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King's College London

Important information for postgraduate students.

The King's Admissions Office is here to help you throughout the application process. We hope the information below will help with most queries. If you can't find the answer to your question, feel free to contact our King's Advisors , or attend a postgraduate event  to find out more.

Before you apply

What can i study at king's how do i find course information.

There are overviews of all of our courses in the online prospectus, where you can also browse by subject area and by Schools and Departments of study.

Research applicants can also find more detailed information by contacting a potential supervisor directly (see our Research portal for details of King's researchers).

Can I visit King's?

King’s is pleased to offer guided campus tours of four of our five campuses. Delivered by a current student, you'll explore our teaching rooms, social spaces and campus highlights, all while learning more about university life at King's. 

What is the difference between postgraduate taught courses and postgraduate research?

For guidance on course type, level of study, and duration see types of courses offered at postgraduate level at King's.

What are the entry requirements? Am I eligible to apply?

To find out more about minimum requirements for your application to be considered, see further guidance in entry requirements .

What is a research proposal, and when do I have to provide this?

In most of our science and health science related courses our research supervisors usually devise projects, attract funding for them and then advertise them. In this case, if you require further information or wish to discuss the project in more detail, you can contact the named individual advertising the project in the first instance.

For courses in the arts and social sciences applicants are usually expected to create their own research proposal which they should submit as part of their online application. A research proposal should explain the field of study that you want to contribute to, the current research gaps, what you want to do, and how you propose to do it.

It is important that you check for any specific guidance on research proposals in the online prospectus . However, in general a good research proposal typically includes the following components:

A clear statement of the proposed research question

An explanation of the importance and originality of the proposed topic.

A section describing not only your proposed methodology but also an explanation of why this methodology is the most appropriate for the proposed topic.

A prospective chapter outline of the proposed thesis

A timetable showing a realistic plan, including critical milestones, for the completion of your research and writing within three years

You may want to conclude by showing why this research should be conducted specifically here, at King’s College London.

What is a PhD supervisor and how do I find one?

Your main supervisor will be a King's academic who has expertise in your specific field and will act as your academic mentor. For details see our postgraduate research webpages. The first stage of applying for a PhD would be to identify a PhD course which is relevant to your proposed research and then to identify a potential supervisor for your research. Staff and research group information is available:

in our online prospectus, for each course entry, under 'Staff & Groups'

In the King's Research portal

On departmental webpages

When you submit your application, you should indicate your preferred supervisor in the application form.

Can I live outside of the UK while studying for my PhD?

Only under exceptional circumstances, and with the full support of your supervisor, it may be possible for you to undertake your research while living overseas. However, if this is agreed there are strict requirements that must be adhered to:

You must attend King’s in person for a minimum of six months during your PhD and this must include a significant period of attendance at the beginning and end. In between attending in person you are also required to remain in contact with your supervisor at least every six weeks by email or telephone.

At the start of the PhD you will plan your attendance schedule with your supervisor. Amendments can be made to this at a later date providing you still meet the minimum attendance requirement.

Which courses can I study part-time or by distance learning?

A large number of our postgraduate courses are available for part-time study. Each entry in the postgraduate prospectus will make clear if a course is available part-time, and/or by distance learning. For more details see Study Options .

Can I study at King's while I'm still studying elsewhere?

University regulations do not permit you to study a course with us while also on another course of study at King's (with the exception of the AKC), or at another university (with the exception of Study Abroad students).

If you are currently taking qualifications elsewhere - including distance learning courses - and you are successful in receiving an offer for study at King's, you will be asked to provide evidence at campus registration that you have completed any previous studies.

How do I apply for postgraduate study?

See our guides to applying for:

Postgraduate taught courses

Postgraduate research courses

When is the application deadline?

Application deadlines will vary by course. Find your course in our  online prospectus , then see the application deadline and application guidance under ‘Entry requirements’ for any specific deadline. Remember that separate (sometimes earlier) deadlines may apply for funding and scholarships. 

Is there an application fee?

Most of our postgraduate taught courses will require a non-refundable application fee before you can submit your application to be considered. This step is built in to the online application process . Please note that payment of an application fee is not a guarantee that you will receive an offer for your chosen course as many of our courses are competitive.

If you decide to apply to more than one course which charges an application fee, you will need to pay for each application submitted.

Please ensure that you read the information about your chosen course carefully in our online prospectus before applying.

Note: If you receive an offer, most of our postgraduate taught courses will also require a deposit payment to secure your place. This is in addition to the application fee, however, the deposit is used as a partial payment of the tuition fees upon enrolling. Your offer letter will include details of any deposit you must pay, deadlines, and payment methods. You should not make a deposit payment unless instructed to as part of an offer.

Can I apply to more than one course at King's?

Yes you can apply for more than one course. You may be required to pay multiple applications fees for each programme. If you receive offers for both you will only be able to accept one of these.

Once you have completed an online application you can click on “new application” and create another application for a different course. You cannot, however, make more than one application for the same course in an admissions cycle.

If you're applying for a Research course, you will need to complete a new Research proposal for each application.

I have relevant work experience - will this help my application?

This will depend on the course you are applying to: please check the online prospectus for specific requirements. For most courses work experience is not generally required and cannot usually be taken in lieu of academic qualifications, but any relevant work experience could add weight to your application. You can provide full details of your work experience in the Employment section of the application form or in your personal statement if this is relevant to the course you are applying to.

Please note that some courses - for example some offered by the Dickson Poon School of Law and the Department of Education & Professional Studies - do have work experience as an entry requirement, and this will be listed in the online prospectus where relevant.

I haven't studied at university for a number of years. Will this affect my application?

This will not usually affect your application providing you can demonstrate a continued level of academic knowledge and interest in the research area. To help evidence this, there may be additional requirements (for example some admissions tutors may set a short essay to make sure that you would be up to the rigours of the course).

We will still require full transcripts and certificates for your studies, if for any reason you are unable to provide these please contact us.

What documents do I need to submit with my application?

You must check the online prospectus for any specific requirements, guidance or word limits for your specific course. However in most cases you would need to submit:

Two academic references

Official transcripts of your previous and current qualifications (detailing course, modules, subject grades and final overall grade, if completed).

Copies of your final degree certificate if you have been awarded the qualification

Some courses also require you to submit a personal statement.

Some courses may require a writing sample, such as an essay.

Research students must also usually submit:

A detailed research proposal

We are usually unable to consider applications until we have received all of the necessary documents.

I would like to attach some new information to my postgraduate application. Where should I send it?

If your application has been submitted and is under consideration, you should not send any additional documentation. The Admissions Office will contact you through King’s Apply if they need further documents to assess your application. All information relating to your application should be sent to Admissions. Please do not send documents to academic departments as applications are processed centrally.

Documents can be submitted:

online via King’s Apply . This is the quickest and easiest way to contact the teams.

Waiting for a decision

How long will it take before i receive a decision on my application.

King’s aims to make decisions on applications within 4-8 weeks, though some of our very competitive postgraduate taught programmes operate a ‘gathered field’ process for applicants who meet the advertised entry requirements and may therefore take longer. The selection procedure will be indicated on the relevant course page of the Online Prospectus .

Depending on the time of year, it may also take longer to process applications, particularly around deadline periods. Please ensure that your online application form is as complete as possible at the time of submission to avoid unnecessary delays and ask your referee(s) to be ready to submit a reference promptly.

Please also be aware there can be other factors that result in it taking longer for you to receive a final decision, for example, if you apply to a programme where an interview is required, or your application is sent to the department for review.

When a decision has been made, you will be emailed to log in to your King’s Apply account. The decision will be in the “Application Status” box on the Application Overview screen.

Who do I contact if I have any questions or need to send additional information?

After you submit your application, you should communicate with the Admissions Office through your  online application  portal (King's Apply).

Can I submit my English language test result after I submit my application?

Yes, you can submit your English test results after submitting your application. If you are taking an English language test at a later date, please mark this on your application. When you have received your results, please scan and upload them to the King's Apply portal.

In most cases it is possible for us to make a conditional offer to those who do not have an acceptable English language test result when they apply. If we cannot make a decision without an English test result from you, we will request this from you as part of the application process. All English language test results must be no more than two years old. See our Postgraduate English language entry requirements for details.

After a decision

My application was unsuccessful. can i find out why.

You can find a summary of the reason your application was unsuccessful through the King's Apply portal. For further detailed feedback, please send a formal request through the King's Apply portal and the Admissions Office will be able to give you further advice.

Further details of feedback and appeal procedures can be found on our policy pages.

I hold a conditional offer. How do I change this to unconditional?

You need to send official documents that show that your condition(s) have been met. This may include a formal translation of degree documents if your degree is not in English. You can send these as a scanned document on the  King's Apply portal . 

How do I accept my offer?

If you receive an offer to study at King’s, you can accept the offer via your King’s Apply account on the ‘Your offer’ tab. This tab will show your offer letter and the deadline by which you need to accept this offer.

Do I have to pay a deposit to accept my offer?

King's College London asks our offer holders to pay a deposit when accepting their offer to study for most of our postgraduate taught programmes; this is beneficial for the university in relation to student numbers and resource planning. There are limited places available on our programmes and a high number of qualified applicants. By paying the deposit, you secure your place and demonstrate your commitment to enrol at King’s provided you meet any conditions of an offer.

You can accept your offer and pay your deposit on your King's Apply account. If you experience difficulties paying, please contact the Admissions Office who can advise you. A deposit will not be required where an offer holder can provide official evidence that they will be fully funded for the programme at King's, however, this evidence must be provided to the Admissions Office before the deadline to accept your offer.

The deposit is considered a partial payment towards your tuition fee upon enrolment.

Our deposit amounts can vary depending on the programme you intend to study, but they are usually £500 for Home/EU fee status and £2000 for Overseas fee status.

The deposit amount is usually higher for our overseas fee status students due to the additional administration required to process these applications. This includes, but is not limited to, checks regarding eligibility to study in the UK, CAS number and student visa processing, ATAS, calculating transcripts and assessing qualification equivalencies to a UK Bachelor's (hons) degree. For offer holders who require a tier 4 visa from King’s, the deposit payment will be used in your CAS number to evidence your ability to pay the tuition fees as part of your visa application.

Full details of the deposit terms and conditions, including how to show you are fully funded or when you can request a refund of a deposit payment, are available in your offer letter.

Can I defer my place?

After careful consideration, we have taken the decision not to allow any deferrals on our postgraduate taught programmes from 2022/23 entry to the next academic year. We have adopted this approach as it is the fairest way to ensure that the cohort of applicants for 2023/24 academic year have an equal opportunity in gaining a place at King's.

For Research degrees, deferrals will be dependent upon agreement from your proposed supervisor, who will need to consider if appropriate supervision will still be available.

Can I change my course of study?

Your offer is specific to a course, mode of study (full time/part time) and year of entry, as detailed in your offer letter. Before enrolment:

if you wish to be considered for a different course of study you will need to submit a new application through King's Apply, and be considered alongside other applicants for that course.

if you wish to change your mode of study (from full time to part time) on the same course, please contact the Admissions Office through the King's Apply portal for advice.

Once enrolled on a course, there is no guarantee that you will be able to change your course or mode of study: however Student Services can provide advice on internal transfer procedures.

How do I apply for King's accommodation?

You must have a firm offer to be able to apply for King's Residences.  Full details on how to apply for King's accommodation can be found on their How to apply webpages.

Can I study at King's while I'm on another course elsewhere?

College regulations do not permit you to study a course with us while also on another course of study at King's (with the exception of the AKC), or at another university (with the exception of  Study Abroad students ).

Cancellation rights

Please note, these terms and conditions apply to all levels of study. We also advise applicants who have submitted an application through UCAS to contact them directly for details of their cancellation policy.

1.1 You have the right to cancel your acceptance of a place at King’s for any reason (including if you change your mind) during a fourteen (14) day cancellation period (the “Cancellation Period”), which will start on the day you accept an offer from King’s.

1.2 To cancel your acceptance, you must clearly inform us in writing of your decision to cancel before the Cancellation Period has expired. We ask that you do this by sending a message through “King’s Apply”. Alternatively, you may contact the King’s Admissions Office by letter or email. You may also use the Cancellation Form to notify us of your decision to cancel.

1.3 To meet the cancellation deadline, it is sufficient for you to send your communication concerning your exercise of the right to cancel before the Cancellation Period has expired. King's Admissions Office does need to have received communication of your decision to cancel before the expiry of the Cancellation Period.

1.4 If you cancel your acceptance within the 14 day Cancellation Period, we will reimburse any tuition fee payment including any deposit received from you as soon as we can, and no later than 14 days after the day on which you informed us of your decision to cancel your acceptance.

Fees & Funding

What are the tuition fees when do i pay.

Tuition fees for your course can be found in our online prospectus : find your course entry, and then see the 'Fees & Funding' tab.

You will be sent an invoice for your first year’s tuition fees after you have enrolled on the course. This will take into account any deposit already paid (if applicable). You can pay your year's tuition fees in one or two equal instalments: see our postgraduate Tuition Fee guidance for further information.

What funding is available and when do I need to consider funding?

All our funding opportunities can be found on our  King’s Funding Database . You would need to consider funding as soon as possible as deadlines are usually early in the year around February time.

I think my Fee Status is incorrect. How do I change this?

Before responding to your offer please send a message to the Admissions Officer through the  King's Apply portal explaining why you feel your fee status is incorrect. You may be asked to complete a more detailed Fee Status questionnaire or provide documentation to give further details of your circumstances in order for us to make an assessment. Your fee status must be changed before enrolment in order for the new status to be reflected in your fee invoice.

Immigration and visas

How do i get my cas number for my student visa.

Make sure that you have told the Admissions Office that you will need a visa by ticking the box on the application form titled “International student: Will you require a visa to study in the UK?”. Please make sure that you have recorded the necessary details from your passport.

We will request a CAS number for you once you have an unconditional offer and only within 3 months of the start of your course.

Once we have the CAS number you will be sent an email advising you log in to your online application , where a new tab will appear on the left called “Your Visa”. All the CAS information will be in this area.

Find out more information about the student visa process .

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King's College University Personal Statements

These UCAS personal statements have been kindly provided by students applying to King's College London. You can click on one of the links below to view the entire statement and find out if the applicant was offered a place.

You can also view our entire collection of personal statements or view personal statements for application at other universities .

English Personal Statement Example 1 Ever since I have had the ability to understand it, I have been fascinated by the English language. As a child, I would either be writing, reading or telling stories and ever sine then, have read a wide variety of both fiction and non-fiction texts from a variety of genres and eras...

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...

Law and Politics Personal Statement Example 1 Laws, in my opinion, are the cogs in the machinery of society; they are guidelines and deterrents that are fundamentally essential for humanity to function. Law is the combined public conscience that tells us right from wrong...

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...

History Personal Statement Example 5 As the descendant of an Auschwitz survivor, my family history allows me to understand the influences that the Second World War has had on people's families and the victims of the Nazi regime in occupied Poland...

Economics and Politics Personal Statement Example 1 "I killed the bank": the last words of Andrew Jackson, former president of the US, after he had vetoed to renew the charter and withdraw all federal deposits from banks causing them to bust. Real money was backed with gold shortly after, causing the greatest economic boom in history for the US where no income tax was implemented...

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/Chemistry with Biomedicine Personal Statement Example I was told I couldn’t have the opening paragraph I had originally written, so to begin I’ll to describe the scientific processes in my own words as this is what will underlie my degree and hopefully my foreseeable future...

English Literature & Creative Writing Personal Statement Example 1 'I write for the same reason I breathe- because if I didn't, I would die.' I believe that Isaac Asimov sums up writing particularly aptly. Whilst it could be classed as hyperbole, I feel my sentiments are similar...

Law Personal Statement Example 11 My desire to study law at university is firmly rooted in my interest in world events and also with helping others. Law effects our everyday lives almost without us noticing. If we look at the news, there is always an aspect of law up for debate...

Natural and Biological Sciences Personal Statement Example Experiencing first-hand life as a human in the natural world, I have the authority to confirm that regardless of previous knowledge, unexplained phenomena still exist. As a scientist, I adore observing the unknown, analysing the known and making decisions accordingly...

English Personal Statement Example 23 My love of literature is rooted in the connection it gives us to centuries of ideas, giving us the ability to converse with ghosts, linking us with the greatest and most eloquent minds in history; as Bovee puts it, “books are embalmed minds”...

Pharmacology and Human Sciences Personal Statement Example From the race to find a vaccine for the H1N1 virus to the almost daily reports of breakthroughs in the field of cancer research, science has always fascinated me.On a more personal note, my interest has largely stemmed from school, work experiences, and science in the news...

Physiotherapy Personal Statement Example 3 My fascination with the body and understanding how it functions has fuelled my desire to pursue a career in physiotherapy as it incorporates science, sports and medicine which are all areas of specific interest to me...

Medicine Personal Statement Example 40 I graduated from the University of Southampton in July 2008 with an upper second class honours degree in podiatry. Since leaving university I have worked as a locum podiatrist. The majority of my role involves working independently in the community providing a high standard of quality clinical care to patients who self present or are referred to the service...

Business & Management Personal Statement Example There is no limit to what you can learn and how much you can earn from it. Instilled with this belief by my father, I have since the beginning learnt to approach the world differently. I view that knowledge can be applied practically not only to earn a living, but also to earn wisdom...

English Literature Personal Statement Example 16 I believe that to read English is to read the human being itself: after all, we are all writers. Even in the very act of choosing our words - thinking them, speaking them, physically writing them down - we create something meaningful...

European Social & Political Studies Personal Statement Example In my opinion, the problems societies face today deserve an in-depth analysis which draws on different disciplines of thought for its relevance; furthermore the implementations of strategies to combat problems must take into account more than one academic approach if they are going to be positively effective...

Pharmacy Personal Statement Example 6 Having grown up with parents that were both involved in medicine and pharmaceuticals, I developed a deep interest in their work and the effects it had on their patients and customers respectively. Seeing them at work, and witnessing the help they gave to sick people to regain their health or cope with pain, made me decide that I wanted to be part of this fascinating profession...

Geography Personal Statement Example 16 "What do you want to be when you grow up?" is an ever recurring question asked to me by many individuals, including myself. I have come to the conclusion that I will never come up with a final answer, as I have many ambitions and aspirations...

Computer Science Personal Statement Example 49 My views about computing changed considerably when I heard about Linux. In the late nineties it was a newer operating system and tasks like installing and configuring were considered to be quite challenging in India...

Medicine Personal Statement Example 57 My enthusiasm for the advances of medical science, understanding and technology drive me towards medicine. I yearn to discover further the wonder and complexities of science, and have a greater understanding of the illness' and diseases we face...

Biological Sciences Personal Statement Example 2 I am interested in pursuing a career in biological sciences because I am captivated by the wonders of the components of life. There upon, I desire to understand the background of problems that are formulated by biology on a molecular level, such as cancer, diseases and genetic disorders...

Medicine Personal Statement Example 58 My desire to study medicine grew from a young age when my mother was diagnosed with hypertension. The regular visits to the GP gave me a glimpse into the profession but particularly the thirst to learn more about heart disease...

Computer Science Personal Statement Example 51 Building my first computer was an experience I will never forget. Looking over what seemed to be a city of silicone, I marveled at how elegantly the components were arranged on the motherboard. Yet I did not feel fully satisfied, as I knew there was a whole other world of computing, which could only be explored by completing a degree in computer science...

Medicine Personal Statement Example 62 When two, I suffered a large third degree burn on my chest. Living in a small town in Romania, I was not able to get appropriate treatment, so I grew up with complexes about the aesthetical appearance of the scar...

German Personal Statement Example 7 The study of language has always been appealing and is the focus of much of my time and energy, but the study of the German language is what mesmerises me most. Before understanding German I was first intrigued by its sound, and as I began to learn it, I became fascinated by its complexity...

Medicine Personal Statement Example 66 White coats, stethoscopes hung around necks and the sense of playing hero were popular amongst childhood dreams. However, unlike others around me, this dream was not lost when I realised reality paved a much tougher road- instead, it grew to become a fierce ambition...

Economics Personal Statement Example 30 The ever-changing nature of the human science intrigues me. Newton’s laws of motion will never change, from wherever ‘the ball is dropped’. However, different strategies and policies have to be framed and implemented for each economic problem...

PPE/Politics and Economics Personal Statement Example 1 I have a strong interest in the close relationship between political events and economic developments, highlighted by a study of Russia in the lead up to the 1917 revolution. I was grabbed by the film adaptation of Ten Days That Shook the World, with its emphasis on its power of the masses...

Dietetics Personal Statement Example 2 “Can I have the sirloin steak served with the oven dried tomatoes and pizzaiola sauce? This was the order of a girl between the ages of 10-14yrs. This choice of dish made me evaluate people’s reasons behind the food they eat and whether these choices are influenced by the people around them or their own individual decision...

Physics Personal Statement Example 15 I have always been intrigued by the world of physics. From everyday experiences to the most extreme boundaries of today's knowledge, I have always voraciously searched for answers to my questions. As I grew up, the elegance of mathematical demonstrations and of physical theorems fascinated me, and I have often dreamt of making contributions to the unification theory and of improving and simplifying the Navier-Stokes equations...

Pharmacy Personal Statement Example 9 I would like to study pharmacy as I wish to play a part in providing medical assistance to the general public, but in also understanding how this process occurs. My enthusiasm in science highly interests me into learning about the production of drugs and their functions on the body...

PPE/Economics Personal Statement Example Humanity today stands at the intersection of the most significant questions facing the world today: if democracy leads to political infighting, should it be sacrificed in the interest of economic well-being? Does religious fundamentalism provide a way for countries in the developing world to assert their identity in the face of Western hegemony? Does the entry of Western consumer goods threaten a country’s economic self-sufficiency? The answers of these questions will determine what the nature of our world is in the twenty-first century...

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...

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10 top tips for writing a postgraduate personal statement

Pursuing a master's degree is likely to mark one of the biggest milestones in your personal and professional growth. This makes it an incredibly exciting, yet daunting task.

While there are various components to each degree application , your personal statement arguably holds the most significant weight. It's your opportunity to showcase your passion, skills, and suitability for the programme of your choice.

As such, crafting a compelling personal statement requires careful thought and planning. Read on to learn about our 10 top tips for acing your postgraduate personal statement.

1. Understand its purpose

Before you begin writing, it's crucial to understand the purpose of a personal statement. It's not just a summary of your knowledge and experience. It’s a chance to convey your motivations, aspirations, and highlight what makes you a strong candidate for the programme.

2. Research the course

Tailor your personal statement to the course you're applying to. Research the course content, faculty members, and any unique features of the programme.

What does the curriculum focus on? What skills will it give you? Does it cover anything specific that isn’t covered by similar courses elsewhere? What are the faculty members’ research interests? Does the faculty or department have any connections or networks that you would make use of in the future?

By demonstrating a clear understanding of what the course offers and how it aligns with your academic and career goals, you’re showing genuine interest and dedication.

Looking for an online, postgraduate programme that you can fit in with your career? Explore King's part-time master's courses: 

3. Highlight your achievements

Showcase your academic achievements, relevant work experience, internships, research projects, and personal activities. Focus on experiences that are directly related to your field of study and demonstrate your skills, expertise, and potential to succeed in the programme.

4. Tell your story

Your personal statement should reflect your unique journey, experiences, and motivations. Everyone’s background is different, and that’s exactly what makes postgraduate study so exciting! Use concrete examples to illustrate key points and provide context for your aspirations and goals. Be authentic and genuine in sharing your story, and let your passion for your chosen field shine through.

5. Demonstrate why you’re a good fit

Clearly articulate why you are interested in pursuing this master's programme in particular, and how it aligns with your academic and career objectives. Discuss specific aspects of the curriculum, faculty expertise, or research opportunities that appeal to you and how they will contribute to your professional development.

6. Address any weaknesses

If there are any gaps or weaknesses in your academic record or resume, use your personal statement to address them proactively. Be honest about any challenges you've faced, and explain how you've overcome them or what you've learned from the experience. For example, you may not hold any undergraduate qualifications that are relevant to the degree subject you want to study, but your professional background and experience may compensate for this.

7. Showcase your skills

Highlight transferable skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, and teamwork. Provide examples of how you've applied these skills in academic, professional, or personal settings, and emphasise their relevance to your chosen field of study.

8. Be concise and clear

Admissions officers review hundreds of personal statements, so it's essential to be concise and to the point. Avoid using overly complex language or jargon, and ensure that your writing is clear, well-organised, and easy to follow. Aim for clarity and coherence throughout your statement.

9. Seek feedback from others

When focusing on a reflective statement alone, we can often be unaware of our shortfalls – from the tangents we break into to the ways we sell ourselves short. Before finalising your personal statement, seek feedback from either your Enrolment Advisor , or a mentor or friend. They can provide valuable insights and suggestions for improvement. Consider their feedback carefully and revise your statement accordingly to ensure it effectively represents your strengths and motivations.

10. Proofread and edit

Meticulously proofread your personal statement to eliminate any grammatical errors, typos, or inconsistencies. Pay attention to formatting, punctuation, and overall readability. If English isn’t your first language, it’s always a good idea to have a native English speaker give it a final sense-check. A polished and error-free personal statement reflects your attention to detail and professionalism.

Writing a postgraduate personal statement requires thoughtful reflection, research, and attention to detail. By following these tips, you can craft a compelling and persuasive statement that effectively showcases your strengths, ambitions, and suitability for the master's programme of your choice.

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