Arabic and Persian degree personal statement example (1a) SOAS offer

Why do you want to study this course or subject?

Before any study of the modern world, one fact above all others is key: the most effective way to access a culture is through its language. Throughout my childhood, one recurring memory is listening to Radio 4's 'From our own Correspondent' and hearing about the Middle East. Through those dispatchers I have tracked the Arab Spring, while never ignoring old or continuing conflicts such as those in Gaza or Yemen. I began to read about the history of the region, and I was interested in both the Islamic and pre-Islamic Middle East. I grew increasingly captivated by the literary history of both Arabic and Persian. Reading translations of works by both Classical and Modern Persian Poets, especially Rumi and Behbahani, along with those of modern Arabic poets, like the Syrian Nizar Qabbani, fuelled a curiosity in wider historical reading. Axeworthy's 'A History of Iran', enabled me to understand the historical context of poets like Ferdowsi and Farrokhzad.

In English Literature, studying the renaissance English poet John Donne and his radical poetic style, including metaphysical imagery in love poetry, has led me to draw parallels to Nima Yushij's reform of natural imagery in modern times. I also thought about the parallels in their upbringing, both of them coming from a catholic education, and ideas they were exposed to would later influence their work, as critics have pointed out.

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

My EPQ on 20th century Persian Poetry focused on how modern poets reflect the changes and problems in Iran after the 1953 coup. I was intrigued how poems like 'Someone Will Come' could have such a clear political message and still be emotionally powerful using vivid and beautiful imagery. I was struck that even classical poets wrote poems with deep political messages whilst still retaining this beautiful style. Needless to say I was surprised at the cultural depth of many poems, reflecting complex philosophical and religious ideas from pre-Islamic Iran. It was accessible for me as an English speaker to understand the thoughts and feelings behind them, as the expression of emotion can overcome a language barrier and a distance of a millennium.

In 2013 I took a one week course at King's College London, which gave me a grasp of basic Arabic phrases and grammar. This led me to further enhance my understanding of grammar and syntax by studying David Crystal's 'Rediscover Grammar'. I learnt of complex linguistic ideas like the subjunctive and premodifiers, and the inherent and sometimes unclear rules of my native tongue, helping me to analyse everyday speech. Arabic and Persian are gateway languages: mastery of both Indo-European and Semitic languages allows access to learning ancient languages. History has allowed me to develop a critical approach to analysing information. Archaeology has highlighted that it is often difficult to understand the problems and pressures of the modern world, without first understanding the issues the ancient world faced. It has also made me aware of the ethical issues concerned with curation and ownership of archaeological artefacts.

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

I have been a member of the [my county's] Youth Orchestra for three years, and a member of the local String Sinfonia for five years. I am working towards Piano grade six and 'Cello grade eight. The perseverance needed to study instruments to a high level is something required in learning languages. So is the ability to read and write in a complex system of notation. Being able to see the logic behind the notation system enables one to comprehend the complex grammar system of a language like Arabic or Persian. Middle Eastern Languages are key world affairs, with world available to graduates ranging from the UN to the BBC and Al Jaziera. Regardless, the versatility of a language degree and the skills it develops secures me a multifaceted career.

Universities applied to:

• SOAS
• Manchester
• St. Andrews
• Leeds
• Exeter

Grades achieved:

• Archaeology A2 - A*
• History A2 - B
• English Lit A2 - A/B

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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