Drama degree personal statement example (1a)

Why do you want to study this course or subject?

To act is to allow yourself to be limitless. To act is to captivate an audience, to show them a world of possibilities. To have such potential contained on a stage I never cease to find magical. I enjoy creating devised pieces and accordingly a completely original character. I revel in becoming another person, learning their likes and dislikes, their habits and thoughts. I've always enjoyed performing and have come to love the rush felt before, after and while on stage. While I feel that I have come far as an actress already, I know I have much more to learn.

By studying drama further at University, I hope to learn what it truly means to be an actress and how to apply my skills and capabilities to achieve and become the best I can. I want to experience the world of acting more fully as I know there is much more to gain. Becoming someone else has taught me more about myself than simply being me ever could, and I don't want the learning process to end - I want to pursue it and continue it throughout my life.

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

Having a natural interest in the human mind, I enjoy analysing how people might react to certain stimuli, past events which have contributed to their current personality and how that might affect their future behaviour. Due to this I find it easy to empathise with others and situations, and have become able to create original characters with a realistic personality, background and aspirations. I feel that this and my tendency to constantly analyse and evaluate performances, and consider alternative interpretations, has helped me immensely while creating devised pieces.

My love of drama can be seen through my academic achievements by my submission of monologues as part of my English Language AS Coursework and Extended Project; the latter of which I also directed. These experiences expand on my habit of analysing and devising and I feel are very important if I am to get a true feel of creating my own pieces of drama.

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

Extra-curricular activities such as attending a Circus Skills group (where I enjoyed participating in the showcases, especially on the trapeze); dance and trampolining after school; taking piano and guitar lessons; and participating in choir, have taught me what it means to be self-motivated and has given me a level of independence. Reading, especially plays, in my spare time inspires me to assess the text and pragmatical meanings, and consequently I find myself planning the production and building characters in my mind.

I have performed on stage in both drama productions and in talent competitions such as the annual talent show in school 2003, Born to Perform and Stars of the Future which included me singing regularly on stage in rehearsals and in the competitions themselves. My youngest talent show was during Primary School when I was 10, and I have had a love of performing and singing on stage even since. Consequently I went on to audition for the first series of Britain's Got Talent and found it an amazing learning experience, teaching me to be more independent.

Also, acting in musicals such as Bugsy Malone, attending drama workshops such as Stage Combat and Blood Brothers and assisting in stage management of Guys and Dolls has benefited me invaluably, providing me with experience of many aspects within drama and the production.

Universities applied to:

• Manchester Metropolitan University
• University of Kent
• Bristol University
• University of Oxford

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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