personal statement for phd public health

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Personal Statement and Writing Sample

Personal statement.

In your statement of purpose, please discuss the following in one to two single-spaced pages:

• Your professional, academic, and community experiences
• The area of research you wish to potentially pursue as a student in the program, the name of at least one member of the PHS PhD Program Faculty or Participating Faculty who shares this research interest, A brief statement regarding your proposed research area interests with the research of the identified faculty member(s),
• Your specific interest in UNC Charlotte’s program
• Your career and personal goals including how the program aligns with your career plans
• How you plan to actively participate in UNC Charlotte’s mission to advance health equity and well-being in an urbanizing world

Writing Sample

In addition to the statement of purpose, a writing sample is required for all applications to the PhD program. The writing sample should

• Demonstrate aptitude for scholarly writing, e.g., a literature review, a report of a needs assessment or evaluation project, a master’s thesis, or a published original research article on a public health topic where the applicant is the sole or first author.
• Demonstrate conceptual and analytic skills
• Use appropriate and consistent citation and reference formatting
• Applicants without existing examples of academic or scholarly writing should develop a 10-20 page paper on a public health topic of interest that demonstrates conceptual skills and writing ability, use appropriate and consistent citation and reference formatting

Sample Personal Statement Public Health (MPH)

by Talha Omer, M.Eng., Cornell Grad

In personal statement samples by field.

In this article, I will be providing a sample grad school personal statement in the field of public health. It is written by an applicant who got accepted to Masters’s program in Public Health (MPH). Variations of this personal statement got accepted at the University of North Carolina, Columbia University, and Emory University. This example aims to show how prospective applicants like you can seamlessly weave your passion, skills, and relevant experiences into a compelling narrative.

In writing this personal statement, the applicant has drawn upon key insights from a number of my previous writings on personal statements. You are also welcome to use my previous writings to help you write your personal statement. 

In those posts I’ve discussed the  art of constructing a captivating personal statement for grad school , and I’ve highlighted the  pitfalls to avoid  to ensure your statement leaves a positive impression.

I’ve also shared valuable tips on  structuring your personal statement for clarity and readability, not to mention  how to create a powerful opening  that grabs attention from the start. And let’s not forget about maintaining brevity while effectively telling your story, as well as offering a vast range of  personal statement examples  from different fields for reference.

And yes, do not forget to explore my  8-point framework  that anyone can use to self-evaluate their personal statement. Complementing this, I’ve also created a  7-point guide  to help you steer clear of potential traps and missteps in your personal statement.

I encourage you to explore these topics in depth, as they will be useful while we explore the sample personal statement for public health.

In this Article

1) Research the Program:

2) outline your mph personal statement:, 3) start with a compelling introduction:, 4) showcase your public health achievements and interests:, 5) unveil your public health motivations:, 6) highlight unique qualities for public health:, 7) addressing potential weaknesses or gaps:, 8) write a persuasive conclusion:, sample personal statement for public health masters (mph), my feedback on this sample.

• My In-depth Feedback on this Sample 

What do you Write in a Personal Statement for MPH?  

Writing a personal statement for a Master of Public Health (MPH) program requires careful consideration of your career aspirations, an organized outline, and a compelling introduction. The steps below will guide you to create a well-structured and captivating narrative that effectively presents your unique journey towards public health.

Before applying to an MPH program, conduct a thorough examination of its specifics. Explore the program’s website, paying attention to its mission, curriculum, faculty expertise, and unique opportunities such as fieldwork experiences or community partnerships. Tailor your personal statement to emphasize relevant qualifications and match the admission requirements.

Attend informational sessions, connect with current students or alumni, and familiarize yourself with faculty research. Reflect on how the program aligns with your career goals in public health and infuse this understanding into your personal statement to showcase your commitment and compatibility.

Organize your content for a well-structured personal statement. Begin with a captivating anecdote or statement about public health, followed by your academic achievements and related work experience. Highlight projects, skills, and honors that underscore your commitment to public health.

Express your motivations for pursuing advanced studies in public health and articulate your long-term goals. Highlight unique strengths like leadership, analytical, or community engagement skills. Address any potential issues honestly, explaining the situation and remedial actions.

End by reaffirming your passion and qualifications for public health and your eagerness to join the program. This structured approach ensures a compelling, coherent narrative.

Grab your reader’s attention with an engaging opening. A significant experience, a compelling quote, or a statement about your passion for public health can effectively hook the reader.

For instance: “When I volunteered at a local health clinic, I saw first-hand the impact of social determinants on health.”

Introduce the core theme of your personal statement, possibly your drive for public health, reasons for pursuing advanced studies, or the unique skills you bring.

Example: “This experience solidified my desire to delve deeper into public health through graduate studies.”

Detail academic and professional accomplishments that demonstrate your readiness for the program.

For instance: “During my internship at a local health department, I contributed significantly to a community vaccination campaign, enhancing my understanding of health promotion.”

Discuss key achievements such as successful projects, publications, or recognitions. Explain how these experiences have prepared you for advanced studies and influenced your public health interests, showcasing your passion and expertise.

Articulate your motivation for pursuing an MPH program.

You might share: “My interest in public health was sparked when I worked on a project addressing childhood obesity in my hometown. Since then, my focus on public health studies and relevant internships have deepened my resolve to improve community health.”

Outline your goals, such as aspiring to influence health policy or public health practice, and discuss how the program aligns with these goals.

Strengthen your personal statement by emphasizing personal qualities suited to an MPH program. Highlight traits like leadership, problem-solving abilities, or a commitment to social justice, providing concrete examples:

“For example, as a health promotion volunteer, I led a team to implement a successful community nutrition program, demonstrating my leadership and community engagement skills.”

Confront any weaknesses or gaps in your application honestly. If you had a period of low grades due to personal issues, briefly mention it, emphasizing what you learned from the experience.

“Despite a challenging semester, my subsequent performance in advanced public health courses and my successful community project at my recent internship prove my dedication and capacity for this program.”

Summarize key points in your conclusion, such as your strong interest in public health, the skills you’ve honed, and your career aspirations.

For example: “My academic experiences, internships, and ongoing commitment to public health have equipped me well for this program.”

Express your enthusiasm to contribute to the field, stating, “I am excited to bring my passion and expertise to your program, working towards creating healthier communities.”

Reaffirm your alignment with the program, highlighting its distinct features that attract you, concluding with a confident statement of your readiness to excel in their program.

The countryside is said to be beautiful, with the melodious chirping and tweeter of birds, seas of high clouds in the palatial sky, and a feeling of a cool-tempered breeze dancing through tall swaying trees and flowing streams with evergreen meadows. Still, my village was quite the contrary. The beauty of nature was polluted with weapons of warfare.

I opened my eyes in a town that was rife with internecine disputes. The first voice I heard was the heart-wrenching cacophonic sound of machine guns and missiles. Despite living amid meadows, I saw decapitated human heads and torn skulls. My relatives were illiterate and fought over trivial issues. For example, generational wars ensued if the enemy tribe’s donkey came grazing in another tribe’s fields. Villagers believed “two eyes for an eye and thirty-two teeth for a tooth”.

It is well said, “As the company, so the colour”. As a result, I also craved power and became a part of that barbaric culture. I always wanted to join the military, the most privileged post in our community. On the contrary, my father, who was literate in our village, saw our bleak future in the town. Subsequently, on his orders, we migrated from country to city life. Relocating to a cosmopolitan city transformed me from a power-hungry person to the saviour of humanity. I reformed my mindset from a tribal savage to a civilized individual.

One day while roaming the city, a powerful blast ripped through the massively crowded, killing indiscriminately. I swiftly moved towards safety, and on the way, I encountered many people running for their lives. Sirens of ambulances and police vehicles echoed in my ears. I was deeply shocked at the nightmarish scenes. How gruesome and heart-wrenching it was. I saw pools of blood peeping out of the bodies of the injured. Scattered body parts were scattered everywhere, and human flesh was pasted on the walls. I saw screaming mothers and frantic relatives searching for their beloved. So many innocent people were killed by the wild beasts cloaked in human skin, far worse than my uncivilized villagers. Ambulances carried the critically injured to the hospital. Yet, many survived because of the endless endeavours of “Doctors, the saviours of humanity”.

In those brutal circumstances, a doctor made all the difference. The lives of seriously wounded depended on the skills of emergency surgeons and physicians. The absence of doctors simply meant death. Since that very day, I have developed a deep love for this profession. Only doctors, not bureaucrats, politicians, military officers, or engineers, could save lives. From there on, I strived hard to qualify for a prestigious medical college and became a doctor.

Gandhi once said, “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” Similarly, my life has been a story of exemplary philanthropy. During my 8th grade, I taught underprivileged students. Nowadays, I treat indigent patients in my I.C.U. Ward. At college, I loved serving the sick and needy while I was serving as the Chairman of the Patients’ Welfare Organization. This association of students worked day and night under pitiful conditions in underdeveloped government hospitals.

Moreover, being a committed health activist, I worked during national disasters such as floods, earthquakes etc. I implemented various community strategies to engage volunteers at flood camps during these times. Due to these tactics, I successfully provided 90% coverage to children under five against nine deadly diseases, including Polio.

Furthermore, during my senior year, I organized a relief camp for the Rehabilitation of the victims of drought in the Sahara. I secured $1.7 million in aid, including edibles and emergency medicine. My team of senior doctors and I treated over 700 children suffering from Pediatrics diseases. During this time, I was exposed to people who lived in extreme poverty. I saw women and children with multiple infectious diseases. I saw the unhygienic environments in our hospital wards, where patients were prone to many hospital-acquired disorders.

I also saw levels of extreme malnutrition in children. The kind you have seen in the scenes of B.B.C. documentaries on African countries. It was heartbreaking that 824 children died from preventable diseases. 

Considering all the public health-related problems and the associated mortalities, I felt a need for time to become a public health professional to help people stay alive and increase life expectancy. Using health awareness, I want to reduce child mortality through continuous vaccination programs and family planning. In addition, I desire to eradicate infectious diseases that spread through the air, water, and unhygienic hospital environment.

It was well written on the wall of our research institute that medicine aims to prevent disease and prolong life. The ideal of medicine is to eliminate the need for a physician. In this journey in the medical field, being an active health professional, I also proved myself to be a social reformer. I opened a library with the assistance of my family and friends in our war-torn village. The library was a torch bearer for many inquisitive villagers who started sending their children to schools. Though at a snail’s pace but our literacy is perpetually increasing. 

I am an extrovert, and it’s exciting to move to a different country and meet people from different backgrounds. I aim to get professional and technical knowledge about various public health layers, such as program management, health research and disease surveillance. Using this skill set, I will serve in my country, nipping diseases in the bud at their primary occurrence level.

Moreover, I believe in good global philosophy and eradicating children’s malnutrition from my society. Similarly, providing universal healthcare saves everyone, and one of the best aspects of healthcare reform is to start emphasizing prevention. Martin Luther King Jr once said, “Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health care is the most shocking and inhumane.”

• Hook and Introduction (4/5): The imagery you used to describe the harsh realities of your village effectively captures the reader’s attention and sets the stage for your transformational journey.
• Background and Motivation (4.5/5): Your personal history is very impactful and your motivation to transform from a person with a violent mindset to a saviour of humanity is convincingly presented. However, the transition could be slightly more detailed to clearly convey this change in you.
• Relevance and Competency (4/5): Your work in various challenging environments and your dedication towards community service underline your competencies and your commitment to public health. However, make sure to highlight academic achievements and theoretical knowledge that you’ve gained and how it supports your practical work.
• Passion and Personal Drive (5/5): Your passion for public health is well demonstrated through the various initiatives and projects you’ve been a part of, as well as the life-changing events you’ve witnessed. The depth of your experiences and your commitment to improving health conditions in your community is compelling.
• Program Fit and Future Goals (4/5): Your future goals are well-aligned with the field of public health. It might be beneficial to specifically mention how this MPH program fits into your plan and how you intend to use the knowledge gained from this program to further your goals.
• Conclusion (4/5): Your conclusion effectively ties your story together. However, adding a final, focused statement on your immediate goal of joining the MPH program and your long-term vision of improving public health in your home country could be more impactful.

Overall, I’d rate your personal statement as 4.3/5. It is compelling and emotionally charged, highlighting your dedication to public health. However, it would benefit from more specific connections between your past experiences, your present aspirations, and the MPH program you’re applying to. Remember to articulate what unique qualities or perspectives you can bring to the program and how the program will help you achieve your long-term goals.

My In-depth Feedback on this Sample  

• Introduction: Your opening paragraph effectively sets the scene by illustrating the contrasting landscape and realities of your village. However, this part of the introduction is somewhat lengthy, and it may be more impactful to move sooner into the realities of warfare and conflict that were part of your upbringing. This would provide a more immediate hook for readers.
• Background and Challenges: You’ve described the challenges of your early life, including tribal conflicts and violence. You present a clear picture of a tough upbringing and the motivation that led you to seek a different path. The section could be improved by highlighting a few defining moments or experiences that influenced your decision to migrate and pursue education.
• Transferable Skills: Your transformative journey from a conflict-ridden region to becoming a doctor demonstrates perseverance, adaptability, and resilience. While these are valuable transferable skills, it would be beneficial to also include the academic and professional skills you’ve gained that are directly relevant to the field of public health.
• Passion and Goals: The story about the bombing incident and how it influenced your decision to become a doctor is very powerful and effectively shows your passion. However, you should also clarify how these experiences led to your specific interest in public health, not just medicine.
• Relevant Experiences: You’ve done an excellent job describing your various experiences working with underserved communities, disaster relief, and even establishing a library in your village. Each of these experiences speaks to your commitment to public health. However, you could strengthen this section by detailing some of the skills and knowledge you gained from these experiences and how they’ve prepared you for an advanced degree in public health.
• Program Fit and Future Aspirations: You clearly articulate your future aspirations in public health. However, there’s a lack of specificity about the program to which you’re applying. Detailing how this particular program will help you meet your goals would make your case more compelling.
• Conclusion: Your conclusion nicely ties together your past experiences, current motivations, and future goals. However, a more direct statement about your desire to join the program you’re applying to and a reflection on the benefits you anticipate from it would make the conclusion stronger.

Overall, your personal statement is strong and paints a vivid picture of your journey. However, adding more concrete examples of skills you’ve acquired, highlighting the influence of specific events on your career choice, and a clearer connection between your experiences and the program you’re applying to could make your statement even more powerful.

If you want me to review, critique, and give detailed feedback on your personal statement, then please share your email with us [email protected]

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Why a Personal Statement is Important

Personal statements are used as part of the application process for many Ph.D. programs, medical schools, fellowship programs, and even, in some cases, jobs.  Personal statements help assess an individual’s commitment to their chosen area of study or work. In addition to strong writing skills, the admissions committee is also looking for something standardized tests and GPAs cannot quantify — your personal story or sense of purpose as it relates to the program or position you are seeking.  While the importance of the statement in terms of the overall application varies from place to place, it is a key factor in the decision-making process.

Consider two goals when writing your essay: persuading the admissions or hiring committee to admit/hire you and demonstrating that you are far more than a GPA or test score. You are an authentic person who would be an asset to the school or to the organization.

The Three-Step Process to Writing a Personal Statement:

1. brainstorming.

In this step you engage in self-reflection, research and the development of ideas for your personal statement.  Allow yourself time to perform this step, and consider the following questions:

• What events, personal experiences, or difficult situations shaped my character?
• What experiences were most influential in choosing my career path?
• What skills, knowledge, and experiences distinguish me from other candidates?
• What do I find meaningful or purposeful? What is my passion?
• What are my goals or hopes for my future career?

2. Selecting Your Statement Topic

As you begin Step Two, ask yourself:  “What impression do I hope to create through my statement?” Select a topic that will allow you to synthesize the information from Step One into a well-written document, giving a positive and memorable impression.  Consider some of the following tips as you make your selection:

• Avoid using gimmicks, but select a topic that grabs the reader’s attention in the first paragraph
• Provide vivid supporting experiences to your topic
• Avoid repeating information that can be found elsewhere in your application (such as GPA)
• Seek feedback from your professors, advisors, and career counselor(s) about the topic

3. Tips for Writing Your Personal Statement

As you write your statement, keep in mind that your goal is to convince admissions or the hiring committee that you are the candidate they want.

• Start by creating an outline and journaling your first draft of your statement
• Be yourself – your readers want to learn about who you are as a person
• Use imagery and clear, vivid prose – describe your life experiences using graphic images
• Determine if there is a theme to your statement – a common thread.
• Don’t summarize in your introduction
• Create curiosity or intrigue in the reader’s mind by raising questions. If there is a theme to your statement, introduce your theme at the beginning.
• Relate all paragraphs in the body of essay to the introduction; or to your theme
• Make smooth transitions  to preserve the flow of your essay
• Link your conclusion to you introduction; focus on your career goals – where do you see yourself in 5/10 years? How will this position help you get there?
• Discuss the broader implications of your discussion.
• Redefine a term previously used in the body of your essay, end with a famous quote that is relevant to your argument.
• Take a break  from a draft of your statement – then come back to it with a fresh pair of eyes
• Ask someone else to read a draft of your statement and request feedback.  In addition to reading for content and flow, others may spot grammatical errors or typos that you overlooked.

Additional Resources:

• Sample Personal Statement  (PDF)
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HOW TO WRITE A WINNING PUBLIC HEALTH PERSONAL STATEMENT

Public health is one of the most diverse fields in healthcare practice, and the public health industry is expanding and changing at a rapid rate. 1 To break into this competitive field, strong qualifications, such as a Master of Public Health (MPH) , are essential, and a winning public health personal statement is a critical component of a successful MPH application. However, writing a personal statement for public health graduate school is substantially different from crafting one as a recent graduate or first-time job-seeker.

This post explains the importance of the MPH personal statement, and highlights four elements to consider when crafting a strong, engaging, effective statement as part of your application.

WHY IS A PUBLIC HEALTH PERSONAL STATEMENT IMPORTANT FOR AN MPH?

In public health professions more than in most careers, who you are matters. Because public health focuses on the human side of sickness and well-being, public health professionals interact continuously with individuals, communities, policy makers and educators. 2 Your personality is an important factor in determining the professional you will become. Admissions committees, therefore, need to understand you as a person in order to appreciate you as a candidate.

Among your application documents, your personal statement most effectively reveals who you are to an admissions committee. It demonstrates your passion and suitability for the program you are applying to and establishes you as more than the sum of your skills and qualifications.

SHOW, DON’T TELL.

A list of who you are, what you do, and where you see your career going will give the admissions committee a good sense of your suitability for the program to which you are applying. However, if you really want to engage your readers, show them rather than telling them. Human beings are narratively wired; we learn, remember and relate to material better when it is delivered in the form of a story. 3 A strong personal statement will be made even stronger if it is structured around a particular narrative.

To incorporate storytelling effectively in your personal statement, think about your strengths as an individual and the episodes in your life that have demonstrated and developed them. Emphasize the strengths that best align with public health professions: interpersonal and communication skills, an analytical and problem-solving mindset, a strong sense of social justice , and cultural competency are all good choices. 4 Tell the story of your life and career with your chosen strengths in mind. Show how each new experience has helped you progress toward being the ideal public health candidate.

BE PASSIONATE.

The story you tell must illustrate more than just your relevant skills and experiences; it should highlight your passion for and commitment to public health. Admissions-committee members know that the field of public health is demanding, 5 and a good MPH candidate is one who has the drive and dedication to face its many challenges. In your personal statement narrative, explain why public health matters to you.

Public health is a universal concern , and the work of public health professionals touches many aspects of our everyday lives. As you decide on the experiences you’ll include, consider how they demonstrate your personal connection to the public health profession. How have public health leaders inspired you? Where have public health issues affected your life? How have your achievements contributed to improving public health? Where do you hope to see further improvement, and why? By linking the answers to questions such as these with personal narrative, you will demonstrate your passion for the field.

WHY YOU? WHY THIS PROGRAM?

Competition for admission to graduate school is always fierce, and this is especially true when it comes to MPH programs. 6 To craft an effective personal statement, therefore, you must show that you are the perfect candidate for the specific school and program to which you’re applying.

Provide details on how your goals, experiences and passions align with the specific MPH program to which you are applying. You may want to comment on the research opportunities embedded within the program, for example, or the research specializations of key faculty members . Show how the unique details of the program align with your unique characteristics as a candidate.

By including specific references to the MPH program, you show that you’ve done your research and invested your time and energy in choosing a program carefully. Your demonstrated desire to be a part of the unique community and culture of your chosen program will make you a significantly more attractive candidate.

TONE MATTERS.

Finally, it is essential that you pay close attention to the grammar, expression and tone of your personal statement. As it is in many careers, writing is a crucial component of effective public health professionalism. 7 A successful public health practitioner must speak and write effectively. Producing a well-crafted, accurate, clear, engaging personal statement will demonstrate your competency in this area.

As you compose your personal statement, strive for a tone that is professional and formal. It will help balance the intimacy of the narrative style discussed above, resulting in a personal statement that feels both human and competent.

Check your work carefully for any errors in formatting, grammar or vocabulary, and make sure that you’re using technical terminology appropriately; mistakes in these areas suggest a lack of care and attention to detail that will reflect negatively on you. Ask someone whose writing skills you trust to proofread your personal statement. Even proficient writers can become blind to their own typos, and someone else’s knowledgeable perspective is always helpful, even if only to confirm the strength of your work.

PUT YOUR STRENGTHS AND EXPERIENCE TO THEIR BEST USE.

An MPH is the first step on the path to success in a dynamic, fulfilling career. With your Kent State online Master of Public Health in Health Policy and Management , Social and Behavioral Sciences or Epidemiology , or your Master of Science in Clinical Epidemiology , you can make a difference in a field with wide-ranging impact.

• Retrieved on August 6, 2020, from degreequery.com/top-20-demand-careers-public-health/
• Retrieved on August 6, 2020, from apha.org/what-is-public-health
• Retrieved on August 6, 2020, from time.com/5043166/storytelling-evolution/
• Retrieved on August 6, 2020, from phf.org/programs/corecompetencies/Pages/Core_Competencies_Domains.aspx .
• Retrieved on August 6, 2020, from mphprogramslist.com/50-great-reasons-to-pursue-a-public-health-career/
• Retrieved on August 6, 2020, from mphprogramslist.com/mph-admissions-process/
• Retrieved on August 6, 2020, from nursingcenter.com/journalarticle?Article_ID=682376&Journal_ID=420959&Issue_ID=682375

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How to Write a Great Personal Statement for the Global MPH

May 15, 2019

Imperial College London’s School of Public Health is renowned for conducting world-class research on today’s most pressing public health issues. No matter how compelling your research findings are, it is essential to communicate them clearly in order to promote positive change.

The same principle applies to your personal statement for the Global Master of Public Health (MPH) program . This personal statement is a chance to make the case that you belong at Imperial. Making that case clearly and effectively can be as important as your academic and professional qualifications.

Many students get anxious about this portion of the application, or worry that their writing skills aren’t up to the task. Our advice? Don’t panic!

You don’t have to be an outstanding writer to craft a great personal statement. Your task is to provide Imperial’s reviewers with the information they’re looking for in 1500 words or less. Let’s break the key points down into three specific areas: your past, present, and future.

1. Past: your background in public health

Start by introducing yourself. You’ve already provided a CV with your application, so this is an opportunity to put your experience in context. Tell us how and why you became interested in public health, the skills you’ve developed, and what you’re most proud of in your studies and career. Don’t be afraid to let your personality shine through!  

Key points:

• Previous academic and professional experience
• Relevant exposures to public health related work and research
• Areas of interest in healthcare and why they interest you

Examples from the MPH Class of 2018-19:

“Throughout my years at University and recent postgraduate studies, I have worked in a pharmacy as a pharmacy/ dispensing assistant, in both community and hospital settings with the latter being involved with cancer clinical trials. These roles have greatly advanced my knowledge of patient care, different treatment options and health awareness strategies within the NHS and local CCGs.”

“I worked on a retrospective study to examine the trends and outcomes of aortic valve replacements performed on veterans from 2005 to 2015. Prior coursework in statistics equipped me to interpret data analyses. I co-authored two abstracts. I often considered how researchers contribute towards reducing health inequities in specific populations.”

2. Present: why you are applying to the Imperial College MPH

After you’ve introduced yourself, explain your motivation for your application. What is driving you to take your career in public health to the next level, and why is the Imperial Online MPH right for you? Make a compelling case why you are applying to this program, specifically, and why now is the right time.

• Your motivation for your professional and/or research career in public health
• Why you are applying for the Online MPH program, specifically

Examples from MPH Class of 2018-19:

“My healthcare background has given me the drive to move my career from disease treatment to increasing awareness of disease prevention. With an increasing life expectancy and an uncertain national healthcare budget, prevention of poor health from preventable diseases has never been more imperative.”

“I am particularly interested in studying at Imperial College London due to its Public Health Policy Evaluation Unit, as the research areas of the unit match my own areas of interest for future research which include big healthcare data, healthcare access and health policy; within these areas I have an interest in mental health, cancer and primary and secondary care.”

3. Future: goals for your research at Imperial and your career beyond graduation

Finally, show that you have a specific vision for your time at Imperial and your post-MPH career. Include a short proposal (150 words or less) for a research project that you would be interested in carrying out as part of your dissertation over approximately a three month period. This gives the team more of an idea of your research interests and motivation to undertake the online Global MPH program. If you are accepted, you will not be required to carry out the proposal from your application. If you’d like to pursue the proposal from your application as part of your research portfolio, you can.

Key Points:

• Your future career goals
• Your proposed research area

“I believe the course will be able to provide an opportunity to obtain a more in-depth knowledge within these areas, but also developing a strong theoretical understanding of health policy, epidemiology and research methods, which I will give me the underpinning knowledge to undertake a PhD in Public health evaluation and policy in the future.”

“I aim to perform research to evaluate and improve the effectiveness and accessibility of health services for chronic conditions in low-income communities.”

__________________________

One last piece of advice: write an honest statement that gets across your true character and motivations, rather than writing something you think the panel will want to hear. Imperial’s goal in requesting these personal statements is to get to know prospective applicants on a personal level. Focus on providing a clear account of who you are, why you’re applying, and what you plan to do during and after the program.

The Global MPH offers the opportunity to get a world-class graduate degree in public health from one of the top 10 universities in the world (QS World University Rankings 2019). The program is affordable, flexible, and 100% online. As such, it attracts a diverse, highly-qualified group of students from across the globe. With a great personal statement, you can significantly increase your chances of joining the next cohort!  

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How to start writing a personal statement

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Step by step process of how to start the process of writing a personal statement for Public Health Graduate School, by Wing Yu Tang

Personal statements can be very tricky for a variety of reasons, both in terms of content and style. A common issue that I’ve seen among students is that many are so overwhelmed by the whole process that they do not know where to begin. Below are some of my suggestions to jump start ideas, and perhaps help tailor your thinking to the program you are applying for: 1) For those of you who are early in your timeline in applying, a great idea is to use a blog to keep track of the experiences and ideas during the course of your studies, work, research, or volunteer activities. This doesn’t have to be anything formal; rather, it helps in both documenting your ideas and allow you to write under minimal pressure. As the stress of applying only builds with closing deadlines, you don’t want lose valuable time trying to remember and articulate under stress. Another very important thing to keep in mind is that the blog does not have to tailor to a certain graduate program--it is perfectly find to explore and discover new and different fields. Writing just adds another dimension, another mirror if you will, that you can then reflect to see the type of career you want. Graduate programs are looking for candidates that have taken a careful and deep looks into their past--and using that to branch out to a career that both matches the student and their program. 2) Once you have determined a specialization (Biology, Chemistry, Public Health, etc.) then it would be a good idea to look into the specifics of these graduate schools, and the concentrations in which they provide. Public Health, for example, has five major areas of concentration: Epidemiology, Biostatistics, Health Services Administration, Behavioral Sciences/Health Education, and Environmental Health Sciences. Each accredited school has to offer these ranges of concentrations, though some schools specialize in certain aspects of these core (i.e. Yale has a chronic disease epidemiology program that is unique to its school of public health). Look at many programs to get to know the general academic requirements, but also pay close attention to experience. Columbia, for example, requires entering students to Population and Family Health to have at least 2 years of full time experience. It would be extreme negligence on the applicants part to bypass this strict criteria. As you browse through the schools, make sure to take note of programs that you see are suited to your interest. For example, I was very interested in cancer and cardio epidemiology research, both which were heavily founded by the professors affiliated with Yale’s School of Public Health. Hence, research and knowing your vocabulary among these concentrations is important as well. 3) Don’t rule out personal experiences! Many people might believe that their personal experiences should not be considered, but I believe that adding it in healthy amounts can set you apart. Since diversity is a major key, especially if you are applying to a program like global health, being from a certain area automatically sets you apart from the pool. For me, my families had to deal with many healthcare related issues, and I utilized my take from a patient’s perspective in my essay.  Of course, do not overdo this. The last thing you want to do is to come off arrogant, or, even worse, unappreciative. This component should enhance whatever you already have. 4) So what should the personal statement include? How formal should it be? What types of formats are acceptable, if any? A personal statement should be about you. I’ve seen too many students try to tailor or even “fudge” their writing in ways to fit what they think the readers (admissions committee) want to hear. When the piece starts becoming more about them rather than yourself, the piece loses its meaning and its ability to communicate effectively. I will elaborate more on this in a later entry, but this is important to keep in mind that your audience will know if you are only writing to please them. That being said, your personal statement should be written extremely well. You should definitely have multiple editors, and, if possible, some professors, or professionals, from the field in which you are applying into. Take advantage of both the Writing Place and Writing Program, both of which provide excellent services and/or technical advice on your pieces. Students, if you are comfortable enough, would be another resource, though more for fluidity and content check only.

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Writing the Personal Statement for Health Professions Applications

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The personal statement gives you the opportunity to present a compelling snapshot of who you are and perhaps why you want to be a doctor. Use your personal statement to say what others can’t. The personal statement can be a tricky genre to master. On the one hand, you want to give the admissions committee a sense of your personality and who you are. On the other hand, you must sound focused and professional, which sounds like it might impede your ability to capture your personality.

But this does not have to be the case. What you need to do is figure out how to say what drives you to want to become a healthcare professional in as specific a way as possible. The more specific you can be, the more the admissions committee will feel as if they have a sense of who you are.

You don’t need gimmicks, jokes, artificial drama, or hyperbole to express who you are or why you would make a good medical student or doctor. All you need are carefully selected details that you can craft into a unique and compelling story that conveys a sense of purpose and motivation.

What Makes a Good Personal Statement?

• There is no exact template for an effective personal statement. Often, however, strong personal statements combine a concise description of a personal experience with reflection on how this experience either led the writer to pursue medicine or indicates the writer’s character or commitment.
• Good personal statements often have a strong sense of narrative. This does not mean that they read like short stories, though they can relate a few scenes or anecdotes from your life. They have a strong sense of narrative, rather, in how they convey the writer’s sense of dedication to medicine. Strong personal statements often give readers an idea of how applicants see their experiences as leading to the decision to pursue medicine.

How to Get Started

The personal statement is an exercise in self-reflection. Questions to consider:

• Who are you?  I am driven to… I have learned to… I believe…
• What are your most passionate interests or concerns?  What problem(s) most occupy your thinking and your efforts?
• How did you develop those interests?  (Not just the story, but what drives you.)
• What errors or regrets have taught you something important about yourself?
• When does time disappear for you?  What does this tell you about your passions, your values?
• What ideas, books, courses, events have had a profound impact on you?  How so?
• To what extent do your current commitments reflect your most strongly held values?
• When have you changed?  Consider yourself before and after; what does this change mean?
• How do your interests and who you are relate to your goals in medical school and as a doctor?

Start a “shoebox”; a place to keep random notes for your personal statement; be ready to write at any time. Review these items occasionally; let them tell you more about what you want your personal statement to say. Start writing drafts, experiments; you will know when a paragraph begins to gel.

A Suggested Writing Process

Everyone writes differently, so these are potential strategies rather than rules.

• Make a list of some of your most defining experiences – extracurricular activities, specific classes, volunteer work, research, hobbies, etc. Try not to include overly personal experiences (breakups, trouble with parents, illnesses in the family, and so on). It’s difficult to write about such things without being sentimental or cliché. You want experiences in which you did something and had to make a choice.
• From this list, try to select an experience that particularly demonstrates your intellectual curiosity, your dedication to service, your composure under pressure, your leadership ability, or any other personal trait that you think is particularly relevant to your case that you would make a good doctor or medical student.
• Start writing a draft based on this experience. You want to be specific, but don’t get bogged down with an abundance of anecdotes or minutiae. Try to use your draft to craft a succinct story that demonstrates your character and your motivations.
• Set the draft aside for some time (a number of days or weeks), and then revisit it with fresh eyes. Be as honest with yourself as you can be: What works in this draft? What doesn’t work? What sounds cliché or unspecific? Would a reader who doesn’t know me at all get a sense of my personal character and dedication?
• Revise, revise, revise: tighten the structure, add new things to make your point clearer, take away sentences or sections that now seem unnecessary, use the active voice as much as possible, and anything else that needs to be done. If what you have just doesn’t seem to be coming together, do not be afraid to start over.
• Solicit feedback from a couple of trusted readers and revise again based on the suggestions that you find most useful. Don’t solicit feedback from too many people though – too many responses can be overwhelming.
• Edit your work for grammatical mistakes, typos, clumsy repetitions, and so on. Make your prose impeccable before you submit your statement. Asking help from other readers can be especially helpful with editing, as sometimes it gets difficult to read your work with fresh eyes.

Things to Do

• Use the experience that you describe to tell a story of personal progress, particularly progress towards your commitment to medicine.
• Write with active verbs as much as possible.
• Strive for concision.
• Sound humble but also confident.

Things Not to Do – Common Pitfalls

• Don’t talk in hyperbolic terms about how passionate you are. Everyone applying to medical school can say they are passionate. Instead, show your readers something you have done that indicates your passion.
• Don’t adopt an overly confessional or sentimental tone. You need to sound professional.
• Don’t treat the personal statement like a piece of creative writing.
• Don’t put your resume in narrative form.
• Don’t use jargon, abbreviations, slang, etc.
• Don’t use too many qualifiers: very, quite, rather, really, interesting…
• Don’t write in overly flowery language that you would normally never use.
• Don’t include famous quotations. If you must quote, use something that shows significant knowledge.
• Don’t write about yourself in an overly glorifying or overly self-effacing manner.

What to Remember

• They are read by non-specialists, so write for an intelligent non-medical audience.
• Actions sometimes speaks louder than words so give examples of experiences rather than describing them.
• All information must be accurate – don’t pad, but don’t be falsely modest either.
• The personal statement, in part, serves as a test of your communication skills.  How well you write it is as important as the content.

Writing Resources

• AAMC: 7 Tips for Writing your AMCAS Personal Statement
• Graduate Admission Essays: What Works, What Doesn’t and Why , Donald Asher, Ten Speed Press
• On Writing Well , William Zinsser
• Elements of Style , Strunk and White, Macmillan
• Article :  2 Med School Essays that Admissions Officers Loved
• Guidance for Writing Personal Statements, Work & Activities Section, Secondary Applications

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How to Write a Personal Statement for a PhD Program Application

Personal statement guidelines, general guidelines to keep in mind:.

• One size does not fit all : Tailor your personal statement to each program and department you are applying to. Do your research to learn what is unique about each of your choices and highlight how this particular program stands out.
• Yes, it’s personal : Showcase your unique strengths and accomplishments. Explain what influenced your personal decisions to pursue the program. Ask yourself, could this be applied to your friend or neighbor? If so, you need to be more specific and provide examples. Saying that you are a “good scientist” isn’t enough. Provide examples of your previous research experience, projects you’ve completed, and what technical skills you learned. Explain how you overcame any challenges along the way.
• Set aside enough time :  Although personal statements are generally short in length (approx. 700 words; 1-2 pages), give yourself ample time to write a strong, well-written statement. It takes more time than you think to develop a final draft for submission.
• Focus on your spelling, grammar, and vocabulary :  It’s important to present a well-written statement with good grammar and vocabulary. Write concrete, succinct sentences that flow well. Avoid flowery language. Visit the  Writing Center  for additional review and feedback.
• Proofread one more time:  Check your grammar and spelling again before submitting your final draft. Ask a friend, professor, or advisor to proofread your final draft one more time before sending it in. 

YOUR PERSONAL STATEMENT SHOULD ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS:

• Why do you want to complete further research in this field?  Write down a list of reasons as to why you are interested in pursuing further study in the field. When did you become interested in the field and what knowledge have you gained so far? Describe how your previous work provided the foundation and for further study.
• Why  have you  chosen to apply to this particular university ? Does the institution have a particular curriculum, special research facilities/equipment, or interesting research that appeal to you?
• What are your strengths ? Demonstrate how you stand out from other candidates. Highlight relevant projects, dissertations thesis or essays that demonstrate your academic skills and creativity. Include IT skills, research techniques, awards, or relevant traveling/ study abroad experience.
• What are your transferable skills?  Be sure to emphasize transferable skills such as communication, teamwork, and time management skills. Give examples of how you have demonstrated each of these with specific examples.
• How does this program align with your career goals?  It’s okay if you don’t know the exact career path you plan to take after completing your PhD. Provide an idea of the direction you would like to take. This demonstrates commitment and dedication to the program.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

For examples of successful personal statements, visit the  Online Writing Lab (OWL) .

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Gre prep online guides and tips, 3 successful graduate school personal statement examples.

Looking for grad school personal statement examples? Look no further! In this total guide to graduate school personal statement examples, we’ll discuss why you need a personal statement for grad school and what makes a good one. Then we’ll provide three graduate school personal statement samples from our grad school experts. After that, we’ll do a deep dive on one of our personal statement for graduate school examples. Finally, we’ll wrap up with a list of other grad school personal statements you can find online.

Why Do You Need a Personal Statement?

A personal statement is a chance for admissions committees to get to know you: your goals and passions, what you’ll bring to the program, and what you’re hoping to get out of the program.  You need to sell the admissions committee on what makes you a worthwhile applicant. The personal statement is a good chance to highlight significant things about you that don’t appear elsewhere on your application.

A personal statement is slightly different from a statement of purpose (also known as a letter of intent). A statement of purpose/letter of intent tends to be more tightly focused on your academic or professional credentials and your future research and/or professional interests.

While a personal statement also addresses your academic experiences and goals, you have more leeway to be a little more, well, personal. In a personal statement, it’s often appropriate to include information on significant life experiences or challenges that aren’t necessarily directly relevant to your field of interest.

Some programs ask for both a personal statement and a statement of purpose/letter of intent. In this case, the personal statement is likely to be much more tightly focused on your life experience and personality assets while the statement of purpose will focus in much more on your academic/research experiences and goals.

However, there’s not always a hard-and-fast demarcation between a personal statement and a statement of purpose. The two statement types should address a lot of the same themes, especially as relates to your future goals and the valuable assets you bring to the program. Some programs will ask for a personal statement but the prompt will be focused primarily on your research and professional experiences and interests. Some will ask for a statement of purpose but the prompt will be more focused on your general life experiences.

When in doubt, give the program what they are asking for in the prompt and don’t get too hung up on whether they call it a personal statement or statement of purpose. You can always call the admissions office to get more clarification on what they want you to address in your admissions essay.

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What Makes a Good Grad School Personal Statement?

A great graduate school personal statement can come in many forms and styles. However, strong grad school personal statement examples all share the same following elements:

A Clear Narrative

Above all, a good personal statement communicates clear messages about what makes you a strong applicant who is likely to have success in graduate school. So to that extent, think about a couple of key points that you want to communicate about yourself and then drill down on how you can best communicate those points. (Your key points should of course be related to what you can bring to the field and to the program specifically).

You can also decide whether to address things like setbacks or gaps in your application as part of your narrative. Have a low GPA for a couple semesters due to a health issue? Been out of a job for a while taking care of a family member? If you do decide to explain an issue like this, make sure that the overall arc is more about demonstrating positive qualities like resilience and diligence than about providing excuses.

Specific Examples

A great statement of purpose uses specific examples to illustrate its key messages. This can include anecdotes that demonstrate particular traits or even references to scholars and works that have influenced your academic trajectory to show that you are familiar and insightful about the relevant literature in your field.

Just saying “I love plants,” is pretty vague. Describing how you worked in a plant lab during undergrad and then went home and carefully cultivated your own greenhouse where you cross-bred new flower colors by hand is much more specific and vivid, which makes for better evidence.

A strong personal statement will describe why you are a good fit for the program, and why the program is a good fit for you. It’s important to identify specific things about the program that appeal to you, and how you’ll take advantage of those opportunities. It’s also a good idea to talk about specific professors you might be interested in working with. This shows that you are informed about and genuinely invested in the program.

Strong Writing

Even quantitative and science disciplines typically require some writing, so it’s important that your personal statement shows strong writing skills. Make sure that you are communicating clearly and that you don’t have any grammar and spelling errors. It’s helpful to get other people to read your statement and provide feedback. Plan on going through multiple drafts.

Another important thing here is to avoid cliches and gimmicks. Don’t deploy overused phrases and openings like “ever since I was a child.” Don’t structure your statement in a gimmicky way (i.e., writing a faux legal brief about yourself for a law school statement of purpose). The first will make your writing banal; the second is likely to make you stand out in a bad way.

Appropriate Boundaries

While you can be more personal in a personal statement than in a statement of purpose, it’s important to maintain appropriate boundaries in your writing. Don’t overshare anything too personal about relationships, bodily functions, or illegal activities. Similarly, don’t share anything that makes it seem like you may be out of control, unstable, or an otherwise risky investment. The personal statement is not a confessional booth. If you share inappropriately, you may seem like you have bad judgment, which is a huge red flag to admissions committees.

You should also be careful with how you deploy humor and jokes. Your statement doesn’t have to be totally joyless and serious, but bear in mind that the person reading the statement may not have the same sense of humor as you do. When in doubt, err towards the side of being as inoffensive as possible.

Just as being too intimate in your statement can hurt you, it’s also important not to be overly formal or staid. You should be professional, but conversational.

Graduate School Personal Statement Examples

Our graduate school experts have been kind enough to provide some successful grad school personal statement examples. We’ll provide three examples here, along with brief analysis of what makes each one successful.

Sample Personal Statement for Graduate School 1

PDF of Sample Personal Statement 1 – Japanese Studies

For this Japanese Studies master’s degree, the applicant had to provide a statement of purpose outlining her academic goals and experience with Japanese and a separate personal statement describing her personal relationship with Japanese Studies and what led her to pursue a master’s degree.

Here’s what’s successful about this personal statement:

• An attention-grabbing beginning: The applicant begins with the statement that Japanese has never come easily to her and that it’s a brutal language to learn. Seeing as how this is an application for a Japanese Studies program, this is an intriguing beginning that makes the reader want to keep going.
• A compelling narrative: From this attention-grabbing beginning, the applicant builds a well-structured and dramatic narrative tracking her engagement with the Japanese language over time. The clear turning point is her experience studying abroad, leading to a resolution in which she has clarity about her plans. Seeing as how the applicant wants to be a translator of Japanese literature, the tight narrative structure here is a great way to show her writing skills.
• Specific examples that show important traits: The applicant clearly communicates both a deep passion for Japanese through examples of her continued engagement with Japanese and her determination and work ethic by highlighting the challenges she’s faced (and overcome) in her study of the language. This gives the impression that she is an engaged and dedicated student.

Overall, this is a very strong statement both in terms of style and content. It flows well, is memorable, and communicates that the applicant would make the most of the graduate school experience.

Sample Personal Statement for Graduate School 2

PDF of Sample Graduate School Personal Statement 2 – Musical Composition

This personal statement for a Music Composition master’s degree discusses the factors that motivate the applicant to pursue graduate study.

Here’s what works well in this statement:

• The applicant provides two clear reasons motivating the student to pursue graduate study: her experiences with music growing up, and her family’s musical history. She then supports those two reasons with examples and analysis.
• The description of her ancestors’ engagement with music is very compelling and memorable. The applicant paints her own involvement with music as almost inevitable based on her family’s long history with musical pursuits.
• The applicant gives thoughtful analysis of the advantages she has been afforded that have allowed her to study music so extensively. We get the sense that she is insightful and empathetic—qualities that would add greatly to any academic community.

This is a strong, serviceable personal statement. And in truth, given that this for a masters in music composition, other elements of the application (like work samples) are probably the most important.  However, here are two small changes I would make to improve it:

• I would probably to split the massive second paragraph into 2-3 separate paragraphs. I might use one paragraph to orient the reader to the family’s musical history, one paragraph to discuss Giacomo and Antonio, and one paragraph to discuss how the family has influenced the applicant. As it stands, it’s a little unwieldy and the second paragraph doesn’t have a super-clear focus even though it’s all loosely related to the applicant’s family history with music.
• I would also slightly shorten the anecdote about the applicant’s ancestors and expand more on how this family history has motivated the applicant’s interest in music. In what specific ways has her ancestors’ perseverance inspired her? Did she think about them during hard practice sessions? Is she interested in composing music in a style they might have played? More specific examples here would lend greater depth and clarity to the statement.

Sample Personal Statement for Graduate School 3

PDF of Sample Graduate School Personal Statement 3 – Public Health

This is my successful personal statement for Columbia’s Master’s program in Public Health. We’ll do a deep dive on this statement paragraph-by-paragraph in the next section, but I’ll highlight a couple of things that work in this statement here:

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• This statement is clearly organized. Almost every paragraph has a distinct focus and message, and when I move on to a new idea, I move on to a new paragraph with a logical transitions.
• This statement covers a lot of ground in a pretty short space. I discuss my family history, my goals, my educational background, and my professional background. But because the paragraphs are organized and I use specific examples, it doesn’t feel too vague or scattered.
• In addition to including information about my personal motivations, like my family, I also include some analysis about tailoring health interventions with my example of the Zande. This is a good way to show off what kinds of insights I might bring to the program based on my academic background.

Grad School Personal Statement Example: Deep Dive

Now let’s do a deep dive, paragraph-by-paragraph, on one of these sample graduate school personal statements. We’ll use my personal statement that I used when I applied to Columbia’s public health program.

Paragraph One: For twenty-three years, my grandmother (a Veterinarian and an Epidemiologist) ran the Communicable Disease Department of a mid-sized urban public health department. The stories of Grandma Betty doggedly tracking down the named sexual partners of the infected are part of our family lore. Grandma Betty would persuade people to be tested for sexually transmitted diseases, encourage safer sexual practices, document the spread of infection and strive to contain and prevent it. Indeed, due to the large gay population in the city where she worked, Grandma Betty was at the forefront of the AIDS crises, and her analysis contributed greatly towards understanding how the disease was contracted and spread. My grandmother has always been a huge inspiration to me, and the reason why a career in public health was always on my radar.

This is an attention-grabbing opening anecdote that avoids most of the usual cliches about childhood dreams and proclivities. This story also subtly shows that I have a sense of public health history, given the significance of the AIDs crisis for public health as a field.

It’s good that I connect this family history to my own interests. However, if I were to revise this paragraph again, I might cut down on some of the detail because when it comes down to it, this story isn’t really about me. It’s important that even (sparingly used) anecdotes about other people ultimately reveal something about you in a personal statement.

Paragraph Two: Recent years have cemented that interest. In January 2012, my parents adopted my little brother Fred from China. Doctors in America subsequently diagnosed Fred with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). My parents were told that if Fred’s condition had been discovered in China, the (very poor) orphanage in which he spent the first 8+ years of his life would have recognized his DMD as a death sentence and denied him sustenance to hasten his demise.

Here’s another compelling anecdote to help explain my interest in public health. This is an appropriately personal detail for a personal statement—it’s a serious thing about my immediate family, but it doesn’t disclose anything that the admissions committee might find concerning or inappropriate.

If I were to take another pass through this paragraph, the main thing I would change is the last phrase. “Denied him sustenance to hasten his demise” is a little flowery. “Denied him food to hasten his death” is actually more powerful because it’s clearer and more direct.

Paragraph Three: It is not right that some people have access to the best doctors and treatment while others have no medical care. I want to pursue an MPH in Sociomedical Sciences at Columbia because studying social factors in health, with a particular focus on socio-health inequities, will prepare me to address these inequities. The interdisciplinary approach of the program appeals to me greatly as I believe interdisciplinary approaches are the most effective way to develop meaningful solutions to complex problems.

In this paragraph I make a neat and clear transition from discussing what sparked my interest in public health and health equity to what I am interested in about Columbia specifically: the interdisciplinary focus of the program, and how that focus will prepare me to solve complex health problems. This paragraph also serves as a good pivot point to start discussing my academic and professional background.

Paragraph Four: My undergraduate education has prepared me well for my chosen career. Understanding the underlying structure of a group’s culture is essential to successfully communicating with the group. In studying folklore and mythology, I’ve learned how to parse the unspoken structures of folk groups, and how those structures can be used to build bridges of understanding. For example, in a culture where most illnesses are believed to be caused by witchcraft, as is the case for the Zande people of central Africa, any successful health intervention or education program would of necessity take into account their very real belief in witchcraft.

In this paragraph, I link my undergraduate education and the skills I learned there to public health. The (very brief) analysis of tailoring health interventions to the Zande is a good way to show insight and show off the competencies I would bring to the program.

Paragraph Five: I now work in the healthcare industry for one of the largest providers of health benefits in the world. In addition to reigniting my passion for data and quantitative analytics, working for this company has immersed me in the business side of healthcare, a critical component of public health.

This brief paragraph highlights my relevant work experience in the healthcare industry. It also allows me to mention my work with data and quantitative analytics, which isn’t necessarily obvious from my academic background, which was primarily based in the social sciences.

Paragraph Six: I intend to pursue a PhD in order to become an expert in how social factors affect health, particularly as related to gender and sexuality. I intend to pursue a certificate in Sexuality, Sexual Health, and Reproduction. Working together with other experts to create effective interventions across cultures and societies, I want to help transform health landscapes both in America and abroad.

This final paragraph is about my future plans and intentions. Unfortunately, it’s a little disjointed, primarily because I discuss goals of pursuing a PhD before I talk about what certificate I want to pursue within the MPH program! Switching those two sentences and discussing my certificate goals within the MPH and then mentioning my PhD plans would make a lot more sense.

I also start two sentences in a row with “I intend,” which is repetitive.

The final sentence is a little bit generic; I might tailor it to specifically discuss a gender and sexual health issue, since that is the primary area of interest I’ve identified.

This was a successful personal statement; I got into (and attended!) the program. It has strong examples, clear organization, and outlines what interests me about the program (its interdisciplinary focus) and what competencies I would bring (a background in cultural analysis and experience with the business side of healthcare). However, a few slight tweaks would elevate this statement to the next level.

Graduate School Personal Statement Examples You Can Find Online

So you need more samples for your personal statement for graduate school? Examples are everywhere on the internet, but they aren’t all of equal quality.

Most of examples are posted as part of writing guides published online by educational institutions. We’ve rounded up some of the best ones here if you are looking for more personal statement examples for graduate school.

Penn State Personal Statement Examples for Graduate School

This selection of ten short personal statements for graduate school and fellowship programs offers an interesting mix of approaches. Some focus more on personal adversity while others focus more closely on professional work within the field.

The writing in some of these statements is a little dry, and most deploy at least a few cliches. However, these are generally strong, serviceable statements that communicate clearly why the student is interested in the field, their skills and competencies, and what about the specific program appeals to them.

Cal State Sample Graduate School Personal Statements

These are good examples of personal statements for graduate school where students deploy lots of very vivid imagery and illustrative anecdotes of life experiences. There are also helpful comments about what works in each of these essays.

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However, all of these statements are definitely pushing the boundaries of acceptable length, as all are above 1000 and one is almost 1500 words! Many programs limit you to 500 words; if you don’t have a limit, you should try to keep it to two single-spaced pages at most (which is about 1000 words).

University of Chicago Personal Statement for Graduate School Examples

These examples of successful essays to the University of Chicago law school cover a wide range of life experiences and topics. The writing in all is very vivid, and all communicate clear messages about the students’ strengths and competencies.

Note, however, that these are all essays that specifically worked for University of Chicago law school. That does not mean that they would work everywhere. In fact, one major thing to note is that many of these responses, while well-written and vivid, barely address the students’ interest in law school at all! This is something that might not work well for most graduate programs.

Wheaton College Personal Statement for Graduate School Sample 10

This successful essay for law school from a Wheaton College undergraduate does a great job tracking the student’s interest in the law in a compelling and personal way. Wheaton offers other graduate school personal statement examples, but this one offers the most persuasive case for the students’ competencies. The student accomplishes this by using clear, well-elaborated examples, showing strong and vivid writing, and highlighting positive qualities like an interest in justice and empathy without seeming grandiose or out of touch.

Wheaton College Personal Statement for Graduate School Sample 1

Based on the background information provided at the bottom of the essay, this essay was apparently successful for this applicant. However, I’ve actually included this essay because it demonstrates an extremely risky approach. While this personal statement is strikingly written and the story is very memorable, it could definitely communicate the wrong message to some admissions committees. The student’s decision not to report the drill sergeant may read incredibly poorly to some admissions committees. They may wonder if the student’s failure to report the sergeant’s violence will ultimately expose more soldiers-in-training to the same kinds of abuses. This incident perhaps reads especially poorly in light of the fact that the military has such a notable problem with violence against women being covered up and otherwise mishandled

It’s actually hard to get a complete picture of the student’s true motivations from this essay, and what we have might raise real questions about the student’s character to some admissions committees. This student took a risk and it paid off, but it could have just as easily backfired spectacularly.

Key Takeaways: Graduate School Personal Statement Examples

In this guide, we discussed why you need a personal statement and how it differs from a statement of purpose. (It’s more personal!)

We also discussed what you’ll find in a strong sample personal statement for graduate school:

• A clear narrative about the applicant and why they are qualified for graduate study.
• Specific examples to support that narrative.
• Compelling reasons why the applicant and the program are a good fit for each other.
• Strong writing, including clear organization and error-free, cliche-free language.
• Appropriate boundaries—sharing without over-sharing.

Then, we provided three strong graduate school personal statement examples for different fields, along with analysis. We did a deep-dive on the third statement.

Finally, we provided a list of other sample grad school personal statements online.

What’s Next?

Want more advice on writing a personal statement ? See our guide.

Writing a graduate school statement of purpose? See our statement of purpose samples  and a nine-step process for writing the best statement of purpose possible .

If you’re writing a graduate school CV or resume, see our how-to guide to writing a CV , a how-to guide to writing a resume , our list of sample resumes and CVs , resume and CV templates , and a special guide for writing resume objectives .

Need stellar graduate school recommendation letters ? See our guide.

See our 29 tips for successfully applying to graduate school .

Ready to improve your GRE score by 7 points?

Author: Ellen McCammon

Ellen is a public health graduate student and education expert. She has extensive experience mentoring students of all ages to reach their goals and in-depth knowledge on a variety of health topics. View all posts by Ellen McCammon

• Personal Statements for PhD Study

Written by Mark Bennett

Universities often ask prospective students to provide a personal statement for PhD study. This is likely to be a key part of your PhD application .

Whereas your research proposal explains the potential of your project, your personal statement (also known as a PhD statement of purpose) demonstrates your suitability for doctoral work in general.

Writing a PhD personal statement can seem challenging, but it’s also a valuable opportunity to state what you have to offer and ‘sell yourself’ as a PhD candidate.

This page explains how to write a PhD personal statement, including suggestions for an effective structure and some additional tips for success.

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What is a phd statement for.

A personal statement provides additional information on a PhD applicant’s academic background, relevant experience and motivations for undertaking postgraduate research.

It is different from a PhD proposal, which outlines a particular research topic, explaining its aims, methodology and scholarly or scientific value.

Put simply, if a PhD is a unique individual project (and it is) then your personal statement shows that you’re the kind of unique individual who can complete one.

The form it takes can vary. Universities may include a space for a personal statement in their application materials, or they might ask you to submit it as a separate document or in place of a covering letter . Make sure you check what’s required before you start writing.

Will I have to write a personal statement for a PhD programme?

Not necessarily. Some PhD applications don’t actually ask for a separate personal statement. This may be because the admissions tutors want to focus on your research proposal instead (and leave other details for interview questions ).

A personal statement is very likely to be requested if you you’re applying to an advertised project with pre-defined aims and objectives (and aren’t submitting your own PhD proposal). If so, it will be your main chance to say why you’re the best student for this position.

Who will read it?

Your PhD statement may end up being read and considered by various people:

• Admissions tutors will check that you have relevant experience and qualifications for this programme and that these are up to the standard expected of a PhD candidate.
• Potential supervisors will be interested in your specific academic background as well as your motivations for working in their department or research group.
• Interview panellists (who may include admissions tutors and supervisors) will probably consult your personal statement when preparing questions for you .

These people will be interested in slightly different things, but don’t worry: a good statement should be able to satisfy all of them.

What is a PhD statement of purpose?

If you’re applying for a PhD programme at an American grad school , you may be asked to provide a ‘PhD statement of purpose’.

A PhD statement of purpose (SOP) is your chance to demonstrate that you’re an ideal fit for the grad school in question.

It’s essentially the equivalent of a personal statement, but you should check the application details for your preferred institution to make sure you’re covering everything you need to. Always follow the conventions of the country that your prospective programme is in.

What should my PhD personal statement include?

The exact content of your PhD statement of purpose will depend on the kind of project you’re applying for and the requirements set by your university.

You should check the latter carefully. If the admission guidelines ask for your personal statement to refer to specific details (such as motivations, career goals, your choice of university, etc) make sure it does.

In general, your PhD statement should cover the following topics:

1. What is your background?

Keep this relevant (and fairly brief). Admissions tutors and supervisors will be interested in what’s brought you to choose a PhD, but they won’t need to know your life story (and you won’t have time to tell it to them).

If your interest in your subject was inspired in childhood, feel free to say so. But focus on the interest, not the childhood.

2. Why do you want to research this topic?

Every personal statement needs to explain your motivation for taking on a PhD, but what you include here will depend on the kind of PhD you want to take on.

If you’re also submitting a separate research proposal you should probably focus more on why you want to research a PhD than the specific topic you’re proposing to research (that, after all, is what your research proposal is for).

If you’re applying for an advertised project (and not proposing your own research) you should say something about your interest in that PhD: what interests you about it and what you can bring to it.

3. What academic experience do you have?

Your personal statement isn’t a CV, so avoid simply listing qualifications you’ve detailed elsewhere in your application (on your CV , for example).

But your personal statement is a chance to comment on your CV and explain the significance of those qualifications for your PhD application. This is vital if you want to stand out from the crowd.

Most PhD applicants are academically excellent. Be proud of your own results, but explain what those degrees (including specific units and dissertation projects) taught you about the subject you now want to research.

4. What extra-curricular experience do you have?

Another way to build upon your academic qualifications is to include other experience that has also demonstrated (or developed) relevant skills for your PhD.

Again, relevance is key. You may also wish to include one or two examples of your wider experience and achievements, but the focus should be on your suitability for PhD study.

Examples of your character and qualities may be relevant for some projects – particularly those with a charitable focus, human-interest angle or clear social benefits / outcomes. Otherwise, try to stick to relevant skills such as organisation, independent project management, self-motivation, etc.

5. What are your broader goals and motivations?

It’s a good idea to say something about how this PhD fits into your wider aims and career goals.

The specifics of what you plan to do after your doctorate may not matter to your admissions tutors, but the fact that you have plans and can show that a PhD fits them demonstrates that you’ve thought seriously about a doctorate and are likely to commit to overcoming the challenges it involves.

6. Are there any other areas or issues arising from your CV?

Your personal statement is a great opportunity to expand upon your CV.

That could mean providing more detail about academic degrees (as above). But it can also mean explaining any gaps or irregularities and anticipating some of the questions they might raise.

Perhaps you didn’t do as well as you hoped on your undergraduate degree, but went on to find your niche and succeed with a more specialised Masters. It’s OK to acknowledge and explain that if so – particularly if your Masters relates closely to your PhD.

Similarly, if there’s a gap in your CV, it’s better to explain it than leave any begged questions – particularly if there’s a perfectly good reason why you weren’t working or studying at that point.

How to write a PhD personal statement

Crafting a good PhD personal statement requires discipline and planning.

Writing about yourself may not seem particularly hard, but selecting, sequencing and organising your material can be harder than it seems. You know a lot about you, after all, but you only have so much time and space. Speaking of which:

How long should a PhD personal statement be?

A PhD personal statement should be 400-500 words, fitting on one side of an A4 sheet of paper. Your university may set a specific word count or maximum length, so make sure to check the application details.

Either way, you should aim to be disciplined and concise. There are two reasons for this:

One is that the ability to think – and express yourself – clearly is a key PhD skill in all subject areas. There’s no harm in demonstrating it now.

The other is that admissions tutors and prospective supervisors are people. People who may well have a lot of personal statements and applications to assess, besides yours. If you give them a long essay to read, they might not.

How should I structure my statement?

The sequence above actually provides a good ‘spine’ for a personal statement (with roughly a paragraph or two for each section):

Start with a quick introduction, explaining who you are and what your background is. Try to have this progress naturally into your research interests and your choice of PhD and university.

From there you can move on, logically, to expanding on your skills and experience and how these make you a good fit for the PhD in question. If you wish to comment on other areas of your CV, do so at appropriate points here.

Finally, you can conclude with a section on your longer-term goals and aspirations.

What writing style should I use?

The ‘personal’ aspect of your statement should extend to its content (it’s a document about you) but not necessarily to its tone (it’s also a professional document, part of an application for a specific role).

That doesn’t mean you can’t express yourself (your reader will want to see that you’re passionate about your subject and enthusiastic about PhD research) but keep things professional and relevant.

These guidelines should also extend to way you write. Try to stick to short sentences and express yourself with clarity and precision. After all, a personal statement that’s easy to read is more likely to be read.

What extra-curricular experience do you have?

What are your broader goals and motivations, are there any other areas or issues arising from your cv, learn more about phd applications.

There are several components of a PhD application , besides your personal statement or statement of purpose. Our guides cover references , research proposals , academic CVs , cover letters and more.

Tips for writing your PhD personal statement

Our postgrad newsletter shares courses, funding news, stories and advice.

Some of the ingredients for a great PhD statement vary from project to project and from student to student (it’s a personal statement, after all).

But the following general tips are still worth bearing in mind:

• Keep it relevant – Remember that this is a statement about you as a potential PhD student, not just a statement about you.
• Don’t duplicate your research proposal – A personal statement and a research proposal are two separate things. If you’re submitting both, make sure they cover different (and appropriate) ground.
• Be honest – If you’re lucky, the content of your personal statement could end up informing questions at your PhD interview . Don’t let embellishments or inaccuracies turn those into awkward questions.
• Look for guidelines – If your university asks you to cover something specific in your proposal, make sure you do so. The same applies to space limits or word counts.
• Think of the statement as a beginning, not an end – Resist the temptation to include everything, ‘just in case’. By focussing on the most important elements you’ll improve the clarity of your statement and increase your chance of covering other details at your interview.
• Address questions arising from elsewhere – If there’s a gap in your CV or an issue with one of your references, your personal statement can be an opportunity to (briefly) explain that.
• State, don’t plead - This isn’t a letter asking to be given a PhD place. It’s a statement showing why you should be given a PhD place. That’s even more important if there’s funding involved.
• Be confident – By the same token, don’t be afraid to demonstrate self-belief. Express your skills and achievements honestly, but be proud of what they represent.

Finally, before you submit your statement (and the rest of your PhD application ) ask someone who knows you to read it. They could be a friend, an employer, a current tutor or even one of your referees .

Either way, they’ll have a fresh perspective on your statement and will be able to tell you if it makes sense and comes across effectively. If they know you (and your work) well enough they may also be able to spot any details you’ve missed, or suggest ways to improve what you have included.

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Head over to our course search to find PhD opportunities and get in contact with universities.

Mark Bennett

Mark joined FindAPhD to develop our first ever advice articles in 2013 and now serves as our Director of Audience & Editorial, making sure our websites and information are as useful as possible for people thinking about Masters and PhD study. He has a PhD in English Literature from the University of Sheffield, as well as Bachelors and Masters degrees from the University of Kent and the University of South Wales.

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We've answered some of the most frequently asked questions about PhDs, covering course types, applications, funding and the benefits of further study.

Getting ready to apply for a PhD? Our guides explain research proposals, references and entry tests for doctoral programmes.

Understand what a successful PhD research proposal needs to include and how to go about writing one for your project application.

Our guide explains how to contact a potential PhD supervisor to discuss your proposal or ideas with them before applying.

A checklist of the things you'll need to do when making an international PhD application, from meeting the entry requirements to sorting out your visa.

What documents you need for a complete study abroad application, what they are and what they should and should not include.

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