It is difficult to write a Personal Statement. For most students, it is the first time they write down who they are in an academic context. The idea that students have for a long time been striving towards a particular academic interest is artificial, and yet it would seem that students must provide a summary of their achievements and interests as though it were true. In fact, this becomes true, through the process of writing the Personal Statement. The PS is Personal, as the writing process of the PS is ideally an effort to clearly connect one’s habits and past with the course one hopes to study, given official course descriptions, or whatever one knows from searching for information. But it is mainly a Statement, as the final PS must justify an applicant’s interest in terms of achievements, completed projects, experiences, or other factual information meaningful and relevant to the university.

Some of our members have volunteered to share their PS/Cambridge Trust Application with you, in case it helps as a prompting example.

Applicants starting in 2025-2026

Philosophy: Christ’s College
History: Hughes Hall
Mathematics: Trinity College

Earlier Personal Statements Grouped By Course

Anglo-Saxon, Norse, and Celtic

2021, Newnham College

Architecture

2024, St John’s College
2020, Gonville and Caius College
2015, Gonville and Caius College
2014, St John’s College

Asian and Middle Eastern Studies

2022, Selwyn College
2020, Wolfson College
2019, Murray Edwards College
2018, St Catharine’s College

Chemical Engineering

2018, Christ’s College
2008, King’s College

Classics

2023, Lucy Cavendish College
2021, Fitzwilliam College

Computer Science

2022, Trinity College
2021, Trinity College
2020, Churchill College
2020, Churchill College
2020, Churchill College
2020, Fitzwilliam College
2019, Churchill College
2019, Pembroke College
2018, Queen’s College
2017, Robinson College
2017, Trinity College
2016, Churchill College

2016, Homerton College
2015, Churchill College
2008, Churchill College

Economics

2020, Christ’s College
2020, Pembroke College
2018, Christ’s College
2018, Clare College
2016, Pembroke College

Engineering

2023, Christ’s College
2023, King’s College
2023, Queen’s College
2022, Christ’s College
2020, Peterhouse College
2019, St John’s College
2017, Pembroke College
2016, Pembroke College
2007, Sidney Sussex College

Geography

2021, Lucy Cavendish College
2021, St Catharine’s College
2020, Jesus College
2019, Churchill College
2014, St. Catharine’s College

Human, Social and Political Sciences

2022, St John’s College
2020, Pembroke College
2019, Homerton College
2015, Churchill College

History and Politics

2020, Girton College

Land Economy

2024, St John’s College
2024, Pembroke College
2018, Selwyn College
2017, Pembroke College
2016, Lucy Cavendish College
2013, Trinity Hall College
2009, Robinson College

Law

2019, St John’s College

Linguistics

2020, Fitzwilliam College
2019, Emmanuel College
2015, Christ’s College
2013, Newnham College

Mathematics

2024, Trinity College
2023, Churchill College
2023, Downing College
2022, Downing College
2022, Trinity College
2021, Jesus College
2021, Lucy Cavendish College
2021, Peterhouse College
2020, Magdalene College
2020, Peterhouse College
2020, Trinity College
2019, Peterhouse College
2019, Christ’s College
2018, St John’s College
2018, Sidney Sussex College
2018, Trinity College
2018, Trinity College (with Physics)
2017, Trinity College
2017, Magdalene College
2017, Queen’s College
2016, Pembroke College
2015, Pembroke College
2015, Trinity College
2009, Peterhouse College

Medicine

2022, Gonville and Caius College
2020, St John’s College
2019, Clare College
2018, Churchill College
2018, Emmanuel College

Modern and Medieval Languages

2022, Christ’s College
2019, Gonville and Caius College (German and Russian)
2017, Pembroke College (French and Spanish)
2016, Clare College (French and Russian)

Natural Sciences

2024, Christ’s College (Biology)
2023, Pembroke College (Biology)
2023, St. Catharine’s College (Biology)
2022, Queens’ College (Physics)
2020, Christ’s College (Physics)
2020, Christ’s College (Physics)
2020, St John’s College (Biology)
2019, Pembroke College (Physics)
2019, St Catharine’s College (Chemistry)
2019, St Catharine’s College (Biology)
2019, Trinity College (Biology)
2018, Emmanuel College (Chemistry)
2018, Trinity College (Physics)
2017, Churchill College (Chemistry)
2017, St Catharine’s College (Biology)
2016, Trinity College (Physics)
2015, St Catharine’s College (Chemistry)
2015, Trinity College (Physics)
2014, Trinity College (Physics)
2013, Trinity College (Biology)
2013, Trinity College (Physics)
2009, Trinity College (Biology)
2009, Trinity College (Physics)
2008, Pembroke College (Physics)
2008, Trinity College (Physics)
2008, Trinity College (Chemistry)

Philosophy

2020, King’s College
2016, Sidney Sussex College

Psychological and Behavioural Sciences

2023, Lucy Cavendish College
2020, Homerton College
2016, Queens’ College

Cambridge Trust Applications

Human, Social, and Political Sciences, 2022
PhD in Physiology, Development, and Neuroscience, 2021