Sitting down to write your application or personal statement to a university abroad you wish to attend is a big step. So much relies on this piece of writing, so it can be quite scary. The personal statement part of your overall application is your opportunity to distinguish yourself from everyone else who will be applying to the same course.

So how do you go about writing a successful application? Before you begin, do the following 4 things so you'll be on the right path:

1. Research the course, university and any relevant professors

If you get something factually incorrect about any of the above, this will not be very impressive to an admissions officer. It will also indicate that you haven't taken the time to research these things and your passion to attend that university will be questioned.
Don't simply look on the university's website for this information either; anyone can do that! Read about the professors on the course and their own work or backgrounds. Pulling out these harder-to-find pieces of information will show that you have gone further to research the course and that you are passionate.

2. Read the question or pointers given

Your application or the question/s you must answer will have pointers for you to follow. This is because the university want to know more about you, and are trying to prompt you to open up about these. All of this is to help you paint a better picture of yourself for the admissions officer who is reading hundreds of applications.
Read all parts of the question properly as failing to do so in your answer shows lack of basic comprehension skills which are necessary at university level.

3. Pick out your strengths/weaknesses

This will help guide you in writing your application: what do you want to emphasise more? What do you want to avoid, or try to improve on in the meantime so you can include this? And do these align with what is required of students at this university/on this course?
If you are struggling, ask a close friend or a teacher to help you define your strengths and weaknesses. Sometimes we cannot see our own pros and cons, and we need someone to point these out.

4. Plan what you're going to write

Don't just begin writing your application or statement; plan it like you would for any other piece of schoolwork. If you start without a plan, your essay will become a mess without a direction. You'll bore the admissions officer reading it, while also leaving out key information. For instance, you don't want to emphasise extra-curricular activities above your academic record.
Plan it on paper by listing everything you want to include and then grouping similar topics together. You can then arrange them in an order which makes sense and flows best for the reader.

With these simple tips, your application will be clear, organised and interesting.

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