Changes to the UCAS Personal Statement in 2024

***Please note this information is outdated; for more information please see our latest blog post here.***

Changes to the UCAS Personal Statement in 2024

For years, the UCAS Personal Statement has been a thorn in the side of applicants to UK universities everywhere - requiring students to spend the best part of several months reading, planning, and writing their magnum opus to impress their chosen universities. This month has brought the news that, as of 2024, UCAS is no longer going to require applicants to write a personal statement when applying for university. In this blog, we’re going to take you through why this change is happening, how the Personal Statement’s going to be replaced, and how this is likely to affect you as an applicant.

Why the change?

This change has been made in light of arguments by some that the existing Personal Statement system affords an advantage to more privileged students who have greater access to expert guidance and advice. With students from a greater variety of backgrounds attending university at a higher and higher rate every year, UCAS have felt the need to reform the application process with the aim of widening access for all students, irrespective of their knowledge regarding the application process or whether they know someone who has made a successful application before. As reported by The Times, UCAS consulted with 1,200 students, 170 teachers, and over 100 universities and colleges before making these reforms, meaning that the new system is designed with not just universities but also applicants in mind, hopefully meaning that it suits the students applying as much as fitting the universities’ requirements.