Don’t waffle
Think about what you’re writing in this critical spot – what’s your reason for including it here? Keep the ending of your personal statement short, concise and to the point.
The personal statement is your opportunity to talk about you, and why you want to enrol on a particular course. You’ve got this far – showing your passion for the subject. But how do you end your personal statement in a way that truly does it justice?
You want to leave the admissions tutor reading your personal statement with a strong lasting impression – one that will leave them no choice but to make you an offer (or invite you to an interview).
There are several ways you can do this.
HE Careers Adviser Liz says:
A good ending can link back to what you claim at the beginning or be a short summary as to what you’re looking forward to at university, new challenges etc… or even your commitment as to why you would be an ideal candidate (without bragging).
Read more here about how to begin a personal statement. Then follow our tips on how to bring it all together at the end.
Think about what you’re writing in this critical spot – what’s your reason for including it here? Keep the ending of your personal statement short, concise and to the point.
‘It all comes back to why they would pick you. How can you demonstrate you’re the one you want them to make the offer to?’
A key academic skill at degree level is being able to form a structured written argument, including a conclusion that summarises the key points.
As Liverpool student Joseph says:
You don’t want a conclusion in the same way as you would for an essay, as that’s just taking away from your word count. Don’t draw it out.’
In other words, keep it to the point and punchy.
There’s no set way to end your statement. Instead, think about the following and how it might help you to stand out:
Revisit the key points you’ve already spoken about in the main body of your personal statement and emphasise them again in your conclusion. This could be reiterating key skills, interests, and experiences you’ve already touched on, giving them one last chance to hit home (but don’t just regurgitate what you’ve already said).
Looking to the future is an optimistic way to finish. It shows you’re goal-oriented, and you’ve carefully thought about how this course fits into your plans. You don’t need to have the next ten years mapped out, but if you’ve a broad sense of your career path – or any related life ambitions you want to fill – it’s worth mentioning them here, as well as how this course will help you achieve those.
Learn more about career prospects for your subject (and more) in our subject guides.
You could conclude by talking more generally about what you want to get from your overall university experience. For instance:
Also, talk about how you will be an asset to a university.
Remember, all of your UCAS choices will see your personal statement, so it may be best to keep it general, rather than being specific about one university.
UCAS scans all personal statements through a similarity detection system to compare them with previous statements.
Any similarity greater than 30% will be flagged and we'll inform the universities and colleges to which you have applied.
‘I recommend finishing on a more personal note, such as how your personality could make you a valuable student.’
Mature students: Five things to do now to boost your personal statement
Starting your personal statement
Personal statement dos and don’ts
Writing your full personal statement
Using your personal statement beyond a university application