A strong personal statement is crucial for any university application, but it’s especially important if you’re applying for a popular course such as Business Studies.

Having a top notch personal statement will help you stand out from the hundreds, if not thousands, of other applicants that are applying for your course.

Here are our top tips for writing a personal statement for Business Studies:

Show the university who you are

The admissions tutors are looking for a personal statement that gives an insight into who you are as a person. They already have your academic record, so don’t just stick to talking about your grades and the things you’ve achieved in the classroom.

Talking about societies you’ve joined or set up, relevant hobbies, and any work experience you’ve had will demonstrate that you’ve got the right attitude and ability for their course.

Write about your motivations, your ambitions, how you chose Business Studies as your degree course, and what you feel you could contribute to the university community.

What exactly are Business Studies tutors looking for?

We can’t tell you exactly what to say in your Business Studies personal statement, but we can point you in the right direction and give you some guidelines.

Here are five things that your personal statement should include:

Structure and organisation

This is a large aspect of a Business Studies course so you need to demonstrate right from the start that you’re capable of managing yourself well.

Above all else, regardless of the exact content, your personal statement should be structured, well organised, and completely free of spelling mistakes and grammatical errors.

Make a good first impression

The majority of Business Studies courses don’t require an interview as part of the application process, so your personal statement is your only chance to make an excellent first impression.

Be original, unique, and demonstrate your aptitude and enthusiasm. Try to avoid clichéd lines such as “I’ve been interested in Business Studies all my life” – let’s face it, you didn’t come out of the womb reading the Financial Times and discussing marketing techniques!

Give examples of your relevant skills

If you’re applying for a Business Studies course it’s good to already have gained some experience in business and using the skills you’ll need to be successful in your future career.

Describe situations where you’ve used relevant skills such as communication, teamwork, leadership, problem solving, and using your initiative.

If you can link these experiences with topical examples from the business world then even better. You’ll need to show your knowledge of the subject at a global level to stand a chance of beating the other candidates to a place.

This makes extra-curricular reading of publications such as The Economist, Management Today, or other business journals essential.

Research courses thoroughly

Although you can only write one personal statement for all the courses you’re applying to it’s important to thoroughly research each course and find out what they look for in personal statements.

For example, one university might be particularly interested in your motivation to apply for Business Studies. Another university might want to see that you’ve done significant reading around the subject.

You can use this to decide what the content and structure of your personal statement should be.

Show you have entrepreneurial flair

Many Business Studies graduates go on to run their own businesses, and regardless of your future career plans, universities like to see that their applicants are “self-starters” who are capable of identifying and solving business problems.

How do I talk about my relevant business experience?

You should really make the most of any relevant experience you have, whether it was a paid job, volunteering, or work experience placement.

Don’t just list what you’ve done, try to reflect on that experience and discuss what you’ve learned from various scenarios.

For example, don’t just say “I have strong communication skills”, give an example to explain how you developed those skills and how they helped you in a variety of situations.

Also, don’t forget your transferrable skills. Business Studies graduates go on to work in a variety of industries because they have so many transferrable skills that employers value.

For example, an experience with a society, organisation, or other group demonstrates that you have an active interest in people, organisations, and how they work. This is an essential attribute for any Business Studies student.