English degree personal statement example (1q)

Why do you want to study this course or subject?

It is a constant source of wonder to me that as a nearly entirely non-visual art form, literature is inherently bound to imagery, and also that whilst the written word can be perceived to be an unchanging record, that readers’ responses to it can be so diverse, and evoke so many interpretations. A writer is deeply and personally connected to their work, but their expression becomes a platform for the development of the earliest spark of their ideas into the most complex discussions, a process I have come to appreciate hugely as both enjoyable and intellectually beneficial. I have been conscious of my relationship with language and literature from a young age, and consider myself a native speaker of two languages. Both have enduring literary histories and traditions, but studying English to the level I have has left me somewhat unsatisfied, which is why I seek to continue.

During my time at school, my literary choices were often influenced by the texts I was already studying. For instance, I was compelled to read Butler’s ‘The Way of All Flesh’ after studying Forster’s ‘Howards End’, as the authors hold similar criticisms of the Victorian age. My personal interests, however, often held greater consequence over my wider reading. After reading ‘Waiting for Godot’ in 2008, I developed something of an obsession for philosophical fiction, drama and poetry, and since then I have read Dostoyevsky’s ‘Crime and Punishment’, Kafka’s, ‘The Metamorphosis’, and Shakespeare’s ‘Hamlet’. I even drew my fascination with this branch of literature into my A2 English Literature coursework, for which I chose to read and study Camus’ ‘L’Étranger’, Céline’s ‘Voyage au bout de la nuit’, and Eliot’s ‘The Lovesong of Alfred J Prufrock’. These texts explore various philosophies, nihilism, absurdism, existentialism, but also the psychology of the tortured individual, alienation, misanthropy and the anomie, and even insanity. For me, it was this spotlight on the individual, severed from society, which was most interesting, because in concentrating on these protagonists, we can argue that their behaviour is, to some degree, no longer driven by sociological factors, but instead demonstrates raw human nature; Dostoyevsky seems to argue that morality can be inherent in a man, but Camus does not agree. Céline’s protagonist, Barmadu, whilst as isolated as the others, cannot escape from society; meanwhile, Beckett’s Vladamir and Estragon are desperate to return to it.

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

My ability in the study of English Literature was acknowledged by my teachers, who nominated me to receive an award for best record in the subject. Having left school, my reading now serves an almost entirely recreational purpose, but I still make small efforts to review some of the books I read on my blog, The Literary Condition, where I also write on other topics, in order to satisfy my need to look deeper into literature. I have also joined the book and poetry clubs at my local library recently, where I can participate in informal literary discussion, in many ways more enjoyable than academic study, but the severe deficiency in depth of analysis has only increased my desire to read English at degree level.

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

In my spare time, I try to participate in activities which will broaden my experience and give me intellectual stimulation, and also keep me in touch with academia. I have held work placements at BBC Arabic and the UN, both of which cultivated and refined my awareness of current affairs, which I follow closely; my A-level studies have helped. I regularly attend public lectures, mostly at LSE, primarily on the subjects of politics and philosophy, and for the first time this year I look forward to attending the literary festival held there. I take an evening language class at King’s College London in order to improve my Arabic.

I look forward to returning to full time education in the knowledge that I will, with great enthusiasm, be dedicating myself to the rigorous study of my favourite subject.

Universities applied to:

• University College London
• King's College London
• Queen Mary, University of London
• Kingston University

Grades achieved:

• AAB
• AAB
• 280 UCAS points

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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