How to Write a Personal Statement for University — Even If You’re Not Applying Through UCAS
Most students assume that applying to university means sending everything through UCAS — including the famous personal statement. It can feel like the UCAS Hunger Games, but here’s something many students don’t realise:
- You don’t have to apply through UCAS to go to university.
- Some universities, including NMITE, accept direct applications.
That means you may have more options, more flexibility, and less pressure than you think.
Do You Need UCAS to Apply to University?
Short answer: No.
Most students use UCAS because it’s well known and works across lots of universities at once. But many providers — especially innovative, career-focused ones like NMITE — offer direct applications alongside or instead of UCAS. A direct application can be a great option if you have missed the UCAS deadline, prefer a simpler (and cheaper) application process or only plan to apply to one university. Whats not to like there!?
Do I Need a Different Personal Statement for Direct Applications?
Not really.
A strong personal statement has the same foundation whether it’s for UCAS or a direct route.
But there are two key differences:
- You can tailor it more. A UCAS personal statement must be generic because every university sees it.
A direct application personal statement can be more focused on a single institution or course — which is great if NMITE is your top choice. - It can feel more conversational. Direct applications allow for more direct communication with admissions teams, so your personal statement can sound more like you and less like a formal essay.
How to Structure a Personal Statement for UCAS or Direct Applications
The structure of both UCAS and NMITE’s direct applications follow the same requirements, all are equally as important. What makes a great statement? The stuff real humans write. If writing about yourself feels weird — you’re not alone. If you are staring at a blank page, start with a story from the past year – even if it seems small.
Why You Want to Study the Subject.
Be honest, be specific, and avoid clichés like “I’ve always loved…”
Think instead about a moment, project, challenge, or experience that sparked your interest.
Example:
“Helping design a product that supported people with limited mobility made me realise how engineering can directly improve lives — and sparked my desire to study it at university.”
Show Your Academic Interest – how your studies have helped you so far:
Admissions teams want to see evidence of your curiosity.
Talk about:
- Subject-related college or school work
- Independent reading, videos, podcasts, or research
- Competitions or projects, anything that shows you engage with the subject beyond the classroom.
- Work experience, part-time jobs, volunteering, personal projects, clubs or teams — everything counts.
The trick is to link the experience to a skill used in your chosen course.
Example:
“My part-time job taught me to stay calm under pressure and communicate clearly — both essential skills for engineering projects and team-based assignments.”
Use this section to talk about your skills and qualities
Reflect on qualities such as problem-solving, teamwork, independence, creativity, organisation, leadership, and always back them up with short examples. If you feel you have work to do in these area’s, that’s fine too! Self-awareness is a skill in itself.
What Makes a Strong Personal Statement?
No matter whether it’s UCAS or direct, admissions teams look for genuine interest in the subject, curiosity, self-awareness and evidence of commitment, all of which give a clear sense of who you are
You don’t need to sound impressive — you just need to sound real.
Example Improvements
Before:
“I am hardworking and dedicated.”
After:
“Balancing my A-Levels with caring responsibilities has taught me how to manage time effectively and stay committed, even under pressure.”
Before:
“I love engineering because it’s interesting.”
After:
“Studying how everyday products are designed showed me how engineering blends creativity and technical skill — exactly the balance I thrive on.”
Final Tips Before You Submit
Read your statement aloud, Keep it clear and honest and ask someone you trust to check it.
And if NMITE feels like your kind of place, remember - you don’t need to join the UCAS countdown clock. Apply directly whenever you're ready — no stress, no drama, no website crashing at midnight.
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