how to write a personal statement for visa application

How to Write a Statement of Purpose for Visa Application (5 Min Trick)

Planning on studying abroad read on to know more about what is a statement of purpose and how to write a statement of purpose for a visa application a statement of purpose (sop) is the most important document that could be the deciding factor on whether or not your visa application gets accepted..

If you’ve been making plans to study abroad , you would have done your part of the research to understand what are the requirements for visa application. Though it may differ from country to country, below is a generic list of requirements while applying for a student visa:

• A valid passport
• Proof of funds
• Passport-size photos
• Acceptance to a designated educational institution
• Application fee payment receipt

Statement of Purpose for visa application

• English language proficiency examination score

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What is a Statement of Purpose?

A Statement of purpose or an SOP is a detailed description given by an applicant which essays their professional and educational backgrounds, their personality traits and personal story. It also needs to give an explanation outlining the reasons for choosing a particular institution in the specific country, the academic course and the career choice thereafter. An SOP is required to be submitted to:

• The admissions committee at the particular university or college of choice
• Visa centre 

This is to convince them to accept your visa application to have your student visa issued. A Statement of purpose for a visa differs from that which needs to be submitted to colleges and universities.

Your Statement of Purpose for visa application should essentially cover these following 3 W’s:

• W ho are you?
• W hat are your academic qualifications and credentials?
• Why are you the right candidate?

An SOP is typically an essay that is 1000-1500 words long and should be written in such a way that it reflects your traits and characteristics. It should be unique and specific to you. So if the content of your SOP is copied from someone else’s SOP, you would risk it being rejected. Several professional writing services provide SOP writing services. Companies like Write Right provide exemplary SOP services with their team of highly-qualified writers. 

The importance of a Statement of Purpose

An SOP is not to be mistaken with a Curriculum Vitae (C.V.) or a Biodata . It is a rather detailed story that clearly explains and engulfs your profile including the following points:

• Your life visions 
• Your desire to study abroad
• Your career goals
• Your beliefs
• Subject knowledge
• Plans after pursuing a course abroad.

To put it in a gist, a well-written SOP should portray your overall personality and your general outlook. Remember, an SOP is very important as it would be scrutinized by the visa officer and the institution to which you are applying. So take it as an opportunity, like a marketing strategy, where you need to pitch your purpose to the concerned authorities while advertising your story as well as how well you can express yourself with your impressive writing skills. 

Needless to say, there would be tons of applications that you would be competing with. In a subtle, yet impactful way, your statement of purpose for visa application should paint a picture of all the reasons why you should be selected over other applicants. You may think that your academic background falls short of the requisite expectations. But even in such a case, there is no need to lose hope. A well-written SOP could compensate for a slight lack in your academics by highlighting your future goals and explaining how ambitious you are.

Statement of Purpose for visa application is the most crucial part of your student visa application. The Visa officers would only consider your application if your SOP is honest and reflects your true persona and identity explained professionally. If you are planning on studying abroad, it is important to note that most of the countries would require you to write an SOP to be attached to your visa file, like Canada, New Zealand, Australia, the USA, and the UK.

Format of SOP

While there may not be a fixed format for a statement of purpose for visa application, it would bode well for you if it is formatted and sequentially written professionally. Below are a few simple pointers that you might need to remember while drafting your SOP:

• An SOP is written in paragraph form. It should ideally be 5-7 paragraphs long with 150 to 250 words per para.
• The use of bullet points is accepted but its usage should be kept to a bare minimum and maybe even avoided altogether as far as possible.
• Follow the general rules associated with essay writing.
• A standard SOP is ideally two pages long unless otherwise specified.
• The maximum font size to be used is a 12 point font and should be double spaced in normal margins. So, a standard SOP would be around 800-1000 words depending upon the font type used. The acceptable length could exceed 1000 words, but you need to ensure that it does not go beyond 1200 words.
• Colourful text, font, and images should not be used. The text should be the default color of plain black and nothing else other than black.

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Structure of Statement of Purpose for Visa

Let us go through the paragraphs as stated below to understand the structure of the statement of purpose. Please note that the below-mentioned structure is not the only way to write your SOP. It is only indicative of how a well-written SOP should be structured.

Start with the top right corner by mentioning your name and your address along with your e-mail address. Below this, on the left-hand side, address the statement of purpose to the visa officer of the particular country for which you are applying.

This is the part where you mention the subject of the matter in your SOP, not unlike the format in which you write a letter or an e-mail. It is a header that needs to mention the subject matter of your statement of purpose for visa application. For example-

• An SOP for Masters
• An SOP for Grad school
• An SOP for MBA

3. Introduction

This should be the starting paragraph, but it is not to be confused with a self-introduction. Instead of using it to describe yourself, this paragraph should be used to give a brief description of what you intend to discuss in your statement of purpose for your visa application. You may adopt various approaches to go about this paragraph: 

• Talk about your long-term goal and inter-link it with your aspiration of pursuing the course you are applying for.
• Explain your understanding of your chosen field and also elaborate on how you could contribute to the said field.
• In about 2-3 lines give a brief about your background and connect it with your future goals
• To give it more of personal touch you can even mention an anecdote that helped you realize your interest in the chosen professional field which will help. It humanizes your statement of purpose for visa application and the officer might be able to connect with the narration.
• More often than not, students make the mistake of introducing themselves or talking about their childhood in the first paragraph. But it is very important to understand and realize the purpose behind writing the SOP. It is not about narrating a detailed story about yourself. It is all about expressively and professionally sharing your past experiences, your current aspirations, and your plans, joining all these dots in a sequential flow while also trying to convince that you have a contribution to make to their country just as their country will contribute to your growth.

4. Academic Background and details

This is the second paragraph that should summarize your academic background, qualifications, and accolades (if any). It also elaborates on what you have done so far, what you are currently pursuing,

academic strengths, projects done, or any industrial training exposure. If your grades are not that impressive, fret not. Please make sure that you do not particularly highlight any negative aspects in your SOP, without being dishonest in your approach. Do take note that you have to put across your point subtly and give them the necessary details emphasizing the noteworthy aspects of your academics.

5. Professional Experience

The third paragraph comprises your professional experiences. That is if you have any professional experience it should be discussed in the upcoming paragraphs. This helps in establishing your career progression. An impressive career graph is also a great plus point and would add to your positives.

6. Reasons why you choose this particular Course

In the fourth paragraph, you need to list out the reasons for opting for the particular academic course in question.   In this paragraph, you should elaborate on the reasons for wanting to join the desired specific course and the different modules that you would be covering during this course. You should also discuss the skills you would be acquiring as a result of the course along with the exposure you would gain in this duration that would help in developing and honing the skills that are required to achieve your professional goals.

7. Career Goals and aspirations

This is the most important paragraph and should be the highlight of your SOP. Here you should elaborate on your near-future short-term goals as well as your long-term plans. 

Short-term goal: This mentions your immediate goal of where and what kind of a company you would want to work with right after you graduate from the course post-completion. Do remember to name some good MNCs with a global presence to not limit yourself geographically. Also, make a mention of the designation at which you see yourself working. Simply put, this paragraph should give a brief about the kind of job profile that you aspire to have in your near future.

Long-term plans: This is where you discuss your dream goals and aspirations like where do you see yourself in 10-15 years from the present. Although your plans may change later, you have to give an honest view about what you currently aspire to be or do. Say, for example, you may see yourself working at the top management level of a big multinational corporation or maybe you want to be an entrepreneur and are working towards starting and expanding your own business. You may be planning on contributing to expanding your family business to a global level or you may want to study further, maybe get a doctorate, or even want to become a professor or a researcher.

Whatever your plans may be, it is advisable to briefly discuss your professional goals, principles and core values. But please note that it should not just be about you. You need to ensure that you also mention how you would be able to create a difference while treading on your journey. It is important to be able to portray how you would also influence young aspirants within the industry considering the current industrial and economic scenarios and also guide them to achieve their goals and become better global citizens of tomorrow.

  8. Reasons why you opted for this University

In paragraph number six, you should try and convince the specific University about your suitability of candidature. You should discuss the benefits of the knowledgeable faculty, the course curriculum, research and fieldwork, internship opportunities as well as other activities that are specific to the university. Also, make sure that you mention how all of these things would contribute to enhancing your profile as well as how you would be the right fit for their college and how you could make a contribution to them.  

9. Closing Paragraph of SOP

In this paragraph of your statement of purpose for visa application, you should conclude by stating your passion, willingness, and readiness to pursue your desired course at the college of your choice. You need to ensure that you sound focused on your vision for the future and emphasize your seriousness to follow your dreams. Also, do make sure that you mention your preparedness to face and overcome the challenges that come your way. This para should reflect your zeal and zest to work hard and succeed with the help of your course and your college and also how willing you are to make a difference to your specific industry and the world at large on a global platform.

Is there a difference between a Statement of Purpose same as a Personal Statement?

A personal statement seems to be quite similar to a statement of purpose, except for a few aspects. An SOP would ideally include a two-page essay about your goals, motivation, experience, extracurricular activities, achievements, and so on. A personal statement on the other hand is a crisp, one-page essay about your experiences, motivation, achievements, and so on. A personal statement is usually more personal than an SOP. So a personal statement should be more elaborate about your goals and aspirations. Whereas an SOP is a much more detailed form of a personal statement.

How to write a great SOP?

Here are the three major steps that need to be kept in mind while writing your SOP:

• Plan your SOP well- The first and foremost thing to be done is to plan your SOP by outlining a structure and accordingly work towards constructing the SOP. A good way to build your introductory paragraph is by quoting an anecdote that piqued your interest in your chosen field. List down relevant pointers and create a step-by-step framework for each paragraph, then elaborate on each of the points mentioned systematically and creatively. Also, most importantly, emphasize your reason for choosing the course and the university.
• Prepare a draft- Before moving on further, ensure that you create a draft and then re-draft your SOP to eliminate errors. Please note that when you also share your learnings from your professional experiences, it shows that you are a keen learner, which is a positive point. Ensure to use active voice when writing your SOP. Try and limit the use of technical terms and jargon. The introduction and conclusion of your SOP need to be clear and concise that communicates your vision. One point to remember, your SOP should always be written in reverse chronological order.
• Review before you send your final SOP submission- It’s always important to review your work before final submission. Reviewing and re-analyzing your work will help to rectify any flaws in the order, flow, grammar, vocabulary, long sentences, punctuation, sentence construction errors, and other errors and issues. Please ensure that your SOP is proofread, verified, and double-checked properly before submission. If possible, try and get a second opinion, maybe from your professor, a senior, or a counsellor.

Here are a couple of tips to write an impactful SOP

• Please DO NOT COPY the content available on the internet and paste it into your SOP.
• Please ensure that your SOP is not too long and limit the number of words to 1000-1500 maximum.
• Keep it brief and concise and avoid going on and on to make your point.
• Avoid simple grammatical errors in the final SOP. Moreover, try to keep the sentences short and simple.
• Please do not cook up stories in your SOP. Ensure that everything you mention is authentic and believable. Your honesty will go a long way.
• Keep the tone of your SOP conversational tone to make it interesting.
• Try to get some expert guidance that will help you to write an effective and impactful SOP.
• You are narrating your story through your SOP so write sentences in the first person and not in the second/third person.
• Make sure you highlight your achievements (academic and extra-curricular).

What to include in SOP?

• Introduction with an anecdote
• Professional aspirations
• Academic goals
• Personal motivations
• Reason to choose the particular course or College
• Extra-curricular activities
• Achievements

What not to include in your SOP?

• Family background
• Informal language or slang
• Irrelevant and unnecessary information
• Repetition of words or phrases
• Long, meaningless sentences

Common mistakes that students should avoid while writing SOP

Here are some of the common mistakes that students generally make while writing the SOP:

• Sometimes students make the grave mistake of taking the SOP too lightly. Please make sure that you give it proper thought and spend enough time writing an impactful SOP.  In the eleventh-hour students often make the mistake of copying and simply pasting it as their work. Do not take that risk and ensure you do proper homework for your SOP.
• Creating a weak introduction and conclusion could result in the rejection of your SOP. Try to summarize your academic achievements and experiences in a concise form that reflects your overall personality.
• The use of informal language or slang in your SOP. Ensure that you write your SOP in a formal, professional language.
• Exceeding the word limit by getting carried away with your story and writing irrelevant information will result in creating a negative impression. Keep it professional.
• Submission without proofreading your SOP. Reverification and double-checking are very important.

Writing an effective and impactful Statement of Purpose for visa application requires a lot of time, effort, and thought. However, it also depends upon the way you do your research and homework. It is also quite subjective and the time taken to write the SOP may vary from person to person.  But the important thing is that you do not make the mistake of taking it too lightly. This is not like your regular college assignment. A well-written SOP can make or break your dream of studying abroad. And remember, nobody is perfect. Sometimes, it’s a swing and a miss. Yet, you have no reason to give up hope. If your application gets rejected for some reason, you can always try again and this time, do it even better.

Give it your all, work hard, and eventually, the results will speak for themselves. SOP demonstrates an important aspect of your personality- which is your communication. It all depends on how you portray everything. So do not get too bogged down by all the information available online. Be patient, do some research, and spend your valuable time on the right resources.

All the best!

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Q. How many pages should an SOP be visa be?

For a student visa application an SOP should be of 2 pages which means an application should have 1000 to 1500 words for example if the applicant is applying for student visa in Canada.

Q. Is SOP for visa and admission different?

Yes. The SOP for admission means the student is applying for the enrollment in the university for the course. SOP for visa is after an acceptance when the student is called for a visa interview.

Q. Is SOP compulsory for a visa application?

Yes. SOP is very important the applicant have to write an SOP whether it is for SDS or non- SDS. SOP mentions the reason why the applicant is choosing a particular course in the chosen university. So yes, SOP is a must for visa.

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Writing a Personal Statement for Studying Abroad

When you are applying for a study abroad program you may be asked to write a personal statement. If you aren’t sure about what a personal statement is, what it looks like, or what it includes, you can find out right here with our guide to writing a personal statement…

What is a personal statement?

A personal statement is often the only opportunity you have to set yourself apart from all the other applicants who also want to study your chosen course. Many admissions officers use it to make their final decision on a shortlist of candidates. Primarily it is a way for them to find out the reasons behind your application answers but they will also want to know what makes you unique. What will you bring to your class that is different? You need to convey your enthusiasm for the subject making sure you give an honest explanation.

You may also need to write a personal statement for a scholarship application, which could mean the difference between studying and not. There is no need to panic though as writing a personal statement for studying abroad is not as hard as it sounds. Just follow our guide and you’ll have a great statement in no time.

What does a personal statement look like?

Most personal statements are just one or two pages that focus on one or two clear themes, and give an in depth explanation of your abilities or interests in that area. Don’t try to fit in your entire life story or all of your achievements, as this will waste valuable space.

The best personal statements have a clear structure – a compelling introduction, between two and five body paragraphs that give solid reasons or explanations for studying, and a strong conclusion. But before you start writing, make sure you read any instructions that were sent. Not all personal statements are the same so be sure to check what your admissions office requires. Once you know what they require, make sure you keep to that format – if they want two A4 pages double-spaced, then don’t send in four pages. If they ask you to answer three specific questions, do so clearly. Otherwise your statement could be rejected before it has even been read.

What does a personal statement include?

• A strong introduction
• A summary of your achievements
• Details of your skills and abilities
• An explanation of why you would be a good fit for the degree or scholarship
• A conclusion that rounds out your statement nicely and brings it all together

Introduction

Your introduction needs to grab the reader’s attention. It sets the tone for the rest of the statement. Avoid clichés or long-winded explanations. Instead, spark their interest and get to the point – in just one paragraph. Because the introduction is so important, you may want to write it last. That’s OK!

In the body of your personal statement, you need to demonstrate some reasons behind your theme. Think of this as an argument, just like an essay – and just like an essay, you should back up all of your statements. Don’t just state your achievements, explain what is behind them, giving examples of when you have shown certain abilities or skills, as this adds credibility to your argument and can make a big difference in making your statement stand out from the crowd.  You are trying to persuade the reader that you are the best possible student for this class or scholarship so it’s also a good place to mention achievements that you were unable to include in your main application, but only if they are relevant.

Your conclusion needs to flow from the rest of the copy. An attention-grabbing sentence at the end will help give impact to your statement, so be sure you emphasise your desire to study. You may wish to include a specific reason for choosing that university in your conclusion – some unique feature that ties in with the points you have outlined on your goals and experience. It’s a good way to show that you have researched that institution, and that this is not just a generic statement.

Whenever possible, leave your statement overnight and then look at it again with fresh eyes. Check that it flows well and ensure there are no grammar and spelling mistakes. Now you’re ready to show it to some friends and relatives asking them for constructive feedback. A second point of view can really add to your statement and is well worth taking the effort. Personal statements are so important and could be the reason for your application to the institution or scholarship failing.

If you’re not confident about your English ability, ask a fluent English speaker to proofread it. This is critical, as your personal statement demonstrates your ability to write and communicate in English when you study. For many admissions officers, clear English is the first thing they look for.

A good writer always thinks about the reader’s point of view. In this case, the admissions officer may have only two minutes to review your statement. He or she may read thousands during the admissions process. So keep it clear, simple and to the point.

SEE MORE:  10 reasons your scholarship application may fail

Following this guide will help you to write an excellent personal statement. If you are still unsure of the course you wish to apply for, you can use our course search tool at the top of the page to find your ideal university.

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• Funding and Scholarships for International Students
• How will studying abroad help your career prospects?

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Letter of Self Introduction for Visa (with 2 Convincing Samples and Templates)

A letter of self introduction for visa application is essentially a cover letter addressed to the visa officer/embassy or immigration as the case may be, providing more information about yourself, the purpose of your visit, and establishing more grounds as to why you should be granted a visa to a particular country.

As the name implies, a letter of self introduction for visa application is a document typically written by a visa applicant to the embassy or immigration office, introducing himself for the sole purpose of visa issuance. It is an important requirement for most visa applications.

A very convincing letter of self introduction (all things being equal) can help boost your chances of getting a visa.

When writing a letter of self introduction for visa application, it is important to be as convincing as possible, leaving the visa office with no option but to approve your visa.

How you approach this letter depends on the purpose of your visit and the sort of visa you are requesting. However, it is important to note that the format is basically the same irrespective of the type of visa you’re applying for.

Sample Letter of Self Introduction for Visa Application

Before we delve into how you can write a modern, powerful letter of self introduction for visa application, let’s show you a sample so you can have an idea how it looks like (and how it should be, typically).

Get a Letter of Self Introduction for Visa

Sleek, modern, editable letter of self-introduction carefully crafted to boost your chances of visa approval. Instantly download in Word format and 100% customizable.

This letter is simple, yet convincing enough with the additional documents included for reference. Plus it is crafted on a clean, beautiful and modern personal letter head, making it even more appealing.

A letter of self introduction for visa application may be required for:

• Tourist Visa
• Business Visa
• Schengen Visa
• Work/Employment Visa
• Permanent Residence Visa
• Visa on Arrival for some countries, etc.

All of these carry the same format. The main difference lies in the details included as per the purpose of visit.

Vital Information to Include in Your Letter of Self Introduction for Visa

Here are the various info you may include in your letter of self introduction for visa application.

• Your address or letter head at the top
• The recipient address (visa officer/embassy or immigration)
• Your contact number and/or email address
• The purpose of travel (preferably in just a sentence)
• Address the recipient by name (if you know them)
• Attach all other necessary documents required for the visa application
• End the letter with a complimentary close (e.g. Yours sincerely) your full name, and signature.

If you are applying for a business visa , here are more specifically the vital information you should include in your letter of self introduction:

• Name of the applicant
• Employment length in the company
• Position of the applicant in the company
• Annual CTC (total salary package)
• Reason for the visit
• Visit duration
• Financial commitment of the company to the trip (if any)

Again if you are applying for a Schengen visa , here are the important details required in your letter of self introduction:

• Your name, occupation and how long have you been working
• Whether you are traveling alone or with someone
• Your purpose of visit to the Schengen Zone
• Your residence while you would be on trip.
• How you will be funding your trip
• Your travel itinerary

Letter of self introduction for visa application (Template)

Here’s a template letter of self introduction for visa application (based on the sample above):

Celestine Davids

4332 Blackwell St

New York 10003

United States.

December 14, 2020

The Visa Officer,

Consulate-General of Japan,

Request for Japan Tourist Visa

I write to introduce myself in respect of the above subject matter. I will be traveling to Okazaki for a cultural exhibition and will also take some days to see some of the wonderful tourism destinations in Japan.

My arrival in Okazaki would be on December 28, 2020  and the date of departure from Okazaki would be January 17, 2020.

Traveler details are as follows:

Celestine Davids (Passport Number: 0081339DA)

Along with visa application, I have attached the following documents for your reference:

• Filed application form with photograph
• Round trip flight itinerary
• Accommodation details
• Financial and employment details (bank statement and latest Income Tax Return)
• Leave letter/No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the employer

I will be available for more information if required for the smooth processing of the visa. Kindly do not hesitate to contact me for enquiries on my itinerary.

Yours sincerely,

[Your signature here]

+13478737700

How to Write Your Partner Visa Relationship Statement

The australian partner visa program requires that visa applicants and sponsor applicants both prepare a relationship statement. this post will explore what’s required in these relationship statements., partner visa statement package.

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The two main purposes of your statements are:lk

• Firstly, to explain the nature of your relationship, how you met and the narrative of the key dates in your relationship development, and;
• Secondly, to cover the gaps in your evidence, explain any inconsistencies, and provide context to your evidence.

Each statement should be around 2-3 pages long. The primary purpose of this statement is to assist in proving that you have a genuine and ongoing relationship. This is an important opportunity to explain your relationship in your own words and demonstrate to the case officer that it is genuine. So it’s worth taking time to edit and review it to ensure that the statement is as strong as possible.

Here are the top nine tips for writing a persuasive and powerful relationship statement.

1. You should set out key dates in your relationship. Explain how you met, where you met and when you met, and make sure that you provide the exact date and location that you committed to a relationship.

Let the case office know how your relationship developed from that point. Was there a period of friendship at the start? How long did you know each other before you formed your relationship? Were you introduced? Did you meet via a dating site? It is important to articulate all the dates in chronological order so the progression of your relationship from meeting to your current de facto or married status is as clear as possible to the case officer.

2. You should print and proofread your statement several times to ensure that your spelling and grammar are correct. It is important to take your time to provide the correct spelling of important places and people’s names. Particularly, it is important that your partner and family names are all spelled correctly. We suggest that you have a family member or a close friend review the statement before you finalise it.

3. Were there any periods of physical separation? All relationships have periods of physical separation for one reason or another, whether it is because one party is either overseas, has to visit family, or perhaps there is simply a family emergency that required travel.

This is an opportunity to explain how you kept in contact, and how frequently. You should talk about the frequency of your communication during this period and if possible, provide supporting evidence. You should clearly explain why the period of physical separation happened. If this was a period of actual separation of your relationship, you should be candid in your statement about that.

4. You should clarify how your relationship developed and the key dates when it became more serious. Typically, the Department is primarily interested in the date you met face to face, the date you consider you became a serious and mutually exclusive relationship, and the date you consider you became de facto or married.

You should also set out the significant dates like funerals in the family, other marriages, key birth dates, or family crisis. If your partner has assisted you through an emotionally difficult time or supported you, then you should elaborate on that. Provide details on how the relationship developed and the periods of time when the partner was introduced to friends and family. You should not use overly emotional language but rather you should set out how you felt at each stage of the relationship progression.

5. You should also use the statement to demonstrate the nature of the household you share together. This is a criterion that specifically looks at how your household is run since you began co-residing. You can clarify who does the cooking, who does the cleaning, how other responsibilities throughout the household are split, and how your financial arrangements support your household.

6. You should also talk about the recreational activities that you do as a couple and the things that you enjoy together. This should also describe any holidays and mutual activities (RSL visits, online gaming, family trips, hiking) that you undertake together. Use this statement to describe in detail the recreational activities you enjoy doing as a couple.

7. Your statement should also explain how you share your finances, and how you manage your finances together. This is particularly relevant if you’ve yet to share your bank accounts. You should also set out financial commitment such as car repayments, shopping, rent, and/or credit card repayments. But more than the specifics, you might also like to talk about your relationship differences.

8. Not only do you need to show that your partnership is genuine at the time of application but you should also prove that it is an ongoing relationship and you both plan to spend your future together. This can be demonstrated by discussing future holidays or major purchases. If you have a joint savings account, you can discuss this. You can also explain your plans in terms of having children or potentially getting engaged or married. What’s important is that you show there is a commitment to a life together.

9. You should ensure there are accurate dates in your statement. A case officer will be checking to see whether it is consistent with both your material evidence and your application form. You should also draw attention to the length of time you’ve been together and the most important dates, like the date your first met face to face or when you began residing together. We suggest you make a rough draft of your statement using bullet points before adding extra detail. It also assists many applicants to set out a timeline and confirm that timeline with your partner prior to drafting the relationship statement. It’s very important that the applicant’s statement and the sponsor’s statement do not contain any contradictory information. Lastly, you should double-check the dates and the timeline of events in your partner’s statement, so take your time and ensure that you get it right.

Need more help? Summit Migration offers a Partner Visa Statement Package. Get our comprehensive package to preparing your Partner Visa Statements here . Don’t settle for the standard Form 888 provided by the Department, but supercharge your application with our legal precedents. This package includes:

• The statement precedent we use at Summit Migration to prepare all our Partner Statements. This precedent is suitable for both the Applicant AND the Sponsor.
• The precedent we use to prepare all our Supporting Witness Statements.
• Example Partner Statements for the Sponsor, Applicant and Supporting Witness.

Get it here .

For personalised partner visa advice, contact Summit Migration and talk with a registered migration agent today.

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• 2 Examples of What to Include in Your Personal Statement
• Bright Immigration
• Posted on December 6, 2021
• By Brightimigration
• In Bright Immigration
• Leave a comment

Bringing your loved ones into Canada to gain PR (permanent residence) status can be daunting. That is because there are just so many requirements to fulfill, and missing one document can cost you your chances. One of the most important yet hardest to do for the application is to prove that your relationship is genuine. Fortunately, there is one thing you can do and present to confirm that your relationship is real, and that is with a personal statement.

How do you make a compelling personal statement? Generally, you would want to fill it with as much relevant information as possible. We say relevant because what is in your personal statement will depend entirely on your situation. Here are a few examples of that.

The encounter

How you met your partner will dictate what you will include in your personal statement. For example, if you met each other online, then you will need to provide specific information and proof to support that. This will include the platform on which you communicated as well as the frequency at which you were in contact. Other things you can include to establish that you are indeed together is to write clearly just why you two decided to get together in the first place.

You probably have already met the other person in real life and have spent considerable time together. As such, you should include evidence to support this, most notably the day you first met face-to-face. Do this by recounting the date as well as the location where you met. Include photos, if any, to provide further proof.

The marriage

With so many ways one can get married to their partner, you must be clear about how exactly the two of you got married and the reason behind the decision. For instance, if you went through an arranged marriage, you would need to state why it happened and why your parents think you and your spouse were a good match. Note that some reasons are unacceptable for immigration applications. A great example of this is to have gotten married for the sole purpose of getting into a particular country such as Canada.

That said, you should include as many details of the wedding day as possible. Write down the names of those responsible for making the ceremony happen, detailing each individual’s role. You can also include the date, location, and photos of the event.

The above are just examples of what you should include in your personal statement. Remember, your personal statement will be different from anyone else’s, so there might be other requirements that you will need to submit.

Nevertheless, the key takeaway is that you should include as much information as possible regarding your relationship with your partner in your personal statement. From the first day you met your love to the day you married them, include as much accurate information as possible. By doing so, you give yourself a much higher chance of proving your relationship to be authentic and finally bring your partner, or yourself, into Canada.

If you’re looking for professional help from a  Canadian immigration firm , please contact us at [email protected] or call 1-888-404-8472.

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How to Write a Personal Statement (with Tips and Examples)

Hannah Yang

Table of Contents

What is a personal statement, 6 tips on how to write a personal statement, personal statement examples (for college and university), faqs about writing personal statements, conclusion on how to write a personal statement.

How do you tell someone who you are in just a few hundred words?

It’s certainly no easy task, but it’s one almost every college applicant must do. The personal statement is a crucial part of any college or university application.

So, how do you write a compelling personal statement?

In this article, we’ll give you all the tools, tips, and examples you need to write an effective personal statement.

A personal statement is a short essay that reveals something important about who you are. It can talk about your background, your interests, your values, your goals in life, or all of the above.

Personal statements are required by many college admission offices and scholarship selection committees. They’re a key part of your application, alongside your academic transcript, standardized test scores, and extracurricular activities.

The reason application committees ask you to write a personal statement is so they can get to know who you are. 

Some personal statements have specific prompts, such as “Discuss a period of personal growth in your life” or “Tell us about a challenge or failure you’ve faced.” Others are more open-ended with prompts that essentially boil down to “Tell us about yourself.”

No matter what the prompt is, your goal is the same: to make yourself stand out to the selection committee as a strong candidate for their program.

Here are some things a personal statement can be:

It can be funny. If you have a great sense of humor, your personal statement is a great place to let that shine.  

It can be vulnerable. Don’t be afraid to open up about hardships in your life or failures you’ve experienced. Showing vulnerability can make you sound more like a real person rather than just a collection of application materials.  

It can be creative. Candidates have got into top schools with personal statements that take the form of “a day in the life” descriptions, third-person short stories, and even cooking recipes.

Now we’ve talked about what a personal statement is, let’s quickly look at what a personal statement isn’t:

It isn’t a formal academic paper. You should write the personal statement in your natural voice, using first-person pronouns like “I” and “me,” not in the formal, objective language you would use to write an academic paper.

It isn’t a five-paragraph essay. You should use as many paragraphs as you need to tell your story instead of sticking to the essay structure you learned in school.

It isn’t a resumé. You should try to describe yourself by telling a clear and cohesive story rather than providing a jumbled list of all of your accomplishments and ambitions.

Here are our top six tips for writing a strong personal statement.

Tip 1: Do Some Serious Self-Reflection

The hardest part of writing a personal statement isn’t the actual process of writing it.

Before you start typing, you have to figure out what to write about. And that means taking some time to reflect on who you are and what’s important in your life.

Here are some useful questions you can use to start your self-reflection. You can either answer these on your own by writing down your answers, or you can ask a trusted friend to listen as you talk about them together.

What were the key moments that shaped your life? (e.g. an important friendship, a travel experience, an illness or injury)

What are you proud of? (e.g. you’re a good listener, you always keep your promises, you’re a talented musician)

How do you choose to spend your time? (e.g. reading, practicing soccer, spending time with your friends)

What inspires you? (e.g. your grandmother, a celebrity, your favorite song)

Doing this self-reflection is crucial for figuring out the perfect topics and anecdotes you can use to describe who you are.

Tip 2: Try to Avoid Cliché Topics

College application committees read thousands of personal statements a year. That means there are some personal statement topics they see over and over again.

Here are a few examples of common personal statement topics that have become cliché:

Winning a tournament or sports game

Volunteering in a foreign country

Moving to a new home

Becoming an older sibling

Being an immigrant or having immigrant parents

If you want to make a strong impression in the application process, you need to make your personal statement stand out from the crowd.

But if your chosen personal statement topic falls into one of these categories, that doesn’t necessarily mean you shouldn’t use it. Just make sure to put a unique spin on it so it still delivers something the committee hasn’t seen before.

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Tip 3: Show, Don’t Tell

One common mistake you might make in your personal statement is to simply tell the reader what you want them to know about you, such as by stating “I have a fear of public speaking” or “I love to cook.”

Instead of simply stating these facts, you should show the committee what you’re talking about through a story or scene, which will make your essay much more immersive and memorable.

For example, let’s say you want the committee to know you overcame your fear of public speaking. Instead of writing “I overcame my fear of public speaking,” show them what it was like to be onstage in front of a microphone. Did your palms get clammy? Did you feel light-headed? Did you forget your words?

Or let’s say you want the committee to know you love to cook. Instead of writing “I love to cook,” show them why you love to cook. What’s your favorite dish to cook? What does the air smell like when you’re cooking it? What kitchen appliances do you use to make it?

Tip 4: Connect the Story to Why You’re Applying

Don’t forget that the purpose of your personal statement isn’t simply to tell the admissions committee who you are. That’s an important part of it, of course, but your ultimate goal is to convince them to choose you as a candidate.

That means it’s important to tie your personal story to your reasons for applying to this specific school or scholarship. Finish your essay with a strong thesis.

For example, if your story is about overcoming your fear of public speaking, you might connect that story to your ambition of becoming a politician. You can then tie that to your application by saying, “I want to apply to this school because of its fantastic politics program, which will give me a perfect opportunity to use my voice.”

Tip 5: Write in Your Own Voice

The personal statement isn’t supposed to be written in a formal tone. That’s why they’re called “personal” statements because you have to shape it to fit your own voice and style.

Don’t use complicated or overwrought language. You don’t need to fill your essay with semicolons and big words, unless that’s how you sound in real life.

One way to write in your own voice is by speaking your personal statement out loud. If it doesn’t feel natural, it may need changing. 

Tip 6: Edit, Edit, Edit!

It’s important to revise your personal statement multiple times in order to make sure it’s as close to perfect as possible.

A single typo won’t kill your application, but if your personal statement contains multiple spelling errors or egregious grammar mistakes, you won’t be putting your best foot forward.

ProWritingAid can help you make sure your personal statement is as clean as possible. In addition to catching your grammar errors, typos, and punctuation mistakes, it will also help you improve weaknesses in your writing, such as passive voice, unnecessary repetition, and more.

Let’s look at some of the best personal statements that have worked for successful candidates in the real world. 

Harvard Personal Statement Example

Love. For a word describing such a powerful emotion, it is always in the air. The word “love” has become so pervasive in everyday conversation that it hardly retains its roots in blazing passion and deep adoration. In fact, the word is thrown about so much that it becomes difficult to believe society isn’t just one huge, smitten party, with everyone holding hands and singing “Kumbaya.” In films, it’s the teenage boy’s grudging response to a doting mother. At school, it’s a habitual farewell between friends. But in my Chinese home, it’s never uttered. Watching my grandmother lie unconscious on the hospital bed, waiting for her body to shut down, was excruciatingly painful. Her final quavering breaths formed a discordant rhythm with the steady beep of hospital equipment and the unsympathetic tapping hands of the clock. That evening, I whispered—into unhearing ears—the first, and only, “I love you” I ever said to her, my rankling guilt haunting me relentlessly for weeks after her passing. My warm confession seemed anticlimactic, met with only the coldness of my surroundings—the blank room, impassive doctors, and empty silence. I struggled to understand why the “love” that so easily rolled off my tongue when bantering with friends dissipated from my vocabulary when I spoke to my family. Do Chinese people simply love less than Americans do?

This is an excerpt from a personal statement that got the applicant admitted to Harvard University. The applicant discusses her background as a Chinese-American by musing on the word “love” and what that means within her family.

The writer uses vulnerable details about her relationship with her grandmother to give the reader an understanding of where she comes from and how her family has shaped her.  

You can read the full personal statement on the Harvard Crimson website.

Tufts Personal Statement Example

My first dream job was to be a pickle truck driver. I saw it in my favorite book, Richard Scarry’s “Cars and Trucks and Things That Go,” and for some reason, I was absolutely obsessed with the idea of driving a giant pickle. Much to the discontent of my younger sister, I insisted that my parents read us that book as many nights as possible so we could find goldbug, a small little golden bug, on every page. I would imagine the wonderful life I would have: being a pig driving a giant pickle truck across the country, chasing and finding goldbug. I then moved on to wanting to be a Lego Master. Then an architect. Then a surgeon. Then I discovered a real goldbug: gold nanoparticles that can reprogram macrophages to assist in killing tumors, produce clear images of them without sacrificing the subject, and heat them to obliteration. Suddenly the destination of my pickle was clear. I quickly became enveloped by the world of nanomedicine; I scoured articles about liposomes, polymeric micelles, dendrimers, targeting ligands, and self-assembling nanoparticles, all conquering cancer in some exotic way. Completely absorbed, I set out to find a mentor to dive even deeper into these topics. After several rejections, I was immensely grateful to receive an invitation to work alongside Dr. Sangeeta Ray at Johns Hopkins.

This is the beginning of a personal statement by Renner Kwittken, who was admitted into Tufts University as a pre-medical student.

Renner uses a humorous anecdote about being a pickle truck driver to describe his love for nanomedicine and how he got involved in his field. You can feel his passion for medicine throughout his personal statement.

You can find Renner’s full essay on the Tufts Admissions page.

Law School Personal Statement Essay Example

For most people, the slap on the face that turns their life around is figurative. Mine was literal. Actually, it was a punch delivered by a drill sergeant at Fort Dix, New Jersey, while I was in basic training. That day’s activity, just a few weeks into the program, included instruction in “low-crawling,” a sensible method of moving from one place to another on a battlefield. I felt rather clever for having discovered that, by looking right rather than down, I eliminated my helmet’s unfortunate tendency to dig into the ground and slow my progress. I could thus advance more easily, but I also exposed my unprotected face to hostile fire. Drill sergeants are typically very good at detecting this type of laziness, and mine was an excellent drill sergeant. So, after his repeated suggestions that I correct my performance went unheeded, he drove home his point with a fist to my face. We were both stunned. This was, after all, the New Army, and striking a trainee was a career-ending move for a drill sergeant, as we were both aware. I could have reported him; arguably, I should have. I didn’t. It didn’t seem right for this good sergeant, who had not slept for almost four days, to lose his career for losing his temper with my laziness. Choosing not to report him was the first decision I remember making that made me proud.

These are the first three paragraphs of an anonymous personal statement by a Wheaton College graduate, who used this personal statement to get into a top-25 law school.

This statement describes a time the applicant faced a challenging decision while in the army. He ended up making a decision he was proud of, and as a result, the personal statement gives us a sense of his character.

You can find the full essay on the Wheaton Academics website.

Here are some common questions about how to write a personal statement.

How Long Should a Personal Statement Be?

The length of your personal statement depends on the specific program you’re applying to. The application guidelines usually specify a maximum word count or an ideal word count.  

Most personal statements are between 500–800 words. That’s a good general range to aim for if you don’t have more specific guidelines.  

Should Personal Statements Be Different for Scholarships?

Many scholarship applications will ask for personal statements with similar prompts to those of college applications.

However, the purpose of a personal statement you’d write for a scholarship application is different from the purpose of one you’d write for a college application.

For a scholarship application, your goal is to showcase why you deserve the scholarship. To do that, you need to understand the mission of the organization offering that scholarship.

For example, some scholarships are meant to help first-generation college students get their degree, while others are meant to help women break into STEM.

Consider the following questions:

Why is this organization offering scholarships?

What would their ideal scholarship candidate look like?

How do your experiences and goals overlap with those of their ideal scholarship candidate?

You can use the same personal anecdotes you’d use for any other personal statement, but you’ll have a better chance of winning the scholarship if you tailor your essay to match their specific mission.

How to Start a Personal Statement

You should start your personal statement with a “hook” that pulls the reader in. The sooner you catch the reader’s attention, the more likely they’ll want to read the entire essay.

Here are some examples of hooks you can use:

A story (e.g. When the spotlight hit my face, I tried to remind myself to breathe. )

A setting description (e.g. My bedroom floor is covered with dirty laundry, candy wrappers, and crumpled sheet music. )

A funny anecdote (e.g. When I was a little kid, my friends nicknamed me Mowgli because of my haircut. )

A surprising fact (e.g. I've lived in 37 countries .)

There you have it—our complete guide to writing a personal statement that will make you stand out to the application committee.

Here’s a quick recap: 

A personal statement is a short essay that shows an application committee who you are

Start with a strong hook that pulls the reader in

Tell a story to engage the reader 

Write in your own voice, not in a formal tone

Good luck, and happy writing!

Hannah is a speculative fiction writer who loves all things strange and surreal. She holds a BA from Yale University and lives in Colorado. When she’s not busy writing, you can find her painting watercolors, playing her ukulele, or hiking in the Rockies. Follow her work on hannahyang.com or on Twitter at @hannahxyang.

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Statement of Purpose for a German Student Visa: A Sample (2024)

• Check out our Video Course (64 min.)
• What is a Statement of Purpose?
• Do Embassies/Consulates provide samples?
• Why you should NOT use a sample?

Video Course

Get Accepted into Your Dream German University — with the Perfect Letter of Motivation!

If you are not from the EU or a small number of other countries (see the full list here ), you will need to apply for a German student visa. In turn, this means that you will have to submit a Statement of Purpose (SOP) in order to be considered for the visa. You might already be aware that, in the case you fail to produce a proper high-quality SOP, you run a risk of being rejected . If that happens, you will need to postpone your studies by one or two semesters (6-12 months), depending on whether your desired program has intakes in both winter and summer semesters.

Long story short: the stakes are quite high, and that is exactly why you should take the Statement of Purpose seriously and invest as much time as you need to write a quality SOP.

Further Reading

The problem is that, based on our experience and research, students usually find SOP writing the most challenging task of their German student visa application. That's why many students search the internet to find a high-quality SOP sample. Unfortunately, this decision can lead to dramatic consequences because

1. Students end up using a poor SOP sample as a guide, as finding a very good SOP example is extremely difficult (and they are by virtue of their situation unable to tell the difference), and/or 

2. Students end up plagiarizing.

But don’t worry: we are here to help you! Being well-informed equals being safe — that is why in this article, we decided to address the key issues when it comes to the Statement of Purpose sample for visa applications at German Embassies/Consulates around the world.

It is our goal to inform you honestly and accurately, therefore, we need to add a DISCLAIMER :

You should use this text as a general guide, but it cannot be a legal consultation. The visa regulations are made and executed by the Federal Foreign Office (Auswärtiges Amt), Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI), and the local Foreigners’ Offices (Ausländerbehörde). Please be aware: Some rules and procedures can vary from embassy/consulate to embassy/consulate (even within one country), and from Ausländerbehörde to Ausländerbehörde in Germany. That is why we highly recommend you also consult the  German representation abroad  near you, and the local Foreigners’ Office in Germany (which Ausländerbehörde is responsible for you depends on your residence in Germany) for information that applies to your case.

Check out our Video Course (64 min.) on "How to write a Letter of Motivation"

22 videos plus checklist and template

What is a Statement of Purpose for a student visa in Germany?

Generally speaking, a Statement of Purpose is an obligatory application document required by German Embassies/Consulates. Through this document, you should convincingly demonstrate your motivation to come to Germany, to study in the specific study program to which you have gained admission, and explain why you are the one who deserves to get a chance to study in Germany. In other words, it is through the SOP that you make a formal request for a German student visa.

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Do German Embassies/Consulates provide SOP samples?

No, none of the local German Embassies/Consulates provide Statement of Purpose samples. They do this on purpose, as they expect and require you to produce it yourself, independently. At most, what local German Embassies/Consulates do is sometimes provide tips. You can find some of these in the table below. It is noteworthy that some of the Embassies/Consulates mentioned in the table explicitly highlight that the SOP must be written by YOU. Moreover, the German Embassy in Armenia states that if someone else writes your SOP for you, the Embassy will notice this and take appropriate action.

Table: Statement of Purpose Tips by German Embassies/Consulates

Why you should NOT use a Statement of Purpose sample?

Poor quality

The Internet is full of SOP samples. However, we do not suggest relying on them while writing your own SOP for your German student visa application. As was already mentioned, one of the reasons is that, in most cases, the quality of these SOP examples is quite low. To be more precise, 90% of the Statement of Purpose samples that you can find on the Internet would be rejected by your local German Embassies/Consulates. The reason is that what they usually suggest with respect to the structure, content, format etc., is simply wrong. Here is one  example of this kind of SOP.

Risk of Plagiarism

Even if the sample is of high quality, you still should not heavily rely on it, as you might end up plagiarizing it, which is a no-go. You can, however, use the good SOP sample as a general guideline for the purpose of getting an overall idea of what the SOP should look like. In general, if you plagiarize or copy anything directly from any source, you will not be able to get away with it. As already mentioned above, the responsible Embassy/Consulate will find out about that, and your application will be immediately rejected .

Although the Embassies/Consulates mentioned in the table above do not provide samples, their tips can be quite useful for writing a high-quality SOP for your German student visa application. Thus, we suggest you carefully read through them and make good use of their advice.

If you want to be on the safe side and at the same time learn how to write a very good Statement of Purpose for your German Student Visa application, check out our  comprehensive video course  on this topic and familiarize yourself with our articles, which you can find  here . Moreover, if you sign up for the video course, you will get a high-quality Statement of Purpose sample created by our team!

Do not forget about the danger of plagiarism!  Just use our sample (or any other high-quality sample) for the purpose of getting an overall idea of what the SOP should look like. Otherwise, your application will be rejected.

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Why Data Scientists Should Consider Applying for the UK Glob...

Get ready for uninterrupted connectivity in london for free, your ultimate guide to experiencing christmas as an immigran..., navigating the future of work in the uk with ai, how to write a personal statement for uk's global talent visa.

• In Immigration & Visa
• 02 Jan 2023, 09:11 PM
• By Technologist Confidant

A strong personal statement makes all the difference when applying for the UK's Global Talent Visa. It is critical that you plan and write your personal statement in a creative manner. This document will help you make a solid first impression. It's your chance to explain why you're applying for a Global Talent Visa and why you want to come to the UK, as well as what skills, experiences, and expertise you have that will set you apart.

What Is A Personal Statement?

Your personal statement is a brief essay explaining why you want to be considered for the UK Global Talent Endorsement programme. Your personal statement should be well-written, clear, and succinct. It should be devoid of language and spelling mistakes and offer the reader an idea of who you are as a person and what you stand for.

As per   Tech Nation , a Personal Statement (PS) should meet the following criteria:

It should be a maximum of 1000 in length. The content of the Personal Statement should explain the contribution that you will make to the UK digital technology sector. It must be submitted using the Tech Nation form and not uploaded as a separate document.

Moreover, the statement in the PS should be relevant and consistent with the rest of your application, which should include responses to the following questions as well as any other information you think important:

• Why do you want to come to the UK?
• What is your planned occupation in the UK?
• Which region or city of the UK are you planning to live in?
• How will the UK digital technology sector benefit from your work? ( You can frame this answer by including the technological advances you will bring, the creation of new markets, the planned growth of a digital technology company, and the activities you will take part in outside of your direct occupation.)

Please note: Tech Nation updates these questions regularly. Therefore, candidates must rigorously adhere to the guidelines and criteria.

Themis insight: Since the objectives of the CV and personal statement are distinct, you should refrain from replicating your CV in your personal statement. Submitting two documents with similar information is unnecessary because you will present your CV and personal statement as part of your application.

Here are some tips on how to write a solid personal statement that will help you get endorsed:

• Start by introducing yourself by brainstorming what you want to include in your personal statement.
• Explain why you’re applying for the UK Global Talent Endorsement
• Outline your skills, experience and achievements in relation to the endorsement criteria
• Conclude by telling what you hope to achieve with the endorsement

What Tech Nation Looks For In An Applicant?

Your future contributions to the UK's digital technology industry are something that the Tech Nation is looking forward to hearing about. Additionally, you are expected to respond to a few questions in a manner consistent with the rest of your application. Give specific examples of your achievements and quantify them, as numbers are the best indicator of success and value. Make sure not to leave your assessor wondering what effect it brought on the company, your compensation, and how that impacted your standing inside the company. This is your opportunity to convince Tech Nation assessors why your accomplishments make you a perfect fit for the Global Talent Visa.

Impressing your assessor and leaving a lasting impression are both possible with a well-written personal statement.

Best Keywords to Include in a Personal Statement

Tech Nation is interested in people with product experience demonstrating your involvement/impact in your organisation's digital business, such as products and solutions, innovation, and so on. Use keywords like innovation, digital technology, digital transformation, creative thinking, impact, research and development, process and product innovation, concept to launch, revenue, commercial, scaling, sustainable ecosystem, operational excellence, strategy, benchmarks, and so on as much as possible.

Remember your chosen Mandatory and Optional criteria when creating the first draft while writing your PS.

Your personal statement is critical if you want to apply successfully for the   UK Global Talent Endorsement. This document is your opportunity to sell yourself to the professionals who will be examining your application, so create a strong first impression. We've given you some pointers on creating a compelling personal statement for the UK Global Talent Endorsement application.

We will assist you in putting together a winning application and increasing your chances of getting approved. If you do not currently meet the Global Talent Visa eligibility criteria but wish to apply for this visa, we can also help with it. We advise and prepare clients for the Global Talent Visa. When you are ready to apply for the Global Talent Visa, you can do so directly or with our assistance.

For more information, write to us at [email protected]

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• Your Partner Visa Relationship Statement – Don’t underestimate the power of a good love story

by  Rofia Mavaddat - LL.B - Registered Migration Agent [MARN 1467678]

October 26, 2023

Reading Time:  minutes

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Partner Visa Relationship Statements are my FAVOURITE part of a Partner Visa Application. They are so heart-warming to read and for me put the whole application into context. An application just makes sense once I have read the couple’s relationship statements.

Without relationship statements, a Partner Visa Application simply isn’t complete. 

What are your Partner Visa Relationship Statements?

If you’re not familiar with relationship statements, then this blog is going to be your best friend. Relationship statements, otherwise known as or referred to as your ‘statutory declarations’ are your unique love stories. They paint the picture of your relationship and should provide a detailed account of your relationship history and how you manage various aspects of your lives as a couple. 

A relationship statement in a partner visa can be the difference between a visa refusal and visa grant. Your statements are your opportunity to explain various aspects of your relationship. Not just to explain, but to fill in the gaps. If your application doesn’t tick all the ‘conventional’ evidence boxes, for example not having joint bank accounts or perhaps you live your lives on the road together and so you don’t have joint lease agreements, then your relationship statements are where you explain your individual relationship. 

Why should I provide a Relationship Statement?

Think of your relationship statements as the final piece of the puzzle that demonstrates your commitment to your partner and your shared life together. It should be a powerful narrative convincing the decision maker that you are in a commitment, mutually exclusive relationship. Simply put, your relationship statement is going to give the decision maker so much more context than simply looking over documents.

How long should they be?

I have had clients provide relationship statements for their partner visa that were just one page long, and have had others 20 pages long! Over the last 9 years of reading relationship statements, I believe I’ve found the sweet spot for how long they should be.

A one page statement is not nearly enough to cover everything you should be covering (we’ll come to the content of the statements soon). A 20 page statement is also arguably too long. You want to keep the decision maker engaged with your statement. If your statement is too long then you run the risk of having it skimmed through and potentially having the decision maker miss some of the most important points.

So what’s the magic number? I would recommend keeping your relationship statement between 4-6 pages. From the thousands of statements I have read, this seems to be the perfect balance of giving the decision maker enough insight into your relationship and addressing all the key components of your relationship, but still making sure its succinct and easy to follow.

Keep in mind that this is a guide only. Depending on your case, and remember that each partner visa is unique and different, you may need more or less pages.   

What information should a Relationship Statement for your Partner Visa cover?

You should be writing your relationship statements using clear headings. As your starting point, you should be talking about the development of your relationship. This includes information detailing when you met, where you first met and how your relationship started to develop. Ideally, you want to keep this content to one page.

You’re then going to move into talking about the ‘ four pillars ’. Remember that when the decision maker is assessing whether or not you meet the criteria for a Partner Visa, they will assess your relationship against four different factors. These are:

• The financial aspects of your relationship
• The nature of your household
• The social aspects of your relationship
• Your commitment to one another (also called Nature of Commitment )

As a general rule of thumb, try to keep the content of each of these four pillars to half a page long. You will find that with some pillars you may need to provide more information than others.

Here are some ideas and guides to talk about under each pillar:

The Financial Aspects of your relationship

Here, the decision maker wants to understand how you manage your finances and how you pool your finances together.

• Describe how finances continue to be managed between both of you
• Do you have joint bills?
• Have you made any joint purchases?
• Do you have any loans together?
• Do you have a Will in the other person’s name?
• If you don’t have a shared bank account how do you manage your finances and why?
• Moving forward (in the future) how will the finances in your relationship be managed?
• Is there something you are saving for together? Do you have some shared financial goals?

Nature of your household

Under this section, you want to give the decision maker a recount in your daily life and what it looks like. For example who wakes up first in the morning, who makes the coffee/tea, who does the washing, who does the cooking, who does the driving, who pays the bills, who cares for the children, do you have extended family you’re responsible for ie an elderly person. 

There are of course situations where couples do not live together when a Partner Visa is submitted, or even afterwards. Your relationship statements are a great place to talk about your living arrangements and if you are not living together, why?

• Who does the cleaning/washing/ household chores?
• Do you have joint responsibility for raising children or pets? If so talk about this
• Who is responsible for managing the bills? Talk about your shopping routine, who drives and how you live together as a couple.

Social Aspects of your Relationship

Under this section, you want to explain to the decision maker what your social life looks like. For example, do you do things together when you’re not working, do you plan your social activities and attend them together, do your friends/family and the people that matter to you know about the relationship or is it a secret? It’s important the decision-maker is left with an understanding of what you do together socially, if you present yourselves as being in a relationship publicly ie with friends/family and if you’re viewed by friends/family as partners.

• Describe the social activities you do together
• Talk about how you plan your social activities. Do you make plans together? Do you introduce each other as partners or friends?
• Describe which members of your family and friend circles know about your relationship
• Talk about your holidays together
• Talk about joint attendance at events together
• What clubs/church/sport or recreational groups do you belong to?

Commitment to one another

This section is designed to show immigration just how serious your relationship is. This is done by firstly looking at the strength of your relationship at this point in time (up until now) and then by talking about your plans for the future together.

• Have you experienced any difficult periods together where you have provided emotional support to each other? If so, explain this. Please give anecdotal examples.
• Talk about the degree to which you rely on each other for support
• Talk about sacrifices you have made for each other
• Talk about your knowledge of goals/plans or things your partner wants to achieve in the future and how you will support him/her with this
• Talk about why it is you love your partner, what had you fall in love with your partner and why they are important to you.
• What do you have in common? What shared values do you hold? What makes your relationship strong/long lasting?
• What are your plans for your future together?
• Do you plan to have children? Do you plan to buy a house? Do you plan to get married? Do you plan to travel? Do you plan to study? Do you have pets together?

Who needs to write a Relationship Statement?

For an Australian Partner Visa, both the Applicant (person applying for the visa) and the Applicant’s partner (known as Sponsor – the Australian Citizen/Permanent Resident sponsoring their partner) need to complete relationship statements.

It’s not sufficient or insightful if only one party is providing a statement. The statements should be written separately by both parties.

Oftentimes a couple believes their friends and family also need to provide relationship statements. But what they are referring to are actually witness statements .

I always recommend submitting your relationship statements as soon as your partner visa is lodged. This is best practice to ensure the case officer has all the information they need to make a decision, so make sure your statements are signed and ready to go!

Avoid these common mistakes

Getting your relationship statements right are really important. At the end of the day, you’re wanting to make the decision maker’s life (and in turn your life) easier. 

You’ll find that I love my analogies so here’s another one. Imagine you start reading a book but realise the first and last chapters are missing. You can still read the book but it just won’t make as much sense. You need those first and last chapters to complete your book. That’s the same as your relationship statements. You need them in order to complete your application.

Here are my top tips on what to do, and what to avoid when writing your statements:

DO cross check dates and information. Consistency is key. Not just when it comes to your relationship statements, but the entire application. If you are stating that your relationship started on 01 January 2021, then your partner’s statement should also reflect the same date.

DON’T copy each other’s statements. Your statements are your opportunity to talk to the decision maker, to speak in your own voice, write your own memories of your relationship and how you work together as a couple. Continuously looking at your partner’s statement will on some level make you write a similar statement to theirs, which you want to avoid.

DO your grammar and spelling checks. A well written statement reflects your commitment to the process, professionalism and attention to detail. It pays off to do your checks.

DON’T be vague. The whole point of a relationship statement for a partner visa is to provide insight into your relationship. The decision maker won’t be getting any if you’re vague and generic in your recount of the relationship.

DO get a translator. If you or your partner does not speak, read or write English then we recommend they write their statement in their native language and have an English translation complete by an accredited interpreter .

DON’T write your partner’s statement. Why? If your partner’s level of English is not the same as yours it will be very clear to the decision-maker that it was not actually written by the person signing it.  I could tell straight away when I read a couple’s relationship statements if they were both written by the same person. One of the statements will always lack authenticity and even the style of writing, the words they choose to use and the formatting of the statements is close to exact. It’s easy to spot when one person is writing and it comes off as lazy.

What else should you cover in your Relationship Statements?

Relationship statements are also a great place for you to talk about or ‘speak to the case officer’ about your immigration history. If you are the visa applicant, you should provide a brief overview of any previous visas you have held and your current visa (if you are in Australia).

If you have ever been refused a visa, your relationship statement is again a great place to talk about the reasons around why your visa was refused.

Statutory Declaration or Statement?

There’s no formal requirement from the Department of Home Affairs around what the formatting of your relationship statement for your partner visa should look like.

My preference is to always provide your relationship statements in the form of a Statutory Declaration. This is because a Statutory Declaration is a legal document and may hold more weight. There are of course situations where providing a Statutory Declaration is not possible, and that’s okay too.

Key takeaway points

If you remember anything after reading this blog, let it be these three main points:

• Your Relationship Statements should be given the effort and energy they require. It’s important to sit down and detail your relationship history and go into detail around the pillars of evidence.
• Write your own statement. Don’t share your statement with your partner until they are both completed.
• Cross check your statements at the end, along with your application forms , documents, witness statements to ensure there is no inconsistency across the information and dates provided.

IMPORTANT: Please note, this does not constitute Immigration advice. Always seek advice from a Registered Migration Agent before applying for an Australian Visa. Migration Law is constantly changing. This information is accurate only at the time of publication.

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Rofia Mavaddat - LL.B - Registered Migration Agent [MARN 1467678]

Rofia was born in Perth, Australia. She holds a Bachelor of Law and has been a Registered Migration Agent since 2014. Rofia chose to specialise in Partner Visas because of a deep-seated belief in the power of love and family unity. She has seen firsthand the joy and fulfillment that comes from reuniting couples and keeping families together. Her work in this area allows her to witness and be a part of the beautiful stories of love and togetherness - what could be more rewarding?  

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How to Write an Amazing Personal Statement (Includes Examples!)

Lisa Freedland is a Scholarships360 writer with personal experience in psychological research and content writing. She has written content for an online fact-checking organization and has conducted research at the University of Southern California as well as the University of California, Irvine. Lisa graduated from the University of Southern California in Fall 2021 with a degree in Psychology.

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Zach Skillings is the Scholarships360 Newsletter Editor. He specializes in college admissions and strives to answer important questions about higher education. When he’s not contributing to Scholarships360, Zach writes about travel, music, film, and culture. His work has been published in Our State Magazine, Ladygunn Magazine, The Nocturnal Times, and The Lexington Dispatch. Zach graduated from Elon University with a degree in Cinema and Television Arts.

Bill Jack has over a decade of experience in college admissions and financial aid. Since 2008, he has worked at Colby College, Wesleyan University, University of Maine at Farmington, and Bates College.

Maria Geiger is Director of Content at Scholarships360. She is a former online educational technology instructor and adjunct writing instructor. In addition to education reform, Maria’s interests include viewpoint diversity, blended/flipped learning, digital communication, and integrating media/web tools into the curriculum to better facilitate student engagement. Maria earned both a B.A. and an M.A. in English Literature from Monmouth University, an M. Ed. in Education from Monmouth University, and a Virtual Online Teaching Certificate (VOLT) from the University of Pennsylvania.

The personal statement. It’s one of the most important parts of the entire college application process. This essay is the perfect opportunity to show admissions officers who you are and what makes you stand out from the crowd. But writing a good personal statement isn’t exactly easy. That’s why we’ve put together the ultimate guide on how to nail your personal statement, complete with example essays . Each essay was reviewed and commented upon by admissions expert Bill Jack. Let’s dive in!

Related: How to write an essay about yourself  

What is a personal statement? 

A personal statement is a special type of essay that’s required when you’re applying to colleges and scholarship programs. In this essay, you’re expected to share something about who you are and what you bring to the table. Think of it as a chance to reveal a side of yourself not found in the rest of your application. Personal statements are typically around 400 – 600 words in length. 

What can I write about? 

Pretty much anything, as long as it’s about you . While this is liberating in the sense that your writing options are nearly unlimited, it’s also overwhelming for the same reason. The good news is that you’ll probably be responding to a specific prompt. Chances are you’re applying to a school that uses the Common App , which means you’ll have seven prompts to choose from . Reviewing these prompts can help generate some ideas, but so can asking yourself meaningful questions. 

Below you’ll find a list of questions to ask yourself during the brainstorming process. For each of the following questions, spend a few minutes jotting down whatever comes to mind. 

• What experiences have shaped who you are? 
• What’s special or unique about you or your life story? 
• Who or what has inspired you the most? 
• What accomplishments are you most proud of? 
• What are your goals for the future? How have you arrived at those goals? 
• If your life was a movie, what would be the most interesting scene? 
• What have been some of the biggest challenges in your life? How did you respond and what did you learn? 

The purpose of these questions is to prompt you to think about your life at a deeper level. Hopefully by reflecting on them, you’ll find an essay topic that is impactful and meaningful. In the next section, we’ll offer some advice on actually writing your essay. 

Also see:  How to write a 500 word essay

How do I write my personal statement? 

Once you’ve found a topic, it’s time to start writing! Every personal statement is different, so there’s not really one formula that works for every student. That being said, the following tips should get you started in the right direction:  

1. Freewrite, then rewrite 

The blank page tends to get more intimidating the longer you stare at it, so it’s best to go ahead and jump right in! Don’t worry about making the first draft absolutely perfect. Instead, just get your ideas on the page and don’t spend too much time thinking about the finer details. Think of this initial writing session as a “brain dump”. Take 15-30 minutes to quickly empty all your thoughts onto the page without worrying about things like grammar, spelling, or sentence structure. You can even use bullet points if that helps. Once you have your ideas on the page, then you can go back and shape them exactly how you want. 

2. Establish your theme 

Now that you’ve got some basic ideas down on the page, it’s time to lock in on a theme. Your theme is a specific angle that reflects the central message of your essay. It can be summarized in a sentence or even a word. For example, let’s say you’re writing about how you had to establish a whole new group of friends when you moved to a new city. The theme for this type of essay would probably be something like “adaptation”. Having a theme will help you stay focused throughout your essay. Since you only have a limited number of words, you can’t afford to go off on tangents that don’t relate to your theme. 

3. Tell a story

A lot of great essays rely on a specific scene or story. Find the personal anecdote relevant to your theme and transfer it to the page. The best way to do this is by using descriptive language. Consult the five senses as you’re setting the scene. What did you see, hear, taste, touch, or smell? How were you feeling emotionally? Using descriptive language can really help your essay come to life. According to UPchieve , a nonprofit that supports low income students, focusing on a particular moment as a “ revised version of a memoir ” is one way to keep readers engaged. 

Related: College essay primer: show, don’t tell  

4. Focus on your opening paragraph

Your opening paragraph should grab your reader’s attention and set the tone for the rest of your essay. In most cases, this is the best place to include your anecdote (if you have one). By leading with your personal story, you can hook your audience from the get-go. After telling your story, you can explain why it’s important to who you are. 

Related:  How to start a scholarship essay (with examples)

5. Use an authentic voice 

Your personal statement reflects who you are, so you should use a tone that represents you. That means you shouldn’t try to sound like someone else, and you shouldn’t use fancy words just to show off. This isn’t an academic paper, so you don’t have to adopt a super formal tone. Instead, write in a way that allows room for your personality to breathe. 

6. Edit, edit, edit…

Once you’re done writing, give yourself some time away from the essay. Try to allow a few days to pass before looking at the essay again with fresh eyes. This way, you’re more likely to pick up on spelling and grammatical errors. You may even get some new ideas and rethink the way you wrote some things. Once you’re satisfied, let someone else edit your essay. We recommend asking a teacher, parent, or sibling for their thoughts before submitting. 

Examples of personal statements 

Sometimes viewing someone else’s work is the best way to generate inspiration and get the creative juices flowing. The following essays are written in response to four different Common App prompts: 

Prompt 1: “Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.”

When I was eight years old, I wanted a GameCube very badly. For weeks I hounded my dad to buy me one and finally he agreed. But there was a catch. He’d only get me a GameCube if I promised to start reading. Every day I played video games, I would have to pick up a book and read for at least one hour. At that point in my life, reading was just something I had to suffer through for school assignments. To read for pleasure seemed ludicrous. Needless to say, I wasn’t exactly thrilled about this proposed agreement. But I figured anything was worth it to get my hands on that shiny new video game console, so I bit the bullet and shook my dad’s hand. Little did I know that I had just made a life-changing deal. 

At first, the required hour of reading was a chore — something I had to do so I could play Mario Kart. But it quickly turned into something more than that. To my complete and utter surprise, I discovered that I actually enjoyed reading. One hour turned into two, two turned into three, and after a while I was spending more time reading than I was playing video games. I found myself captivated by the written word, and I read everything I could get my hands on. Lord of the Rings , Percy Jackson , Goosebumps — you name it. I was falling in love with literature, while my GameCube was accumulating dust in the TV stand. 

Soon enough, reading led to writing. I was beginning to come up with my own stories, so I put pen to paper and let my imagination run wild. It started out small. My first effort was a rudimentary picture book about a friendly raccoon who went to the moon. But things progressed. My stories became more intricate, my characters more complex. I wrote a series of science fiction novellas. I tried my hand at poetry. I was amazed at the worlds I could create with the tip of my pen. I had dreams of becoming an author. 

Then somewhere along the way my family got a subscription to Netflix, and that completely changed the way I thought about storytelling. My nose had been buried in books up until then, so I hadn’t really seen a lot of movies. That quickly changed. It seemed like every other day a pair of new DVDs would arrive in the mail (this was the early days of Netflix). Dark Knight, The Truman Show, Inception, Memento — all these great films were coming in and out of the house. And I couldn’t get enough of them. Movies brought stories to life in a way that books could not. I was head over heels for visual storytelling. 

Suddenly I wasn’t writing novels and short stories anymore. I was writing scripts for movies. Now I wanted to transfer my ideas to the big screen, rather than the pages of a book. But I was still doing the same thing I had always done. I was writing, just in a different format. To help with this process, I read the screenplays of my favorite films and paid attention to the way they were crafted. I kept watching more and more movies. And I hadn’t forgotten about my first love, either. I still cherished books and looked to them for inspiration. By the end of my junior year of high school, I had completed two scripts for short films. 

So why am I telling you all this? Because I want to turn my love of storytelling into a career. I’m not totally sure how to do that yet, but I know I have options. Whether it’s film production, creative writing, or even journalism, I want to find a major that suits my ambitions. Writing has taken me a long way, and I know it can take me even further. As I step into this next chapter of my life, I couldn’t be more excited to see how my craft develops. In the meantime, I should probably get rid of that dusty old GameCube. 

Feedback from admissions professional Bill Jack

Essays don’t always have to reveal details about the student’s intended career path, but one thing I like about this essay is that it gives the reader a sense of the why. Why do they want to pursue storytelling. It also shows the reader that they are open to how they pursue their interest. Being open to exploration is such a vital part of college, so it’s also showing the reader that they likely will be open to new things in college. And, it’s always fun to learn a little bit more about the student’s family, especially if the reader can learn about how the students interacts with their family. 

Prompt 2: “The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?”

I remember my first impression of Irvine: weird. It was foggy, stock-full of greenery and eucalyptus trees, and reminded me of my 5th grade trip to a “science camp” which was located in the San Bernardino mountains. Besides Irvine, that was one of the few places in Southern California where you’d find so many non-palm trees. 

Of course, perhaps my initial impression of Irvine was biased, motivated by a desire to stay in my hometown and a fear of the unknown. While that was true to an extent, Irvine was certainly still a little peculiar. The city itself was based on a “master plan” of sorts, with the location of each of its schools, parks, shops, and arguably its trees having been logically “picked” before the foundation was poured. Even the homes all looked roughly the same, with their beige, stucco walls almost serving as a hallmark of the city itself.

Thus, this perfectly structured, perfectly safe city seemed like a paradise of sorts to many outsiders, my parents included. I was a little more hesitant to welcome this. As I saw it, this was a phony city – believing that its uniformity stood for a lack of personality. My hometown, although not as flawlessly safe nor clean as Irvine, was where most of my dearest memories had occurred. From the many sleepovers at Cindie’s house, to trying to avoid my school’s own version of the “infamous” cheese touch, to the many laughs shared with friends and family, I shed a tear at the prospect of leaving my home.

Moving into the foreign city, remnants of the hostility I held towards Irvine remained. Still dwelling in my memories of the past, I was initially unable to see Irvine as a “home.” So, as I walked into my first-ever Irvine class, being greeted by many kind, yet unfamiliar faces around me, I was unable to recognize that some of those new faces would later become some of my dearest friends. Such negative feelings about the city were further reinforced by newer, harder classes, and more complicated homework. Sitting in the discomfort of this unfamiliar environment, it started to seem that “change” was something not only inevitable, but insurmountable.

As the years went on, however, this idea seemed to fade. I got used to my classes and bike racing through Irvine neighborhoods with my friends, watching the trees that once seemed just a “weird” green blob soon transform into one of my favorite parts of the city. While I kept my old, beloved memories stored, I made space for new ones. From carefully making our way over the narrow creek path next to our school, to the laughs we shared during chemistry class, my new memories made with friends seemed to transform a city I once disliked into one I would miss. 

Through this transformation, I have come to recognize that change, although sometimes intimidating at first, can open the door to great times and meaningful connections. Although Irvine may have once seemed like a strange, “phony” place that I couldn’t wait to be rid of, the memories and laughs I had grown to share there were very real. As I move onto this next part of my life, I hope I can use this knowledge that I have gained from my time in Irvine to make the most of what’s to come. Even if the change may be frightening at first, I have learned to embrace what’s on the other side, whether green or not.

One huge plus to writing an essay that focuses on a place is that you might have it read by someone who has been there. Yet, what’s really helpful about this essay is that even if someone hasn’t been there, a picture is painted about what the place is like.  Admission officers have the hard task of really understanding what the student sees, so the use of adjectives and imagery can really help.  It’s also really clever to see that the green that’s mentioned at the beginning is mentioned at the end.  It’s a nice way to bookend the essay and tie it all together.

Prompt 6: “Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?”

I like getting lost. Not literally, of course, but figuratively. Whether it be in the story of a love song by Taylor Swift, or in the memories brought back by listening to my favorite childhood video game’s background music, I’ve always appreciated music’s ability to transport me to another place, another time, another feeling. 

Alas, I cannot sing, nor have I practiced an instrument since my middle school piano class days. So, perhaps Kurt Vonnegut was right. As he puts it, “Virtually every writer I know would rather be a musician.” While I cannot speak for others, I have certainly not debunked his theory. Writing allows many, including myself, to attempt to mimic the transformative power of music – even if our singing voices aren’t exactly “pleasant.” Just as you can get lost in music, you can do so in a story. Whether it is in George Orwell’s totalitarian Oceania, or Little Women’s Orchard House, the stories outlined in novels can provide an amazing look into the lives and worlds of others, and an escape from the worries and problems of those in your own.

While I am certainly not claiming to have the storytelling abilities of the Orwells or Alcotts before me, I’ve had fun trying to recreate such transformative feelings for others. When I was nine, I attempted to write a story about a little girl who had gotten lost in the woods, only managing to get a couple pages through. As I got older, whenever I was assigned a creative writing assignment in school, I wrote about the same pig, Phil. He was always angry: in my 8th grade science class, Phil was mad at some humans who had harbored his friend captive, and in my 9th grade English class, at a couple who robbed him. 

Thus, when I heard about a writing club being opened at my school in 11th grade, I knew I had to join. I wanted to discern whether writing was just a hobby I picked up now and then, or a true passion. If it was a passion, I wanted to learn as much as possible about how I could improve. Although my high school’s writing club certainly wasn’t going to transform me into Shakespeare, I knew I could learn a lot from it – and I did. The club challenged me to do many things, from writing on the spot, to writing poetry, to even writing about myself, something that’s hopefully coming in handy right now. 

From then on, I started to expand into different types of writing, storing short ideas, skits, and more in appropriately-labeled Google Drive folders. At around the same time, I became interested in classic literature, which largely stemmed from a project in English class. We had been required to choose and read a classic on our own, then present it to the class in an interesting way. While my book was certainly interesting and unique in its own right, nearly everyone else’s novels seemed more captivating to me. So, I took it upon myself to read as many classics as I could the following summer.

One of the books I read during the summer, funnily enough, was Animal Farm, which starred angry pigs, reminiscent of Phil. I had also started going over different ideas in my head, thinking about how I could translate them into words using the new skills I learned. While the writing club helped reaffirm my interest in writing and allowed me to develop new skills, my newfound affinity for classics gave me inspiration to write. Now, I am actually considering writing as part of my future. In this endeavor, I hope that Phil, and the music I inevitably listen to as I write, will accompany me every step of the way.

Admission officers might read 70 (or more!) essays in one day. It’s not uncommon for them to start to blend together and sound similar. This essay might not make you laugh out loud. But, it might make the reader chuckle while reading it thanks to the subtle humor and levity. Being able to incorporate a little humor into your essay (if it is natural for you to do… do not force it), can really be a great way to shed additional light into who you are. Remember, the essay isn’t merely about proving that you can write, but it should also reveal a little bit about your personality.

Prompt 5: “Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.”

I learned a lot of things during the summer I worked at Tropical Smoothie. I discovered the value of hard work. I figured out how to save money. I even mastered the art of the Mango Magic smoothie (the secret is lots of sugar). But most importantly, I learned the power of perspective. And I have Deja to thank for that. 

Deja was my shift supervisor, and one of Tropical Smoothie’s best employees. She was punctual, friendly, and always willing to lend a helping hand. She knew the store from top to bottom, and could handle pretty much any situation thrown her way. She made everyone around her better. On top of all that, she was four months pregnant! I was always impressed by Deja’s work ethic, but I gained an entirely new level of respect for her one day.

It was a Friday night, and Deja and I were working the closing shift together. It was very busy, and Deja and I were the only ones on shift. We managed to get by, but we were exhausted by the end of the evening. After wiping down the counters and mopping the floors, we closed up shop and went our separate ways. I was eager to get home. 

I walked a couple blocks to where I had parked my car. Well, it wasn’t my car actually. It was my dad’s ‘98 Chevy pickup truck, and it was in rough shape. It had no heat or A/C, the leather seats were cracked beyond repair, and the driver’s side door was jammed shut. I sighed as I got in through the passenger side and scooted over to the driver’s seat. The whole reason I was working at Tropical Smoothie was to save up enough money to buy my own car. I was hoping to have something more respectable to drive during my senior year of high school. 

I cranked the old thing up and started on my way home. But soon enough, I spotted Deja walking on the side of the road. There was no sidewalk here, the light was low, and she was dangerously close to the passing cars. I pulled over and offered her a ride. She got in and explained that she was on her way home. Apparently she didn’t have a car and had been walking to work every day. I couldn’t believe it. Here I was complaining about my set of wheels, while Deja didn’t have any to begin with.

We got to talking, and she confessed that she had been having a tough time. You would never know from the way she was so cheerful at work, but Deja had a lot on her plate. She was taking care of her mother, her boyfriend had just lost his job, and she was worried about making ends meet. And of course, she was expecting a baby in five months. On top of all that, she had been walking nearly a mile to and from work every day. The whole thing was a real eye opener, and made me reconsider some things in my own life. 

For one, I didn’t mind driving my dad’s truck anymore. It was banged up, sure, but it was a lot better than nothing. My mindset had changed. I appreciated the truck now. I began to think about other things differently, too. I started making mental notes of all the things in my life I was thankful for — my family, my friends, my health. I became grateful for what I had, instead of obsessing over the things I didn’t. 

I also gained more awareness of the world outside my own little bubble. My encounter with Deja had shown me first-hand that everyone is dealing with their own problems, some worse than others. So I started paying more attention to my friends, family members, and coworkers. I started listening more and asking how I could help. I also gave Deja a ride home for the rest of the summer. 

These are all small things, of course, but I think they make a difference. I realized I’m at my best when I’m not fixated on my own life, but when I’m considerate of the lives around me. I want to keep this in mind as I continue to grow and develop as a person. I want to continue to search for ways to support the people around me. And most importantly, I want to keep things in perspective.

Too often we can be focused on our own problems that we fail to realize that everyone has their own things going on in their lives, too.  This essay showcases how it’s important to put things in perspective, a skill that certainly will prove invaluable in college… and not just in the classroom.  Another reason I like this essay is because it provides deeper insight into the student’s life.  Sure, you might have mentioned in your activities list that you have a job.  But as this essay does, you can show why you have the job in the first place, what your responsibilities are, and more.

A few last tips

We hope these essay examples gave you a bit of inspiration of what to include in your own. However, before you go, we’d like to send you off with a few (personal statement) writing tips to help you make your essays as lovely as the memories and anecdotes they’re based off of. Without further ado, here are some of our best tips for writing your personal statements:

1. Open strong

College admissions officers read many, many essays (think 50+) a day, which can sometimes cause them to start blending together and sounding alike. One way to avoid your essay from simply fading into the background is to start strong. This means opening your essay with something memorable, whether an interesting personal anecdote, a descriptive setting, or anything else that you think would catch a reader’s attention (so long as it’s not inappropriate). Not only might this help college admissions officers better remember your essay, but it will also make them curious about what the rest of your essay will entail.

2. Be authentic

Perhaps most important when it comes to writing personal statement essays is to maintain your authenticity. Ultimately, your essays should reflect your unique stories and quirks that make you who you are, and should help college admissions officers determine whether you’d truly be a good fit for their school or not. So, don’t stress trying to figure out what colleges are looking for. Be yourself, and let the colleges come to you!

3. Strong writing

This one may seem a little obvious, but strong writing will certainly appeal to colleges. Not only will it make your essay more compelling, but it may show colleges that you’re ready for college-level essay writing (that you’ll likely have to do a lot of). Just remember that good writing is not limited to grammar. Using captivating detail and descriptions are a huge part of making your essay seem more like a story than a lecture.

4. Proofread

Last but not least, remember to proofread! Make sure your essay contains no errors in grammar, punctuation, and spelling. When you’re done proofreading your essay yourself, we would also recommend that you ask a teacher, parent, or other grammatically savvy person to proofread your essay as well.

Final thoughts 

With those in hand, we hope you now have a better sense of how to write your personal statement. While your grades and test scores are important when it comes to college admissions, it’s really your essays that can “make” or “break” your application. 

Although this may make it seem like a daunting task, writing an amazing personal statement essay is all about effort. Thus, so long as you start early, follow the advice listed above, and dedicate your time and effort to it, it’s entirely possible to write an essay that perfectly encapsulates you. Good luck, and happy writing!

Also see:  Scholarships360’s free scholarships search tool

Key Takeaways

• It may take some people longer than others to know what they want to write about, but remember that everyone, including you, has something unique to write about!
• Personal statements should be personal, which means you should avoid being too general and really strive to show off what makes you “you”
• Time and effort are two of the most important things you can put into your personal statement to ensure that it is the best representation of yourself
• Don’t forget to ask people who know you to read your work before you submit; they should be able to tell you better than anyone if you are truly shining through!

Frequently asked questions about writing personal statements 

How do you write a powerful personal statement, what makes an amazing personal statement, how do you start an amazing personal statement, scholarships360 recommended.

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