Whether you’re just now finishing high school or are planning a semester abroad, writing your personal statements properly to apply for universities overseas is a must.
While many universities are keen on accepting international students to diversify their student body, you should still put effort into your application papers.
There are some very valid reasons to apply for studies, or even a semester, abroad:
- Learn about new cultures and lifestyles
- Establish international relationships
- Enrich your resume and portfolio
- Become more independent as a person
Your personal statement will act as a cover letter for the university’s board.
You’ll have a limited amount of words available to convince them that you’re a good pick for their international students’ program. With official data showing that 53% fewer US students studied abroad in 2020 due to the global pandemic, many will now apply with rekindled interest, adding to your potential competition.
Without further ado, here’s how you can write personal statements to make them stand out and ultimately help you land the international program you want.
Go Over your Application Instructions
Personal statements are never a freestyle essay writing assignment.
They’re supposed to be written strictly based on your university’s instructions so that all student statements are of a standardized format.
This is done to help guide your writing and check how well you “play by the rules.”
Frequently, universities will require minuscule elements such as certain font sizes to be used for writing to ensure that you’re reading the instructions.
Take a close look at how your personal statement should be based on the university’s requirements and write with those restrictions in mind.
This will save you hours of editing and reformatting later, allowing you to write a more cohesive and meaningful personal statement.
Outline your Personal Statements
To make the most out of the word count you’re assigned, you should outline your personal statement before writing it. This will be a good academic exercise for you since you’ll need to write many papers once you’re accepted into your program. A typical essay, or in this case, a personal statement, consists of three elements:
- Introduction – introducing yourself
- Body – elaborating on your application
- Conclusion – closing thoughts and arguments
Following this concept will give the reader enough context to see that you’re a well-organized writer who can handle academic assignments.
It will also make your paper easier to read, adding bonus points to your application overall.
Always Proofread your Writing
Whether you write your personal statement, an essay, or a research paper, you should always make it a habit to proofread your writing.
Proofreading is considered a good habit in academia, and the sooner you adopt it, the better.
Use your local text editing app and your personal judgment to proofread and spellcheck your personal statement. If you need your personal statement, or another academic assignment, written or edited, you can find custom research papers to buy online. Don’t submit papers with writing errors present, and your odds of achieving what you want academically will skyrocket.
Write Multiple Versions of your Statement
Given that you’re applying for an academic program overseas, you’ll want to showcase the best of your writing skills.
You might be too nervous about writing an amazing personal statement on the first try, so write multiple versions of your paper instead.
Submitting the first draft of your personal statement isn’t a good idea, so take your time and start writing the paper ahead of the submission deadline.
This will help you rethink your approach, adjust your vocabulary, and clean up your arguments before you submit the paper.
Likewise, it’ll give you just enough practice you’ll need to write the final version of your statement the way you envisioned it to be.
Avoid Common Personal Statement Pitfalls
When you apply for an international university program, you’ll often feel overwhelmed with the process, opening the doors for you to make writing mistakes.
These mistakes might cost you your position with the university you want to study at, so try to avoid them.
If you recognize any of these mistakes in the context of your already-written personal statement, amend them before submitting your papers:
- Do not repeat information you’ve already stated before
- Do not try to tug at your university board’s heartstrings – be objective
- Using buzzwords, clichés and one-liners
- Failing to talk about your future academic plans
- Always review your personal statement according to the instructions
Tackling your University Admissions Overseas
Applying for a program abroad is a big deal, no matter what anyone might tell you. You’ll effectively commit to spending several months or years overseas, working on your degree, and making friends along the way.
Your admission papers are one of the most important elements of that experience, starting on the right note.
Take your time to write concise, professional personal statements without unnecessary grammar errors or resorting to clichés. With some luck, you’ll land the program you want and successfully start your studies abroad.
Author Bio: Christian Duke is a content writer, editor, and social media specialist who loves working on various types of writing, both for digital and academic publications. He is passionate about working on essays, research papers, case studies, and content intended for blogs and online stores. Christian is an all-around writing expert who enjoys spending his free time with friends.
