Personal Statement - International Relations 1

Why do you want to study this course or subject?

I was born in Belgium, and I have a Belgian passport, however strangely enough I only lived there for the first ten days of my life. I have lived abroad for 18 years of my life, of which 16 of those years were in Asia. Growing up in Asia has exposed me to different cultures, religious, and societies, and my interest in International Relations as grown increasingly over the past few years. My passion for studying politics, international relations, sociology, and law grew simultaneously as I grew up myself. I have been exposed to different cultures all my life, and our ever changing world has made me want to pursue these subjects in University.

When I was a ten day old baby, my parents, sister and I moved to London, United Kingdom. After spending the first 2 years of my life there my father’s company transferred us to Seoul, South Korea in 1993. This was our very first post in Asia, and little did we know that it would defiantly not be the last. Attending Seoul Foreign British School for two and a half years, our Korean adventure ended when we moved to Jakarta, Indonesia. Attending the British International School of Jakarta for five years, living in Jakarta from the age five to ten I was exposed to poverty and Muslim culture which opened my eyes at a very young age. It was living in Indonesia that I realized the economic and social issues that a corrupt government entailed. My awareness grew even more when I moved to Shanghai, China for five years. Even though we lived there as China’s economy was rapidly changing, the over population and poverty of China caught my attention once again. Even at a young age, I realized that not everyone has the same privileges and rights. We moved back to Seoul 12 years after we left Korea, and attended Seoul Foreign School, which is where I will be graduating High School in June, 2009. Changing environment, school, houses, and friends every couple of years is a challenge however I would not have wanted it any different. I feel very privileged to have lived in so many different countries, as I have lived in and traveled to countless countries and seen the good and bad. Over the years, I have experienced different societies, thus sociology is a course that I am interested in because I am keen to learn more about the way societies are made. Human Rights has also always interested me as I have always been passionate about the equality of rights, and I believe law is a good preparation for such a field. Now that I have a chance to go to University, I want to study subjects such as Politics, Law, and Sociology, and my life so far has prepared me greatly for these subjects.

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

I believe my personal attributes qualify me greatly for attending your university. Not only do I have a mature personality because of my exposure to current affairs, I am also a mature student, as I am currently following the International Baccalaureate Program. Additionally, I am a keen linguist. Being born into a Belgian family but raised internationally has made me bilingual in English and Flemish. I speak Flemish at home, however have gone to English speaking schools my whole life. I learnt the basics of Indonesian at a young age, and took Chinese lessons for two years in Shanghai. As French is also a national language of Belgium, I am currently following IB French at the Standard Level. In my second year of High School I achieved the Academic Excellence Award for French.

Throughout high school, I have taken an International Relations course as well as European History at the IB Higher Level. These courses have taught me how to assess and evaluate the cause and effect of events, in addition to the fact that I have successfully learnt how to analyze and interpret readings and sources, a skill I believe is important for studying not only Politics and International Relations, but also Law and Sociology. The subject area of which I have read the most books about is that of the Holocaust. My passion for the Jewish Holocaust triggered when I had no other books to read than “The Diary of Anne Frank”. Being a European, I have such great passion for this subject as it is one of the key factors that have sparked my interest towards history and international relations. In terms of sociology, I am fascinated by the way societies work, and why certain societies are they way they are.

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

In addition to my academic preparations, my hobbies and extracurricular activities have contributed to my development in ways useful for my course. My hobbies are sports. I started playing tennis when I was about seven years old, and I have participated in Varsity Tennis for four years. In my final year at Seoul Foreign School I was captain of the team. I also play soccer and have been part of the team for three years. As an athlete, I have received several awards. For the past two years I was awarded medals for my tennis performances, and have been champion for soccer twice in the Asia Pacific Activities Conference, a sports league of which Seoul Foreign School is a part of. Being on sports teams, I have become a great sportsman and a leader, and I work well with other people.

I am also a developed musician, as I played the flute in my school’s band in Shanghai American School for four and a half years. I also played the piano intermittently for about seven years.

Overall, I believe I am an excellent applicant for studying at your university not only because of my academic achievements, but also because of my background. I am internationally aware, and will be an asset to your course. I posses sincere interest in your course, and I am committed and hardworking, and look forward to possibly attending your university.

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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