Adult nursing degree personal statement example (1c) KCL offer

Why do you want to study this course or subject?

I have always had an interest in scientific subjects right from an early age, this is one of the reasons I decided to study Biology, Chemistry and Physics as my A levels. I look forward to starting my nursing degree so I can broaden my scientific knowledge of the medical profession and use that to help others. As a child I saw myself becoming a vet in later life, showing I've always had a passion for caring, however as the years progressed I became more interested in a medical career.

I understand that Nursing is a challenging profession due to the ability to be apathetic and comforting to all patients but also to deal with them confidently and professionally. Nurses are one of the members of staff which patients will see the most; they are on the frontline of care and must be able to effectively manage the ward by making quick decisions. I believe that now having worked within this role it is the right path for me. I've always been interested in a nursing career and am now excited to take the next step with a degree in Nursing.

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

After finishing A levels I decided to use my gap year to gain as much experience within the healthcare industry as possible. This was to confirm that Nursing is the right career for me, the longer I spend within this area the more certain that I am. Each day I love to go into work and care for the patients I am assigned to. I enjoy every aspect of the care which I give and find my work immensely rewarding; I now feel that I am ready for the next stage in my career. I believe my gap year has given me the best insight into a nursing role that I could have wished for.

Within this year I have worked as a care worker in the community, encouraging and supporting independent living. This role required me to be compassionate and to always use my initiative; working by yourself you must quickly make decisions, as you have no senior staff working with you. This means it is vital to have good communication skills with the various other members of staff that may see your client and also with the office; as you may be the only person that customer will see all day, so monitoring their health is vital. During my time in this role I received several complimentary letters from my clientele, knowing that I am able to make somebody more independent at home has further enhanced my enthusiasm for caring and has reinforced my desire to work within care. When you can see the impact you have in somebody's life by sometimes only offering basic support fills me with a great amount of pride and receiving letters like that only makes my passion for caring stronger.

I then progressed to a Healthcare Assistant within the hospital and various residential homes; during this time I learnt just how vital teamwork is, as it helps you to balance the work load between staff and is essential for times when numerous patients need your assistance at once. Here I worked closely with various members of the NHS team from Occupational Therapists to Doctors; I had close contact with different wards and departments. During my time volunteering in the A&E department you soon saw how demanding the need is for a close knit team with strong communication and time keeping skills, as often bed spaces run low.

My time in these roles has helped me to learn basic medical terminology and given me an insight to a wide range of conditions from Aphasia and Diabetes to Huntington's disease. I have learnt that I must be patient and caring to work within this industry, as often things may have to be said two or three times in various ways. At the end of my shift I feel a great amount of pride for what I've achieved during those hours.

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

My hobbies include music, which I have a passion for, visiting concerts and playing the Clarinet. I studied the Clarinet up to grade 8 and was in the Chichester Youth Orchestra and school band. I also enjoy reading, jogging and socialising with my friends.

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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