Queen Mary University Personal Statements

These UCAS personal statements have been kindly provided by students applying to Queen Mary, University of London. You can click on one of the links below to view the entire statement and find out if the applicant was offered a place.

You can also view our entire collection of personal statements or view personal statements for application at other universities.

Linguistics Personal Statement Example 1
My most memorable Christmas came with a parcel of Harry Potter audio books and this was where my quest to understanding language began. The moment Stephen Fry started to narrate chapter one, I fell in love with words and all they could achieve...

History Personal Statement Example 3
Recently, I found out that my grandma was gambled into slavery for seven years. She escaped her prison and made her way back to Hong Kong, 300 miles south. I was amazed at how courageous she was. This personal discovery led me to read Jung Chang's 'Wild Swans' which made me both proud and ashamed of my heritage...

Biomedical Science Personal Statement Example 2 ****
Looking back to when I was studying GCSE’s I remember fondly my science classes and recall my enthusiasm to participate and absorb the knowledge being taught by my teachers. These classes exposed me to a lot of different and amazing topics, Homeostasis being one of them which held my attention and curiosity completely...

Mechanical/Electrical Engineering Personal Statement Example
I have always been fascinated by the vast jobs robots are able to perform, and by the way all these cars around us were designed. The problem is, my interest was not satisfied by revolving around the outer appearance of these machines or by how well they achieved their functions, but was constantly demanding to learn more about how they managed to do so, and what inner complexities I was not allowed to meet closely made it capable of attracting my attention...

History and Economic History Personal Statement Example
Studying History at degree level has been my interest since my first ever history lesson in High School, for it is a subject that invites debate and feeds my inquisitive side. I have always been intrigued by what has happened before us and how it has led to where we are now...

Animal Science Personal Statement Example *****
Holding a one day old kitten with a mangled leg is just one of many times when I felt certain I wanted to devote my life to animals. Through volunteering with animals and studying sciences at A-level, I realised that I am fascinated by scientific research and Bioveterinary Science...

History Personal Statement Example 4 *****
Growing up in London, I have been exposed to the city’s history from a very young age. While appreciating the myriad historical eras that have shaped the development of London, it is the Victorian era that fascinates me the most...

Mathematics and Economics Personal Statement Example 1
As Pythagoras may have said, (Ambitious)2 + (Bold)2 = (Critical thinker)2 makes a perfect student and is what I strive to be. From the simple Pythagorean to the complex Fermat's Last Theorem, mathematics is a never ending branch of study which I enthusiastically enjoy studying and why I wish to pursue it even further at university...

Politics & International Relations Personal Statement Example 2
It was November 1989. My parents were rattling their keys in the main square of Bratislava with other Czechoslovak youngsters asking for the democracy that was denied by the Communist regime. They raised me in an environment, where appreciation of freedom, expressing my thoughts and being an active citizen have been essential...

Mathematics and Physics Personal Statement Example 1
Mathematics is a fundamental tool for understanding our world: it can be used to define the symmetry of flowers or to manage global companies. What is so appealing about mathematics is the opportunity of applying it in the physical world...

Medicine Personal Statement Example 3 *****
The complex structure of the human body is a unique beauty. However, when witnessing my uncle deteriorating due to cancer it showed that complexity inescapably meant that problems arise. I realised the effects such illness can have on the patient and their families and appreciate how fulfilling being a doctor would be in such circumstances...

Geography Personal Statement Example (Russell Group) 1 *****
Geography is the study of the world, and as geographers we hold the keys to the world’s problems. Geography encompasses many things from natural disasters, eco-systems, to globalisation and development, all of which are areas which fascinate me...

Biomedical Sciences Personal Statement Example 32
Since humans have existed we have been susceptible to disease and illness. With the progress in the search of treatments for long-standing diseases accelerating faster than ever before, I believe that now is the perfect opportunity to utilise my interests in cell biology, biochemistry and neuroscience by studying a biomedicine degree...

Biomedical Science Personal Statement Example 5
Venturing into the unknown and never-ending world of science and medicine has been a passion and desire of mine for the majority of my life. I am captivated by how a simple idea can be transformed into a reality that can pave the way for new cures and more advanced anatomical understanding...

Economics Personal Statement Example 5
Choosing an undergraduate degree in economics is a result of my deep seated curiosity to know why economies are they way they are; why oil prices in my country, Pakistan, rapidly fluctuate whereas economies like USA and China continue to strengthen despite recessions...

Financial Mathematics Personal Statement Example 1 *****
In the financial sector, decisions must be made in split seconds that can result in either vast profits or significant losses. The collapse of Lehman Brothers, demonstrated to me the vulnerability of all businesses as the size and level of profit does not matter as poor decisions can still create loss...

Politics Personal Statement Example 5
My background, living in three major metropolises, Lagos, London and Aberdeen bestowed me a very diverse, open, multicultural way of thinking. The cultural shock of Lagos widened my eyes to vastness of the world and prepped my involvement in the Community Development Committee, allowing me to get in touch with all sectors of Nigerian society; here my interest in sociology, politics and government took flight...

Sociology/Social Policy Personal Statement Example
Since starting my A-Level in sociology, I've realised it is a subject I can easily grasp and immerse myself in, and that by pursuing courses based around society, social changes and policies at university, I can further understand and appreciate the inner workings of society and how it can be adapted to meet the ever-increasing diversity of the country we live in...

English Personal Statement Example 23
My love of literature is rooted in the connection it gives us to centuries of ideas, giving us the ability to converse with ghosts, linking us with the greatest and most eloquent minds in history; as Bovee puts it, “books are embalmed minds”...

Pharmacology and Human Sciences Personal Statement Example
From the race to find a vaccine for the H1N1 virus to the almost daily reports of breakthroughs in the field of cancer research, science has always fascinated me.On a more personal note, my interest has largely stemmed from school, work experiences, and science in the news...

Politics & International Relations Personal Statement Example 5 *****
I gained my interest in social sciences in my early teenage years, when I started to question the surrounding world trying to find my way and place in it. As I browsed through books, which introduce main points of today's cultural, management and social studies, I became eager to strive for more...

Law Personal Statement Example 62 *****
"If exams were spoken you would pass with flying colors" this is the very statement that fuelled my desire to read law at degree level. My ambition to read law can be traced back to my childhood as I sat watching lawyers helping people in need...

Psychology Personal Statement Example 51
There is a reason behind everything we do, a purpose to our actions. The cognition behind any decision that we make is one of the many aspects of psychology that I am fascinated by. The following five words, as said by the Prophet Muhammad, I believe explain such a suggestion: "Actions are but by intentions"...

History Personal Statement Example 34 *****
“I have conquered an empire but I have not been able to conquer myself.” This quote by Peter I came to mind when I had to write this statement because is sums up my interest in History; here a great leader of men expresses his human weakness...

Law Personal Statement Example 63 ***
I cannot remember a person in my life who has had a more significant influence on me than my father. Everything I have achieved with regard to academics, sports, or life in general, I am indebted to him for...

Geography Personal Statement Example 16
"What do you want to be when you grow up?" is an ever recurring question asked to me by many individuals, including myself. I have come to the conclusion that I will never come up with a final answer, as I have many ambitions and aspirations...

Politics and Sociology Personal Statement Example 3
International relations and political science always attracted my attention and I clearly remember how impressed I was after the very first lesson on political science. Our teacher briefly explained us how political science had become an independent science and how it developed from a number of other disciplines: philosophy, history, economics, law...

Medicine Personal Statement Example 56 ***
The human body is undoubtedly one of the greatest natural phenomena known to man, and in its sheer complexity and intricacy is the inevitability of something going wrong, thus highlighting the tremendous role that doctors play in ensuring that the many diverse systems of the body are working flawlessly...

International Relations Personal Statement Example 13 ***
I have been ambitious in studying International Studies since when I was in secondary school. I have been fascinated by the constantly changing world that we live in, wanting to understand and exploring the causes and effects of current and future human interactions...

Biological Sciences Personal Statement Example 2
I am interested in pursuing a career in biological sciences because I am captivated by the wonders of the components of life. There upon, I desire to understand the background of problems that are formulated by biology on a molecular level, such as cancer, diseases and genetic disorders...

Aerospace Engineering Personal Statement Example 15
Aircraft is one of the major contributions of all time. The intricate engineering behind aircraft, space shuttle and satellite really captivates me. The work of aerospace engineers is quite challenging as they apply their acquired knowledge of Mathematics and Physics to design such major products to satisfy real world necessities...

Computer Science Personal Statement Example 51
Building my first computer was an experience I will never forget. Looking over what seemed to be a city of silicone, I marveled at how elegantly the components were arranged on the motherboard. Yet I did not feel fully satisfied, as I knew there was a whole other world of computing, which could only be explored by completing a degree in computer science...

Business/Human Resources Personal Statement Example
In a turbulent economic and social climate, business remains of core importance. It is a crucial element of our lives, working as a catalyst for innovation, which is why I wish to study it at undergraduate level...

Geography Personal Statement Example (Gap Year) 2 *****
A trip to the capital city of Iceland; Reykjavík, shaped distinctively by its earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, I noticed how fundamental tourism and investment in geothermal energy had resulted in a strong correlation of economic growth for the country...

History & Politics Personal Statement Example
For years I have listened to my family discussing the latest political and historical issues on the news and I have been fascinated and awed by the fact that there was never a wrong or right answer, decision or explanation to a given problem...

Law Personal Statement Example 74 ****
In terms of academic study, I have always been passionate about two subjects, law and Japanese language/culture. For the past year I have been pursuing the latter as an English teacher in Japan. At first, my life was quite difficult; however, as my Japanese improved, so did my comfort...

Law Personal Statement Example 76 *****
As a first-hand witness to the day when the London Riots was most intensified, I am haunted by scenes of sustained looting, violence and indiscriminate attacks on properties on almost the entire city. Those images substantiated my long standing belief that a society without law and order leads to chaos and anarchy...

Law Personal Statement Example 79 *****
A woman is legally certified to kill her cheating husband, only if she uses her bare hands.The husband's lover however may be killed in any manner desired. This is just one example of the outrageous laws that are still in continuation in Hong Kong...

Economics Personal Statement Example 29 *****
I have an Austrian father and an Australian mother. I was born in Thailand and grew up in various third world countries around Asia due to my parents’ involvement in humanitarian aid work. From an early age, this sparked a deep curiosity about the way the world works and given me a good understanding of different cultures, traditions and languages...

French and Spanish Personal Statement Example 4 *****
My earliest memory of learning a language is embracing my first words of Welsh at nursery school and since then the learning of different languages has always fascinated me. I have been increasingly intrigued and captivated by their usage to the point where I love to constantly challene myself when learning a new language...

Management Personal Statement Example 6 *****
Lack of management can lead to disastrous outcomes, and my home country, Russia, has suffered from these in dramatic proportions for decades. Its business inefficiency has led to people being devastated by unemployment and poverty, including my own family...

Politics Personal Statement Example 30 *****
My drive to study politics is my desire to understand the dynamics of power: how the relationships between states and people form as the foundations of society, and ultimately how these connections shape the world we live in...

Geography Personal Statement Example 20
Geography is an all-encompassing subject where the geography of the past helps us to understand the present and forecast the future. I am particularly interested in the inter-relationships between physical and human Geography...

Back to: