays and articles you have read to gain a better understanding of specific academic points rather than a general discussion. One of the biggest pitfalls students fall into when drafting Oxbridge personal statements is getting stuck waffling about general points around a subject of interest. To avoid getting stuck in general chatter, try to use only specific examples in your personal statement.

Centrally, admissions tutors want to see that you know you are getting yourself in for. Only reading a couple of books from their introductory list will therefore not tantalise them; try to follow your interests in a bit more depth and look at readings and ideas which are representative of degree level material.

3. What do I do if I have no work experience?

Referencing work experience in your personal statement is dependent on the subject you intend to study. A rule of thumb is to ask yourself whether you think an academic in the faculty you are applying to will think your work experience was relevant for the course. If you are applying to study History, for example, your two-weeks at an accounting or law firm organising files will be of little interest.

For Medicine, work experience is integral not only to the application process but will help build a strong personal statement. When applying to a vocational subject such as Medicine, where possible you should always ensure you are able to reference at least one work experience placement held. If you don’t have any work experience and your personal statement is due, make sure to arrange some and refer to this in the future tense in your personal statement when talking about your upcoming placement.

Work experience can also be useful for other more vocation-leaning subjects, such as architecture and engineering. More widely, doing work experience is extremely useful to help you begin thinking about what you might want to do with your career, and can build highly useful skills, but, unless it is relevant to the course content, it is unlikely to proffer you any credit for university admission.

4. How long should I talk about extra-curricular activities?

Leading research universities are looking for your potential to succeed on the course you are applying for. Nevertheless, two applicants who seem academically matched might be distinguished from each other by their ability to balance their time with several other things. Do include what you do outside of academia, then, but keep non-relevant activities mentioned to a minimum rather than an exhaustive list. This might mean sacrificing some of the things you do outside of your course and focus on those few things you do most often, or to the highest level. (N.B. Your reference might be able to discuss some of your extra-curricular activities too, and you don’t want to overlap this material).

What you do mention, try to link to your subject. This might be easy, as with an English literature student who has directed lots of theatre, or less easy, such as a maths applicant who plays the violin to a high level. Nevertheless, making these links convincingly can bring originality and creativity to your statement.

5. How can I tailor it for different courses?

Subjects like HSPS at Cambridge or Classical Archaeology and Ancient History at Oxford might make it tricky to tailor your statement for different courses. Oxford and Cambridge are very understanding of this, and specific guidance can usually be found on faculty websites about their expectations.

However, as a rule of thumb, focus on the areas of convergence between the courses you are applying for. If these differ in title, then avoid stating the title of the course in your statement and instead refer to the disciplinary area or focus instead. This involves: a) making sure the courses you are applying for are sufficiently similar to give you a chance of doing this, and b) doing your research on the course content and options so that you are covering the appropriate material.

This research stands even if you are applying for the same titled course everywhere. English, for example, is taught very differently at Oxford to Bristol, and focusing on an interest which does not feature in either course will result in your application being put aside.

Doing this research early can also help you to direct your reading and research to build material for your personal statement which speaks to all your choices.

6. How should I talk about my other A-level subjects?

Lots of students are told to discuss the skills they have gathered from their A Level subjects, but we caution around this; your UCAS application includes a full list of A-Level subjects studied, and your school reference will discuss your A-Level abilities. Talking about the time management or analytical skills you gained from studying history, and the logical skills you gained from physics, can therefore come across as ‘fodder’ which could have already been inferred.

You can, however, talk about how other subjects provide further insight into the course or subject you’d like to study. For example, students who have taken Classics that intend to study English Literature at university can talk about translating texts, such as the Aeneid, and how this helped gain a greater understanding of classical influence in modern English Literature. As with the whole statement, the more specific you can make this, the better.

7. How long should it be?

This is an easy one. Your personal statement should be at most, 4,000 characters or 47 lines, whichever you meet first. Although it can be shorter, we strongly recommend taking full advantage of the available space. Ideally, you want your first draft to be much longer so you can cut down and edit your personal statement to be shorter, rather than using general waffle or struggling to fill the space.

Cutting it down is usually relatively easy, but it might take an outside eye to see the ‘wood from the trees’. Any non-relevant, generic material, anything which is likely to be in many other statements, and frilly, decorative language or repetition can all be chopped down.

If you find you are struggling to reach 4,000 characters or 47 lines, you probably need to revisit the body of your personal statement and discuss more subject-specific content. You may, alternatively, need to go back to the research and reading phase of writing.

8. What formatting should I use?

The final version of your personal statement will be submitted in a digital form with no formatting options, so there is no need to worry about formatting. That means you won’t have to decide what font or colour to use and there is no need for styles such as bold or italics. If you do include these, they won’t appear in the submitted version.

Your school should already have discussed best practice for writing your personal statement but as a reminder – do not write your statement draft in the real form! As with any content that is going to be submitted digitally, you should write it in a word document first (Microsoft Office, Google Docs, Pages, etc) where you can save a copy locally to your computer (and back-up regularly). This way, you can avoid the devastating loss of your best statement draft due to an accidental refresh or the internet dropping out.

9. How many paragraphs should it be?

There is no set-in-stone rule for the number of paragraphs but generally, a well-structured personal statement will be broken up into five or six paragraphs and be easy to read. Admissions tutors will need to comprehend your statement very quickly, so structure with this in mind.

A frequently-successful structure follows this pattern: an introduction, two to three course/subject-specific main paragraphs, a penultimate paragraph detailing your extracurricular activities, and then a final summary paragraph. The final two paragraphs are sometimes pushed together to form one.

10. Will they find out if I slightly…exaggerate my talents?

Yes! Your personal statement for Oxford and Cambridge should be considered a springboard for your interview and you could and should expect to be questioned about any single detail of it. At Oxbridge Applications, every year, we have students that approach us in January who are upset that their Admissions Tutor spent 20 minutes focused on a certain author when “I only mentioned that book briefly as a side note”.

However, you DON’T need to be an expert, or even particularly knowledgeable, about a particular idea or author to mention it in your statement. If you are questioned about an aspect of an author’s work you have mentioned which you are unsure about, then be intellectually honest and say so, but try your best to have a go given what you already know about them or similar authors/ideas.

This is not only the case for authors/books mentioned, but also if you put forward a highly ambitious or critical view in your statement. If you want to argue that Marx was totally wrong, then you better be ready to defend your view in a nuanced way. The bottom line is: stay intellectually honest and err on the side of modesty; academics tend to become less rather than more sure about the ‘truth’ the further they delve into their subject matter.

11. How many teachers should check my personal statement?

Preferably, you will get your drafted personal statement checked by at last two of your teachers or guidance advisers. One should be subject-specific who can check over the content of your paragraphs and the other can be from a different department to provide feedback on grammatical accuracy and quality of the statement.

Getting guidance from second and third parties can be useful ensure you retain editorial control, and that your voice and taste runs through the statement. If you try to include everyone’s different opinion, you can quickly end up with a jumbled statement that no longer reflects on you and your communication style and strengths.

Make sure you leave plenty of time between completing your first draft and the Oxbridge personal statement deadline ensuring you have time for others to check it over and you can make changes as necessary.

12. Should I start my personal statement with a quote?

‘Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone else’s opinions, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation.’ Oscar Wilde.

How much have you learned about me from reading Wilde’s words?

Quotes are used each year by applicants who end up getting offers from top universities, including Oxford and Cambridge. It’s not necessarily going to bring your application to an end. Quotes are also awarded marks in certain A Level subjects, if you have taken the time to remember them and give them a bit of context.

However, your personal statement gives admissions tutors the chance to hear your voice, and to get a sense of what you might be like as a student on their course. By definition , using a quote – i.e. someone else’s words – is not personal. It is therefore preferable to avoid using a quote unless it’s absolutely essential. Using a quote doesn’t make YOU sound more interesting.

Before you decide to use a quote, think long and hard. If you would really like to use a quote, try to make it as pithy and concise as possible, and make sure it elevates and builds on what you are saying; that it expresses something you couldn’t have otherwise expressed on your own. (Also, by ‘quote’, we are not talking about specific concepts or theories – these are absolutely fine to include.)

Driven by 20 years of research and first-hand experience in guiding thousands of applicants, our consultations provide an honest and detailed assessment with guidance on individual personal statements.

If you would like to speak to one of our oxbridge-graduate advisors about your own personal statement, contact our oxbridge advising team on  +44 (0)207499 2394 , email at [email protected] , or request a callback  to discuss your situation., explore oxbridge applications, request a callback, application resources, related content, can you write the perfect personal statement, what sets oxbridge apart from other uk universities, our last minute advice for your admissions test – best of luck.

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Undergraduate personal statement dos and don’ts

Get our dos and don'ts for writing a successful personal statement for your bachelor's degree.

Brief as it may be, your personal statement makes a lasting impression: it can also be the deciding factor in securing your university place. If you’ve never written a personal statement before, it’s only natural to feel a little anxious but there’s lots of helpful information and support available to guide you through the process.

As a starting point, below is our list of personal statement dos and don’ts.  

A personal statement supports your application to study with Cambridge Education Group (CEG) on one of our undergraduate degrees validated by London South Bank University (LSBU).

You have a recommended word limit of 300-500 words and within this you have to sum up why you are best suited for our part-time, online degrees. It’s your opportunity to tell us what relevant skills, qualifications and experience demonstrate your your passion and suitability for a particular course and why you want to study it.  

Personal statements: Dos 

Do start early: Give yourself plenty of time to prepare, plan, draft and finalise your personal statement. It may take longer than you think to perfect it.  

Do your research: Familiarise yourself with the details of the course and any entry requirements. You can read  sample personal statements for reference and inspiration, but don’t copy them.  

Do make a plan: This will help you recall all of your activities, experiences, awards and achievements (some of which you may have forgotten about) and prioritise what you want to include.  

Do cover the key information: Give your reasons for wanting to study our particular course and why you’re suitable. Tell us why you like the subject and how your interest first came about.  

Do mention future aspirations: We like to know you have ambitions for the future and understand how and where our course can take you.  

Do blow your own trumpet: There’s no time for modesty in your personal statement, impress us with your skills, experience and enthusiasm – from hobbies and interests to awards and achievements.  

Do get feedback from others: Seek feedback from teachers, parents/guardians or other family members and edit your statement again and again until it says what you want it to say.  

Do keep a copy: You can reread what you’ve written before any interviews or discussions with our course advisers and tutors.   

Want to know what else you'll need to include when you apply? Check out our straightforward application process:

Personal statements: Don’ts 

Don’t rush: If you leave things until the last minute, you could find yourself in a panic, more likely to make a silly mistake or omit key information which could jeopardise your chances of success.  

Don’t try to be funny: Everyone has a different sense of humour, so your attempts at comedy may fall flat. You also don’t have many words to get across a lot of vital information and evidence.   

Don’t use clichés – It’s commonplace for applicants to use the same common phrases, such as ‘ From an early age… ’ or ‘ I’ve always loved… ’ which can make admissions tutors cringe.  

Don’t make generalised statements: You should include specific claims and give evidence to back them up without going into too much detail e.g., ‘ My ability to work well in a team was proved when I did… ’  

Don’t write about sensitive topics: Your statement should be positive and uplifting, not controversial, so leave out any personal opinions or information that could make an admissions tutor uncomfortable.  

Don’t include events from the distant past: Only include information and activities that are directly relevant to the course and your current goals, focusing on your recent experiences where possible.    

Don’t exaggerate: Giving a false impression could come back to haunt you at a later date if you’re asked for evidence of your achievements, so just be honest about who you are and what you’ve done.  

Don’t let someone else write it for you: As well-meaning as an offer of help may be, your statement should be written in your own words (not picked from a dictionary) and your authentic voice.   

Further reading

Since the process of drafting a personal statement for undergraduate and postgraduate study is fairly similar, why not check out our top tips for writing a personal statement for postgraduate study for further general guidance? 

We’re here to help 

At Cambridge Education Group (CEG), we have over 70 years of academic and training experience and our course advisers are on hand to answer any questions you may have about your chosen course or the application process. They can also run through your personal statement to give you additional feedback before you submit it.  You can call us on +44 (0) 20 7815 7500, email [email protected] , or fill in the short form below:

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Cambridge University Personal Statements

We hope our collection of cambridge university personal statements provides inspiration for writing your own. please do not plagiarise them in any way, or ucas will penalise your application. our  personal statement editing & review services  are availble if you feel you need a little extra help..

History Personal Statement Example 2 I am captivated by the diversity and depth offered by a History degree; attracted by the way it encourages us to be analytical of the values and patterns of past societies. It was in my final year of secondary school that I was awarded the History Attainment Award, although my desire to study History dates back to an earlier age when I visited the site of the allied landings in Normandy at just eleven years old...

Linguistics Personal Statement Example 1 My most memorable Christmas came with a parcel of Harry Potter audio books and this was where my quest to understanding language began. The moment Stephen Fry started to narrate chapter one, I fell in love with words and all they could achieve...

Psychology Personal Statement Example 2 Psychology surrounds us. I often observe my class mates and ask myself why they are so different, struggling with attention or eating disorders. While looking for reasons, I also want to find ways to help them and I am confident that psychology will give me the means to do so...

Politics and International Relations Personal Statement Example 4 The era in which we live goes through constant turmoil and shifting powers. Not a day goes by without a change somewhere on our planet, which in turn has an effect on yet another change to come elsewhere...

Education and Drama Personal Statement Example (Oxbridge) "I shall have poetry in my life. And adventure. Unbiddable, ungovernable, like a riot in the heart, come ruin or rapture." Perhaps one should not begin with the words of another when presenting oneself, but as an actress, utilising the words of others is something that has become second nature...

Psychology Personal Statement Example 6 It was the odd behavioural traits displayed by my uncle, who has Asperger’s syndrome that first generated from a young age my questioning about why he acted so ‘differently’ to the rest of us. This was part of what led to my interest of studying psychology, as it made me question how and why humans are so disparate from one another, and what part the brain plays in running our everyday lives...

Politics & International Relations Personal Statement Example 2 It was November 1989. My parents were rattling their keys in the main square of Bratislava with other Czechoslovak youngsters asking for the democracy that was denied by the Communist regime. They raised me in an environment, where appreciation of freedom, expressing my thoughts and being an active citizen have been essential...

Mathematics and Physics Personal Statement Example 1 Mathematics is a fundamental tool for understanding our world: it can be used to define the symmetry of flowers or to manage global companies. What is so appealing about mathematics is the opportunity of applying it in the physical world...

Aerospace Engineering Personal Statement Example 1 Fire, the wheel, boats, book printing, electricity, engines, automobiles, planes, spaceships, wireless information transfer: engineering is determining this progress. Leading engineers are the creators of our future...

Maths and Spanish Personal Statement Example For as long as I have recognised words and numbers, I have seen a connection between the two. As I progressed in the AS Mathematics course I realised how drawn I was to the subject, motivating me to spend 2 weeks at school over the summer holidays learning 2 entire AS Further Maths modules, in order to take the full A-level course in one year...

Languages Personal Statement Example 10 At the age of eight, a friend introduced me to Guy Hamilton's 1969 film 'Battle of Britain'. This instilled in me two things: my doomed childhood ambition to be a Spitfire pilot, long since grudgingly abandoned, but also, perhaps ironically, a love for the sound and feel of the German language that has stayed with me all through the intervening decade...

English Personal Statement Example (Mature Student) Having worked on a secure psychiatric unit for two years, caring for many people unable to or precluded from following their dreams due to mental illness, as well as over a decade employed in positions just to pay the bills, I am finally pursuing my dream of becoming a published novelist...

History Personal Statement Example 7 It isn't an exaggeration to say my devotion to History has moulded me into the diligent and ambitious person I am today. History continues to shape our contemporary world and my opinions have been formed from an intellectual curiosity about the resonances between the past and the present...

Chemistry Personal Statement Example 2 Science is not just a subject taken in school, or a body of knowledge; it is a state of mind as well – always inquisitive and wondering. As a child, the world around me constantly captivated me and inspired questions, and I found delight in having my questions answered, always wanting to learn more, from fundamental particles, to atoms and molecules, to organisms, planets, and the universe...

Anthropology Personal Statement Example 2 My fascination with human behaviour and the motivations behind human actions has existed for most of my adult life, to determine a cause however I would accredit this to the voluntary work I participated in with Crisis Single Persons Homeless charity...

Mathematics and Economics Personal Statement Example 2 Every day we make decisions and interact with others; the laws of economics help us make rational choices and consider the irrationality of others, as well as understand the world better. Maths and statistics are the necessary tools for me to understand the modern economics...

Mechanical Engineering Personal Statement Example 2 The ability to apply what I have learnt in the classroom to the outside world is an aspect of physics and maths that I particularly enjoy. An example of this was being able to calculate the coefficient of friction between a book and a table, by knowing the weight and measuring the angle at which it started to move...

Pure Mathematics Personal Statement Example Mathematics is beautiful to me because of the deep and meaningful ideas touched upon by it, the vastness of these ideas, the clearness and elegance of their representation. Mathematics gives me the ability to apply knowledge by approaching things logically, and thinking clearly...

Civil Engineering Personal Statement Example 9 Civil engineering is a discipline which is essential in the modern world: roads, bridges, airports, railways, sewage works and power stations all provide the fabric of today's society, and without them the world would be a very different place...

Mathematics and Engineering Personal Statement Example Questions regarding the reason for my liking of mathematics have only one answer: mathematical logic and concepts contribute to a practical approach in every aspect of life. It is the diversity and universal applicability of this subject that encourages me to delve further and study it in depth...

Maths and Science Personal Statement Example Maths and science, in particular physics, have always been my favourite subjects in school. I have an inquisitive mind and am always asking "how?" and "why?" to find out how things work. I chose maths, physics and biology for my A levels, yet only realised I wanted to do engineering when I started studying topics such as mechanics...

Medicine Personal Statement Example 48 Given that over ninety nine percent of the body consists of just six elements, it is hard to imagine the human body as an intricately synchronised and immensely complex machine. Yet, it has done well to puzzle even the brightest minds in history-but I am drawn to a challenge; I cannot think of anything else more fascinating to work with...

Geography Personal Statement Example (Human/Environmental) The possibility of the human race’s days being numbered by our destructive lifestyles, as planted in my mind by Al Gore’s sensationalised and controversial ‘The Inconvenient Truth’, has fuelled my interest in the global warming phenomenon, forcing me to question society’s reluctance to tackle it and realise the worldwide impact of each of our daily lives...

Psychology Personal Statement Example 51 There is a reason behind everything we do, a purpose to our actions. The cognition behind any decision that we make is one of the many aspects of psychology that I am fascinated by. The following five words, as said by the Prophet Muhammad, I believe explain such a suggestion: "Actions are but by intentions"...

Mathematics Personal Statement Example 12 Mathematics is at the root of many academic subjects, such as mechanics in Physics, organic Chemistry and even Music and this is why I find it so fascinating. The process of starting from a simple set of formulae and deriving nearly all mathematical truth from these is what makes Mathematics a leading academic subject...

Engineering Personal Statement Example 20 Overcoming economic hurdles tempered by ecological limits requires innovative solutions. For centuries mathematical and analytical skills have fused to solve practical problems. The diverse nature of engineering has made advancements possible in an array of fields from the wheel to The International Space Station...

Architecture Personal Statement Example 16 I vividly remember the moment when I knew I wanted to be an architect. I had been taken to Barcelona to see ‘the wavy buildings’, at the time I didn’t know anything about Gaudí or his work so I was relatively unenthusiastic...

History Personal Statement Example 37 My interest in history lies in the simple fact that I have always been fascinated by the past. At eleven I won a full academic bursary to attend my current school. This was a way into a community in which my intellectual curiosity would be valued and where I could further my enthusiasm for history...

Medicine Personal Statement Example 61 While the idea to care for others is appealing to me, the applications of medicine for finding remedies to the complexities of the human body fascinates me even more. Studying medicine opens several career options from general practice to clinical research! Having the interest and aptitude for scientific knowledge and the awareness to promote health safety, it encourages me to choose this highly rewarding and satisfying course...

Aerospace Engineering Personal Statement Example 17 While other children fell asleep to the sound of their parents reading them bedtime fairytales, I was busy re-reading Ladybirds Explorer’s, “Flight” for probably the fourth time that day. I’ve been enthralled by the concept of flight and aerodynamics ever since I was young...

Chemistry Personal Statement Example 17 The realisation I wanted to study Chemistry at degree level came with my growing appreciation of its contribution and significance in shaping modern society, coupled with an increasing interest in the subject as my knowledge and understanding have developed...

History Personal Statement Example 40 History has always fascinated me because of what it can tell us about humanity; the decisions taken, the actions chosen and the mistakes made can all make us reflect on what it means to be human. I firmly believe history is not simply a case of learning facts and dates but rather a chance to analyse the past, enhancing our understanding of how we interact with each other today...

Maths Personal Statement Example 12 Mathematics dictates our understanding of the universe; the sciences that the world depends on today are founded and dependant on maths. Scientists and mathematicians spend their lives making remarkable discoveries contributing to the development of humanity, the findings we have been making in fields like quantum mechanics would be completely impossible without maths...

English Personal Statement Example 30 English is not simply the study of humanity, or society, or history or the written word; it is all of those together and it is this versatility that makes it so appealing to me. The link between literary criticism and psychoanalysis is a great interest of mine...

Psychology Personal Statement Example 67 I first became interested in psychology whilst discussing the underlying causes of criminal behaviour and non-conformity with my father. The nature-nurture debate gave me a huge desire to increase my knowledge and understanding of the human condition...

Economics Personal Statement Example 31 Since my parents were busy with the financial income throughout my childhood, I have been raised up by my grandmother. She was the oldest of 8 siblings in a family who were living in impoverished conditions...

Natural Sciences Personal Statement Example 4 Why and How? I believe these are the two most important question words as they express mankind’s unquenchable thirst for knowledge, and they have lain the foundation of sciences and have helped us find answers and solutions to problems throughout history from the domestication of fire to Darwin’s theory of evolution, to landing on the moon and so on...

Archaeology Personal Statement Example 6 I have always enjoyed learning about different cultures and civilisations, reflected in my enduring love of history, and more recently, archaeology. Compared to modern history, archaeology carries a sense of enigma which makes it much more stimulating for an imaginative and inquisitive mind...

Mechanical Engineering Personal Statement Example 19 These days, we are surrounded by engineering marvels. From radios to space shuttles, everything involves a vital feat of engineering. That is what I find most attractive about this field as its application is everywhere...

Land Economy Personal Statement Example (Cambridge University) Having been born and lived all my life in Hungary, with an English father and Hungarian mother, I have always wanted to go to university in England and spend most of my summers working in England. Being bilingual gives me an ability to see both sides of the question, and examine things from different perspectives which I feel will be useful for my studies...

Engineering Personal Statement Example 23 As I triggered the release mechanism and watched two pounds of rock hurtle skywards I thought to myself, "trebuchets are awesome!". Years passed before I realised that this was my first engineering project...

Engineering Personal Statement Example 24 When I was a child, most of the sentences I spoke out finished with a question mark, asking how everyday things work. Receiving answers to these questions and learning more about Mathematics and Physics has enlarged my desire to make human life easier and become an Engineer...

Linguistics Personal Statement Example 3 Have you ever heard the Tuvan throat singing technique? Beautiful and intriguing at the same time. The question that's bound to accompany a throat singing performance is how the human voice could possibly produce such a sound...

Computer Science Personal Statement Example 56 Computer Science - the most exciting insight into humanity's mission to conquer the future. It has been my favourite and most fascinating preoccupation since childhood, though back then I did not even know it...

History Personal Statement Example (Oxbridge) 2 Whether considering the real world applications of Bentham's utilitarianism in Religious Studies, analysing the context of a changing Victorian society in English Literature, or debating the evolving ideology of the Labour Party in Politics, there is one common thread connecting what I enjoy most about my studies: history...

Sociology Personal Statement Example 14 The need for the study of Sociology in society is, arguably, universally fundamental. The study of society is of paramount importance in solving social problems of great magnitude such as poverty and family disorganisation...

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Successful Personal Statement For Law At Cambridge

Last Updated: 15th April 2020

Author: Adi Sen

Table of Contents

Welcome to our popular Personal Statement series where we present a successful Personal Statement, and our Oxbridge Tutors provide their feedback on it. 

Today, we are looking through a Law applicant’s Personal Statement that helped secure a place at Cambridge University. The Law Course at Cambridge allows you to understand law in its historical and social contexts, and to examine its general principles and techniques.

Read on to see how this candidate wrote a Personal Statement that demonstrates an appreciation of the principles and challenges of law. 

Here’s a breakdown of the Personal Statement:

SUCCESSFUL?

The universities this candidate applied to were the following:

Enrolling on our Oxbridge Law comprehensive Programme will give you access to Personal Statement redrafts. 

Your tutor will give you actionable feedback with insider tips on how to improve and make your Personal Statement Oxbridge quality for the best chances of success.  

Law Personal Statement

Law is the epitome of human reason; it is the force that holds society together and the cornerstone on which great civilizations were built upon. By dictating a code of conduct which everyone had to abide by, it has created a system of accountability and allowed society to flourish. However, Law is never static. It changes with time – internalising new concepts and discarding anachronistic ones to reflect societal norms. It is this dynamic nature of the Law that I find so enthralling – that there exists a gamut of good answers but never a right one. Such idealism aside, I believe excellence in legal study and work does not come easy. It requires much passion, intellect and hard work.

At College, I offered 12 academic units (as compared to the standard 10 academic units) at the Singapore-Cambridge GCE ‘A’ Level Examinations. Concurrently, I represented Singapore in Swimming and was an active member of my College’s Swimming and Cross-Country team, training up to six times each week and achieving numerous medals and accolades in Inter-College Competitions. Such excellence in both sports and academics demonstrates my strong self-discipline, time management skills as well as my capacity for sustained hard work.

As a student, I heId numerous leadership positions such as Swimming Captain, School Prefect as well as being part of the Executive Committee of my College Freshman Orientation Camp. In addition, I undertook various community-based service projects aimed at spreading awareness on and massaging the plight of the less-privileged in society. These experiences in positions of influence and leadership have strengthened my organisational and problem-solving skills, teamwork as well as allowed me to develop effective communication skills.

For my ability to balance studies, sports and leadership roles, I was among the ten students (out of nine hundred) on my College’s prestigious Principal’s Honour Roll in 2011 that acknowledged distinguished academic achievement and outstanding contributions to the College. Though challenging as it might have been, I have benefited greatly from my overall College experience and would certainly look forward to continue to represent, contribute and excel in University.

During my National Service stint, I served as a Military Officer entrusted with the responsibility of leading and nurturing the next generation of soldiers. Besides leading soldiers out in the field, I had to handle soldiers from a myriad of backgrounds as well as run the general day to day administration of the battalion. I have had multiple opportunities to serve as a Defending Officer to servicemen (who were accused of various wrongdoings) in military courts as well as conduct investigations into various malpractices in my battalion. These unique and far-reaching dealings in the Army has reaffirmed my decision to pursue law, refined my ability to think critically and to work under significant constraints and duress.

I am a firm believer in the importance of reading and see it as an avenue for the pursuit of knowledge. I read on a wide range of topics including legal conundrums, science, philosophy and even military tactics as I believe sufficient breath of thought is needed to develop one’s mental prowess. Through such extensive reading, I have honed my rigour of thought and widened my perspectives to a myriad of issues.

A career in law is diverse and dynamic, yet fraught with many challenges. Legal theory, evidence, clientele management and not to mention regularly navigating the bureaucratic quagmire; no other field is as challenging or multi-faceted as the field of law. Though arduous, I relish the intellectual challenges of legal study and aspire to ensure human rationale and justice continues to prevail in society. Thus, I believe I possess the necessary attributes needed for legal study and excellence in the field of law.

For more inspiration, take a look through our other successful Personal Statement a nalysis articles:

Successful Personal Statement For Natural Science (Physical) At Cambridge

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Good Points Of The Personal Statement

The personal statement is well-written with no obvious errors. The student opens with quite a conceptual statement of what law means to them and this helps to make the subject seem like a well thought through choice. Additionally, the student recognises that law is a difficult and challenging course but seems unafraid of the need to put the necessary effort into it. The conclusion is similar in this respect, tying back to the introductory thoughts and ending on a strong statement of why the student feels like they would be a strong candidate to study law at university. Moreover, the student gives a very capable impression by mentioning their place on the College’s Honour Roll, as it suggests they can balance their extra-curricular activities with (and not to the detriment of) their academic studies well.

Bad Points Of The Personal Statement

Structurally, this statement needs to be reorganised. The student’s legal interests are given attention and evidence far too late with extra-curricular activities of limited relevance being introduced closer to the beginning. In a personal statement as part of a law application, Law needs to be the primary focus throughout. The student’s positions of responsibility also come above their academic, legal interests, when they should be given less focus and come later on in the statement. When talking about the skills they developed in relation to these activities, the student makes these developed attributes sound beneficial but does not explicitly tie them to law or why they are useful to the study of law. It takes until the penultimate paragraph for the student to talk openly about their academic interests, and even then, they do not illustrate this with any specific legal examples.

UniAdmissions Overall Score:

The personal statement is good but could be easily improved. The student would benefit from reordering the structure of the content to open with legal or academic interests, and then saving less relevant extra-curricular activities till the end. Any activity or skill should be tied back to law wherever possible – giving specific examples of how they relate would also be helpful in getting across why the student is prepared to study law at university.

And there we have it – a Cambridge Law Personal Statement with feedback from our expert tutors. 

Remember, at Cambridge, the Admissions Tutors are often the people who will be teaching you for the next few years, so you need to appeal directly to them.

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This webinar will focus on supercurricular activities, the personal statement and how to use these to help make a competitive application.

We'll discuss what supercurricular activities are and how these and the personal statement fit into the admissions process, including what makes a strong personal statement. We'll also provide advice on where to look for ideas and further research after the webinar, and attendees will receive a follow-up email.

This session is one of the  Christ's College regular webinars .

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