Writing your UCAS Statement, Study notes of Art

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Widening Participation

Writing your

UCAS Statement

Your UCAS Personal Statement is part of your application to study at university. It’s a chance for you to articulate why you’d like to study a particular course or subject, and what skills and experience you possess that show your passion for your chosen field.

This guide contains some prompt questions to help applicants to creative courses write their UCAS Personal Statement. Creative courses (e.g. Fine Art, Design or Architecture) often look for a very different statement than STEM courses (e.g. Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics).

You can apply to up to five different courses. You may be applying for a similar course (e.g. Textile Design) at five different universities. In this case, your UCAS Personal Statement will need to be relevant to the subject area. Alternatively, you may be applying for a mixture of different courses (e.g. Painting and Photography) at a number of different universities. In this case, your UCAS Personal Statement should be broad enough to be relevant to both specialisms (by referring to ‘Fine Art’ instead of the specific courses for example).

What is the UCAS Statement?

Top Tips

The UCAS personal statement is your chance to show that you are academically, practically and personally ready to study at university.

There should be no spelling or grammatical errors. The structure should be coherent and should have a strong conclusion.

The tone of your UCAS statement should be positive and factual.

Where possible, back up statements you make about yourself with evidence. For example:

Avoid making sweeping generalisations or assumptions about careers or the industry most closely related to the course you are applying to.

I’m a really diligent and hardworking student. I was enrolled on a 20 week S Portfolio Course at the Glasgow School of Art which took place every Thursday evening after school. My attendance on this course was 100%.

Consider how much information you are actually communicating in what you write. It is imperative that you make meaningful statements rather than surface statements. We’ve given an example of each below:

Surface Statement

Meaningful Statement

Try to write at least one paragraph in response to each of the following prompt questions. Doing this, and then adding all of the paragraphs together into one document will give you a first draft that you can begin to edit from further.

I like to draw.

I use a variety of materials to record what I see from primary sources and I prefer using charcoal because I think it allows me to make more gestural marks.

Meaningful Statements

If you are applying only to GSA, you should very carefully read the information HERE about the degree courses you are applying to. A top tip is to mirror some of this information in your UCAS Personal Statement to show you have done your research, for example: From the GSA Fashion Design webpage: The programme promotes a culture that recognizes teamwork and interdisciplinary peer learning as well as independence as essential elements in the effective practice of Fashion Design. How this could be responded to: One of the reasons I am so keen to study Fashion Design is because I know it will give me the chance to develop my collaborative and independent working and making skills, with other Fashion Design students and also students from other discipline areas.

From the GSA Sculpture and Environmental Art webpage: The core objectives of the Programme are to develop the practical and philosophical understanding of the subject of sculpture; to develop practical skills and the ability to mediate ideas through materials and process; and to develop the ability and confidence to critique and communicate about sculpture, both historical and contemporary. How this could be responded to: Studying Sculpture & Environmental Art will give me the opportunity to strengthen my practical abilities through using different materials and processes but also the chance to develop how I communicate my ideas and opinions on both historical and contemporary sculpture.

Mirroring Language

Tell us about the materials, methods and processes you use to make

work.

Do you draw from life? Do you make three-dimensional work? Do you work with knit, weave or embroidery? Do you make really large scale work? Do you take photographs? Do you explore colour, texture or shape? Do you create abstract images? Do you play with text? Do you illustrate stories? Why and how do you use your sketchbooks? (^) ‘I carry my sketchbook at all times...’

‘Exploring narrative is an important part of my work’

‘I take photos as a way of gathering primary research’

‘I enjoy drawing people on the bus on my way to school...’ ‘I work with found objects to create temporary sculptures...’ ‘Knitting has been a large part of my process since...’ ‘I enjoy making really large pieces of work because...’

‘Changing the meaning of an image by adding text is a method I use...’

‘I like to explore colour by...’ ‘I often paint from photos I have cut up and stuck back together’

Materials, methods & processes

Explain the content and structure of any extra-curricular/independent/

Widening Participation activities you have participated in and tell us

what you have learned from your involvement.

This is where you can provide evidence of your preparedness to study at university. Have you worked in a studio environment before? If so, where and what was it like for you? How did it affect the way you learned?

Be sure to mention how long any courses ran for and how frequently you attended. For example:

What do you do in your own time, outside of regular course work at school, which proves that you are committed to improving your creative skills?*

Do you carry a sketchbook with you at all times? Are you part of a local photography club? Do you spend time drawing every evening? Have you taught yourself any creative skills?

I attended the GSA WP S6 Portfolio Course every Sunday for 3 hours for 15 weeks.

*Try adding up all the hours you spend a week on art/design activities as this can show dedication.

Extra-curricular Activities

What are your creative strengths? What would you like to improve on?

Use this as an opportunity to share what you are already good at and what you are keen to learn more about. Some examples might include:

I would like to develop highly specialist skills which I’ve not had access to yet, particularly lithography, which I have seen other artists use very successfully.

I relish the idea of being able to work on my curatorial skills through putting on exhibitions with my classmates.

I am very prolific at making work but am looking forward to receiving feedback from my peers and tutors to help me develop my work further.

Strengths

Fine Art Resources

Design Resources

Architecture Resources

It’s Nice That Elephant Wallpaper Dezeen Living Etc

Frieze WhiteHot Magazine Tate

Architectural Digest Arch Daily Architectural Review

Eye Magazine AnOther Magazine Creative Review Design Week

Juxtapose

Online Research Resources

Good Luck!