Biology degree personal statement example (1i) Durham offer

Why do you want to study this course or subject?

How can such small organisms as viruses and bacteria’s disrupt our immune system? What is the purpose of non-coding DNA? It is questions like these that have caught my interest in biology.

Biology is the study of life and therefore it evolves constantly. It is the desire to understand how things inside me and around me work that has driven me to biology. Vital questions find their answers in biology, therefore studying biology is a way to live a healthier life. School gave me a chance to learn more about this subject and to satisfy my curiosity. I especially enjoyed studying our immune system and how its responds to exterior threats. I decided to go further into the subject by reading online scientific journals such as New Scientist, Nature and Research EU. This gave me the opportunity to connect with the latest discoveries in sciences. I am currently working on a bioethics project about genetically altered maize treated with Roundup (a glyphosate herbicide) and its effects on the health of rats, using Dr Séralini’s, a French researcher, work as a basis. His work inspired me to go further into the subject and find out the consequences of the consumption of genetically altered maize.

I plan to continue my studies to the Master’s level and to specialize in both immunology and virology, which particularly interest me. Even though we have discovered a lot recently about how our organism defends itself against exterior threats, there are still many areas which scientists are working on. We don’t know why we don’t reject our tumors even though the immune system has the capacity to recognize cancer cells or why women are more susceptible to some autoimmune disease, such as lupus, than men. As for virology, it is a lesson on how a very small organism can have a big influence on us. There is still no effective treatment against HIV or malaria and an Ebola-like virus is rampant amongst orang-utans.

I believe that this course will allow me to fulfill my dreams by giving me the skills and knowledge I need. With this in mind, I am sure that the United Kingdom, a country with such excellence in research, is the right place for me to be.

How have your qualifications and studies helped you to prepare for this course or subject?

School gave me a chance to learn more about this subject and to satisfy my curiosity. I especially enjoyed studying our immune system and how its responds to exterior threats. I decided to go further into the subject by reading online scientific journals such as New Scientist, Nature and Research EU. This gave me the opportunity to connect with the latest discoveries in sciences.

I am currently working on a bioethics project about genetically altered maize treated with Roundup (a glyphosate herbicide) and its effects on the health of rats, using Dr Séralini’s, a French researcher, work as a basis. His work inspired me to go further into the subject and find out the consequences of the consumption of genetically altered maize.

I spent one week in May 2012 at the Institute for Marine Biology on the island of Giglio, where I learned about the flora and fauna of the ocean and how to protect it. We had three hours theory in the morning where we studied one ecological niche each day. This was followed by one hour of experimental analysis, using representative species from the studied area. To determine the exact specie of the animal, methodical work and precision were the keys to success. More practical work was mainly diving to observe the ecological niches in the sea.

What else have you done to prepare outside of education, and why are these experiences useful?

For my later career, I hope to work in research and in teaching. I want to work in research in order to develop my own knowledge in biology and to get answers on to important questions. Teaching is for me a way to pass on my knowledge to the next generation and educate children.

My extra-curricular activities have helped me to develop several skills that will be useful in my further work and my private life. Doing my Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and its leader course have taught me to work better within a team, to be more responsible and to respect deadlines. Indeed, going from A to B in a certain time frame without getting lost is very difficult when you are not supported by your team.

Sports, in particular sailing and skiing at an advanced level, have developed my reaction speed and my ability to take initiatives. If you do not react fast enough, you will almost certainly collide with another boat or you miss a gate. In addition to these, playing the violin has helped me to improve my precision and my patience.

Universities applied to:

• Imperial College London (Biological Sciences w/ a year in Europe)
• Durham University (Biological Sciences)
• University of Bristol (Biological Sciences)
• University of St Andrews (Biological Sciences)
• University of Bath (Biological Sciences)

Grades achieved:

• Biology (A) - A*
• Chemistry (A) - A
• English (A) - A
• (Further) Maths (A) - A

How personal statements have changed?

The current personal statement format, with three 'scaffolding' questions, was introduced by Ucas in September 2025. This personal statement was submitted before then, using the old essay-style format. It has been carefully edited into the three-question format, with all of the original wording kept.

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