What is a Personal Statement?

A personal statement is a short letter (typically no more than 1 – 2 pages) which accompanies application materials for a scholarship, school, or particular department within a school.

A personal statement serves several purposes:

1. Introduction to a representative for the school or scholarship board
2. Indicates interest in attending a school/program, or receiving a scholarship
3. Clarifies and humanizes other application materials
4. Demonstrates a knowledge of the school, program, or scholarship board
5. Potentially answers questions provided by the school, program, or scholarship board
6. Assists in application or award recipient decisions

The following video from the University of California Television discusses the steps they suggest taking when creating a personal statement for applying to UC: