As we approach the UCAS application season, we carry on our series helping you apply to top universities. In this post, and the accompanying video, I want to focus on one of the most decisive parts of your university application — the personal statement. For philosophy applicants, this is often the single most important piece of writing you’ll produce before entering higher education. It reveals not only what you’ve read, but how you think, reason, and develop ideas.
Although UCAS has introduced a new three-question format, the core expectations remain the same: clarity, specificity, and evidence of genuine intellectual engagement. Below, I’ll explain how to approach each section, what philosophy tutors look for, and how to write a statement that demonstrates depth and maturity.
1) Understanding the New UCAS Format
The 2025 UCAS personal statement is now divided into three guiding questions. The total word count is roughly unchanged, but the structure helps admissions tutors assess your readiness for the subject:
- Why do you want to study this course or subject?
- How have your qualifications and studies helped you to prepare for this course or subject?
- What else have you done to prepare outside of education, and why are these experiences useful?
Think of these as three layers of the same argument: motivation, preparation, and personal development.
UK university applications are academically driven. Unlike the US model, where extracurricular diversity or life stories may dominate, British admissions are primarily about whether you have the interest, ability, and discipline to succeed in the subject itself. The professors and tutors are looking for students who can engage with academic content and preform at the highest level. So your focus must remain firmly on your talents in and understanding of philosophy, its problems, methods, and your growing engagement with them.
2) Section One: Why Philosophy?
This opening section answers the fundamental question: What draws you to philosophy, and what have you done to pursue that curiosity?
It’s tempting to begin with a sweeping statement like “I have always loved asking big questions.” Resist that. Every applicant says something similar. What admissions tutors want to see is specificity — what kind of philosophical questions interest you and how that interest has developed.
If you are fascinated by ethics, mention the particular moral problems or authors that inspired you. If it’s metaphysics, explain what puzzles you about existence or causation. If it’s logic or epistemology, discuss what drew you to problems about reasoning or knowledge. The more precisely you can locate your curiosity, the stronger your opening will be.
Equally important is to show development — that your interest has grown through study, reading, or conversation. For instance, perhaps a classroom debate about free will led you to read more about determinism, which in turn opened questions about moral responsibility or theology. Tutors look for this kind of intellectual trajectory: a movement from curiosity to research, from questions to analysis.
When you describe what you’ve read, go beyond summarising content. Don’t write “I read Plato’s Republic” and stop there. Instead, show what you thought about it. Did it challenge your assumptions? Did it change how you approach ethics or politics? Even a few analytical sentences reveal far more about your ability to think critically than a long list of book titles.
Finally, remember that everyone can easily say I’ve read a Philosophy 101 book, or a brief history into philosophy. The most important thing is to pick a topic or a theme that draws your attention to, and narrow down on specifically that question.
3) Section Two: Demonstrating Preparation
The second section is about proof — demonstrating that you’ve already begun to develop the skills needed for philosophical study.
Here you can discuss both formal and informal preparation:
- Formal study: Include any relevant A-level or IB courses (Philosophy, Religious Studies, History, English, Politics, or Mathematics for logic). If you’ve completed an Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) or essay competition, mention the question you explored and what you learned. This shows independence, reasoning ability, and writing skill — all crucial for philosophy.
- Informal preparation: Discuss independent reading, online courses, or talks you attended. Mention moments when you went beyond your syllabus to pursue a philosophical question further.
If your school didn’t offer philosophy, don’t worry. Admissions tutors care less about what was available to you than what you made of what was available. Perhaps you read widely on your own, joined online discussion groups, or wrote blog reflections. These all count as preparation if you describe them in academic terms: what you studied, what you argued, what conclusions you reached.
It can also help to mention engagement with academics or mentors, especially if you’ve spoken with a professor, taken part in a university outreach event, or even watched in-depth philosophy podcasts or lectures. The point is not to boast, but to show that you’ve already begun thinking within a community of inquiry.
4) Section Three: Wider Experience and Transferable Skills
The final section allows you to add texture — experiences that, while not purely academic, enhance your abilities as a philosopher. This part should be concise and relevant.
Examples include:
- Leading or founding a philosophy society at school.
- Participating in debates or essay competitions.
- Running a blog or YouTube channel discussing philosophical ideas.
- Learning languages relevant to philosophical study (Latin, Greek, German, French).
- Music, sport, or volunteering where you developed teamwork, discipline, or reflection on ethical questions.
If you include personal experiences, link them to intellectual growth. For example, caring for someone might have deepened your interest in the ethics of suffering, or visiting a museum might have sparked curiosity about aesthetics. The connection matters more than the activity itself.
Keep in mind that UK admissions value clarity and proportionality: two-thirds of your statement should concern academic readiness; only the final third should discuss wider experience. This is not the most important part of your application.
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5) How Tutors Read Your Statement
There are three main things which you need to demonstrate in your application:
- Intellectual maturity — Do you engage ideas critically, not just emotionally?
- Focus — Do you know what kind of philosophy interests you, and why? Is there a particular question that you have tried to think hard about or tried to solve?
- Depth over breadth — Have you thought seriously about a few problems, or superficially about many? Can you demonstrate a clear development of thought and research interest over time.
They are not seeking polished experts, but rather students who already think philosophically — who can analyse, question, and build an argument step by step. They want to help you think better, to engage better, they recognise that you are still high school students and have a long journey ahead in Philosophy.
6) Common Mistakes to Avoid
1. Listing without reflection
Many applicants list every book they’ve read. This signals breadth, not understanding. Always add what each text taught you. Professors are more interested in figuring out how you think, what ideas you have, and how do you engage with new ideas instead of the sheer amount of reading you have done.
2. Overusing biography
Personal stories should illustrate motivation, not replace it. If you mention a life experience, link it directly to a philosophical theme. This is not to say that you should make philosophy your whole personality, it is important to demonstrate leadership skills and other soft skills, especially in the third question.
3. Vague enthusiasm
Words like “fascinating” or “interesting” add little unless supported by reasoning. Instead of saying, “I find ethics fascinating,” explain why you find a specific ethical dilemma difficult or important. Perhaps talk about the trolley problem, philosophical zombies, etc, use examples and real questions you wrestled with to show interest.
7) Final Thoughts
A strong philosophy personal statement is not about proving you are already a philosopher. It’s about demonstrating potential: that you are teachable, curious, and capable of rigorous thought. You don’t need to have solved any great problem — you need to show that you are interested in solving them well.
If you finish your statement with clear examples of engagement, logical progression, and an evident love of inquiry, you’ll stand out immediately. The tutors reading your application want to see someone who will thrive in the tutorial room — someone ready to argue, to listen, and to think anew.
8) Full Breakdown of Personal Statement
If you want a breakdown of my personal statement for a real life example, check out our YouTube video on Philosophy for All:
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