Personal Statement Coaching

For the 2026 Entry (applicants apply to start University in 2026), the UCAS Personal Statement will change from one longer piece of text to three separate questions. At Cana, we keep track of the latest changes and updates related to UCAS. Come discuss with us to plan ahead for the Personal Statement!

Every student applying to UK universities is required to submit one personal statement when he or she submits the UCAS application. The personal statement is a crucial part of the admissions process, and an opportunity for students to highlight their strengths, passion for the subject, and relevant experiences to the admissions officers.

At CANA, our consultants guide each student individually for the personal statement, from providing recommended resources based on the student’s interest, having in-depth discussions about the student’s experiences, to giving detailed feedback and suggestions for each draft.

What is the word limit and format of the Personal Statement?

For students applying to the 2025 entry, the personal statement has a word limit of 4000 characters and 47 lines.

For students applying to the 2026 entry, the personal statement will change its format from a longer piece of text to three separate questions. Each answer will have a minimum character count of 350 characters, and the overall character limit remains the same (4000 overall character limit).

The questions include:

• Why do you want to study this course or subject?
• How have your qualifications and studies helped you to prepare for this course or subject?
• What else have you done to prepare outside of education, and why are these experiences useful?

What should I include in the personal statement?

Writing your personal statement can be daunting, especially when the format will be changed.

For UK personal statements, we advise students to reflect on their personal journeys and why they are inspired to choose certain programs.

It is equally important to demonstrate your academic interest through discussing subject-related experiences or readings. For example, if you are applying for medical-related subjects, you can describe your observations from a shadowing experience or hospital internship. For reading-focused subjects, such as law, you can centre on further readings in the subject area, as well as your analysis and key takeaways from the texts.

Finally, you can emphasize your strengths and interests by detailing your extra-curricular activities to show the admissions officers why you are suitable for the programs you are applying for.

When to start writing the Personal Statement?

As students submit their personal statements along the UCAS application, the official deadlines of submission are either in mid October (Any course at the universities of Oxford and Cambridge, or for most courses in medicine, veterinary medicine/science, and dentistry) or in mid/late January . However, most high schools have an earlier internal deadline, so please double check with the school.

Generally, we recommend students to buffer 2 months to write the statement (longer if you are applying for Oxbridge), as it takes time to read about the subject and reflect on your learnings.

Another recommendation is for students to work on the statement during the summer before the final school year - that would allow them to focus on the writing before the new term starts in September.

For more information about our private lessons and crash course, leave us a message here or contact us at (852)2302-6500 or cana@canaelite.com. In the meantime, check out our free UCAS Application Guide to begin your journey to a university education in the UK.

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