Biotechnology degree personal statement example (1a)

Why do you want to study this course or subject?

The progression of technology and the effects it has had on civilisation has always fascinated me, and generated within me a profound interest in the Sciences. More recently, I have begun to excel more in Biology than Chemistry or Physics, and this is where I wish to continue my studies. In my opinion, Biological Technologies are an important resource, and are fast becoming more important to industry and medicine, as fields like Bio-Materials and Genetics are developed. I believe that there are still many new and exciting discoveries waiting to be found, hidden within nature, and of beneficial use to humans and the environment. I want to be a part of the next discovery.

It is possible that the roots of my fascination with science come from my first trip to the library. As dull and as eccentric as it may seem, the book that I chose in the five minutes before closing time was one on Fungus of the British Isles. After that, I read a lot of the Eyewitness Guides series, detailing the advances in technologies from the Stone Age to the present day. What I enjoy reading now, in magazines like New Scientist, and on other science websites, is how new innovations can be put to practical use to solve modern problems.

For example, how genetic fingerprinting can be used for identification purposes, or how gene technology could be used to incorporate new characteristics into plants that enable them to grow in damaged salt farmland. Then there is the possibility that biomass, and other renewable biological fuels could be used to at least partially replace the fossil fuels that are beginning to run out, and have been damaging the environment for a long time. Lastly, I find it amazing how spider silk is stronger than steel cable, weight for weight, and that in countries like China, bamboo is strong enough to be used for scaffolding that we in the western world have to use steel for. In facts like this, I believe lies enormous potential. In nature and in society, where I believe just about everyone and every thing has a place and function, the possibilities are endless.

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

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

I have only had two jobs to date. I have worked as lead waiter in a small restaurant, and now as a cinema employee. Other than skills of handling money, or responsibility to do a job properly, the most important lesson I think I have learned is the importance of teamwork.

The thing I have learned is that every single person has different abilities, skills, tolerances, likes, and dislikes. The trick is seeing where they fit, like the pieces to a puzzle. After finishing my education, I have considered research as a career. It would be a nice dream to make a famous discovery and go down in history, but I have not made any plans set in concrete yet. I would rather consider all of my options before I go ahead, as glory will not put food on the table.

Outside of my studies, I don't read books about fungi any more, but I socialise with friends and meet new people, I play computer games, use the internet, and apart from my science reading, I like to read novels - usually of the medieval and fantasy genre. I also have an interest in film, and working at a cinema, I am able to watch quite a lot of movies. The strangest of my interests, is that I take medieval martial arts lessons with a group called The Exiles. They translate manuscripts from the 15th Century, and as a group we interpret what they mean, and learn how the techniques shown actually work. We work with different weapons, like long sword, dagger, and spear, but as the basis of the system stems from unarmed combat, there is a lot of body mechanics involved, and I have learned a lot about the dynamics of body movement. Even though fighting with medieval weapons might not be the most often used skill in today's world, it is an interesting experience nonetheless.

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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