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Personal Statement - History 10
This is a real History personal statement written by a student for their university application to University of Birmingham (History and Social Sciences), University of Bristol (History), University of Leeds (History), University of Manchester (History), University of Newcastle Upon Tyne (History) and University of Sheffield (History). It has been carefully edited into the new three-question format, with all of the original wording kept. It may have strengths and weaknesses, but it can be used as inspiration for writing your own UCAS personal statement. Ensure your personal statement is entirely your own work, copying from this example or other sources is considered plagiarism and can affect your application. There are lots more examples in our collection of sample personal statements.
This statement has been reviewed by one of The Student Room's personal statement reviewers, and their feedback is included below.
Why do you want to study this course or subject?
I have chosen to study history because I believe it is the most important and relevant subject there is. I have a desire to understand the social and economic processes that have produced modern society. History has fascinated me since early childhood, when I loved to visit museums and historical sites. As an academic subject, my love for history was triggered when I studied the Second World War as a 10 year old. I could not believe the immense impact it had on the world, and the sheer scale of it. It in turn had a huge impact on me, and consolidated my love for the subject. I recently attended a lecture by Professor Edward Acton on the Russian Revolution, which was an extremely valuable experience.
How have your qualifications and studies helped you to prepare for this course or subject?
Studying history for GCSE and A-Level has been good preparation for what the degree course would entail. I have successfully learned the skills of analysis and historiography, and how to infer from sources. It has encouraged me to read around the topic at hand and to research independently. I have greatly enjoyed the course and was very pleased with my result in August.
I am also studying English Literature, Psychology and Critical Thinking. All three subjects have given me skills that will be needed for the degree. English Literature has required a significant amount of independent reading, and has also taught me the importance of sticking to deadlines. I believe my Psychology A-Level will help me as there is a great deal of analysis and evaluation involved in the subject, for example looking at the validity of a theory. Critical Thinking has taught me how to identify and write a reasoned argument, as well as to think without bias and identify the relevant parts of an article. I think all of the above skills are beneficial to the study of history.
What else have you done to prepare outside of education, and why are these experiences useful?
I have a number of key skills and achievements that I think will help me on the degree. I am highly computer literate; I have made my own website using HTML and am experienced in Adobe Photoshop. Studying essay-based subjects has taught me to express myself eloquently through writing and to structure my ideas coherently. For the duration of my time at secondary school I was a member of my school's highly successful Anti-Bullying Council. This included a course on how to give counselling sessions to my fellow students, which I then did on a number of occasions. It was a very important learning experience for me that I think I could definitely apply to my time at university. One of my greatest achievements came in 2002, when I wrote an essay for the Wellcome Trust that won my school's Science Department £1,000. Lastly, I have had an enthusiasm for acting all my life. I have appeared in a number of productions, including devised pieces. A significant amount of teamwork, creativity and devotion was necessary in this area.
I have had two Work Experience placements. I spent two weeks working at a nursery, and last summer I volunteered at my local Play Scheme. I enjoyed this work thoroughly. Both placements required energy, patience and commitment. The work was also very spontaneous and I often had to make independent decisions. It is in this sense that I think the work was a great experience and will be relevant to my degree choice. I have chosen to take a gap year so that I can experience the world of work, and also the world, before entering university.
I would love to study a history degree to expand on my knowledge of the subject. I am keen to study any area and any period in depth, and look forward to what I will discover. I am hard working, independent and, above all, have a life-long passion for the subject that will guarantee me to succeed.
Universities applied to:
- University of Birmingham (History and Social Sciences)
- University of Bristol (History)
- University of Leeds (History)
- University of Manchester (History)
- University of Newcastle Upon Tyne (History)
- University of Sheffield (History)
Grades achieved:
- ABB
- AAB
- AAB
- AAB including grade A in history
- AAB
- AAB
Expert feedback from The Student Room personal statement reviewer
{'general_comments': 'Overall, the applicant places little emphasis on history and more on extracurricular activities and work experience. The applicant would be better off focusing instead on history and their passion for the subject than on topics with little relevance to their intended degree. The applicant still has a little room left to make additions to their statement and with a little rephrasing, they would be better able to place more emphasis on their love of history. The applicant should focus less on their extracurricular activities, to which this statement is largely devoted, and instead focus on their interest in their intended subject.', 'statement_comments': ['The subject should be written in lower case, unless referring to the name of a course such as "History GCSE."', 'Explain why history is the most important and relevant subject.', 'Clarify why there is a desire to understand the social and economic processes that have produced modern society and consider including interest in past societies.', "The word 'fascinated' is overused and clichéd; focus on showing a strong current interest instead of childhood preferences.", 'Relate early interest in WWII to current academic work or reading to strengthen relevance.', 'Expand on what was learned from attending the lecture on the Russian Revolution instead of just name-dropping.', 'Avoid generic statements about GCSE and A-Level study; give specific examples highlighting personal interest or achievement.', 'Omit mentioning pleasure with exam results as universities already have access to official grades.', 'Listing other A-Level subjects and linking them broadly to History adds little and may be unnecessary.', "The phrase 'I think' may express uncertainty; use more confident language.", 'Reduce emphasis on non-history extracurricular activities to create space for more subject-focused content.', 'Skills like computer literacy and achievements unrelated to history are less relevant and could be condensed or removed.', 'Mentioning work experience not directly related to history may not add value and can be omitted or reframed.', 'Rephrase the gap year intention to avoid clichés and negative implications about university.', 'Conclude with a stronger focus on specific historical interests and realistic personal qualities without sounding arrogant.']}
AI generated feedback
This feedback is AI-generated, based on the text of this personal statement:
This personal statement effectively conveys a genuine passion for history, including an early interest and engagement with significant historical events. To strengthen the statement in line with the new UCAS personal statement format for 2026 onwards, focus more explicitly on your love of history and relevant academic experiences. Specific examples of independent research or deeper exploration of particular historical topics would enhance your narrative. Consider condensing less relevant information about other subjects and extracurriculars to create more space for discussing your history interests and skills in greater detail. Also, adding reflections on how particular experiences, such as the lecture on the Russian Revolution, have influenced your academic goals would add depth. Avoid cliché phrases such as “life-long passion” or “guarantee to succeed” and instead highlight concrete attributes like curiosity, perseverance, and critical thinking. Overall, refining the statement to present a focused, reflective, and well-supported history-centred motivation will improve its impact under the new UCAS guidelines.
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.
Need help with your personal statement? You can ask a question or get feedback from The Student Room community (and our trained personal statement experts) on the personal statement advice forum.
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