Business economics and finance degree personal statement example (1a) work experience

Why do you want to study this course or subject?

Financial decision influences both individuals and organisations and an understanding of finance seems to me to be one of the most important ways in which resources can be generated and managed. Individual decisions of saving or spending, business incentives, even government policy is based on finance. I believe a degree related to finance will help me excel in many different fields of work including accountancy, business, economics and management. Coming from Bangladesh, the same financially deprived Less Economically Developed Country as Dr. Yunus, I have been inspired by his ideas about microfinance. His unconventional approach to lending money to entrepreneurs who were too poor to qualify for a traditional bank loan have motivated me to seek a financial degree so that I can have a career which can make a positive difference in people's lives.

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

I feel that my A Levels in Mathematics, Economics and Sociology have given me a sound background for my chosen course. They require the ability to interpret data, both quantitative and qualitative and to be able to solve problems; qualities which I believe will be helpful for university level study. Economics in particular has helped widen my understanding of firms, economies and government policy making and has made me realize the importance of finance in society and how capital may function as an incentive. I really enjoyed studying market systems and the monetary policy.

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

I was fortunate enough to get a summer work experience placement at the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Geneva, Switzerland. I worked with the finance and budgeting department dealing with the voluntary repatriation of refugees and asylum-seekers to South Sudan which is one of their major operations. I was required to organize and administer staff and budget data and create a large spreadsheet by extracting data from staffing components of different countries. The aim was to analyze current budgeting for 2008 and 2009 and be able to easily identify areas of under or over staffing. I also gained work experience in accounting and finance by working with the finance department at Faith Regen Foundation, a charity organization. Here I learnt about book keeping, organizing petty cash receipts, creating expenditure spread sheets and SAGE software. I have also applied to the American Express bank for a work experience placement during the summer of 2008 to further my understanding of the world of finance.

I currently have a part time job at Barratts working as a Sales Advisor and this has helped me to become more confident and to get experience of working in a team. I have learnt about budgeting to ensure efficiency whilst maintaining profits and about the applications of financial tools in every day life. My job requires me to socialize with all sorts of people from different backgrounds and ages and to handle situations in a professional and mature manner. I believe that this will help me adjust to a university environment.

My free time is taken up by horse riding, reading, writing and web design. I volunteer at a disabled riding centre and the satisfaction I feel every time I see a disabled child really enjoying themselves and laughing is enormous. I am currently working towards the '100 Hours Volunteer Reward Scheme'. I enjoy reading and analysing literature and am very keen on creative writing. I write short stories, two of which have been published in a respected teen newspaper. I also took part in the ProShare competition.

I am keen to extend my knowledge, skills and understanding while learning from others and working with them. I feel that university is definitely the experience which will help me to do this. I am aware that the world of finance, business and economics is ever changing and my chosen degree subject will prove to be challenging but I look forward to over coming those challenges.

Universities applied to:

• City University (Banking and International Finance)
• Kings College London (Business Management)
• London School of Economics (Accounting and Finance)
• Queen Mary London (Economics, Finance and Management)
• School of Oriental and African Studies (Economics and Development Studies)

Grades achieved:

• AAB
• AAB
• ABB
• AAB

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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