Philosophy Personal Statement Guide

The Personal statement is a crucial opportunity to showcase your interest in philosophy, your academic achievements, and your unique experiences.

But writing one isn't easy; there is a lot to cover and you'll only have 4,000 characters to do it in.

You'll need to show a passion for philosophy, demonstrate a willingness to learn, and, if you are applying to Oxford or Cambridge prove that you're ready to study under the unique Oxbridge system.

This guide will provide you with detailed advice on writing a fantastic personal statement that will capture the attention of admissions tutors. 

• Why are Personal Statements Important?
• What Should I Include in a Philosophy Personal Statement? 
• What Should I Avoid in a Philosophy Personal Statement? 
• Advice on How to Start a Philosophy Personal Statement 
• Advice on How to Finish a Philosophy Personal Statement 
• FAQs 

Why are Personal Statements Important? 

Personal statements are a very important part of the university application process as they are an opportunity for you to introduce yourself to Admissions Tutors in your own words and communicate what makes you unique and why you are an ideal fit for your chosen course. Unlike the rest of your application, which is likely to be fairly similar to other students’ who are studying similar subjects and are at a similar level, your personal statement is highly personal and a chance to paint a vivid picture of who you are and your academic journey so far.

For a Philosophy personal statement, there are certain skills, aptitudes, and qualities that tutors are looking for and your personal statement is your chance to demonstrate these. While students are certainly not required nor expected to have studied any philosophy at school, you must be able to show that you have a real interest in the subject, that you have the intellectual skills necessary for studying it at a high level, and that you have a realistic understanding of what this will entail.

A successful personal statement for Philosophy will demonstrate that you are capable of and (just as importantly) enjoy complex critical thinking. It will also show that you have actively developed your skills of rigorous analysis both in your schoolwork and outside, and it will show that you have the appetite to engage with new perspectives on different issues. It will show that you relish the chance to wrestle with challenging ideas, and that you are developing the communication skills needed to do this with others effectively. It will also be unique to you. All this can seem intimidating at first, but with the right support and preparation, writing your personal statement can be an enjoyable experience and a chance to create something to be proud of.

What Should I Include in a Philosophy Personal Statement? 

A successful Philosophy personal statement will clearly demonstrate that you have the self-motivation for studying philosophy at an undergraduate level. Admissions tutors will be looking for specific ways that you have shown you have the potential to succeed in this challenging and rigorous subject that you may not have studied before. There are many different ways you can show your interest and skills, including reading, relevant academic achievements such as essay competitions, experiences in work or internships, and your own independent learning outside of school. There are also some skills specific to Philosophy that admissions tutors will be looking for. Philosophy is at its heart about investigating very wide-ranging and fundamental questions. These questions include the exploration of the nature of knowledge, reality, mind, morality, logic, language, reasoning, politics, art, and value. You need to demonstrate that you are starting to engage with these questions at this level, and are keen to go deeper at university. You should also make sure that your personal statement shows how your powers of analysis are developing, and that in your academic work you are developing your ability to reason effectively, to construct a coherent line of argument, and to present it with clarity and precision.

Passion for Studying Philosophy

It is not enough to simply state that you are passionate about studying Philosophy, you need to think carefully about how and why this is true for you, and then discuss this with specificity and depth. It can be useful to reflect on your interest in Philosophy; where did it begin? Where has your curiosity taken you so far? What ideas have you found the most challenging or transformational? Why do you think Philosophy is the subject to address these ideas and not something else? The answers to these questions are personal to you so could take a wide variety of forms. They will also take multiple drafts to get right but with each draft you will be able to go deeper with your ideas and find that you are expressing real insights that are personal to you rather than making generic statements.

Academic Achievements and Experiences

Admission to a Philosophy degree at either Oxford or Cambridge is based primarily on your academic achievement and potential. You can demonstrate this as be a mixture of formal and informal achievements such as Philosophy essay competitions you have taken part in, or reading that you have completed that has challenged you to go beyond your school courses. There are various Philosophy essay competitions, and these can be an effective way to demonstrate your interest outside of school, and to give you experience of thinking deeply about a complex topic, reasoning your way through it, and communicating your ideas. You may even win a prize or be shortlisted which can be an impressive achievement to note. Throughout your Philosophy personal statement, it is important to keep returning to the Philosophy-specific skills you wish to demonstrate, and weave those into your accomplishments. Admissions tutors are looking for your potential as a future philosophy student so skills such as independent thinking, an ability to understand and construct complex arguments, and an appetite for thinking deeply and carefully are all highly valued. You can develop these skills across a range of different subjects (including both humanities and sciences) and also in extra-curricular activities, but it is important to remember to emphasise the connection to studying Philosophy. For example, simply stating that you enjoy drama and have been in various stage plays will not help your application very much, but if you can show engagement with the moral or artistic issues raised by the plays you were in, this will reflect very favourably on you.

Specific Interests and Evidence of Reading

Philosophy is a reading-heavy subject so being able to demonstrate self-directed critical reading skills is crucial. This will show that you are becoming ready to study this challenging subject at university level. It can be effective to make rough notes about books or articles that you have read and found fascinating, and also any topics that you have engaged with through essay competitions or independent exploration. Then, after your initial brainstorm, you can identify some themes or common threads so that you can demonstrate that you have taken a fundamental question you are interested in and gone deeper with it. This is much more engaging for the person reading your personal statement than just reading a long list of books you have read.

What Should I Avoid in a Philosophy Personal Statement? 

In writing your personal statement it is important to be genuine and to be yourself. Never copy anyone else’s personal statement, even if you agree with it. Find your own voice based on your own experiences and interests and work on refining your communication skills so that the admissions tutors can get to know you a little. Students often read other template statements online, which can be helpful in getting an idea for structure and tone, but this can also make it hard to hear your own voice and lead to your statement becoming generic, which is something to avoid. Remember that your academic journey, your motivations, and the things that sparked your curiosity are all unique to you and you should make sure you communicate this in your personal statement.

Another common mistake to avoid is using up your limited word count mentioning achievements and interests that are not relevant to the subject you want to study. Even if these other factors are impressive or interesting in themselves, admissions tutors are specifically looking for who is the best fit for Philosophy, rather than who is impressive in a general sense. Philosophy is a challenging and highly rigorous subject at university and admissions tutors are looking for students who are able to demonstrate their potential to succeed at this level, and are willing to work hard to get there.

Advice on How to Start a Philosophy Personal Statement  

Many students find it helpful to leave this part to the end, reread everything they have written, and then come up with a sentence or two that introduces those main ideas. Your opening should be memorable, personal, and set the framework for the rest of the personal statement.

It is challenging to do this well, but your personal statement is a good opportunity to demonstrate that you have the skills to organise ideas in a coherent way, communicate clearly and precisely, and think deeply and originally. These are all skills that are highly prized by Philosophy admissions tutors as they directly demonstrate your potential to succeed as a Philosophy student.

Advice on How to Finish a Philosophy Personal Statement  

As a potential Philosophy student it is important to show that you are able to identify the most important ideas and summarise them effectively. The closing section of your personal statement should draw together the main ideas raised in a coherent way and leave a strong impression in the mind of the admissions tutor reading your statement. They will be left in no doubt that you have thought deeply about Philosophy, are motivated to take your interest to the next level at university, and they will be keen to meet you at interview.

FAQs