writing a personal statement dwp

Cookies on Civil Service Careers Site

We use some essential cookies to make this service work.

We’d like to set additional cookies so we can remember your settings, understand how people use the service and make improvements.

You’ve accepted additional cookies. You can change your cookie settings at any time.

You’ve rejected additional cookies. You can change your cookie settings at any time.

The Civil Service

• What is the Civil Service
• Working for the Civil Service
• Our Locations
• Civil Service Networks

What do Civil Servants say?

• Inderjit's life at DFE Inderjit Sanghera is a Change and Engagement Lead at DfE and Co-Chair of the BAME Network.
• Alfonso's life in Cyber Security Alfonso Greenbrook is a former Level 4 Apprentice in Cyber Security Monitoring. He now works in Security and Data Protection in DWP.
• Alison and Dave's life in HMRC Hear from Alison and Dave about what it's like to work within Customer Strategy & Tax Design in HMRC

Early Careers

• Apprenticeships
• Care Leavers Internship Scheme
• Civil Service Fast Stream
• Summer Internship Programme

Experienced Hires

• Executive Leadership
• Contracting Opportunities
• Evidence House

Supported Schemes

• Prison Leaver Recruitment
• Going Forward into Employment

Applying for a Job

• About the application process

How to write your CV

• How to write your Personal Statement
• Civil Service Behaviours
• Assessments and Interviews

Supporting your Application

• Great Place to Work for Veterans
• Disability Confident Scheme

Find opportunities that work for you...

Interested in knowing what apprenticeships are available?

Share your feedback, help us improve this site

The Civil Service  Behaviours  are one element of the Success Profile. These are the things that people do that result in effective performance.  An example of a Civil Service behaviour is ‘Making Effective Decisions’.

For some jobs, you will be asked to consider the specific behaviours that are important for the job (these will be detailed in the job advert). Behaviours can be assessed in a number of ways and at various stages of the recruitment process.  At the application stage, you may be asked to give examples of how you have demonstrated a particular behaviour. This might be at work or somewhere else such as work experience, volunteering or in connection with a hobby.

How to provide evidence of a behaviour

Please take your time to read and understand the  Civil Service Behaviours .  This will provide you with an overview of the behaviours and give you a greater understanding of what we are looking for in the job. 

Think about everything you have done and achieved which relates to the specific behaviours you are being asked for. The more recent your examples the better, but you don’t necessarily have to make all your examples work-related. You can also include achievements from outside work, for example in a voluntary capacity. You must choose examples that enable you to describe specific things you did, not what your team did or what your work area did. Think of examples that: 

• clearly demonstrate the behaviour and the details that underpin it
• will allow you to explain in some detail what you personally did
• had positive results, although less successful examples can be used if you can demonstrate the lessons learned and how errors would be avoided in future

Using the  STAR model  (Situation, Task, Action, Result) may help you present your evidence.

How we recruit

For some jobs, you will be asked to provide a CV (curriculum vitae) as part of your application. Here you can find information on how to write the best CV.

How to write your personal statement

For some jobs, you will be asked to provide a personal statement or statement of suitability. Here you can find information on how to show yourself in the best light.

Assessments and interviews

The recruitment process, and what evidence is asked for, varies depending on the job you are applying for. Here you can read about the different stages of recruitment.

Success Profiles guides

GOV.UK hosts a huge amount of detailed guidance on the different elements of Success Profiles.

Blog DWP Digital

https://dwpdigital.blog.gov.uk/2020/02/11/applying-for-a-digital-role-in-the-civil-service/

Applying for a digital role in the Civil Service

In this blog post I’d like to help you to apply for one of our exciting vacancies.

Register on Civil Service Jobs

Do you want to receive information on our latest specialist vacancies?

The first thing you’ll need to do is register on the Civil Service Jobs website, which will allow you to sign up for job alerts, save your applications and feedback in one place.

You can create an account from the Civil Service Jobs website homepage. From there, you can select preferences so you receive tailored updates and vacancy alerts to suit you.

Once registered you’ll have several options. Clicking ‘Home’ will take you directly back to the main screen where you can search for roles. Clicking ‘Applications’ will take you to your current applications where you can track any you have submitted. Clicking ‘Job alerts’ will allow you to create personalised alerts. And clicking ‘Account setting’ will let you edit your details or close your account.

If you’ve found a job you want to apply for, it’s time to move on to the application process.

Curriculum Vitae

The vast majority of Civil Service jobs now ask for a Curriculum Vitae (CV) and Personal Statement. When completing your CV, ensure you highlight all your key career achievements. Focus on the impact it had on both you, the company and the customers that the company serves.

Concentrate on your most recent experience and don’t go back further than 10 years. Start with your highest ranking qualification first and list any key skills you have that are relevant to the role you are applying for.

For more information, read Tia's Getting hired at DWP Digital: CV tips  blog-post.

Personal statement

The personal statement is your chance to showcase your experience in more detail relating to the key criteria outlined in the advert. Make it crystal clear how you meet each criterion or how your skills can be transferred to meet it. Take time to draft some ideas, using some of your key achievements and challenges you’ve overcome.

Think about why you’re suitable for the role and why we should be interested in you. Explain why you want the job, what you can bring to the role and the impact you could have.

Once you’ve finished, read it through, then read it through again. You need to ensure that the spelling, punctuation and grammar is perfect. Get someone else to proof read it too, as sometimes a second pair of eyes can spot something you’ve missed.

The next step

Once you’ve submitted your application, you’ll need to be patient. We’re a big organisation and we get a lot of interest in our roles. To ensure everyone is treated fairly we have a detailed sifting process which can take up to 6 weeks. If you don’t get invited for an interview, unfortunately, it is unlikely you’ll get feedback on your application. This is purely because of the volume of applications that we receive. However, don’t let that put you off, keep trying.

If you are invited for an interview, congratulations! You’ll need to log back into Civil Service Jobs and book an interview slot.

Preparing for your interview

Depending on the role you’ve applied for, you may be asked to give a presentation. If that’s the case, you’ll have a minimum of 5 working days to prepare. You’ll be given this information when you receive your invitation to interview.

My tips for your presentation:

• time yourself - normally you’ll have around 5-10 minutes
• print 4 copies - 1 for each panel member and 1 for yourself - just in case you have IT issues
• run through it in front of somebody neutral in preparation

Did they understand what you’re trying to say? Did you use technical terms or jargon that people may not understand? Presenting complex, technical information to a range of people could be part of the test.

Plan and prepare. If there are technical skills and/or behaviours being tested at the interview, details of these will be within the original job advert.

Read through the Success Profiles information especially around the expected behaviours . Try and link your examples to these. Perhaps write some ideas down and ensure you have enough to talk about. The most popular behaviour that we test is leadership. You don’t necessarily have to be a manager, but you will need to demonstrate effective leadership.

For more information read this blog-post on the criteria for a successful application .

At the interview

The interview panel is normally made up of 3 people; a chair and 2 other panellists. They will introduce themselves, go through the interview process, explain each step and how the interview will be structured.

Listen to the question. Take your time to respond, and feel free to pause for a moment to think about how you’re going to answer before speaking. The panel want to ensure you do your best and will prompt you with follow up questions if they need more.

If you don’t understand the question the panel have asked, don’t be shy about asking for clarity.

At the interview you may be asked some strength based questions . These are asked to test your initial response. A top tip is to stay focused and be positive in your answer. If the question is about something you’ve no experience with, tell the panel how you could develop that skill.

The devil may be in the detail, but at an interview, time is precious. We understand that you want to tell the panel everything you have done, especially if it’s a piece of work that you’re really proud of. So, a good tip is to use the STAR method to keep your answer focused: situation, task, action and result. Focus on what you’ve done, not your team or other people.

After the interview

If you’re unsuccessful you’ll receive an email letting you know. You’ll be able to log back into Civil Service Jobs and read through the feedback and details of how you scored. Use this feedback to improve any future applications and interviews.

If you’re successful, well done! You’ll also get your results via email, although you may get a phone call as well. You will also be able to see your scores and feedback in your Civil Service Jobs account.

Starting a new role

If you’re already an employee within the department, you’ll normally agree a start date with your new team. If you’re from another government department, pre-employment checks will be made, which can take up to 3 weeks. If you’re not currently part of the Civil Service, pre-employment checks can take up to 8 weeks depending on which department you’ll be joining, and the security checks required.

Good luck with your applications. We’re hiring now, check out our careers site for our latest vacancies.

Sharing and comments

Share this page, 11 comments.

Comment by Julie Hooper posted on 11 February 2020

Very helpful and informative, thanks Peran.

Comment by Peran Ainscliffe posted on 21 February 2020

Thank you for your feedback Julie.

Comment by Tracy D posted on 11 February 2020

great blog Peran with some really useful information for external candidates not used to our process

Comment by Bev Adey-Morgan posted on 11 February 2020

Very informative blog!! As an interviewer I can't stress enough that candidates really need to make themselves aware of how Success Profiles work and how they need to articulate their experience & skills and knowledge

Comment by Karen Eastham posted on 11 February 2020

Really useful and informative.

Comment by Denise German posted on 11 February 2020

A really helpful summary for anyone - existing Civil Servants as well as potential new recruits. Thanks Peran

Comment by Chris Wheeler posted on 13 February 2020

Great blog Peran, thanks for the useful content!

Comment by Hilary Bhagat posted on 13 February 2020

Really helpful information which we can now share with our Jobseekers and partners. Thanks Peran.

Thanks for your feedback Hilary. I hope this helps as many people as possible. There are a lot hidden talent out there and we want to hear from as many of them as possible.

Comment by Marie Franklin posted on 14 February 2020

Very helpful Peran. Thanks for sharing this.

Comment by Lesley posted on 17 February 2020

A well written article Peran.

Related content and links

About dwp digital.

We are Digital With Purpose. That’s digital with people, passion and progress at our heart.

We deliver services for the UK’s largest public service department – the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

Responsible for welfare, pensions and child maintenance policy, DWP transacts around £212 billion in payments each year, operates out of more than 800 locations and has over 90,000 employees.

We're hiring. Shape your career with DWP Digital.

Subscribe to our newsletter

• Subscribe for the latest DWP Digital jobs
• DWP Digital on LinkedIn
• DWP Digital on Twitter
• DWP Digital Jobs on Twitter
• DWP Digital on Instagram
• DWP Digital on YouTube

Sign up and manage updates

Recent posts.

• Learning at Work Week 2024 16 May 2024
• Writing a great product strategy for great services 21 March 2024
• Inspiring inclusion at DWP Digital this International Women's Day 8 March 2024
• Celebrating National Apprenticeship Week 2024 14 February 2024
• Harnessing the power of events and APIs 11 January 2024

You are currently in the en section of the site.

Helping you understand, manage & improve your mental health and money issues

• Help & contacts
• I want to read in Welsh
• I want to read in English
• Northern Ireland
• Welfare Benefits /
• PIP Mental Health Guide /
• Help with your PIP claim /
• Supporting evidence for a PIP claim

Last updated: 21/10/2022

• Email this page
• What is PIP?
• Can I claim PIP for mental health?
• How much PIP will I get?
• Financial help when claiming PIP
• Moving from DLA to PIP
• How to claim PIP
• How to fill in the PIP form
• How to send in the PIP form
• What are the PIP descriptors?
• What is the PIP medical assessment?
• PIP assessment tips
• PIP review process
• Changes that affect your PIP claim
• Welfare advice for a PIP claim
• How does the DWP decide on PIP claims?
• How to understand your PIP decision
• How to challenge a PIP decision
• Mandatory reconsideration for PIP
• How to appeal against a PIP decision
• How to prepare for a PIP appeal tribunal
• Making a complaint about PIP
• Personal Independence Payment (PIP) contact numbers
• Requesting evidence for PIP letter template
• Requesting evidence to challenge a PIP decision letter template

Supporting evidence - especially medical - can make a significant difference in the outcome of your Personal Independence Payment (PIP) claim. We explain what supporting evidence to ask for and how to request it.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) must consider all medical evidence when deciding about your PIP claim. However, unless you provide this information, they may not contact your GP or other health care professionals for more details.

Decision makers at the DWP and assessors who carry out face-to-face assessments may have little knowledge of your condition and are very unlikely to have any specialist knowledge of mental health.

We recommend that you collect supporting evidence to show how your condition affects you.

Supporting evidence - for new claims, renewal claims or if you’re going through an appeal - can be included at any stage of a PIP claim.

What is supporting evidence for PIP

Supporting evidence for a PIP claim is useful when making a new/renewal PIP claim or when you are appealing against a PIP decision. Supporting evidence can come in the form of:

• Statement from a carer, friend or family member
• Daily routine diary and personal statement
• Medical evidence (records, prescriptions, letters from medical professionals).

PIP statements from a carer, friend or family member

Letters from your carer, friends or family can help support your PIP claim. As they are likely to see you frequently, they can comment on how they help you - washing, bathing, cooking, dressing etc. - and why you would have difficulty doing specific tasks yourself.

PIP daily routine diary and personal statement

If your mental health condition fluctuates daily, it will be helpful to keep a detailed seven-day journal on how your condition affects you in day-to-day life. A PIP diary will highlight:

• How your mental health impacts you on everyday tasks
• The help you need, which you may forget
• How you have adapted to cope with your mental health

Once you have finished your diary, you could turn this into a PIP personal statement – which may be easier to read than a journal. This should be a maximum of two pages and explain:

• The history of your condition
• How your ability to cope differs from day to day.
• Your average week

Medical evidence for PIP

Medical evidence can be very helpful when applying for PIP and usually takes the form of a letter/report from your GP, psychiatrist, consultant or other healthcare professional.

Medical professionals can explain what your condition is, your treatment and how the condition affects your everyday life. You do not need to send in medical evidence, however many people find that it really helps their claim if they do.

Not all healthcare professionals are able or willing to write supporting letters, and they are not obliged to do so, but it is worth asking them and stressing how it could help your claim – they can charge a fee for writing this letter/report.

Don’t delay returning your PIP form or attending an assessment if you’re waiting to receive a document for supporting evidence.

Always send the PIP form back and include a letter explaining that more information will follow.

Who to ask for medical evidence to support your PIP claim?

As mentioned, getting medical evidence from a healthcare professional may not be easy, but we strongly recommend that you try to get as much recent and relevant medical evidence as you can.

Situations where old evidence may be particularly relevant include:

• You are housebound because of your mental health and as a result, have not been able to get to your doctors’ surgery.

You can ask for medical evidence from one or more of the following healthcare professionals you have contact with:

• Psychiatrist
• Psychologist
• Care co-ordinator
• Community psychiatric nurse (CPN)
• Social or support worker
• Occupational therapist
• Hospital consultant

If you needed help getting evidence (from a relative or friend), the process has affected your mental or physical health in any way, make sure you explain this on your PIP form.

What to include when requesting medical evidence for PIP

When requesting medical evidence for PIP explain that you require information specifically relevant to the criteria used by the DWP to assess you.

It is essential that any supporting evidence provided has information about the difficulties your mental health causes you, and how you meet the criteria for PIP. It is not helpful for evidence to say what diagnosis, symptoms or treatment you have.

The healthcare professional needs to understand that you will be assessed on how you are most of the time, and for you to be considered able to do an activity you need to be able to carry it out:

• to an acceptable standard
• repeatedly AND
• in a reasonable timescale.

The DWP assess how your illness, disability or mental health condition requires you to have help to do the following 12 activities:

• Preparing food and cooking
• Eating or drinking
• Managing therapy or monitoring a health condition
• Taking medication
• Washing and bathing
• Managing toilet needs or incontinence
• Dressing and undressing
• Communicating verbally
• Reading and understanding signs, symbols and words
• Socialising with other people
• Deciding about your money and budget.
• Plan and follow journeys
• Move around

How to request medical evidence for PIP

It can take a long time from when you request medical evidence to you receiving it; we recommend that you ask for it as soon as you can.

Visiting your GP/healthcare professional face-to-face

If visiting your GP/healthcare professional face-to-face, you should take a copy of the PIP descriptors and highlight the areas you would like them to comment.

This can help your GP/healthcare professional when writing a letter of medical evidence and will help them focus on the activities that are most relevant to you.

Writing a letter to request medical evidence for PIP

You can write a letter to your GP/healthcare professional requesting medical evidence to support your PIP application.

Include the topics and areas you would like them to comment on. It is essential to request medical evidence by asking your doctor neutral, non-leading questions.

We have a free sample letter for requesting medical evidence . If you wish to use this template, you can personalise the letter to ensure it only includes information relevant to you.

Requesting your medical evidence is sent to you before the DWP

When requesting medical evidence, please make sure the person/s you are asking to provide the letter sends it to you rather than directly to the DWP – this way you can check that you’re happy with the content and that it is an accurate reflection of your condition and abilities.

Sample letter

Pip - request for medical information sample letter.

You can use this template letter to request medical evidence for your PIP application

• Share this article

Within this subject

Pip mental health guide, help with your pip claim, is this article helpful to you, was this article helpful to you, sorry it wasn’t helpful, could you say why.

For urgent help, please see Help & contacts

Great to hear it was useful! Could you say why?

• Print this article

Have you read something you think others need to know? Simply use the buttons below to share on your social network.

Share this article on Facebook

So we give the right advice for you, can you answer which Nation you're from?

We spent a while translating the site into Welsh, would you like to read in Welsh?

We have translated the site; would you prefer to read in Welsh?

• Features for Creative Writers
• Features for Work
• Features for Higher Education
• Features for Teachers
• Features for Non-Native Speakers
• Learn Blog Grammar Guide Community Events FAQ
• Grammar Guide

How to Write a Personal Statement (with Tips and Examples)

Hannah Yang

Table of Contents

What is a personal statement, 6 tips on how to write a personal statement, personal statement examples (for college and university), faqs about writing personal statements, conclusion on how to write a personal statement.

How do you tell someone who you are in just a few hundred words?

It’s certainly no easy task, but it’s one almost every college applicant must do. The personal statement is a crucial part of any college or university application.

So, how do you write a compelling personal statement?

In this article, we’ll give you all the tools, tips, and examples you need to write an effective personal statement.

A personal statement is a short essay that reveals something important about who you are. It can talk about your background, your interests, your values, your goals in life, or all of the above.

Personal statements are required by many college admission offices and scholarship selection committees. They’re a key part of your application, alongside your academic transcript, standardized test scores, and extracurricular activities.

The reason application committees ask you to write a personal statement is so they can get to know who you are. 

Some personal statements have specific prompts, such as “Discuss a period of personal growth in your life” or “Tell us about a challenge or failure you’ve faced.” Others are more open-ended with prompts that essentially boil down to “Tell us about yourself.”

No matter what the prompt is, your goal is the same: to make yourself stand out to the selection committee as a strong candidate for their program.

Here are some things a personal statement can be:

It can be funny. If you have a great sense of humor, your personal statement is a great place to let that shine.  

It can be vulnerable. Don’t be afraid to open up about hardships in your life or failures you’ve experienced. Showing vulnerability can make you sound more like a real person rather than just a collection of application materials.  

It can be creative. Candidates have got into top schools with personal statements that take the form of “a day in the life” descriptions, third-person short stories, and even cooking recipes.

Now we’ve talked about what a personal statement is, let’s quickly look at what a personal statement isn’t:

It isn’t a formal academic paper. You should write the personal statement in your natural voice, using first-person pronouns like “I” and “me,” not in the formal, objective language you would use to write an academic paper.

It isn’t a five-paragraph essay. You should use as many paragraphs as you need to tell your story instead of sticking to the essay structure you learned in school.

It isn’t a resumé. You should try to describe yourself by telling a clear and cohesive story rather than providing a jumbled list of all of your accomplishments and ambitions.

Here are our top six tips for writing a strong personal statement.

Tip 1: Do Some Serious Self-Reflection

The hardest part of writing a personal statement isn’t the actual process of writing it.

Before you start typing, you have to figure out what to write about. And that means taking some time to reflect on who you are and what’s important in your life.

Here are some useful questions you can use to start your self-reflection. You can either answer these on your own by writing down your answers, or you can ask a trusted friend to listen as you talk about them together.

What were the key moments that shaped your life? (e.g. an important friendship, a travel experience, an illness or injury)

What are you proud of? (e.g. you’re a good listener, you always keep your promises, you’re a talented musician)

How do you choose to spend your time? (e.g. reading, practicing soccer, spending time with your friends)

What inspires you? (e.g. your grandmother, a celebrity, your favorite song)

Doing this self-reflection is crucial for figuring out the perfect topics and anecdotes you can use to describe who you are.

Tip 2: Try to Avoid Cliché Topics

College application committees read thousands of personal statements a year. That means there are some personal statement topics they see over and over again.

Here are a few examples of common personal statement topics that have become cliché:

Winning a tournament or sports game

Volunteering in a foreign country

Moving to a new home

Becoming an older sibling

Being an immigrant or having immigrant parents

If you want to make a strong impression in the application process, you need to make your personal statement stand out from the crowd.

But if your chosen personal statement topic falls into one of these categories, that doesn’t necessarily mean you shouldn’t use it. Just make sure to put a unique spin on it so it still delivers something the committee hasn’t seen before.

Good writing = better grades

ProWritingAid will help you improve the style, strength, and clarity of all your assignments.

Tip 3: Show, Don’t Tell

One common mistake you might make in your personal statement is to simply tell the reader what you want them to know about you, such as by stating “I have a fear of public speaking” or “I love to cook.”

Instead of simply stating these facts, you should show the committee what you’re talking about through a story or scene, which will make your essay much more immersive and memorable.

For example, let’s say you want the committee to know you overcame your fear of public speaking. Instead of writing “I overcame my fear of public speaking,” show them what it was like to be onstage in front of a microphone. Did your palms get clammy? Did you feel light-headed? Did you forget your words?

Or let’s say you want the committee to know you love to cook. Instead of writing “I love to cook,” show them why you love to cook. What’s your favorite dish to cook? What does the air smell like when you’re cooking it? What kitchen appliances do you use to make it?

Tip 4: Connect the Story to Why You’re Applying

Don’t forget that the purpose of your personal statement isn’t simply to tell the admissions committee who you are. That’s an important part of it, of course, but your ultimate goal is to convince them to choose you as a candidate.

That means it’s important to tie your personal story to your reasons for applying to this specific school or scholarship. Finish your essay with a strong thesis.

For example, if your story is about overcoming your fear of public speaking, you might connect that story to your ambition of becoming a politician. You can then tie that to your application by saying, “I want to apply to this school because of its fantastic politics program, which will give me a perfect opportunity to use my voice.”

Tip 5: Write in Your Own Voice

The personal statement isn’t supposed to be written in a formal tone. That’s why they’re called “personal” statements because you have to shape it to fit your own voice and style.

Don’t use complicated or overwrought language. You don’t need to fill your essay with semicolons and big words, unless that’s how you sound in real life.

One way to write in your own voice is by speaking your personal statement out loud. If it doesn’t feel natural, it may need changing. 

Tip 6: Edit, Edit, Edit!

It’s important to revise your personal statement multiple times in order to make sure it’s as close to perfect as possible.

A single typo won’t kill your application, but if your personal statement contains multiple spelling errors or egregious grammar mistakes, you won’t be putting your best foot forward.

ProWritingAid can help you make sure your personal statement is as clean as possible. In addition to catching your grammar errors, typos, and punctuation mistakes, it will also help you improve weaknesses in your writing, such as passive voice, unnecessary repetition, and more.

Let’s look at some of the best personal statements that have worked for successful candidates in the real world. 

Harvard Personal Statement Example

Love. For a word describing such a powerful emotion, it is always in the air. The word “love” has become so pervasive in everyday conversation that it hardly retains its roots in blazing passion and deep adoration. In fact, the word is thrown about so much that it becomes difficult to believe society isn’t just one huge, smitten party, with everyone holding hands and singing “Kumbaya.” In films, it’s the teenage boy’s grudging response to a doting mother. At school, it’s a habitual farewell between friends. But in my Chinese home, it’s never uttered. Watching my grandmother lie unconscious on the hospital bed, waiting for her body to shut down, was excruciatingly painful. Her final quavering breaths formed a discordant rhythm with the steady beep of hospital equipment and the unsympathetic tapping hands of the clock. That evening, I whispered—into unhearing ears—the first, and only, “I love you” I ever said to her, my rankling guilt haunting me relentlessly for weeks after her passing. My warm confession seemed anticlimactic, met with only the coldness of my surroundings—the blank room, impassive doctors, and empty silence. I struggled to understand why the “love” that so easily rolled off my tongue when bantering with friends dissipated from my vocabulary when I spoke to my family. Do Chinese people simply love less than Americans do?

This is an excerpt from a personal statement that got the applicant admitted to Harvard University. The applicant discusses her background as a Chinese-American by musing on the word “love” and what that means within her family.

The writer uses vulnerable details about her relationship with her grandmother to give the reader an understanding of where she comes from and how her family has shaped her.  

You can read the full personal statement on the Harvard Crimson website.

Tufts Personal Statement Example

My first dream job was to be a pickle truck driver. I saw it in my favorite book, Richard Scarry’s “Cars and Trucks and Things That Go,” and for some reason, I was absolutely obsessed with the idea of driving a giant pickle. Much to the discontent of my younger sister, I insisted that my parents read us that book as many nights as possible so we could find goldbug, a small little golden bug, on every page. I would imagine the wonderful life I would have: being a pig driving a giant pickle truck across the country, chasing and finding goldbug. I then moved on to wanting to be a Lego Master. Then an architect. Then a surgeon. Then I discovered a real goldbug: gold nanoparticles that can reprogram macrophages to assist in killing tumors, produce clear images of them without sacrificing the subject, and heat them to obliteration. Suddenly the destination of my pickle was clear. I quickly became enveloped by the world of nanomedicine; I scoured articles about liposomes, polymeric micelles, dendrimers, targeting ligands, and self-assembling nanoparticles, all conquering cancer in some exotic way. Completely absorbed, I set out to find a mentor to dive even deeper into these topics. After several rejections, I was immensely grateful to receive an invitation to work alongside Dr. Sangeeta Ray at Johns Hopkins.

This is the beginning of a personal statement by Renner Kwittken, who was admitted into Tufts University as a pre-medical student.

Renner uses a humorous anecdote about being a pickle truck driver to describe his love for nanomedicine and how he got involved in his field. You can feel his passion for medicine throughout his personal statement.

You can find Renner’s full essay on the Tufts Admissions page.

Law School Personal Statement Essay Example

For most people, the slap on the face that turns their life around is figurative. Mine was literal. Actually, it was a punch delivered by a drill sergeant at Fort Dix, New Jersey, while I was in basic training. That day’s activity, just a few weeks into the program, included instruction in “low-crawling,” a sensible method of moving from one place to another on a battlefield. I felt rather clever for having discovered that, by looking right rather than down, I eliminated my helmet’s unfortunate tendency to dig into the ground and slow my progress. I could thus advance more easily, but I also exposed my unprotected face to hostile fire. Drill sergeants are typically very good at detecting this type of laziness, and mine was an excellent drill sergeant. So, after his repeated suggestions that I correct my performance went unheeded, he drove home his point with a fist to my face. We were both stunned. This was, after all, the New Army, and striking a trainee was a career-ending move for a drill sergeant, as we were both aware. I could have reported him; arguably, I should have. I didn’t. It didn’t seem right for this good sergeant, who had not slept for almost four days, to lose his career for losing his temper with my laziness. Choosing not to report him was the first decision I remember making that made me proud.

These are the first three paragraphs of an anonymous personal statement by a Wheaton College graduate, who used this personal statement to get into a top-25 law school.

This statement describes a time the applicant faced a challenging decision while in the army. He ended up making a decision he was proud of, and as a result, the personal statement gives us a sense of his character.

You can find the full essay on the Wheaton Academics website.

Here are some common questions about how to write a personal statement.

How Long Should a Personal Statement Be?

The length of your personal statement depends on the specific program you’re applying to. The application guidelines usually specify a maximum word count or an ideal word count.  

Most personal statements are between 500–800 words. That’s a good general range to aim for if you don’t have more specific guidelines.  

Should Personal Statements Be Different for Scholarships?

Many scholarship applications will ask for personal statements with similar prompts to those of college applications.

However, the purpose of a personal statement you’d write for a scholarship application is different from the purpose of one you’d write for a college application.

For a scholarship application, your goal is to showcase why you deserve the scholarship. To do that, you need to understand the mission of the organization offering that scholarship.

For example, some scholarships are meant to help first-generation college students get their degree, while others are meant to help women break into STEM.

Consider the following questions:

Why is this organization offering scholarships?

What would their ideal scholarship candidate look like?

How do your experiences and goals overlap with those of their ideal scholarship candidate?

You can use the same personal anecdotes you’d use for any other personal statement, but you’ll have a better chance of winning the scholarship if you tailor your essay to match their specific mission.

How to Start a Personal Statement

You should start your personal statement with a “hook” that pulls the reader in. The sooner you catch the reader’s attention, the more likely they’ll want to read the entire essay.

Here are some examples of hooks you can use:

A story (e.g. When the spotlight hit my face, I tried to remind myself to breathe. )

A setting description (e.g. My bedroom floor is covered with dirty laundry, candy wrappers, and crumpled sheet music. )

A funny anecdote (e.g. When I was a little kid, my friends nicknamed me Mowgli because of my haircut. )

A surprising fact (e.g. I've lived in 37 countries .)

There you have it—our complete guide to writing a personal statement that will make you stand out to the application committee.

Here’s a quick recap: 

A personal statement is a short essay that shows an application committee who you are

Start with a strong hook that pulls the reader in

Tell a story to engage the reader 

Write in your own voice, not in a formal tone

Good luck, and happy writing!

Hannah is a speculative fiction writer who loves all things strange and surreal. She holds a BA from Yale University and lives in Colorado. When she’s not busy writing, you can find her painting watercolors, playing her ukulele, or hiking in the Rockies. Follow her work on hannahyang.com or on Twitter at @hannahxyang.

Get started with ProWritingAid

Drop us a line or let's stay in touch via :

DWP guidelines for Universal Credit claimants ahead of Jobcentre interviews

T he Department for Work and Pensions has released an important update regarding Universal Credit claims. The DWP website now provides clear instructions on the identity verification process required for claimants.

Those attending an interview at a Jobcentre Plus must bring specific identification documents. The DWP has detailed the complete list of necessary documents for the interview to proceed.

Claimants are required to present originals of the following: one photo ID, one proof of address, and one additional proof of identity. Universal Credit is a monthly payment designed to assist with living expenses.

• READ MORE : DWP holiday warning to anyone claiming PIP or Universal Credit
• READ MORE : DWP Universal Credit: Everything you need to know about new work rules

It is replacing Child Tax Credit, Housing Benefit, Income Support, income-based Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA), income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), Working Tax Credit - and numerous individuals have received letters instructing them to take action.

In this latest update, the DWP has provided a comprehensive list of acceptable photo IDs for jobcentre interviews, reports Wales Online :

• passport from any country
• photocard driving licence (full or provisional)
• NHS identity card with a biometric chip
• armed forces or police identity card
• PASS card (National Proof of Age Standards Scheme)
• biometric residence permit (BRP) showing you’re allowed to stay in the UK for 6 months or more
• foreign national identity card (but not identity cards issued under the UK National Identity Scheme)
• immigration status document or other travel document showing you’re allowed to stay in the UK indefinitely
• certificate of naturalisation as a British citizen, which shows you’re allowed to work in the UK
• foreign photocard driving licence with an international driving permit, valid for up to 12 months from the date you entered the UK
• a residence permit, registration certificate or other document showing your right to live permanently in the UK, if you’re a national of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein
• permanent residence card issued to a family member of a national of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein

The following can be used as proof of address:

• mobile phone, landline phone, gas, water or electricity bill dated within the last 6 months
• bank, building society, credit card or credit union statement, dated within the last 6 months
• current Council Tax statement
• UK full or provisional photocard driving licence (if not already used as photo ID)
• UK full paper driving licence
• vehicle registration documents
• your most recent tax notification from HMRC (for example, tax assessment, statement of account, notice of coding)
• any other correspondence from HMRC (but not a P45 or P60)
• mortgage statement
• letter from your employer
• letter from a school, college or university
• buildings, contents or vehicle insurance policies
• life insurance or assurance policies
• council rent card or tenancy agreement
• proof from the electoral register that you live at the address
• personal loan account statement
• student loan documents
• letter from an accountant or solicitor
• certificate from a utility supplier showing you use a pre-payment arrangement at your address, dated within the last 6 months

To view the complete list of all IDs, including proof of identity, click here . Letters are being sent to legacy benefits claimants by the Department for Work and Pensions; these benefits will cease next year, with claimants migrating to Universal Credit.

The migration from legacy benefits to Universal Credit was expedited last month as the Government declared that all 1.6 million claimants on the older system would receive "migration notices" by the end of 2025 three years earlier than originally planned.

Recent data indicates that approximately one in four individuals claiming old-style benefits fail to transition to Universal Credit, hence exiting the benefits system. This issue is particularly prominent among seniors, with one in three people over 60 dropping out of the system.

Citizens Advice suggests that the DWP doesn't seem to comprehend why so many benefit recipients are exiting the system. The advice service believes that a large number of them "have higher levels of practical and emotional support needs - but the managed migration process isn't meeting these needs."

Cookies on GOV.UK

We use some essential cookies to make this website work.

We’d like to set additional cookies to understand how you use GOV.UK, remember your settings and improve government services.

We also use cookies set by other sites to help us deliver content from their services.

You have accepted additional cookies. You can change your cookie settings at any time.

You have rejected additional cookies. You can change your cookie settings at any time.

• Health and social care
• Disabled people
• Benefits and financial help
• Personal Independence Payment (PIP) changes
• Department for Work & Pensions

Unpaid enhanced mobility: changes to PIP law from 30 November 2020

Updated 22 May 2024

© Crown copyright 2024

This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: [email protected] .

Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.

This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/personal-independence-payment-changes/unpaid-enhanced-mobility-changes-to-pip-law-from-30-november-2020

In Personal Independence Payment ( PIP ) assessments, the Department for Work and Pensions ( DWP ) considers your ability to move around.

Change to PIP law

The change in law relates to claimants over State Pension age and their entitlement to the enhanced mobility award.

This change in law follows a tribunal ruling on 22 May 2020 which identified an unintentional gap in regulation 27 of the Social Security (Personal Independence Payment) Regulations 2013.

DWP did not have the legal powers to restrict the mobility award for claimants who were in receipt of the standard rate of the mobility award and over State Pension age, on the grounds of new medical evidence. New medical evidence is a report from a health professional requested by DWP which recommended the enhanced rate of the mobility award.

DWP were only able to restrict the mobility award for claimants if a relevant change in circumstances was identified after they reached State Pension age.

Changes to PIP regulations took effect from 30 November 2020 to correct this unintentional gap.

What this means for you

If you think you are affected, you can find out about the eligibility criteria and how to apply for a revision of your mobility award.

This may also apply to claimants who have died. If you are the person dealing with the estate and think they may have been affected you can contact DWP .

Help with PIP

You can contact a local support organisation or Citizens Advice to get help understanding PIP .

Is this page useful?

• Yes this page is useful
• No this page is not useful

Help us improve GOV.UK

Don’t include personal or financial information like your National Insurance number or credit card details.

To help us improve GOV.UK, we’d like to know more about your visit today. Please fill in this survey (opens in a new tab) .

• Skip to main content
• Keyboard shortcuts for audio player

Benedictine College nuns denounce Harrison Butker's speech at their school

John Helton

Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker speaks to the media during NFL football Super Bowl 58 opening night on Feb. 5, 2024, in Las Vegas. Butker railed against Pride month along with President Biden's leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic and his stance on abortion during a commencement address at Benedictine College last weekend. Charlie Riedel/AP hide caption

Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker speaks to the media during NFL football Super Bowl 58 opening night on Feb. 5, 2024, in Las Vegas. Butker railed against Pride month along with President Biden's leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic and his stance on abortion during a commencement address at Benedictine College last weekend.

An order of nuns affiliated with Benedictine College rejected Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison's Butker's comments in a commencement speech there last weekend that stirred up a culture war skirmish.

"The sisters of Mount St. Scholastica do not believe that Harrison Butker's comments in his 2024 Benedictine College commencement address represent the Catholic, Benedictine, liberal arts college that our founders envisioned and in which we have been so invested," the nuns wrote in a statement posted on Facebook .

In his 20-minute address , Butker denounced abortion rights, Pride Month, COVID-19 lockdowns and "the tyranny of diversity, equity and inclusion" at the Catholic liberal arts college in Atchison, Kan.

He also told women in the audience to embrace the "vocation" of homemaker.

"I want to speak directly to you briefly because I think it is you, the women, who have had the most diabolical lies told to you. How many of you are sitting here now about to cross the stage, and are thinking about all the promotions and titles you're going to get in your career?" he asked. "Some of you may go on to lead successful careers in the world. But I would venture to guess that the majority of you are most excited about your marriage and the children you will bring into this world."

For many Missouri Catholics, abortion rights means choosing between faith, politics

That was one of the themes that the sisters of Mount St. Scholastica took issue with.

"Instead of promoting unity in our church, our nation, and the world, his comments seem to have fostered division," they wrote. "One of our concerns was the assertion that being a homemaker is the highest calling for a woman. We sisters have dedicated our lives to God and God's people, including the many women whom we have taught and influenced during the past 160 years. These women have made a tremendous difference in the world in their roles as wives and mothers and through their God-given gifts in leadership, scholarship, and their careers."

The Benedictine sisters of Mount St. Scholastica founded a school for girls in Atchinson in the 1860s. It merged with St. Benedict's College in 1971 to form Benedictine College.

Neither Butker nor the Chiefs have commented on the controversy. An online petition calling for the Chiefs to release the kicker had nearly 215,000 signatures as of Sunday morning.

6 in 10 U.S. Catholics are in favor of abortion rights, Pew Research report finds

The NFL, for its part, has distanced itself from Butker's remarks.

"Harrison Butker gave a speech in his personal capacity," Jonathan Beane, the NFL's senior VP and chief diversity and inclusion officer told NPR on Thursday. "His views are not those of the NFL as an organization."

Meanwhile, Butker's No. 7 jersey is one of the league's top-sellers , rivaling those of better-known teammates Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce.

Butker has been open about his faith. The 28-year-old father of two told the Eternal Word Television Network in 2019 that he grew up Catholic but practiced less in high school and college before rediscovering his belief later in life.

His comments have gotten some support from football fan social media accounts and Christian and conservative media personalities .

A video of his speech posted on Benedictine College's YouTube channel has 1.5 million views.

Rachel Treisman contributed to this story.

• Harrison Butker
• benedictine college