economic development personal statement examples

7 Economics Personal Statement Examples | With Analysis

What makes a great personal statement?

How do you improve your chances of achieving a university offer in economics?

In this post I will give some personal statement examples and discuss what the best economics personal statements do well.

Key features that great personal statements share

Disclaimers, evolution of economics personal statements, what makes a great economics personal statement, key features that great personal statements share: a reminder, lots of supercurricular activities, personal insights about such activities, demonstrate key skills, a well written essay, more economics personal statement advice, latest posts.

This diagram shows my summary of what makes a great economics personal statement. Based on my experience as an economics tutor and economics personal statement examples, here are four qualities that make personal statements stand out.

I explore these categories further below and in my ultimate economics personal statement guide.

For my ultimate economics personal statement guide, check out the link below:

Firstly, here is a list of ten economics personal statement examples available online.

Also below, there is analysis of what makes a great economics personal statement.

To learn how to improve your economics personal statement, check out the link below by clicking the blue button:

I cannot guarantee that the personal statements linked above achieved the university offers claimed on those pages. Nor can I claim that each statement is 100% perfect.

By linking to these sites, I do not endorse any of the sites linked above.

You should not copy any part of the personal statements above. Doing so is plagiarism and can lead to the disqualification of your university application. Instead learn from the techniques and kinds of things mentioned in their statements. See specifically the rest of this article for what we can learn from these personal statements.

A proportion of the samples above are relatively old (five to ten years ago or more).

For some universities the personal statement is more important for applications. Consider for example LSE and UCL, top universities where there are no admissions tests or interviews.

We can look at more recently written and publicly available personal statements.

Based on these, here are some observable trends in recent years among the best performing economics personal statements:

• More supercurriculars relative to the above personal statements.
• More reference to undergraduate-level economic theory. This can show further reading and an ability to potentially do well in the undergraduate course.

In this section I am drawing on my experience as a tutor about what makes a great personal statement. I am also using the available online examples of economics personal statements and the criteria listed by the top UK universities.

Such statements are by no means always perfect, yet they show the qualities and skills that allow students to attend the best universities.

These examples allow us to analyse what makes a great personal statement and also where students often go wrong with personal statements.

As a reminder, here are the four features of great economics personal statements mentioned above:

• Lots of supercurriculars
• Highlighting key skills
• Personal takeaways

Here is a breakdown of these categories:

What activities have you completed, outside of class, that relate to economics? Have you read a book, entered an economics-related competition, or watched an economics lecture? These are examples of supercurricular activities. I consider these a key focus for the best personal statements and I discuss these further in my economics personal statement ebook. These show your motivation to study economics which will be critical if you want to study the subject for three years at university.

For more on supercurricular activities, click the link here:

These are what I refer to as “personal takeaways” later in this guide. What did you learn from the supercurricular activity? Detail is very important, both for showing a high level of understanding and also to convince the person reading your statement that you actually completed the activity. This should go beyond just recalling the activity – maybe there is something you learnt from this activity or something you read that you disagreed with. We discuss how to write about personal takeaways in the ebook.

For more information about how to use supercurricular activities in your statement, including how to generate personal insights, click this button below:

Obviously you should try to show academic ability in economics and motivation to study economics. But what other skills are useful to show in a personal statement? 

While there are many skills that could potentially be useful, I draw your attention for now to two key skills: Ability in mathematics and independent study (including research). Evidence from supercurricular activities that you have these skills will help convince admissions staff. Moreover these skills will help you in the economics course.

What constitutes a “well written essay”? 

Your personal statement should be well structured, with effective links between ideas and paragraphs. The grammar should be completely correct, that is  there should be no mistakes. 

Finally consider your vocabulary – can you embed economics-related terminology into your personal statement? You can use a thesaurus but do so with caution – sometimes it is obvious where a thesaurus has been used (and often the new word used does not make sense in that context!).

For more economics personal statement tips or for economics university application advice, check out the link below:

For A-level Economics resources, click the link here:

• 2.6.3 Supply side policies – Edexcel Economics notes
• 2.2 Aggregate demand notes for Edexcel A Economics
• 2.1.2 Inflation Edexcel A Economics Notes
• Don’t be fooled! How to understand economic statistics
• 3.3.2 Costs

About the author

Helping economics students online since 2015. Previously an economist, I now provide economics resources on tfurber.com and tutor A Level Economics students. Read more about me here .

Sample Economics Personal Statement (admitted to Oxford, Cambridge, LSE)

by Talha Omer, M.Eng., Cornell Grad

In personal statement samples by field.

The following personal statement is written by an applicant who got accepted to top graduate programs in economics. Variations of this personal statement got accepted at Oxford, Cambridge, and LSE. Read this essay to get inspiration and understand what a top economics school PS should look like.

You might also be interested in reading this Statement of Purpose in Economics  that got admitted to Harvard, Yale and Princeton.

Sample Personal Statement Economics

“Flick…chuggachuggachuggaa…puttt-putttt-puutttttt…rizzzz…”

The sounds coming from near the doorway may have startled an outsider but were barely noticed by the people lounging on charpoys and mooras (wicker stools). With the atmosphere abuzz with their chatter, the sputtering sound of the diesel generator lent more time to catch up as the bulbs lit up and fans whirred on throughout the haveli (palace) on an otherwise hot evening. But on days when it refused to crackle, my grandmother would enkindle gas lanterns filling the veranda with hissing sounds and soothing moonlight rays.

I still cherish these memories from my childhood trips to XYZ, my native village, some 450kms from the closest city. At the time, the short sojourns from Kuwait felt rather adventurous. However, the perspective turned wrong when I permanently moved to XYZ. Due to unannounced electricity breakdowns, we would find ourselves groping in the dark to the closest candle stand while sweating in the scorching summer.

And just when we thought it couldn’t get worse, the occasional power breakdowns segued into a full-blown crisis of the decade. Over the next seven years, we witnessed unprecedented power outages averaging 15-18 hours daily. People weren’t just lamenting the loss of mental peace; they were mourning the monetary losses worth billions of rupees translating into 1.5% of GDP.

Fast forward 15 years, and I found myself in a position to alleviate the situation. As Deputy Administrative Head of the Government’s Economic Affairs division, I administer a departmental budget worth $500 million. I am currently undertaking solarization projects. A recent shift towards renewables has occurred after public unrest during the early decade led to hasty investments in thermal-based power plants. Unfortunately, seven years later, we are still reeling from the aftermath of a bitter public backlash as we have the lowest regional electricity consumption per capita.

In addition to high tariffs, the energy sector has been marred by the accumulation of circular debt of $30 billion. This has been caused by multiple factors, such as electricity theft, transmission losses, and non-payment of dues. Having worked in Economic Affairs Division, I have also been part of a team that took massive power sector reforms, including:

• elimination of subsidies
• policy formulation on electricity theft and conservation 
• overhaul of sectoral regulatory bodies
• privatization of distribution companies et al.

However, as the Program ended, so did the reforms.

Regrettably, negative externalities from these energy woes have had spillover effects on all socio-economic sectors. The environment has especially poorly been affected by the process for the lack of an integrated generation and transmission policy framework in the renewable industry. Being a lower riparian state has also exacerbated climate change. We face extreme weather conditions – floods, droughts, smog, and diminishing water tables. Unable to agree on water issues not covered under the Indus Water Treaty has led to regular skirmishes and legal battles in the International Court of Justice.

Given the background, my country’s economic and Energy woes require a holistic understanding of the subject. This makes Economic policy specializing in Energy the right choice for my graduate studies. Furthermore, I can become an effective leader and economist in the sector through the interdisciplinary pedagogical approach covering policy, economics, management, law; practical skills; quantitative and qualitative analysis within an international context.

My aim is socio-economic development in tandem with confidence-building measures and strategic partnerships with the neighboring countries. Studying at Oxford will provide this learning opportunity in and out of the class as I will interact with some of the most brilliant minds worldwide and work in teams with them. I also look forward to student-led events, conferences, guest lectures, field trips, and panel discussions to augment my understanding of supranational political demands. This will help me lead economic policy reforms for the next 25 years.

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• Economics Masters Personal Statement Sample

Written by Hannah Slack

This is an example personal statement for a Masters degree application in Economics. See our guide for advice on writing your own postgraduate personal statement .

The notion of financial risk has always fascinated me. Risk is involved all parts of our life, and learning economic theory and statistics can help mitigate some of the larger financial risks that can massively impact our economy. Since my undergraduate course I have been intrigued by the theoretical side of economics and statistics. I particularly enjoy learning how to project potential outcomes, as this is a vital skill desired by many corporations to strengthen their decision-making processes.

Currently I am in my final year of an Economics undergraduate degree and I am projected to graduate with a first. Modules in Behavioural Economics, Finance and Investment have been a strong interest of mine since the beginning of my degree. I have also enjoyed learning more about economic policies across the globe. In order to keep up to date with the latest economic policies I make sure to follow governmental and news outlets, such as the Financial Times.

In my second year I completed a four-month placement with a national bank. This allowed me to learn more about the practical implications of economic theory in a financially focused setting. I grew very interested in the work of the Risk Manager, who further enlightened me on the many different factors that must be considered before making a major financial decision. The main thing that I enjoyed about financial risk was the tangibility of it. As history has demonstrated, financial decisions can have a major impact on society, both positive and negative. Learning how to restrain negative impacts, and how to manage risks appropriately, intrigues me as an essential part of our modern world.

My third year I spend abroad studying Economics in Australia. I found it particularly interesting to learn the differences between the Australian economic system and the UK’s, which will become increasingly important with the advent of post-Brexit trade deals between the countries. This experience only contributed to my enthusiasm with economic theory as I was able to learn more about its role within other countries.

I have decided to apply for this course because it is one of the finest in the country, with excellent links to industry. To contribute to financial risk management in the way I aspire to, I believe that I need the best education possible. This course not only has a compelling combination of modules and specialisms, but its reputation and research quality will help propel me as a competitive graduate on the job market. I truly believe that with my passion and intrigue in the subject, and this course’s quality resources, this university will be the best place for my studies.

What are some of my options for studying a Masters in Economics?

Economics - msc, university of cologne faculty of management, economics and social sciences, behavioural economics (msc), erasmus school of economics masters programmes, business economics/international business economics msc, city, university of london school of policy and global affairs, health economics for health professionals msc, pgdip, pgcert, aberdeen university medicine, medical sciences and nutrition, health economics and policy msc, our postgrad newsletter shares courses, funding news, stories and advice, find a masters in economics.

If you're interested in a studying Economics, then why don't you check out our regularly updated catalogue of available Economics Masters courses .

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By Nik Taylor (Editor, The Uni Guide) | 21 September 2023 | 8 min read

Writing an economics personal statement: expert advice from universities

Get your economics personal statement in top shape with these insider tips

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Read around the subject 

• Read more:  how to write an excellent personal statement in ten steps

Let your passion for economics shine through in your personal statement

• Read more:  teacher secrets for writing a great personal statement

Make sure you really understand what economics is all about

Do your research into the course.

• Read more:  personal statement FAQs

Keep your personal statement personal

Talk about how you engage with the world around you.

• Read more:  the ten biggest mistakes to avoid when writing your personal statement

Show your interest in collecting and analysing data

• Read more:  universities reveal all about personal statements

Don’t only focus on finance

• Read more:  universities explain how to end your personal statement with a bang

Include extracurricular activities with relevant skills

• Read more:  how to write your personal statement when you have nothing interesting to say

You could talk about your plans for your future, but don’t worry if you don’t have a definite career trajectory all mapped out

• Read more:  how long does it take for universities to reply to your application? 

It shouldn’t matter if you haven’t studied economics before

Proofread your personal statement before you send it out, you may want to look at these..., personal statement secrets – universities reveal all.

Want to know how to craft an amazing personal statement? Take some advice from the experts...

How to write an excellent personal statement in 10 steps

Help and advice on putting your application together

Personal statement FAQs

We've gone through some of the most commonly asked personal statement questions and put all the answers in one place

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Economics Personal Statement Guide

Your personal statement is a significant part of your university application. It gives you the opportunity to show universities your enthusiasm for studying Economics and demonstrate your skills and motivations.

Many students struggle with writing personal statements. It can be difficult to balance academic interests with personal achievements, keep everything relevant to the economics courses you're applying for, and fit it all into just over one A4 page.

To help you get on the right track, our Personal Statement Guide takes you through everything you need to know to create an excellent Economics personal statement:

• Why are Personal Statements Important?
• What Should I Include in an Economics Personal Statement?  
• What Should I Avoid in an Economics Personal Statement?  

Advice on How to Start an Economics Personal Statement  

Advice on how to finish an economics personal statement  .

What Should I Avoid in an Economics Personal Statement ?  

You must avoid waffle and cliches. A common cliche that we recommend you avoid is "I have wanted to study Economics since I was a child" or "I want to study Economics because I want to make money". While these statements may be true, you need to focus on demonstrating your interests in economics, not just stating them.

Instead, talk about a documentary you came across and how it interested you and how, in light of this interest you read a book related to the topic. Connecting your academic interests in this way instead of using cliche statements helps keep you under the word count, but also makes your personal statement interesting and personal to your academic journey.

You should also definitely not mention anything in your personal statement that you have not read, watched, listen to, or done yourself. In other words, absolutely do not lie! Admissions tutors will sniff dishonest statements out very keenly, especially if you attend an interview with them further along the line.

Register to access our complimentary e-book "So You Want To Go To Oxbridge? Tell me about a banana…"

Economic ,at undergraduate study contains many elements and topics; use this to your advantage and research widely to find various areas of personal interest. Before starting to write your Economics Personal Statement, consider making a mind map or list of the reasons you are interested in the subject, and any areas in which you are particularly interested. Which podcasts have you listened to, books have you read, or videos have you watched?

Remember to focus on what you have done, what inspired and benefited you, and what you would like to learn next. For instance, in studying elasticity of demand, what questions did it raise for you, and how have you explored the topic further?

If you are struggling to get your wider research off the ground, or need something new to get out of a research rut, check out some of our recommendations below:

Poor Economics by Abhijit Banerjee and Esther Duflo

The End of Poverty: Economic Possibilities for Our Time by Jeffrey D. Sachs

Banker to the Poor: Micro-Lending and the Battle Against World Poverty by Muhammad Yunus

Freakonomics  by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner

IMF Podcast

Planet Money

Journals/Publications:

The Economist

American Economic Review

The Econometrics Journal

Journal of Political Economy

This is not an exhaustive list, and we strongly encourage you to research your areas of interest.

Writing the ending of an Economics Personal statement can often be just as hard as beginning. The most important task for the final section is not to overcomplicate things; focus on using clear and concise language to round up the main theme(s) of the preceding content.

Your final sentence or two should summarise your academic interest in Economics and your excitement about studying the course . If you wish, you may also briefly mention your hopes for the future (be it working in further research, a financial institution, or government policy) and tie an Economics degree into your plans going forward (although this is not necessary).

Think about what you want the admissions tutors to remember about you once they have finished reading. This is the information to foreground in your conclusion.

Lastly, always proofread your personal statement several times . We recommend giving a final version to a parent, guardian, teacher, friend, or anyone else you can find, really! Getting a second opinion, be it from someone with Economics expertise or someone completely new to the subject, can help weed out mistakes and ensure your writing is clear and your intentions can be understood.

• What are some Tips for Writing a Strong Economics Personal Statement?
• How Long Should my Economics Personal Statement Be?
• What Kind of Extracurricular Activities Should I Include in my Economics Personal Statement?
• How Can I Tailor my Economics Personal Statement to the Oxford/Cambridge Course?

A strong Economics personal statement will include relevant academic interests and the motivations behind pursuing Economics at a higher level, and not a lot else.

As Economics is a subject that links to other social sciences such as sociology or politics, the temptation can often be to discuss topics that are potentially not covered in an Economics course. To ensure against this, it's always good to check back over the course syllabus and double check that everything you mention is linked either by content or by the skills needed to study it.

If you are applying for different courses, such as PPE at a few universities and Economics at others, carefully think about which topics you write about to demonstrate that you are a passionate Economics student.

We recommend that you use the majority of the limit UCAS gives you. It is your first chance to make a lasting impression on the admission tutors, so you should take advantage of the opportunity to show them why you would be an exceptional Economics student.

4000 characters of 47 lines (whichever comes first) may seem ample, but once you have spoken about your interests in detail, you will find that it really is not. Often students go over the limit in their first draft of their personal statement; do not worry about this, as continual redrafting and reviewing (which you really should do) will help you shorten it down.

You want to ensure that you only include extracurricular activities that demonstrate relevant skills, interests, and qualities in your statement.

Whether the activity or resource you want to mention is directly related to economics or not (and it doesn't necessarily have to be), you should not just mention it, but also explicitly discuss why or how you believe that it either motivates you or equips you with the skills to perform well on the degree course to which you are applying.

There is no secret formula when writing a personal statement for Oxford or Cambridge, and you need to make sure not to mention the Oxbridge course directly since your personal statement goes to all your universities. In our experience, however, the key to an Oxbridge Economics personal statement lies within the amount of academic content you have in your statement. Oxbridge tutors are keen to hear as much as possible about your academic interests, therefore we recommend aiming to focus 80-90% of your statement on academic content, whilst the remaining 10-20% talks about your extracurricular activities.

To demonstrate your academic ability and potential, you must talk about how you have engaged with your subject beyond the school syllabus. This can include presenting your views on economists such as Milton Friedman or analysing the implications of theories such as economies of scale. You need to avoid waffle, be concise, and demonstrate your love for Economics at every stage.

It is important to note that if you do reach the interview stage of the Oxbridge application process, you can be asked questions about your personal statement, so do carefully select topics that you are passionate about. We offer a fantastic interview preparation course if you need support preparing for the interview stage of the process.

Book your Economics Personal Statement Package

You can contact our Oxbridge-graduate Consultants on +44 (0) 20 7499 2394 or email [email protected] to discuss our personal statement packages.  

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• Successful Personal Statement For Economics & Management At Oxford

Last Updated: 22nd April 2020

Author: Adi Sen

Table of Contents

Welcome to our popular Personal Statement series where we present a successful Personal Statement, and our Oxbridge Tutors provide their feedback on it. 

Today, we are looking through an Economics and Managment applicant’s Personal Statement that helped secure a place at Oxford University. The Economics and Management Course at Oxford examines issues central to the world we live in: namely how the economy and organisations function, and how resources are allocated and coordinated to achieve the organisation’s objectives.

Read on to see how this candidate managed to navigate the many disciplines of E&M. 

Here’s a breakdown of the Personal Statement:

SUCCESSFUL?

The universities this candidate applied to were the following:

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Economics and Management Personal Statement

Economics is the study of now. I view it as the study of the psychology of the people who dictate our lives. The world around us is shaped by the fundamental concept of supply and demand, wants and needs, goods and services. What grips me is that everything I have studied I can apply to real life. Discussions about inflation, for example, are so applicable since its current status is active in the world of pricing; the price of a Big Mac and “Burgernomics” is something to which I can relate from my travels.

The statistical aspect of economic analysis is closely linked to my interest in Mathematics, thus I will take an Econometric route on option modules. This scientific approach to what is otherwise a field-based solely on individual theories and concepts interests me, as I find quantitative analysis much more accurate and reliable than qualitative theories. As an example, I relish analysing more Econometric models on the A-level Course: like Profit Maximisation calculations.

Despite this, Economics intertwines both Maths and Philosophy on a regular basis. I recently read an article from the Guardian by George Monbiot, which discussed the cost-benefit analysis model and whether nature could be quantified as a tangible asset, and how this would benefit neo-liberals in their perpetual quest for profit. This is just an example of how Econometric analysis does not always deliver such verisimilitude where the figures given are ambiguous. This is what is unique about Economics: there is no right answer to the question ‘Is there a right answer?’ The concept of there being methods of analysing the psychology of and nature behind the way that the interface between consumers and producers operates seems to exceed all other subjects in terms of interest.

I find it peculiar that a subject that has such a ubiquitous undercurrent in our society is so undefined and obscure; it is undoubtedly this which draws me to it. Consequently, I strive to keep up with Economics in the modern world by reading the “I” and “Guardian” newspapers, and “The Economist” magazine regularly. For wider background reading I have read Marx’s “Communist Manifesto”, Tim Hartford’s “The Undercover Economist” and “Too Big To Fail” by Andrew Ross Sorkin.

Sorkin’s book provided a gripping, in-depth insight into the world of investment banking and entrepreneurship – I finished the book in a matter of days. His book has inspired me to enter the investment sector. Upon graduation I would like to become an investment banker or negotiator, hence I am in the process of trying to arrange some work experience with the London Metal Exchange.

I completed a programme of work experience with Linden Homes this summer, through the Career Academy Programme on which I am enrolled. It was a six-week internship during which I gained a firm understanding of a construction company’s place within the national economy. I enjoyed spending valuable time in a variety of departments within the firm. I also have work experience planned in Belgium in 2013.

Additionally, I participate in a multitude of extracurricular activities. My team and I finished second in the national UMPH Business Competition; in Year 11 my team set the school record for the Enterprise Day Challenge and for three consecutive years my team won the Grimsby Inter-School Quiz without loss. Furthermore, I am part of both the Franklin College Debating Team and the weekly “Blue Sky Club”, where students meet to discuss current affairs.

Recently, a particular subject of interest has been the US election. We frequently discuss the debates and the candidates, covering subjects like their political viewpoints and how it will affect both our lives and those of the American public – plus the potential Economic ramifications of the possible outcomes. With a genuine zeal for the subject and an ability to relate my studies to the real world, I am convinced that I will thoroughly thrive at degree level Economics.

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Good Points Of The Personal Statement

The student gives a good insight into their academic interests and what’s inspired them to develop over time. They also demonstrate a passion for the subject, not only by stating their interest in it but by further explaining what interests them and why they would make a good candidate to study it at university. The student is already accomplished and explains well what they’ve gained from their various extra-curricular activities.

Bad Points Of The Personal Statement

The writing is weak and, at points, unnatural. The forced interjections of examples and unusual adjectives make it read like a student attempting to write a formal and formulaic exam essay. They would do better to write in their usual style, even if it is somewhat informal; this will allow them to better express themselves and they will come across as more interesting to those reading it. More importantly than this, however, at times, the student fails to keep up their otherwise good level of detail, and the writing becomes list-like.

This is particularly prominent when they discuss books they’ve read to develop their understanding of economics. Although they expand on one of these, they do so in little detail. Interviewers are unlikely to be impressed by simply mentioning that you’ve read a book – any student applying for degree-level economics is able to read The Communist Manifesto, for instance – but they will be impressed by your response to it and what you gained from the experience of reading it. Unless you expand on these details, a list of books you’ve read does nothing to contribute to the statement.

UniAdmissions Overall Score:

This statement is strong, except where it discusses academic work. The detail here was likely sacrificed in favour of expanding further on their extra-curricular activities and their particular areas of interest. However, they have limited discussion of their study of various classic economic works so severely that it fails to add anything to the piece. The statement would, therefore, benefit from a more balanced approach to the various areas of the student’s life.

We give this Economics Personal Statement a 4/5 as they have clearly projected their passion for the subject onto paper – the most important part of a strong Personal Statement – albeit this was at the cost of other factors that should have been covered in more depth.

And there we have it – an Oxford E&M Personal Statement with feedback from our expert tutors. 

Remember, at Oxford, the Admissions Tutors are often the people who will be teaching you for the next few years, so you need to appeal directly to them.

Our Free Personal Statement Resources page is filled with even more successful personal statements and expert guides.

Our expert tutors are on hand to help you craft the perfect Personal Statement for your Oxford E&M application.

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Top Tips for a Cambridge Economics Personal Statement

Table of Contents

Cambridge Economics Personal Statement – Top 10 Tips: Dos and Don’ts

The Cambridge Personal Statement is a crucial component of your university application. It presents a unique opportunity for you to differentiate yourself from other applicants. You would be able to articulate your story and explain your interests beyond that of numbers on an admissions test. Furthermore, it gives the interviewer a chance to understand who you are. It also provides a platform to bounce off questions during your interview. 

They can tailor questions to your personality, interests, and commitment to who you are as a person and your amalgamation of experiences before you. To guide you through the arduous university application process, our Oxbridge application experts have compiled a list of top 10 Economics Personal Statement Cambridge tips. This includes dos and don’ts– for your Cambridge Economics Personal Statement for the 2024/25 application cycle.

General Advice for Cambridge Personal Statement

The economics course at Cambridge is a comprehensive course that covers all types of economics: core, pure, and applied. Furthermore, the course at Cambridge is also engineered in a manner that allows students to use techniques and schools of thought from other related fields This includes sociology, statistics, mathematics, politics, and history.

Hence, your Cambridge personal statement should clearly demonstrate that you understand that the course is not only theoretical but also includes a significant portion of mathematical reasoning and knowledge. Furthermore, when planning out your Economics personal statement Cambridge admissions tutors will be looking for you to research Cambridge’s achievements in economics and include it in your writing to illustrate your interest in economics. 

Additionally, when you are crafting your Economics personal statement, you would most likely also be applying to four other university courses. This may result in your statement being vaguer. The University of Cambridge is aware of such and will require you to fill out an ‘Online Supplementary Application Questionnaire (SAQ)’. This is shortly after submitting the UCAS application. So make sure you’ve created another condensed version of your Economics personal statement that you can directly submit to Cambridge.

Top 5 Tips for your Cambridge Economics Personal Statement

1. demonstrate that you are well-read in economics ..

Cambridge does not presume prior knowledge of Economics (after all, you are going to Cambridge to study it!). However, being familiar with Economics terminology as well as its basic principles would give you an edge over other applicants. Furthermore, being well-read in the field also signals to the examiner that you are interested and passionate about the subject. You would take the initiative and seek out knowledge on your own if you are truly passionate about the subject! If you don’t know where to start, you can access Cambridge’s recommended preparatory reading list on their website, or through this link here: Prelim Reading . Furthermore, remember that you are not restricted to books! This could also be in the form of news articles – The Economist, The Guardian, The New Yorker, Vox, The New York Times, etc. are all great places to start. You can also read magazine columns. Or it could even be in other forms of medium such as podcasts, documentaries (available on accessible platforms such as Netflix!), or even Youtube videos. Watching an economics documentary instead of your usual prime-time TV show would be a great way to incorporate learning into your everyday lifestyle.

2. Demonstrating that you are proficient or interested in Mathematics .

Although it is not immediately obvious for an Economics course, the Economics course at Cambridge assumes and requires students to be proficient in Mathematics. Fret not, they only require you to have fully mastered your course syllabus and material at the A-level Mathematics level before commencing your studies. However, showing that you are proficient and interested in Mathematics would help you both in your application and if you end up pursuing the course as there are definitely mathematics components in the course. For example, if you take further mathematics, you would benefit from knowledge in Further Pure Mathematics as well as Statistics. Participating in mathematics competitions or having done work in statistics would be useful in your application as well as course.

3. Focusing your application on your interest in Economics .

Remember that in your Economics personal statement Cambridge admissions tutors are looking out for students who are interested and are a good fit for the course. Hence, it is always important to remember that in your personal statement Cambridge Economics should feature highly! Elaborate on your interest in Economics! You can do so by answering the following trigger questions: Why are you interested in Economics? Are there specific aspects of the course that interests you and why? Do you have any personal qualities or traits that would make you a good Economics student? Focusing your body paragraphs on certain aspects of Economics that interest you and why, or qualities that make you a good Economics student could be used as an overall structure when crafting your Economics Cambridge personal statement. Referencing relevant experiences and reflecting on them would also be useful when writing your personal statement.

4. Having a good structure for your Cambridge personal statement .

Using a good structure when writing your Economics Cambridge personal statement would be good to not only enhance readability but also allow you to not miss out on or forget certain points when crafting your personal statement. You can have a look at a Cambridge economics personal statement examples. But remember when looking at economics personal statement examples Cambridge admissions tutors are adept at spotting plagiarism so looking at it to gain an understanding of structure rather than content is a good option.

A good structure could look something like this: Introduction– A short 3-4 lines briefly mentioning the main reasons why you are interested in Economics, or how you started becoming interested in the course. Next, your body paragraphs can focus on traits that you have that would make you a good economics student, or specific details or aspects of the course that interests you. Each point could be one body paragraph, and you can support and elaborate on each point with examples (such as competitions that you have participated in, books surrounding those concepts that you have read, societies that you have been a part of, etc.) You can then conclude by summarising the important points you want your Cambridge admissions tutor to remember and take away.

5. Giving yourself sufficient time to write your Cambridge Economics personal statement .

It might seem impossible to start crafting your Economics Cambridge personal statement, especially when you are staring at a blank word document and you have no idea where to start. If you are experiencing writer’s block, you can start by listing down all your achievements and experiences. You can then list down details or aspects of the course (you can easily research this!) that interests you, as well as a separate list of qualities that an economics student should have. You can then match your experiences to any points from the two lists, and use each match as a backbone when fleshing out your body paragraphs!

Top 5 things to AVOID for your Cambridge Economics Personal Statement

1. having a poor or incorrect understanding of the course.

Many students who apply for a course at university have a misguided or misinformed idea of the course that they would be studying. This is because their impression of the course is from hearsay or what they see in films, or they assume that it would be the same as the subject they studied in high school. For example, especially for economics, students would not expect the amount of mathematics or statistics that are part of the course.

Having a good understanding of what you are in for can also benefit you when writing your personal statement. For example, you can explain how parts of your interest or personality align well with specific or general aspects of the course. This signals to the Oxford admissions tutor that you understand what you are applying for and that you are interested and are a good fit for it.

2. Making your Economics personal statement an economics essay instead of elaborating on your interest or story

Although it is helpful to mention economic theories in your personal statement when you are trying to explain your motivation to study economics, or when elaborating on the books that you have read, ensure that you do not turn your whole Economics personal statement into an economics essay. Keep in mind that what the Cambridge admission tutors are looking out for when they are reading your personal statement is to understand why you want to study economics, and what makes you the perfect fit for the course. Even if you found a really difficult or obscure economics theory, talking at breadth about it rather than focusing on your story would put you at a disadvantage– these tutors would be experts in their field, and if they wanted to learn more about a particular theory, they would pick up a textbook instead of your Economics personal statement!

3. Using too much jargon or using vocabulary that you are not familiar with

You might think that using unconventional vocabulary or fancy terminology would make you sound or appear intelligent. However, especially if you are unfamiliar with the terms, this would actually work against you instead of helping your application. This is because your personal statement could end up sounding unnatural, wordy, and hard to read. Think about it this way– explaining a difficult concept in simple words is more impressive than using a difficult word incorrectly! Furthermore, Cambridge admissions tutors would be reading hundreds of Economics personal statements a day– If your Cambridge personal statement is full of jargon and tough words, it would be difficult for them to understand what you are trying to convey to them. You would not way your ideas to be lost in translation, so make sure you communicate in a simple and effective manner! Always value clarity over vocabulary.

4. Not reflecting on any experience that you mentioned in your Cambridge Economics personal statement

Your experience is only as valuable as what you have taken away or learnt from it. Especially when you are mentioning experiences that are not directly related to that of Economics, you should always mention how it is relevant to your application to Economics– whether it be your interest in it or certain personal qualities that you have. If you want to mention a particular experience that you have, however, you are unable to link it to Economics, you can think about how it has led you to develop certain transferable skills. For example, if you have done a lot of community service or volunteered at a charity, you can talk about how this has led you to be interested in learning more about Economics policies or theories that could help with inequality or poverty.

5. Only give yourself enough time to write a singular Cambridge Economics personal statement

Never expect to only write one Cambridge personal statement, and that being the final draft that you would be submitting. Your first personal statement that you craft would not be your best one, and you should always give yourself enough time to constantly improve and write multiple drafts to further improve it. After writing a draft that you are proud of, it would also be good for you to leave it aside and not think about it. After a week, you can return to it with a fresh mind, and you would be able to note out errors or aspects of it that you would like to further refine. You can also let seniors, friends, or your school’s career guidance counsellor proofread your Economics personal statement for them to give a more objective view and perspective on your personal statement. Their feedback could be immensely helpful, as sometimes we might not be the most objective person when telling our own stories. However, do remember to not share your Economics personal statement with anyone, as this could lead to unnecessary plagiarism problems!

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• Economics personal statement examples

Economics degree personal statement example (1b)

My personal statement got me 5 offers from Reading (ABB), Kent (ABB), Swansea (ABB), Manchester Metropolitan (BBC) and Plymouth (280 UCAS points). In the end I needed ABB to get into Reading (my first choice) but was let on with ABC.

Economics underpins everything. From strike action by public sector workers to the aftermath of the Scottish independence referendum, decisions involving how resources are used and distributed are the driving force of public life. Recently I began to take an interest in current affairs, initially through watching the nightly news and programmes such as BBC's Question Time, and realised I had missed out on the fascinating theory behind new policies and decisions. I began to explore the field by reading Economics: The User's Guide by Ha-Joon Chang, which prompted me to look at different strands of economics. I have wanted to work in different countries for as long as I can remember, and the field that especially sparks my imagination at present is Development Economics. This led me to The Growth Map by Jim O'Neill which analyses the BRIC countries and the optimum circumstances and potential pitfalls relating to their future prosperity. Reading Poor Economics by Abhijit Banerjee and Esther Duflo then gave me an insight into poverty traps, and banking and saving practices in poor countries. This and other reading has inspired me to take AS Economics in my second year of sixth form in order to build on the independent reading I did over the summer. I also realise now that many of my main interests within my other subjects relate to economics. These include the Energy Issues module of the Geography syllabus, and Media and Persuasion in Psychology, which relates to areas such as advertising and the influence marketing has on economic choices. The Statistics module of the AS Mathematics course gave me a solid understanding of how data can be analysed and presented. I am intrigued by the ways in which the models I have learnt in a classroom environment can be applied to real world situations, such as the development of and response to the Ebola crisis in West Africa. Unlike previous outbreaks, fear of the virus spreading to the developed world has created the effective demand to make funding available for the rapid development of vaccines. The virus will also affect the economies of the West African countries, as already the World Bank has estimated a forgone GDP of $359million in Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia. As well as my studies, I have undertaken a number of other activities that have enabled me to develop my time management skills. At the start of Year 11, I was assigned the role of Senior Prefect. I was one of 15 students selected out of the year of approximately 270 for a leadership role. This position required me to assist with school events such as parents' evenings and open days, helping to plan and implement the events. I was also responsible for organising and managing the roles of a team of twelve junior prefects. For six years I have volunteered at a riding school on a weekly basis, undertaking practical tasks in the stables and supporting the instructors in their work with customers. I have been playing the violin for several years and am aiming to achieve my Grade 7 by the time I start university. I have volunteered as an assistant with a Junior Strings group on a weekly basis, and three years ago I was invited to join the County Youth Orchestra, after having been in the Area Orchestra for several years. While I would be interested in building on my time at university by working in such fields as small business development or agricultural economics in developing countries, I retain an open mind and am excited to see what interests my degree combined with a placement year will open up. I am acutely conscious of the privilege of living in a time and part of the world where I have access to the opportunities that I do. I believe that a degree in Economics will allow me to make the most of these opportunities while enabling me to contribute to meeting the challenges of the future.

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Economics personal statement example 20.

Having been born in the UK, with parents from Delhi and Kenya, I feel my background has given me an internationally diverse outlook. In my travels, I have met with both the affluence of Europe and the poverty existing in India. Such contrasts have compelled me to seek an understanding of the forces that drive the world economy, and why after centuries of economic theory such inequalities continue to exist.

Over the summer, I have been researching India's economic development, partly stimulated by the issues above. The Indian economy is a fascinating topic for me, not just due to my heritage, but because of the juxtaposition between rapid increases in wealth on the one hand and the Sub-Saharan African levels of poverty on the other. Another part of economics I find appealing is the use of theories. I have been introduced to the Tragedy of the Commons and the Coase Theorem's take on externalities. My interest in strategic decision-making has been boosted by Game Theory, which has developed an understanding of the situations faced by oligopolies and the implications of Nash equilibrium. Such theoretical models have led me to Experimental Economics and Charles Holt's 'Markets, Games and Strategic Behaviour', in an attempt to see if people actually behave in the way theory predicts.

Being awarded the 2007 Kirk Cup for Mathematics at school, encouraged me to take A-level Further Maths. My problem solving skills and ability to manipulate algebraic variables have since been enhanced, which is beneficial considering the numerical analysis involved in economics. Given the problematic nature in conducting controlled experiments, I am eager to explore the range of statistical tools available to economists.

Presently, I offer tutoring for GCSE Maths students, and have taught an adult how to use various PC applications in the past. Such an experience has stressed the need for planning, patience and presenting work coherently for others to follow. I have also used graphical design software to produce adverts for my Mother's beauty business, and have assisted with book-keeping for annual tax returns. It has been noticeable how economic factors affect such a business; for example how demand for different treatments has changed with the credit crunch.

My internet browser's homepage is set to prompt me with the latest headlines from the BBC Business website, as it is a priority for me to keep up-to-date with the world around me. In addition, for different opinions, I also frequently read articles on economics in various newspapers. Reading books by economists, such as John Kay, has led me to appreciate better how concepts have developed over time. These include 'The Penguin History of Economics' by Backhouse and Levitt's 'Freakonomics', which I found entertaining, but thought lacked true economic substance. Besides reading, my other hobbies include remixing music on the computer and using Investopedia.com, on which I have a virtual portfolio of shares. As a representative of my college's debating team, my communication skills have greatly improved. At our next debate, I will be arguing for the wider use of congestion charges.

The recent economic turmoil has reinforced my belief in how economics is truly an integral part of our lives. University will provide the ideal environment in which to strengthen and test my understanding of such a discipline, whilst being a place where I can formulate and contribute my own theories to the subject. After receiving full marks in AS-level Economics, I have set myself a high standard, and I wish to continue my ambitions in the finance industry. However, I recognise that my passion for economics will lead me to many more career horizons.

Profile info

This personal statement was written by Mopac for application in 2009.

Mopac's university choices Oxford University London School of Economics University College London The University of Warwick University of Bristol

Green : offer made Red : no offer made

Degree Economics & Management at Oxford University

Mopac's Comments

When writing this personal statement there were a few key points (about myself) that I wanted to get across. I wanted the let the university know that I have a genuine (not just an academic) interest in economics. I wanted to stress my knowledge of the subject (by bringing up various theories, and mentioning books I have read). And of course, I also wanted to emphasise my academic success.

I have to admit, writing this personal statement was one of the hardest things I've ever done, but I guess its all worth it in the end.

Related Personal Statements

Tue, 17/08/2010 - 17:19

Your statement is really amazing and has helped me a lot! Do you think there is anyway in which I could get in touch with you? Especially as I am applying for economics and management this year and would love some feedback from someone who has experienced the whole process. Thank you!

Fri, 10/09/2010 - 02:13

yeh sure I'd be happy to help - sorry about my late reply by the way. Do you have an email address I can send mine to? (prefer to do it this way =P)

Same "guest"

Thu, 16/09/2010 - 20:29

Hey I'm glad you got back to me!

My email address is [email protected] (this is just a subsdiary email) but I did not want to put my original one in the public domain! If you email me on this, I will definitely email you back from my "actual" one!

Tue, 28/09/2010 - 10:12

I really like your statement especially the indirectness with which all your points come across. Perhaps the best personal statement i have read so far on economics and relevant subjects

Thu, 28/10/2010 - 11:31

Hi, i am applying to ucl and lse and im currently in the process of writing my personal statement.. I was hoping that upon completion you could read it andtell me if i have a chance and also suggest you input.. Thanks.. Can you give me your email? Or email me at [email protected]

Hey, this personal statement

Thu, 21/07/2011 - 18:34

Hey, this personal statement is absoloutly amazing and I really want to study economics at LSE. Could I email you my personal statement?

Fri, 23/09/2011 - 21:26

hey, This piece of ps is absolutely splendid! are you open to reviewing ps' and giving any feedback at all? cheers

hey i really need your help

Sun, 23/10/2011 - 08:54

hey i really need your help with my personal statement. how can i contact u? please check mine and help me out. i love ur statement btw

How the hell did you get an

Thu, 03/11/2011 - 20:49

How the hell did you get an offer from Oxford, LSE and not from University of Bristol?

:O Help me out here please! Because I am applying to Bristol but my predicted grades are AAD which are way way below yours. Im thinking if you didn't get an offer then where in the hell will I get one?

I would love to get some help

Mon, 07/11/2011 - 09:40

I would love to get some help from you regarding on my personal statement!

Hi Mopac. I mailed you at the

Tue, 18/09/2012 - 07:58

Hi Mopac. I mailed you at the above id but it says delivery error. Can you please give me your e mail? i need your help man!

Mon, 01/10/2012 - 14:55

hey! i would really like your help in writing my personal statement .. since you have such a good one ... thanks

Wed, 24/07/2013 - 16:00

I appreciate you sharing this article.Really looking forward to read more. Much obliged.

Thu, 22/08/2013 - 03:22

If you don't mind me asking, what grades did you get at GCSE and A level?

Hi, i'm planning to study

Thu, 19/09/2013 - 16:15

Hi, i'm planning to study economics at uni preferrably at either LSE or Cambridge, im having difficulty writing it at the moment, is it possible if you can email me?

Hey, this is really good and

Sun, 06/10/2013 - 15:11

Hey, this is really good and i am applying for economics and maths at lse (main target), I was wondering if i could get in touch with you somehow. Thanks

someone help me do mine

Tue, 07/01/2014 - 09:33

just kidding

Overall a very strong

Sun, 13/07/2014 - 12:10

Overall a very strong personal statement in my mind. I especially liked the opening and the way you subtly included academic results without wasting too many characters. Whilst, if I'm honest, the book keeping and such for your mum isn't the greatest work experience, the following passage where you described the skills you gained from it and how they would be applicable to the course is great. I only hope my personal statement can be near the same standard as this.

Hi. Your personal statement

Thu, 07/08/2014 - 18:10

Hi. Your personal statement is great. I've written about 3 drafts but I am not sure about them. Can I get ur email address and i can email my personal statement to u. plz plz plz. Help!!

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