A personal statement summarizes your experiences, unique qualities, achievements, and aspirations that make you suitable for a particular opportunity. Over the years, it has become an increasingly valuable tool in different professional and academic contexts. As a result, it can be used when applying for university, jobs, scholarships, internships, or seeking new careers. Preparing this document allows you to self-reflect. A well-written personal statement should be authentic and effectively communicate your competencies that highlight your suitability as a candidate for the associated academic or professional opening. A template can be a great starting point when writing a comprehensive personal statement highlighting all your best attributes.
As established, you may need a high-quality personal statement in different contexts. To address these needs, we have provided multiple templates for various uses, including applications for college, law school, MBA, graduate school, scholarship, job, and master’s degree programs.
7 Personal Statement Templates
Below are 7 templates to cater to your academic and professional needs. Each has been pre-made to ensure you present valuable information in each context.
College Personal Statement Template
A personal statement can be used in college applications to communicate your suitability for a program at learning institutions such as universities and colleges. We have provided this template to assist you in such applications. It can be subdivided into three sections – the beginning, middle, and end.
The beginning lets you specify your subject or field of interest, where the passion originated from, and ways you have proactively pursued this field – for example, through projects and competitions. The middle section guides you to discuss various topics, including your current school or program, school-related and extra-curricular activities you have undertaken, and skills you have acquired through this experience. Also, the template prompts you to give real-life examples of challenges you have encountered, academic or professional accomplishments, and how such instances molded your personal or skills development. Then, the template prompts you to indicate the college you are interested in, the specific programs, clubs, and initiatives you would like to partake in, its attributes that appeal to you, and how you can be valuable to them. Then, you can use the end section to summarize your personal statement in a few words.
Law School Personal Statement Template
A law school personal statement highlights your suitability for the institution and the specific program you want to pursue. We have provided a template for this usage. The first paragraph is your introduction, and it opens your statement by highlighting the origin of your interest in law, your academic background in law, your relevant skills in legal practice, and an area of interest you would like to pursue.
The next four paragraphs of the template form the body of the personal statement. Each paragraph prompts you to input varying topics, including relevant experience in legal practice, like internships, additional experiences such as voluntary work, skills gained, and relevance to particular law fields of interest, as well as the specific school. Also, use the last paragraph of the body section to specify the institution’s name and specific area of law you would like to pursue, such as criminal, civil, advocacy, etc., and your career goals. Then, use the last paragraph to provide a concise but impactful closing. You should aim to align this information with the law school mission and ethos, skills that make you valuable to the school, and how an opportunity to study there would help you impact the community.
MBA Personal Statement Template
The objective of an MBA (Master of Business Administration) personal statement is to present yourself as a suitable candidate for the course. This template prompts you to communicate your suitability by addressing the following areas – your academic background, industrial practice, personal attributes, and skills relevant to a business school such as leadership.
It opens your personal statement by guiding you to state the industry or business area you would like to pursue, the institution’s name, and your business background. In the next sections, the template allows you to highlight your previous professional experiences, relevant skills, achievements, and career ambitions. Then, the last paragraph of the template is meant to conclude the personal statement. You can do so by reiterating the university or business school you want to enroll in, the industry or business area you wish to pursue, and your intentions to have an impact on the school’s community, industry, and society. Such information ensures that the letter is not generic, increasing your chances of application success.
Personal Statement for Graduate School
This template will allow you to present your motivation for pursuing the specific degree and relevant experiences and aspirations that make you a befitting candidate for graduate school programs, including master’s and doctoral degrees.
It opens the personal statement by indicating the field of study you will be interested in, your major, the university’s name, relevant projects, internships, and work experience. In the body section, the template has entries for you to indicate your academic background, such as specialization, skills gained, and achievements. It also prompts you to discuss your passion for a particular research area, its source, and its topic. You can also highlight your previous experiences, such as internships, work or voluntary jobs, skills, and personal qualities. The template has entries stating the name of the graduate school, the graduate program, and reasons for your interest in the institution. In the conclusion section, reiterate the key points of your personal statement and your eagerness to join the school.
Personal Statement for Scholarship Template
Scholarship applications will often request personal statements for the selection committee to get more insights into who you are as a person and beyond what they can conclude from your recommendations and academic reports. We have provided this template to help you present such insights.
In the introduction, the template begins with the field of interest you want to pursue, a personal story or experience of how your interests emerged, the scholarship name, and why the scholarship is important to you. Then, the next four paragraphs form the body of the personal statement, where you can present different information, such as your current school, relevant subjects or courses you have undertaken, and academic achievements.
Also, it has sections that prompt you to discuss extracurricular activities pertinent to your field of interest to illustrate that you are proactively pursuing your aspirations, skills gained, and field of study of interest. You can also discuss community work or volunteer work you have undertaken, skills gained, and your aspiration to contribute to the community positively. To finalize the body section, mention your professional goals and how the scholarship will help you contribute or impact your field. The last component is a conclusion section, which restates the scholarship name, area of interest, opportunities facilitated by the scholarship, and your commitment to your aspirations.
Personal Statement Template for a Job
Different jobs and internships require a personal statement to evaluate your suitability for the position and opportunity. This template allows you to present this information by offering the format and content to include in your personal statement.
It begins with indicating the job position, company name, reason for selecting the company or role, and a personal experience that aligns with the responsibilities of the job title. In the body section, the template allows you to provide your work experience, skills related to the job, previous roles, responsibilities, and company. Also, it has entries that mention your major achievements, unique attributes, the name of the company you are applying to, what you admire about it, and your professional goals. In the conclusion section, reiterate your qualities, experiences, and interest in the particular job and company you are applying for.
Personal Statement for Masters
This template lets you communicate to the admissions board that you can successfully undertake the postgraduate course. It begins with specifying the master’s program name, institute name, and your undergraduate major in the introduction section. In the body section, four paragraphs highlight various topics from your academic background, professional experience, and skills relevant to your field of study. Also, here, you can mention aspects of the school, such as faculty, research group, culture, etc., that make you choose the specific school. In the final section, provide a conclusion by discussing the key points discussed in the earlier sections of the personal statement and your conviction that the school is the best fit for you.
You can access the templates in different formats, including MS Word, Word template (.dotx), and OpenDocument Text (.odt). The in-text instructions should guide you on how to complete the templates.
Remember, personal statements should not be too long. Typically, a page or two will suffice. Also, the content should be tailored to the specific context and use and follow a logical structure from one paragraph to the next. Disorganized information lowers the quality of your statement.
