architecture graduate school personal statement

10 Tips on Personal Statements (for Architect Students)

Whether you are applying for entry into a pre-professional Bachelor of Science or Art (B.Sc. or B.A.) majoring in architecture, or the professional Bachelor of Architecture or Master of Architecture, chances are submitting a personal statement is necessary alongside your design portfolio.

But you could be apprehensive about the task of writing a personal statement as the requirement does not come with clear guidelines, unfortunately.

Here are some useful tips to get you started:

1. Give Yourself Enough Time

Probably one of the most valuable tips that you can get when it comes to personal statements is to start early.

2. Understand What the Statement is Asking For

There is no shame in asking for someone to read the question for you, which could help you understand it better. It could be as simple as “Tell us why you want to study architecture,” or “What would you gain from your experience at our school?”

3. Introduce Yourself

Are you ambitious? Have any hobbies? Artistic? Work well in a team?

4. Craft Skills You Learned

You can write about the extra classes you took outside your school syllabus and how they relate to architecture.

5. A Memorable Vacation

6. any work experience you’ve got under your belt.

Write about something that shows no added value, and the evaluator would lose interest quickly. An architectural technician work experience role would be perfect for showing the school you know exactly what you are doing.

7. Talk about the future

Who exactly do you want to be when you leave architecture school?

8. Don’t sound too academic

9. check for grammatical errors.

Especially if you are an international student and English is not your first language, have a second pair of eyes proofread your statement.

10. Be Yourself

• Dean’s Letter
• Administration
• Student Work
• Media Archive

Master of Architecture

M.s. advanced architectural design, m.s. computational design practices, m.s. critical, curatorial & conceptual practices.

• Ph.D. Architecture
• New York/Paris

Intro Program

M.s. architecture and urban design, m.s. urban planning.

• Ph.D. Urban Planning

M.S. Historic Preservation

• Ph.D. Historic Preservation

M.S. Real Estate Development

• Initiatives
• Exhibitions
• Publications
• Academic Calendar
• Hybrid Pedagogy Guide
• Policies & Resources
• Career Services
• Student Organizations
• Avery Library
• Arthur Ross Architecture Gallery
• Making Studio
• Output Shop
• Preservation Technology Lab
• Thinking About Applying
• Application Process
• After You’re Admitted
• Tuition & Aid

Application Process & Requirements

The 2024 admissions deadline for PhD and Master’s programs has passed and the applications are closed. The application for 2025 admissions will be available in September.

Applications for the non-degree programs Intro to Architecture and Shape of Two Cities: New York Paris are reviewed on a rolling basis.

Columbia GSAPP is committed to attracting the best talent from a wide range of geographic, cultural, and economic backgrounds, and employs a holistic application review process that considers multiple factors with the intent of creating a class enhanced by diverse voices. Applicants are considered for their academic merit, potential, and individual experiences, and are selected to shape the best possible educational environment in the School’s studios and classrooms for the student body at large.

Each degree program offered by Columbia GSAPP has unique admissions requirements. Please select your program of interest below, and carefully review the program-specific application deadlines, processes, and requirements, as well as the admissions policies. If you need any additional help, please reference the FAQ page or contact the Admissions office at [email protected] .

Prerequisites

Application Deadline: January 3, 2025

All Master of Architecture students must complete prerequisites before the start of the program. Please review the M.ARCH Prerequisites webpage for full details.

All applicants must have an undergraduate degree from an accredited college or university by the time they start the M.ARCH program.

All applicants must have fulfilled a minimum of 45 credit hours of general studies in the arts, humanities and/or science at their undergraduate institution.

History/Theory Course Sequence: All applicants must have completed a 3-point survey course in architectural history at an accredited college or university dealing with any of the following periods: classical to Renaissance, Renaissance to modern, or modern.

Building Technologies Course Sequence: All applicants must have completed a 3-point course in general physics or two 3-point calculus courses at an accredited college or university.

Applicants who have no prior background in architecture must complete a course in architectural graphic presentation (this could be one term of architectural studio or a studio in the visual arts such as drawing, painting, or sculpture) as a prerequisite for the Core Studio Sequence, before registering in the M.ARCH program.

Application Steps

• 1. Online Application
• 2. Letters of Recommendation
• 3. Personal Statement
• 4. Transcripts
• 5. Portfolio
• 6. Resumé/CV
• 8. English Proficiency Requirement
• 9. Dual Degree Option
• 10. Application Status

Online Application

Create and complete an online application.

A fee of $75 (payable by Visa or MasterCard) is due at the time of application submission.

Letters of Recommendation

Three letters of recommendation are required for all degree program applicants. GSAPP does not have a special form for letters of recommendation. Recommenders may scan and upload recommendation letters to the online application. Letters received directly from applicants will not be accepted.

Letters of recommendation are due by the application deadline.

Personal Statement

Transcripts.

An academic transcript/record from each university attended and credit earned is required for all applicants. All transcripts must be received by the application deadline. Applicants should upload a digital copy or scan of their transcript/s to the online application. We allow digital copies of transcripts for review purposes only.

Please note that the applicant may upload unofficial transcripts at the start of the application process. Once an applicant has been admitted and has indicated acceptance of our offer of admission, certified and secure online official transcripts must be submitted directly to Columbia from the applicant’s prior institution(s)’ Registrar Office. Please note that incoming students for the 2024 year will be contacted with specific instructions on electronic submission from prior institution(s) for receipt of these documents. Only if a prior academic institution is unable to submit certified and secure online official transcripts, an official transcript in a sealed envelope must be sent directly from that institution’s Registrar Office to Columbia. Columbia will use its verification vendor to verify the applicant’s degree and transcript with the prior academic institutions and/or the relevant country’s Ministry of Education. Applicants will be asked to consent to participate in this verification process by submitting an authorization and release form.

GRE test scores are optional for the 2024-2025 Admissions cycle.

MSUP applicants who do not have strong analytical background or professional experience are encouraged to submit GRE results to supplement their application.

Applicants who have prior score results may submit them as part of their application. GRE scores are considered valid for five years after the test date.

Applicants should contact ETS to have official test scores sent to the GSAPP Admissions Office via Institution Code 2164. GRE scores are valid for five years after the test date. At this time there is no minimum required GRE score for admission.

English Proficiency Requirement

All applicants whose primary language is not English must submit English Proficiency Exam scores (with the exception of Introduction to Architecture applicants).

Applicants whose primary language is not English and who have successfully completed two years of study in an English-speaking institution may waive the English Proficiency requirement.

Columbia GSAPP accepts TOEFL, IELTS, and Duolingo test results. Self-reported scores must be verified by requesting official scores to be sent directly to GSAPP.

TOEFL: Applicants should contact ETS to have official TOEFL test scores sent to the GSAPP Admissions via Institution Code 2164, Dept. Code 12. Scores sent to any other institution code will not be accessible to GSAPP staff. TOEFL scores are valid for two years after the test date.

IELTS and Duolingo: Columbia GSAPP accepts IELTS and Duolingo test results as alternatives to TOEFL scores. Institution school codes are NOT required for IELTS and Duolingo.

Please see the Admissions FAQ page for additional details.

Dual Degree Option

The following programs are approved for dual degree within GSAPP: - M. ARCH & M.S. CCCP - M. ARCH & M.S. UP - M. ARCH & M.S. HP - M. ARCH & M.S. RED - M.S. UP & M.S. HP - M.S. UP & M.S. RED - M.S. HP & M.S. RED

The following programs are approved for dual degree with other schools at Columbia: - M.S. UP & Master of Business Administration (with the Business School) - M.S. UP & Juris Doctor (with the School of Law) - M.S. UP & Master of Science in Social Work (with the School of Social Work - M.S. UP & Master of Science in Public Health (with the Mailman School of Public Health) - M.S. UP & Master of International Affairs (with the School of International and Public Affairs)

Program requirements, including suggested course sequences can be found here .

Application Status

Prospective students are strongly encouraged to review application policies and procedures before submitting an online application. The GSAPP only accepts applications online.

Applicants may check the status of their application after submission by logging into their account with their email address and password and reviewing the status page.

Application Deadline: January 15, 2025

• The M.S.AAD program is a second/post-professional degree in Architecture. All applicants must have a first professional degree, B.Arch, M.Arch, or equivalent degree (5 years, eligible for licensure) by the time they start the M.S. AAD program.
• 7. English Proficiency Requirement
• 8. Application Status
• The M.S. AUD program is open to both pre- and post-professional students, and encourages applications from a range of backgrounds interested in exploring urban design. All applicants must have an undergraduate degree from an accredited college or university by the time they start the M.S. AUD program. Please note that the M.S. AUD is not a professional architecture degree and does not in itself qualify for licensure.
• 4. Resumé/CV
• 5. Transcripts
• 6. Portfolio
• The M.S. CDP program is open to both pre- and post-professional students, and encourages applications from a range of backgrounds. All applicants must have an undergraduate degree from an accredited college or university by the time they start the M.S. CDP program.
• 5. Portfolio M.S. CDP
• 6. English Proficiency Requirement
• 7. Resumé/CV

Portfolio M.S. CDP

A digital portfolio is required for admission to the M.S. CDP program. The digital portfolio should be in a single PDF document, 20 PDF pages or less (including the cover pages and table of contents, if applicable), and should not exceed 32 MB. The digital portfolio should be optimized for viewing on a standard size computer screen. Digital portfolios must be uploaded at the time the application is submitted. Portfolios should contain reproductions of original drawings, prints, graphic design, or sculpture.

The M.S. CDP portfolio can be architectural design, computational design or multi-media, and include text.

The M.S. CCCP program applicants must have a minimum of a four-year bachelor degree or equivalent from an accredited college or university by the time they start the M.S. CCCP program, including no less than 4 classes in architecture, architectural history, or a related form of aesthetic or cultural practice.

Applicants who do not hold a B.Arch or M.Arch degree or the equivalent should demonstrate a substantive interest in architecture and/or urbanism through providing evidence of work in history, theory, criticism, research, design, editing, events-coordination, visualization, exhibition work, or curatorial practice.

Visual acuity and interest in undertaking independent research and original projects are crucial for all applicants and the submission of a portfolio of writing or visual material is intended to provide the admissions committee with evidence of an applicant’s areas of interest and/or skills as well as preparation in the field he or she intents to pursue. It is not, however, necessary to have extensive experience in order to be admitted, but in the absence of such a background it is very important that the character and strengths of a prospective student’s work and research interests are documented and conveyed.

• 5. Portfolio M.S. CCCP

Portfolio M.S. CCCP

A digital portfolio is required for admission to the M.S. CCCP program. The digital portfolio should be in a single PDF document, 20 PDF pages or less (including the cover pages and table of contents, if applicable), and should not exceed 32 MB. The digital portfolio should be optimized for viewing on a standard size computer screen. Digital portfolios must be uploaded at the time the application is submitted. Portfolios should contain reproductions of original drawings, prints, graphic design, or sculpture.

M.S. CCCP applicants have the option of submitting writing and/or visual material to fulfill the portfolio requirement.

The M.S. HP program is multidisciplinary in nature and expects all students to engage in preservation in depth from many perspectives. Applicants are expected to demonstrate a commitment to historic preservation as a profession and students should have a basic knowledge of the history of architecture.

All applicants must have an undergraduate degree from an accredited college or university by the time they start the M.S. HP program.

Part-time Option Columbia GSAPP now offers a part-time option for the MS in Historic Preservation degree . Specifically designed for active practitioners in the field who wish to maintain professional positions while studying, this option is based on the same academic requirements and allow students to complete a MSHP degree over the course of four years (eight semesters) instead of two years (four semesters) of full-time study. Please see the application requirements below, and select the part-time option within the online application form.

• 5. Resumé/CV
• 8. Dual Degree Option
• 9. Application Status

All applicants must have an undergraduate degree from an accredited college or university by the time they start the M.S. RED program.

M.S. RED applicants may hold undergraduate and graduate degrees in a wide range of fields. While graduate and professional academic preparation in development-related disciplines, such as architecture, finance, law, urban design, historic preservation, civil engineering, or urban planning is highly desirable, it is not essential for admission to the program.

• 6. GRE/GMAT

GRE test scores are optional for 2024-2025 admissions.

MSRED applicants who do not have a strong background in finance, statistics, or analytics, and who do not have at least two years of relevant professional experience, are encouraged to submit GRE test scores to supplement their application.

GRE Applicants who chose to include optional test scores should contact ETS to have official test scores sent to the Admissions Office via Institution Code 2164. Scores sent to any other institution code will not be accessible to GSAPP staff. GRE scores are valid for five years after the test date.

GMAT Applicants who chose to submit optional test scores may submit GMAT scores in lieu of GRE scores. Applicants should contact GMAC to have official test scores sent to the GSAPP Admissions Office via Institution Code: QF8-73-53. Scores sent to any other institution code will not be accessible to GSAPP staff. GMAT scores are valid for five years after the test date.

*Applicants who wish to report an unofficial score are required to request an official transcript for verification in order to complete the application. Official scores sent directly from a testing agency are considered official. Scores uploaded by applicants are considered unofficial and will not fulfill application requirements.

The M.S. UP program prepares students from diverse academic backgrounds for careers as professional planners. Applicants typically, but not exclusively, have majored in architecture, engineering, sociology, political science, geography, economics, or urban studies; many also come from backgrounds in the humanities and pure sciences. The admissions committee reviews all applicants comprehensively, considering their undergraduate academic achievements, personal statement, and related experiences.

All applicants must have an undergraduate degree from an accredited college or university by the time they start the M.S. UP program. Once a member of the GSAPP Admissions Office completes a preliminary review, the M.S. in Urban Planning program office assigns each application to three reviewers including a minimum of two full-time Urban Planning faculty members. The program seeks applicants with strong critical thinking, analytical, and writing skills. The application deadline is January 15, 2023 for entry in the Fall 2023 semester, and the GSAPP Admissions Office notifies applicants with decisions in March 2023.

Please note that deadlines for dual degree programs outside of GSAPP are set by their respective schools. Separate applications need to be submitted to each program and applicants need to be admitted by both schools to pursue a dual-degree program. Please consult each respective school’s website for details. Part-time Option Columbia GSAPP now offers a part-time option for the MS in Urban Planning degree . Specifically designed for active practitioners in the field who wish to maintain professional positions while studying, this option is based on the same academic requirements and allow students to complete a MSUP degree over the course of four years (eight semesters) instead of two years (four semesters) of full-time study. Please see the application requirements below, and select the part-time option within the online application form.

• 3. Personal Statement MSUP

Personal Statement MSUP

Ph.d. in architecture.

Application Deadline: JANUARY 4, 2025

The Architecture Ph.D. Program is administered by the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS). All application instructions, deadlines and procedures are available on the GSAS website .

Eligibility for admission to the program is generally limited to students holding a Master of Architecture degree or a five-year Bachelor of Architecture degree plus a Master’s degree (or equivalent) in the field of architectural history and theory. Students who hold a Master’s degree or equivalent in another field are considered for admission if they can demonstrate a strong background in architectural history or related disciplines of the built environment.

All prospective students must apply using the online application. Printed applications are not available.

A complete application includes:

• Transcripts of all previous post-secondary education
• A statement of academic purpose
• A curriculum vitae or résumé
• Three letters of recommendation from academic sources
• For international students: Examination scores to fulfill the English Proficiency Requirement
• A sample of scholarly writing, 30 pages
• Payment of the application fee

Please contact the GSAS with all admissions questions.

For program questions, applicants may reach out to PhD committee faculty regarding particular research interests.

Ph.D. in Historic Preservation

The Historic Preservation Ph.D. Program is administered by the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS). All application instructions, deadlines and procedures are available on the GSAS page .

Eligibility for admission to the program is generally limited to students holding a Master of Historic Preservation degree. Under certain circumstances, students who hold a Master’s degree or equivalent in another field are considered for admission.

• GRE scores are waived for 2022 admissions

Optional Portfolio: Applicants are encouraged to submit an optional portfolio if it speaks to their research interest in experimental preservation approaches that explore material intersections of the PAAST (Preservation Art Architecture Science and Technology) with urgent contemporary environmental and social issues. For more information on the Optional Portfolio, please review the FAQ .

Ph.D. in Urban Planning

Application Deadline: DECEMBER 14, 2024

The Urban Planning Ph.D. Program is administered by the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS). All application instructions, deadlines and procedures are available on the GSAS page .

The applicant must hold a master’s degree in urban planning or in a related discipline and have excellent academic credentials (a grade average of B+ or better). In addition, the applicant is required to have completed at least 90 points of undergraduate liberal arts courses in the social sciences, humanities or natural sciences, and the equivalent of the core courses provided in the master’s-level curriculum in the Division of Urban Planning, Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation.

Fellowships are awarded in recognition of academic achievement and in expectation of scholarly success. Graduate fellowships include teaching and research assistantships.

• GRE scores are optional for 2024 admissions
• A sample of scholarly writing, 8-10 pages

For program questions, applicants should reach out to the Chair of the PhD sub-committee.

New York / Paris

Application Deadline: Rolling Admission (January–July)

The New York/Paris program is designed for students who have completed their sophomore year at an accredited college or university, or students who have received a bachelor’s degree. Previous study in architecture, planning, or preservation is not required. Undergraduate students must have the written support of their home institution.

• 2. Personal Statement
• 3. Letter of Recommendation
• 5. English Proficiency Requirement
• 6. Application Status

Letter of Recommendation

One letter of recommendation is required for New York/Paris program applicants and Visiting Scholars. GSAPP does not have a special form for letters of recommendation. Recommenders may scan and upload recommendation letters to the online application. Letters received directly from applicants will not be accepted.

Application Deadline: Rolling Admission (January–June)

The Intro Program (Intro to Architecture, Intro to Historic Preservation, Intro to Real Estate, and Intro to Urban Planning) is a 5-week, 3-point intensive course (non-degree, not for credit towards a degree, and not eligible for full-time student status).

• Participants have the option of choosing a focus on Architecture, Historic Preservation, Real Estate, or Urban Planning, which may be selected in the application form.
• Into to Architecture will be held both online and in-person, allowing students to choose their preferred mode of study; Intro to Urban Planning and Historic Preservation will be held in-person; Intro to Real Estate will be held online.
• Admitted students are invited to apply to the Hilyard Robinson Scholars Program . Recipients receive full tuition scholarships for GSAPP’s Intro to Architecture summer program.
• Applicants should have completed an undergraduate degree or currently be enrolled at an undergraduate institution.
• 2. Transcripts
• 3. Optional Recommendation
• 4. Application Status

Optional Recommendation

Non-degree program applicants to Introduction to Architecture and Special Students have the option to include letters of recommendation, but they are not required.

GSAPP does not have a special form for letters of recommendation. Recommenders may scan and upload recommendation letters to the online application. Letters received directly from applicants will not be accepted.

Visiting Scholar

Application Deadline: Rolling Admission

Persons who wish to use the facilities of the University to pursue their own research may be named visiting scholars.

In order to be eligible for visiting scholar status, applicants must be currently affiliated with an accredited academic institution.

“Visiting scholar” is a courtesy title and does not signify a formal association with the University. Individuals named to these titles may not claim a University affiliation for the purpose of applying for grants and contracts and should not represent themselves in their publication and correspondence as having a University affiliation.

Visiting Scholars are not eligible to take courses at GSAPP for credit.

We only accept a limited number of Visiting Scholars and are unable to provide an invitation letter until an applicant has submitted an online application and has been approved by the Provost’s office.

• 2. Personal Statement Visiting Scholar
• 7. Application Status

Personal Statement Visiting Scholar

A personal statement is required for admission to each program (with the exception of Introduction to Architecture). In approximately 500 words, describe your background, your past work in your intended field of study, and your plans for study and a professional career.

The statement must include the applicant’s affiliation with an accredited academic institution. Applicants must demonstrate a solid academic reason as to why they must be in person at Columbia to conduct their research. They must also specify which on-campus resources and archives will be accessed as part of their research.

Special Student

Application Deadline: August 15 or December 1 of each year

Individuals may be eligible to take courses in the Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation. These students must be admitted by the Office of the Associate Dean of Admissions as Special Students (non-degree candidates).

Studios and visual studies courses are not open to Special Students. Courses in the Real Estate Development program are also not open to Special Students. Lecture classes are open to Special Students with the permission of the Associate Dean of Admissions and the faculty teaching the course.

Special Students receive library and computer access for the semester(s) in which they are enrolled. They receive a transcript from Columbia University with the course name and grade(s). Special Students pay the current per-point rate for degree programs for the course.

If a Special Student wishes to apply for matriculation in any of the graduate degree programs at a later date, the student must submit an application for that program by the deadline. The Admissions Committee does not treat the applicant preferentially. In some cases, students who take courses as Special Students and are admitted to a degree program may be awarded advanced standing. Those who wish to apply for degree candidacy are therefore urged to do so at the earlier possible time.

• 3. Transcripts
• 4. English Proficiency Requirement
• 5. Optional Recommendation

Prospective students must submit an application online to be considered for admission. Only one application per admissions period is accepted. Multiple applications to different programs will not be processed unless they are applications to an approved dual degree program.

Applicants are expected to use their full legal name when completing the online application.

All candidates have the opportunity to complete a GSAPP scholarship application included with the application for admission. GSAPP scholarships are based on a combination of merit and financial need. This form must be submitted through the online application. Candidates will not have access to the scholarship application once their program application has been submitted.

GSAPP does not grant deferrals, nor does it conduct spring term admissions. Candidates will only be considered for the semester listed on their application.

Files or materials sent during previous application periods are not saved for future applications. Those wishing to re-apply must re-submit all of the required application materials for their new application to be considered complete.

Note that the applicant must submit all materials directly, not through an agent or third-party vendor, with the sole exception of submissions by the U.S. Department of State’s Fulbright Program and its three partner agencies IIE, LASPAU and AMIDEAST, and by the Danish-American Fulbright Commission (DAF), Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (DAAD), and Vietnam Education Fund (VEF). In addition, the applicant will be required to attest to the accuracy and authenticity of all information and documents submitted to Columbia. If you have any questions about this requirement, please contact the admissions office at GSAPP.

Failure to submit complete, accurate, and authentic application documents consistent with these instructions may result in denial or revocation of admission, cancellation of academic credit, suspension, expulsion, or eventual revocation of degree. Applicants may be required to assist admissions staff and faculty involved in admission reviews in the verification of all documents and statements made in documents submitted by students as part of the application review process. 

• AI Content Shield
• AI KW Research
• AI Assistant
• SEO Optimizer
• AI KW Clustering
• Customer reviews
• The NLO Revolution
• Press Center
• Help Center
• Content Resources
• Facebook Group

Architecture Masters Personal Statement Example: Effective Guide

Table of Contents

So you want to pursue a master’s degree in architecture? Congratulations! A career in architecture can be rewarding, both creatively and financially. To begin, you need to write your master’s application. This article provides architecture masters personal statement example to guide you.

Like all personal statements, an architecture master’s personal statement should give the admissions committee a snapshot of who you are as an individual. It should highlight your strengths and interests and explain why pursuing a masters in architecture is your next logical step.

But writing about yourself can be challenging – especially concerning something as subjective as art or design. So how do you craft a strong statement that will stand out from the rest? Read on for our top tips!

What Is An Architecture Masters Personal Statement?

Consider it the opportunity to introduce yourself to the admissions’ committee. It is your chance to discuss your interest in studying architecture and the factors that led to your decision. 

A personal statement typically showcases your motivation and academic and professional achievements . It lets you demonstrate how you hope to use an architectural degree once you graduate. 

The admissions’ committee will look for signs of how you will add value to the program and their community. So put your best foot forward and show them your skills! 

Why Do You Need A Personal Statement?

Having an impressive personal statement is essential when pursuing a masters in architecture. It’s your opportunity to showcase your skills and experiences while highlighting why you’re the perfect candidate for the program. If you’re looking to pursue a master’s degree in architecture, be sure to create a statement that stands out.

An Architecture Master’s personal statement helps admission committees know more about who you are as an individual. They’ll want to know what makes you unique and why studying architecture is essential to you.

Your statement should be well-written and concise, providing enough information without going into too much detail. In addition, make sure that your grammar and spelling are impeccable!

Your Architecture Masters personal statement can help set you apart from other applicants and increase your chances of acceptance.

The Structure of Your Architecture Masters Personal Statement

• Introduce yourself and your interest in architecture.
• Outline your academic and professional achievements.
• Highlight your unique abilities and experiences.
• Showcase your creative and design abilities.
• Explain your motivation for pursuing a master’s in architecture.
• State why you want to study at this particular school.
• Write a captivating closing remark.

Tips for Writing Your Architecture Masters Personal Statement

The architecture masters personal statement can be challenging to write. However, with some practice, you will get the hang of it. Below are general things to always remember when writing your architecture masters personal statement.

• Proofread your statement carefully.
• Use strong and descriptive language
• Be concise and stay on topic
• Avoid clichés and general statements
• Use concrete examples from inside and outside the classroom whenever possible.
• Make sure your statement is unique to you
• Get feedback from others.

Architecture Masters Personal Statement Example

Architecture is my passion. I aspire to be an architect who employs unproven techniques in the field of architecture. For a town planning project during my childhood, our local government requested children to create dream homes. As I threw myself into accomplishing the assignment, the challenge captivated me. This incident is one of the countless incidents demonstrating that my passion is inborn and natural rather than the result of some external influence.

I’ve taken various measures to improve my construction and design skills since discovering them. I began my education at the King sway School of Construction Design for Kids, where I gained an early understanding of architectural applications. This experience broadened my knowledge of and interest in architecture. At this point, I chose to pursue a career as an architect. After deciding on a profession, I felt determined to pursue the career opportunities that architecture provided. My life had now become architecture.

After graduating from high school, I enrolled in Emerson Architecture College to improve my architectural talents on a more professional level. The training there expanded my creative horizons. And I started identifying architectural problems and their remedies wherever I went. Environmental architecture and craftsmanship classes allowed me to combine various existent ideas into new or distinctive outputs.

My level of creativity surpassed my expectations. I also learned digital architecture, three-dimensional modeling, and how to use various architectural programs and technology. I am not nearly as talented as I would like to be as an architect; I have an insatiable thirst for architectural knowledge. My innovativeness and ingenuity are fed by my appetite. This understanding is what allows me to design architectural solutions to the challenges I see around me.

I want to be a restoration architect. This passion began following a vacation trip to Paris. As I explored architecture, I realized it portrays our societies’ heritage and history in a way that helps us think critically about our past.

Observing the works of architectural greats has also encouraged me to seek excellence in my career in architecture. In light of this, I have decided to pursue my master’s degree at a school known for producing excellent architects.

To achieve this level of quality, I would like to apply for admission as a master’s student at your institution. This will greatly help me to broaden my understanding of different unfinished architectural difficulties. My goal is to gain information and put it to good use for the benefit of humanity. This will finally bring my dream of being a sophisticated urban planner to fruition .

There are several key takeaways from this exceptional guide on architecture masters personal statement example . When writing a personal statement, highlight your skills and experiences. You should also explain why you want to pursue a master’s degree in architecture. Lastly, be sure to express your passion for Architecture!

Loved the personal statement you read above? Use Hey INK to generate an outstanding one, that will intrigue the admissions’ committee.

Abir Ghenaiet

Abir is a data analyst and researcher. Among her interests are artificial intelligence, machine learning, and natural language processing. As a humanitarian and educator, she actively supports women in tech and promotes diversity.

Explore All Write Personal Statement Articles

How to draft meaningful length of law school personal statement.

Are you confused on how to write a law school personal statement? One of the essential elements of your application…

• Write Personal Statement

Effective History and International Relations Personal Statement to Try

Are you considering studying history and international relations? Or you may be curious about what a degree in this field…

Guide to Quality Global Management Personal Statement

Are you applying for a global management program and want to stand out from the crowd? A well-written personal statement…

How to Draft Better Examples of Personal Statements for Residency

Achieving a residency can be a massive accomplishment for any aspiring medical professional. To secure your spot in one of…

Tips for Drafting a Free Example of Personal History Statement

A personal history statement can be crucial to many applications, from university admissions to job search processes. This blog will…

Writing Compelling Dietetic Internship Personal Statement

Applying for a dietetic internship is a rigorous process and requires submitting a personal statement, which is an essential part…

Architecture Applicant?

Writing your best architecture school personal statement.

How to write about a subject not taught in school. This post is geared towards undergraduate applications.

As part of your architecture school application to undergraduate programs, you will be required to make a written personal statement pertaining to your interests, achievements and goals. There is a substantial weighting on the personal statement, though it is not as important (for lots of schools) as the portfolio . In the US , these are known as supplemental essays on the Common Application (not the main essay on the CA, which is more general). 

This is the chance for you to tell the school exactly what it is about you that makes you a candidate in a sea of applicants. This will require a lot of introspection. Generally, the personal statement is a give and take. The ‘take’ is to describe how suited you are for the school, and the ‘give’ is to describe how you may be able to contribute to it. They need to be excited to have you. The US likes to hear more about your extracurriculars than the UK does, and these generally can fit into the first section of the essay structure (see below).

This is one of the few opportunities in your career that you will be able to take the time to delineate your values. It’s best to see the personal statement as a tool for you to understand yourself better, and being able to submit it to a school is simply a bonus. If you are in a position where you’re just filling out a personal statement for the sake of applying to a school, then stop. Take a step back and consider yourself. Explore your values through your writing. The application can come later, and it will be significantly higher in quality once you’ve consolidated yourself.

There is a general structure that you can follow to help you dig up all your values and interests. A starting point.

1. Who are you and what are your interests?

This is the hard bit. You have to remember that the person reading your architecture school personal statement knows nothing about you. Before you go into detail about the history of sustainable design in architecture (if that’s your thing) we need to go into the history of the author.

Most of the time these people reviewing your personal statement just want to know what kind of person you are, what makes you tick, whether or not you’re going to be a fit for their teaching style, whether you’re willing to learn, whether you’ll fit in, etc.

The great thing about this is that if you write honestly and your application is unsuccessful it at least means that you will truly know that the school was never going to be a good fit for you anyway. This first part of the personal statement requires you to open up about you, and does not necessarily need to solely be about architecture.

Who are you as a person? What do you enjoy doing? Where do your values lie? What makes you tick? What’s your history? Do your best not to force this answer out, otherwise it may seem contrived.

It’s highly unlikely that your interests from birth, and reason for your entire existence, is tethered to a deep passion for green roofs. (Also, avoid the word ‘passion’ and other cliché terms – they’ve heard them all before and they only sound insincere).

It’s more likely, however, that you love making fabrics, or painting, or cycling. This is what we need to do here: we need to get to these base interests and build on them in the next section.

This is where you define the trajectory of the essay in general, and become known as ‘the one who was really into fabrics’ etc. Something memorable, specific to you. This is how you will be remembered during admissions decisions.

2. How may architecture help you achieve those purposeful interests?

This paragraph goes a step further. How are these values which comprise your identity relevant to the field of architecture? It will be beneficial to your application if you can make your own definition of architecture personal and intrinsically related to you.

If you’re interested in fabrics, then it’s time to talk about how those garments you made relate to all sorts of different ceremonies or traditions and how spatial and cultural those are. Things which crop up in architecture. It’s time to describe how architecture is in fact all about how materials are stitched together, maybe! 

3. Why architecture school , and perhaps why this specific school?

But why is any of this important? Why should a school care what your values are? Well, for starters, you’re the one who is going to be representing them in their summer show three or four years from now. They need to know that your values which we have just defined are specific to their facilities, their faculty, their program, their output of student work that you saw at their summer show last year. (Note, go to as many summer shows as possible). Cite their specific resources that appeal to you, and let them know your desires to contribute. It’s a give and take.

We’re happy to help you through this process. Personal statements can be daunting, but when done well they will make your entire application fall into place. Application essays can drive your portfolio work/organization, and give you a strong personal theme that will both help you with your outlooks and in the interview itself. These opportunities to introspectively reflect don’t come often enough, yet are extremely rewarding.

• Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
• Subscribe Subscribed
• Copy shortlink
• Report this content
• View post in Reader
• Manage subscriptions
• Collapse this bar

• Telephone Tel: +44 (0) 20 7499 2394
• Email Email: [email protected]

Strategic Guidance

• Private Oxbridge Consultation
• International Oxbridge Consultation
• Postgraduate Applications Guidance
• Book a Complimentary Call

Comprehensive Support

• The Premier Service
• Oxford and Cambridge Interview Preparation Weekend

Targeted Support

• Oxbridge Personal Statement Support
• Oxbridge Admissions Test Support
• Oxbridge Interview Preparation Support
• Admissions Test Preparation Day 2024

Application Guidance

• ‘Aspiring to Oxbridge’ School Talk
• Teacher Training Workshop
• Individual Guidance Consultations

Personal Statement Support

• Personal Statement Group Workshop
• Personal Statement Consultations

Admissions Test Preparation

• Admissions Test Day
• Admissions Test Course

Interview Preparation

• Interview Preparation Day
• Interview Preparation Course

Free Library

• Oxbridge Interview Resources
• Admissions Tests Resources
• Student Library
• Teacher Library
• Keeping You Current
• Webinar Library

Our Publications

Course reports, oxbridge applications.

• Become A Tutor
• Our Offices
• Dukes Education

News & Press

• Widening Access
• Publications
• Sign In Register
• Sign In    Register

Architecture Personal Statement Guide

Your application to university is one of the most important you’ll make; it’s not an easy process as it requires a lot from you. The personal statement is one step in that process, but it’s also one of the more challenging ones because of what it demands.

A good personal statement will be introspective and analytical in the right places, but also informative and hopefully enjoyable to read. Its purpose is simple: to tell someone who doesn't know you why you’d be a good fit for a degree course in a subject you’re passionate about.

That said, writing a personal statement is far from simple. Not only are you constrained by space limitations, so will have to exclude much of what you’d like to say, but you also have to satisfy several criteria in very few words to make it an effective testimonial to you and your skills .

Don’t worry, though, everyone’s in the same boat and this guide is here to help you face the writing of it step-by-step, including:

• Why are Personal Statements Important?
• What Should I Include in an Architecture Personal Statement?  
• What Should I Avoid in an Architecture   Personal Statement ?  
• Advice on How to Start an Architecture Personal Statement
• Advice on How to Finish an Architecture Personal Statement

What Should I Avoid in an Architecture Personal Statement ?  

While it’s important to show a knowledge of architecture and an active engagement with it, it’s not beneficial simply to list your favourite architects, buildings, or places you’ve visited on holiday without further analysis , as admissions tutors simply won’t be interested.

Instead, you should discuss particular architects or buildings as part of a broader point you’re making, or to demonstrate a particular interest or inspiration in your architecture journey so far. This goes for all resources, including books, films, podcasts, exhibitions, artists; you should never name-drop something or someone in isolation, but rather discuss it analytically.

You should avoid familiar and informal language , but also avoid pretentious and affected turns of phrase and expressions . Equally, don’t include lots of quotations or rely on clichéd lines about ‘always appreciating architraves for as long as I can remember’ as no one will believe you. Any extra-curricular activities or interests should be related back to your proposal to study architecture , so mentioning your Grade 8 flute award is unlikely to add any value.

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

Advice on How to Start an Architecture Personal Statement  

Beginning any piece of writing can be a struggle, and personal statements are no exception. There are lots of ways to open your personal statement, so here are a few options that students have gone with in the past.

You could open the personal statement by reflecting on the beginning of your interest in architecture , i.e. where did it all start? Remembering to avoid clichéd openings, grab the reader’s attention by letting them know what first grabbed your attention. Was it a church? Your school? The Pantheon? Whatever it was, communicate how your personal relationship with architecture began and how it burgeoned into a passion.

Alternatively, you could begin by jumping straight into an academic discussion around a particular architect, building, or exhibition that has inspired you. You don't need to have personal connections to the work other than your academic interest, but make sure that you have researched the work or architect in question and have something analytical or interesting to say about it (rather than just stating facts about it). This could be a useful jumping off point for the rest of your personal statement.

However you open your statement, be direct and use uncomplicated language whilst making it as memorable and enticing as possible. The first impression is all important, and you want to encourage the reader to continue further into the statement.

Advice on How to Finish an Architecture Personal Statement  

As with an essay, the end of your statement should draw together what you’ve discussed up until that point . In statement terms, this should cover your suitability to undertake a degree in architecture and how enthused by the prospect of this you are. You’ve also hopefully relied on substantial examples to demonstrate your passion, so writing the statement’s conclusion shouldn’t be too difficult.

Remember not to repeat yourself ; the idea is to emphasise what you’ve said already, rather than to say it again verbatim. These will be your departing words to the reader so, as with the introduction, you want to be remembered and leave a positive impression that leads to the next stage, be that an interview or an offer.

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

Architecture degrees are a blend of theory and practice, so it’s advisable that you express an interest in both aspects of the discipline. As with all else you mention, it’s important to use examples from your research to support your points, so don’t just assert your interest – prove it! You should also look at modules that are common to all the universities you’re applying to; this way you can narrow down what appeals to you and show that you’ve looked into the degrees themselves.

Think hard about why you’re interested in architecture as a subject in general and in studying it at university in particular. This isn’t easy, as likes and dislikes are always difficult to scrutinise. That said, admissions tutors will want to see a good level of consideration from you as they won’t want to admit anyone who has applied on a whim or because they couldn’t think of anything else to do.

The length of your architecture personal statement, like all personal statements, is limited by UCAS. They’ve set a restriction of 4000 characters (including spaces), or alternatively 47 lines of the UCAS form; the relevant limit is the one you reach first. For this reason, it’s imperative you plan the statement’s structure and content as you don’t want to waste valuable words.

You’re lucky in that architecture is a subject that we’re all involved with to some extent. Buildings and structures are part of our everyday lives, and we can’t escape them. When it comes to extra-curricular activities, you can draw on anything you deem to be a worthwhile engagement with the built environment, or aesthetic history, or material culture; this includes reading around the subject, of course. As long as you can relate the activity to your interest in architecture, and talk about the benefit derived from it, then it will be relevant.

While you shouldn’t tailor your personal statement to any one university if you’re applying to more than one, it is possible to gauge the specialisms of certain universities and to emphasise your attraction to those, provided this doesn’t by definition rule out any other university in your application. Oxford and Cambridge value academic independence and freedom of thought, so try to be original in your views and be able to support them with evidence from your wider reading and research.

Book your Architecture 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.  

If you’d like to know more about Architecture, we have admissions test guidance and interview preparation readily available.  

Our Oxbridge-graduate consultants are available between 9.00 am – 5.00 pm from Monday to Friday, with additional evening availability when requested.

• Tel: +44 (0) 20 7499 2394
• Email: [email protected]

Oxbridge Applications, 58 Buckingham Gate, London, SW1E 6AJ

• Private Oxbridge Application Consultation
• Oxbridge Personal Statement Support Package
• Oxbridge Mock Interview Preparation and Support
• Personal Statement Workshop and Checks
• Schools Mock Interviews – Online and In-School
• Teacher Training Workshops – Online and In-School
• Oxbridge Preparation Days – Online and In-School
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Terms and Conditions
• Privacy Policy
• Safeguarding & Child Protection
• Company Registration Number: 3757054

Recently Updated Blogs

Blog how can i use chatgpt for my personal statement, blog overused topics and resources to avoid in your personal statement, blog what gcse grades do i need for oxbridge, blog how will my gcses impact my university applications, blog updates to the ucas personal statement for 2026 entry, choosing a college, a slippery question, added to cart.

Grad School Personal Statement

Hey I'm in the middle of applying to grad schools right now and just finished the rough draft of my personal statement.  Let me know what you think.

I recently had a discussion with a close friend about our lofty goals and aspirations in life that were quickly becoming a possibility.  We spent most of the time talking about “what” it is we longed to achieve, until he asked me the simplest possible question that required more thought than I could have imagined: “why”?  This question forced me to think in depth about it beyond our enthusiastic conversation.  Why have I chosen to pursue architecture?  Simply put, it exemplifies a creative passion that has continuously rediscovered me throughout countless points of my life. The year was 1997 and I was sitting at my usual desk in Mrs. Sandkuhler’s Second Grade classroom.  Everyday there would be a period where the teacher would read a portion of a certain book out loud.  During this time, students were allowed to choose between listening to the story and taking a nap.  I chose neither.  What I chose to do during this time is as vivid of a memory that I have, while the story that was being told couldn’t be more unmemorable and vapid.  This was my time to create something tremendous in my eyes.  My desk was stuffed with carelessly stacked computer paper, multiple pairs of scissors, and enough Elmer’s Glue to last a lifetime.  As I drowned the story out in the background, I meticulously began to cut and fold pieces of paper, hunched over with my face no more than two inches away from my desk.  The excitement and pleasure I got out of making something such as a house that could float on water, or a futuristic boat that could turn into an airplane, would be almost euphoric.  For that period of time, I was lost in my creativity and nothing else mattered.  When the school day was finished I would carry my models through the chaos that ensued once the final bell rang.  While most eight-year-olds couldn’t wait to go home and play video games, I couldn’t wait to go home and explain to my mother about the purpose and functions of my models that I had created. As a freshman in college, I was a member of the soccer team and still couldn’t decide on a major.  I had played my whole life up to this point and enjoyed every second of it.  The summer after my freshman year was when I signed up for my first studio course as an architecture student.  To be honest, the task of completing my undergraduate degree in architecture seemed incredibly intimidating at the time.  However, sitting at my studio desk, surrounded by drawing boards, chipboard, and glue for the first time made me realize something.  I was in second grade again doing what once brought me so much joy.  I knew then and there I was where I was supposed to be.  That same summer I grew the courage to confront my coach about my plans for the future.  I couldn’t go on playing soccer anymore.  After fifteen years I parted ways with the thing that everyone I know identified me with.  Now, after years of hard work and dedication, I am proud to say that I am still identified by my passion: Architecture. Architecture is what shapes the world we live in.  Sir Geoffrey Jellicoe said; “Architecture is to make us know and remember who we are”.  It transcends space into meditation, light into peace, and the impossible into the possible.  It is unlike any other profession and the reward that comes with it couldn’t be greater.  We are now faced with a new challenge, a challenge that includes creating a sustainable world for a better future.  It is up to the architects of today and tomorrow to claim responsibility of this great test.  This idea is what drives me.  I look forward to pursue my dream while challenging myself mentally and intellectually at ____________, as well as beyond.  I will seek more knowledge than I ever thought was possible to contain and use it to create beautiful, sustainable architecture that will hopefully one day inspire another young second grader to begin creating something magnificent.

Truly intriguing story, bro.

I'd add some more specifics on what exactly it is about architecture you want to pursue. I think right now the statement is way too general. Why all of a sudden are you interested in sustainable architecture? Did playing soccer bring you to this conclusion? 

Yeah I was thinking it was a bit general myself.  I'll be sure to add some specifics.  Thanks for the input, man.

If this is for grad school, you gotta narrow it way down. Anecdotes can be nice, but unnecessary in this case. What you really have to get across is where your interests lie within the field of architecture, what issues you are confronting, what questions you are asking, etc. Essentially what will make you a good fit with the target school and its methods. 'Seeking knowledge' to create 'beautiful, sustainable architecture' doesn't say anything at all about how you're going to do that or where you position yourself and your work in the discourse.

your statement seems short. but regardless, i couldnt finish reading the entire thing. there was nothing there to gave me the enegry to read it. at this stage, you should already know what drives you; what your interests are in the field and how that school can help you master those skills. just like spills mention above. its great that you referenced some childhood memories and stories about your undergrad experience but the committee will look down upon that. be creative. you did spend serveral years designing and being creative, did you not? and talking outta your butt during critts and reviews, right?

"the story that was being told couldn’t be more unmemorable and vapid"

Yeah, that about sums it up.

Granted it is not easy to write a great statement for school apps but this is really weak.  All it manages to convey is that you are just another banal applicant going through the motions of filling out an application.  What school wants people like that?  You've got to find a way to gain the attention of whoever is reviewing your application and make them think, "wow, now this is an interesting person that I'd like to meet."  Maybe tell a great story.  Maybe share a vision for the future of architecture.  But whatever it is, it needs to be done in a much more compelling fashion than the posting above.

Thanks for giving me a smack in the face everyone.  I needed it.  I'll post my second version when I'm done.  But seriously, thanks for the feedback.

Having been on a portfolio review team, I can tell you that your letter is no different from the other 300+ applicants, plus or minus some variation of how he/she loved lego/copied house plans from magazines/built forts in the forest near their house. Charming for your parents and friends, not so much for anyone else. That story gets old and it's not original, nor is it indicative of a real grasp on what architecture and design means to you.

It's a good starting point (like, the first draft of many) for yourself and it's always useful just to write down everything you are thinking on and are inspired by. But your personal statement is not really supposed to be anecdotal.

Think of it more as something you would submit to an arts counsel if you wanted them to give you a $50, 000 grant to work on your lifelong passion. It has to be professional, direct, and convincing.

I agree with most of the above:

Write a bit less about what architecture brings to you, and discuss what skills and experiences you bring to the profession or discipline (and about whether you think of architecture as a profession or discipline), as well as each school. Yes, you do bring a specific background, and set of experiences and insights--or you wouldn't be applying to grad school. Also: what trajectory do you anticipate taking after school? Of course there's no way to know for sure, but everyone has their own intuitions and aspirations about this, and those matter.

Im going through the same process, so my opinion may not mean much. However, having interviewed and worked for some awesome companies as well as having reviewed resumes and cover letters for potential hires, I have to strongly agree with HandsumCa$hMoneyYo.

Sentimental stuff is soooo 1995. A new approach and perspective may be needed.

First, you have more leverage than you think. Schools want promising and driven students. If you think you're a bad ass then put dat shit down on paper. Not arrogant but be bold and confident.

Second, realize that you're getting ready to shed a whole lot of cash as well as valuable time to go back to school. That's a major commitment. Schools are not different than any other business out there. They want your money.  Remember that and relax about trying to kiss their ass too much. They should kiss your ass. Thats my opinion. When I interviewed with some folks at Yale, they were so unpretentious and amazingly accommodating, it seriously blew my mind and gave me a great boost of confidence.

Sounds like your are already a creative person. What is it about A school that is going to give you the tools you need to change the world? Tell them that. Then specify things about each respective program to demonstrate you're in the know with regards to the professors, tracks, studio equipment...

Take it to the next level. You got plenty of time! Keep posting updates and good luck!

interesting post stephanie. can you give an us an extract  from a letter which is professional, direct and convincing or something which caught your attention while reading the letters please?

sorry, but that sounds like a letter for an undergraduate application, not a graduate program.  I haven't applied to grad school yet, but I'd think the committee would be more interested in specifics, what exactly you want to research, investigate and explore in architecture during your studies, and what you bring to it and have done towards it so far.  Unless you're coming from a different field of study, they'd expect an architecture undergrad to know a lot more about what they want to focus in.  Understandable, it may not be exact and will need a lot of guidance, turns and digressions during your study, but you need to say more than just 'sustainable architecture' or other general statements. 

I'd suggest you to look at your letter as a thesis statement/proposal instead.  You might have to spend some more time to do a little research.

@ Sergei: Sure, here's a good start:

"I have a long-standing interest in architecture developed during my travels and undergraduate studies in subject x and subject y. I have now decided to pursue architecture as a professional career, and X University’s Master of Architecture program will be the ideal preparation to help me reach this goal."

This, followed by 2 or 3 main topic paragraphs (areas of interest, research intentions, and/or method) makes a pretty good recipe for a professional sounding letter. It shows you have an interest in something specific and an idea of how you'd like to get there. It also gives you a chance to say how the school's pedagogy itself will help you follow through.

I fully expect the next 100 applicants who read this thread will have the exact same opening statement in their letter of intent now, ha.

Hmmm, maybe it's just me, but even Stephanie's sample paragraph above sounds rather banal.  It may be professional (and that is not necessarily a bad strategy and I do like the idea of approaching it as a grant application) but I'm willing to argue that with an architecture school app that you can take some risks.  The worst that can happen is that you try again next year.

Obviously, much of it depends on what school you are applying to, what your personal idiom is, and what kind of career that you hope to have.  Still, it's a personal statement so you needn't be afraid to make a statement .  Just to offer an example, admittedly vulgar, but your first two words could literally be Fuck architecture .  If I was reviewing that application, I may disagree but at least you'll have caught my attention enough that I'll want to continue reading and I'll likely at least remember your. And isn't that half the battle?  And who knows, maybe you do make a good argument for why architecture should be fucked.

Another idea that I'd be tempted to do is just submit a blank sheet (especially if I had a strong minimalist portfolio and style).  Or maybe a sheet with that old "This space intentionally left blank" line.  Or maybe even just a few pointed sentences or paragraphs.  As you know, lots of ways to skin a cat.  Granted, it's not about being gimmicky either, but crafting a holistic presentation that starts to define who you are as an architect/designer/person.  Anything could potentially work but it's really not too soon to start asking yourself tough question about who you are and who you are trying to become.  And if that sounds a bit too heavy, then keep in mind that you can totally change directions after you get in school.  But for now at least, you need to make a strong play to clear this hurdle.

Good luck, yo!

It's a good start... I am working on my statement as well, and I will say that this sounds a LOT like my first draft that I wrote earlier this year.  Like, A LOT.  Even some of the cliche sentences are the same ("Architecture shapes the world we live in")...

So I'm willing to bet that there are a lot more personal statements being sent in that sound exactly like this one and my previous one.  Maybe try a different angle other than the one that involves 2nd grade aspirations.  

So more about what we want to do with architecture and less about what architecture means to us? Sounds good to me. I've always hated writing personal, sentimental essays. 

Stephanie, how would you react if one of the letters said "Fuck Architecture" as the initial statement and then went on to make a case for this statement?

I actually agree with HandsumCa$hMoneyYo. If I would be on the reviewing team, that letter would definitely catch my interest.

Really? What would impress you about it? I think it only takes a few micro-seconds of thought to see the flaw in this statement.

I would look at it with disgust, thinking 'what a trite, pseudo-intellectual stunt.' Architecture is not a sentient being with its own agenda. It makes no sense to condemn it. If you think 'Fuck Architecture' is the beginning of a discussion or argument, you're wrong. Let's put the blame squarely where it belongs: People.

If it said 'Fuck Architects' or even better, 'Fuck Architecture School' instead, I might be interested. For me, architecture is not the problem, but those responsible for implementing it. Yep, if it said 'Fuck Architects' then I would definitely feel a solid kinship with the fine soul who wrote it. I would much rather see chronic dissatisfaction with the state of the profession and education system then with architecture itself.

"fuck architecture" is an EXAMPLE of an initial statement one can say to catch the interest of the reviewing team. you can say whatever you want, "fuck architecture", "fuck architects", "fuck architecture school" as long as you have a good argument to back it up.

I just came across this thread while researching advice on writing an application essay for a master's in architecture. I'd love if you guys could take a look at this draft I've written and give me some constructive feedback :)

I like to call myself a hopeless optimist, and that is reflected in almost all areas of my life. I’m a proud vegan, a passionate advocate for youth in foster care, and find myself thinking a lot about the ways in which I can help disadvantaged communities and contribute positively to society.

About two years ago, I embarked on a journey towards living a more sustainable life, which involved starting a home compost pile, minimizing my use of single-use plastics, and educating myself on the implications of the construction industry on climate change. Once I began to learn, I realized that I needed to apply my dedication to sustainability to the designs I put out into the world. I decided to design a sustainability education center as my final project for school, conducting thorough independent research and becoming well-versed in ways to combat the environmental impact of the construction industry. My work on this project left me with a clear sense of purpose and an understanding of the direction I would like my career to go in.

Upon completing my studies, I plan on becoming licensed and LEED-accredited. I strive to be in constant dialogue with the communities I serve. Architecture is so much more than pursuing a personal creative vision and leaving a visual mark. To me, architecture is about blending my optimism with my passion for being a facilitator of change. Learning about the environmental impact of the construction industry opened my eyes to the importance of sustainable design in combating climate change, and I am eager to learn about the other ways in which I can use architecture to serve communities.

Isn't it odd that I am only reading the word "architecture" in the last several sentences of your statement? Remember you are applying to architecture programs. Sustainability and serving disadvantaged communities aren't necessarily "architecture" related unless you make that strong and clear in your statement

The length is good, and you have an engaging writing style.  Your examples of steps toward sustainability aren't great - you're not really going in-depth enough on how you intend to blend your optimism with architecture to facilitate change. You don't even say anything about what your conclusions were from your independent research. 

Basically you're much too vague about everything. Even the steps you've taken so far in your personal life - a compost pile and minimizing your single-use plastics - are pretty much givens these days, and it comes across strangely that you only got serious about those things 2 years ago (I realize that you're probably fairly young, but many have been doing those things for several decades, and expect quite a bit more from someone who says their focus is sustainability.). Same thing with your intent to become LEED accredited:  LEED was cutting edge more than 20 years ago, but these days not so much in favor, and there are any number of other sustainability rating systems and metrics.  

Your proud veganism is pretty much irrelevant to this essay unless you work to specifically explain how it is a matter of sustainability.  Similarly your advocacy for youth in foster care is commendable and interesting - but you really haven't explained how you advocate for them, or how it informs your decision to study architecture or your career plans.  

Why would you post your statement on an online forum? Not to scare you, but I’ve talked to a woman on an admissions committee at a well known architecture school who had told me that people tend to copy others’ statements from the internet. And maybe it’s just me, but I have a feeling archinect could be considered a breeding ground for this kind of behavior. 

I hope people copy this statement, better chances for us

Haha, good point. It’s probably very unlikely that anyone would. Archlandia, are you applying for grad schools this year or next year?

This year. I’ve submitted four of eight apps so far but still a little bit of work to do. You?

Next year. I graduate Fall of 2020’ though. You’ll have to let me know how it goes!

For sure, good work on getting started early

Block this user

Are you sure you want to block this user and hide all related comments throughout the site?

This is your first comment on Archinect. Your comment will be visible once approved.

• × Search in:
• All of Archinect

Archinect Partner Schools

Latest School Job Posts

• Visiting Assistant/Associate Professor in Structural Design for Architecture University of Oregon
• Tenure-Track Professor of Architecture and AI (Open Rank) University of Michigan
• Assistant Professor - History and Theory of Architecture - Dept. of Architecture, College of Environmental Design, UC Berkeley University of California, Berkeley

View more academic jobs

News from the Schools

• Clemson Architecture students create furniture for Gunnin Library Clemson University
• Clemson School of Architecture’s new lecture series focuses on the “Collective” Clemson University
• Stuckeman architecture professor contributes to mobile public art installation The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State)

View all   |   Schools

Upcoming School Events

• Bauhaus and National Socialism Bauhaus-Universität Weimar Wed, May 8 '24 - Sun, Sep 15 '24
• Bauhaus and National Socialism Bauhaus Dessau Wed, May 8 '24 - Sun, Sep 15 '24
• Bauhaus and National Socialism Dessau Institute of Architecture Wed, May 8 '24 - Sun, Sep 15 '24

Application Overview

Application instructions, program-specific requirements, graduate admissions.

Learn more about our programs

View our 2023-2024 MIT Architecture Graduate Student Program guide

Admissions Timeline

September 15: Applications open for all programs November 7 (9 a.m. - 12 p.m. EST): Fall Open House (virtual) January 7 (11:59 p.m. EST): Applications due for all programs  Dec. 23—Jan 3: Staff on break (no email responses during this time) March 10—April 1: Application results released April 2, 2024: Recording of Admitted Students Open House   April 15 (5 p.m. EST): Decisions due from admitted students There are no rolling admissions. Applications for all degrees are reviewed in January for programs beginning the following September.

Application Links

Applicants to the Department of Architecture can create a user profile with MIT, then create an application in that system for our programs. To create your profile, go to apply.mit.edu/apply .  

If you have reviewed the admissions information on this site, and find that you have additional questions, we have developed an interactive form to help you better understand our programs:  Architecture Admissions Information Portal

We have a team of dedicated students who conduct tours of the Department during the academic year, both in-person and virtual. You can request a tour here: Tour Request Form

Admissions Information

Applying to more than one program.

You may apply to two different programs within the Department of Architecture. If you are considering two programs, it may be useful for you to discuss your plans with our admissions staff.

Before applying to two programs, here are some guidelines for you to consider:

• The career path of an MArch applicant is to become an architect. The SMArchS degree is for advanced research, usually after the MArch or other advanced degree.
• If you are unclear which SMArchS program is right for you, contact the discipline group of your choice and discuss your goals. If you wish to apply to two or more SMArchS programs, you will need to submit a separate application for each. If faculty think your work better suits another area than the one to which you applied, they will circulate your application among the different SMArchS admissions committees. You may be admitted to a different area than the one to which you applied.
• If you wish to apply to a SMArchS and a PhD program in the same area, just apply to the PhD program. The admissions committees may choose to admit some PhD applicants to the SMArchS program, but they will not admit SMArchS applicants to the PhD program.

Dual Degree Options

The only formal dual degree program is between the Department of Architecture, and the Department of Urban Studies and Planning: the dual Master of Architecture and Master of City Planning degrees. Other dual degrees have been crafted by qualified students already in the program by arrangement.

Applicants to the MArch/MCP program have two choices for applying: • Apply to both programs simultaneously. The applications must be accepted by both programs in order for student to enroll, but one program must be chosen to begin first. • Apply to either the MArch or the MCP program. Once admitted, at the end of the first year, apply to the second program. Admission to the second program is not guaranteed. • Students already enrolled in a graduate program at MIT need to have their study plans approved by both Architecture and the dual departments. Applicants will need two letters of recommendation from MIT faculty. Be aware each department or degree program may have different application deadlines. 

STEM Classifications

The majority of our programs are classified as STEM. This allows international students to extend their Optional Practical Training an additional two years for a total of three. The only programs NOT classified as STEM are the following: • SMACT (Master of Science in Art, Culture and Technology) • HTC SMArchS • HTC PhD • AKPIA SMArchS

Transferring Into MIT

The graduate program does not allow transfer students to enter the program. Applicants who have begun another program may qualify to waive required courses they have already taken and instead take electives. There is no option to shorten the 3.5-year MArch program.

Taking Classes Outside of a Degree Program

You can take courses within the MIT Architecture Department without being admitted to a degree program. There are two ways you can do this (both require an application): - You can apply to be a special student - Or you can apply to join the MIT Advanced Study Program

Summer and Online Courses

No MIT Architecture programs or courses are offered during the summer; however you may be interested in Harvard’s Career Discovery program . MIT also provides online course content through MIT OpenCourseWare . Search for Department of Architecture courses by choosing "course 4." These courses are not for credit.

Financing Your Education The philosophy of the Department of Architecture is based upon a desire to maintain a diverse student body and encourage those who have the interest and ability to succeed in the profession, regardless of their financial resources. The Department wants to make it possible for all of our students to graduate with a debt no larger than they can reasonably expect to repay while working in their profession. Financial aid from the Department is in the form of direct tuition awards and Departmental employment. Additional resources and information is available from MIT's Student Financial Services Office. Financial aid awards for incoming students are on a merit basis and are made upon admission. In general, PhD students are funded on financial aid packages that consist of a Teaching Assistantship (TA) or Research Assistantship (RA) salary component, plus a tuition component. TA or RA assignments are made by the faculty Discipline Group Director at the beginning of each term.

Financial aid awards to Master's degree students are in the form of a partial tuition award. Master's degree students are also eligible to compete for work opportunities in the form of Teaching or Research Assistantships, or hourly positions available in the department.

Students are eligible for financial support from the Department, both tuition and/or Departmental employment, for the period of the standard residency requirement of the degree program. For PhD students this is up to a maximum of ten semesters. For MArch students the maximum number of semesters of eligibility is seven. SMArchS, SMBT and SMACT students are eligible for a total of four semesters of financial aid. Students in all degree programs must be registered as a full-time resident graduate student for the period of the award, and be in good academic standing in order to be eligible for continued financial aid.

In all cases, students should refer to the details laid out in their offer of admission.

Tuition MIT tuition and fees are posted by the MIT Registrar's Office . TA, RA and hourly rates are set by the Institute and the Department.

For more detailed information regarding the cost of attendance, including specific costs for tuition and fees, books and supplies, housing and food as well as transportation, please visit the SFS website:

• Undergrad link:  https://sfs.mit.edu/undergraduate-students/the-cost-of-attendance/annual-student-budget/
• Grad link: https://sfs.mit.edu/graduate-students/guide/grad-cost-of-attendance/

Students are also assessed a Student Life Fee per year which cannot be paid by MIT funds. The tuition component of a financial aid award is applied directly to the student's account in the Bursar's Office. Academic year awards are divided equally between the Fall and Spring terms.

Payment in full, or a satisfactory arrangement for payment, is due in advance of Registration Day of each term. Students may opt for a Bursary Payment Plan to pay tuition in monthly installments. This plan involves a finance charge.

The office of Student Accounts coordinates the billing and collects payment for the official Institute charges, including on-campus housing, medical insurance, tuition, and the Student Activity Fee. Questions or concerns about student accounts, billing, charges and/or payments should be directed to the Student Financial Services / Student Services Center, 11-120.

Additional Fellowships To research additional fellowship opportunities, please sign up and check out MIT’s online financial literacy platform iGrad, where you will find a searchable scholarship database. Some other good databases can be found at:  https://www.petersons.com/  and  http://college.usatoday.com/2016/01/06/best-scholarship-resources/  (some may require registration).

Financial Aid for MArch and SMArchS Programs Financial Aid Information for Master of Science in Art, Culture, and Technology

The Department of Architecture is committed to building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment. We are pursuing actions to increase the diversity of our student population and to create an environment that welcomes and empowers all members of our community. This work includes new initiatives in outreach, admissions, support programs, and increased student participation in department governance. Our current population of students is a balance of half US-based and half international students, representing over forty-five countries. A fifth of our US-based graduate students identify as POC. 57% of graduate students are women, 43% are men. The Department will continue working purposefully to improve these numbers in the belief that broad perspectives and multiple role models are necessary for the future of the architectural profession.

• Applicant Mentorship Program (AMP)  The Applicant Mentorship Program (AMP) pairs prospective applicants with current students who can offer guidance and answer questions throughout the application process. We especially encourage applicants from underrepresented backgrounds and those lacking support or facing other challenges in their pursuits of graduate studies to sign up for AMP!   

GradCatalyst Program

Part of MIT's GradCatalyst. Student-led workshops to help undergraduates plan their academic trajectories. This interactive webinar covers the unwritten rules to preparing for, applying to, and succeeding in graduate school. Sessions are open to anyone exploring the option of graduate education in architecture and similar fields.

Once Admitted

We send all notifications of admission and waitlist status by email, and many students will also receive telephone calls, beginning in early to mid-March and running until April 1. All admitted applicants will have until April 15 to let us know if they accept our offer. If we do not receive notification that you accept our offer by April 15, the offer is rescinded. Because we may not hear from some admitted applicants until April 15, those admitted from waitlist status may not receive notification of admission before April 15.

We will send admissions letters to admitted and waitlisted applicants along with a link to a response form. Those planning to enroll will need to have official copies of their transcripts sent before enrolling. There is no deposit required to hold your place in the program. Information for newly admitted students is provided by the Institute.

Requirements

​​​​​​ Council of Graduate Schools Resolution Regarding Graduate Scholars, Fellows, Trainees and Assistants Acceptance of an offer of financial support (such as a graduate scholarship, fellowship, traineeship, or assistantship) for the next academic year by a prospective or enrolled graduate student completes an agreement that both student and graduate school expect to honor. In that context, the conditions affecting such offers and their acceptance must be defined carefully and understood by all parties.

Students are under no obligation to respond to offers of financial support prior to April 15; earlier deadlines for acceptance of such offers violate the intent of this Resolution. In those instances in which a student accepts an offer before April 15, and subsequently desires to withdraw that acceptance, the student may submit in writing a resignation of the appointment at any time through April 15. However, an acceptance given or left in force after April 15 commits the student not to accept another offer without first obtaining a written release from the institution to which a commitment has been made. Similarly, an offer by an institution after April 15 is conditional on presentation by the student of the written release from any previously accepted offer. It is further agreed by the institutions and organizations subscribing to the above Resolution that a copy of this Resolution or a link to the URL should accompany every scholarship, fellowship, traineeship, and assistantship offer.

When you enroll in the program, the academic administrator will review your final transcripts to see if have already completed required courses in the program. If so, you may not waive the credits, but you may waive the requirement. Instead, you can take an elective of your choice. Additionally, you may qualify to TA for classes you have taken previously. You will be granted access to an online TA application system before the semester begins. Some students will receive TAs as part of their admissions package. They will be assigned to their TA position by the program area.

• Letters of recommendation (3-4)
• Transcripts for all relevant degrees
• IELTS, TOEFL, or Cambridge English exam score (if English is not your first language)

Curriculum Vitae

Statement of objectives.

• $90 application fee
• Portfolio (or writing sample as appropriate, such as SMArchS HTC, and PhD programs)
• The GRE is NOT required for any Architecture program

Letters of Recommendation

Letters from instructors are preferred unless you have been working for several years, in which case supervisors may be included. The application can be submitted on the deadline with fewer than three letters, but be sure to remind your instructors to complete their letters. 

We encourage you to ask for three letters of recommendation, but do not penalize applicants for missing letters; applications with fewer than three letters will be considered without a penalty. Applicants may include up to four recommenders if necessary. Notify your letter writers as early as possible to let them know you will be requesting letters. This will give them time to prepare and submit their letters by the deadline. Letters submitted one year may not be used to apply again in subsequent years unless uploaded by the recommender.

If your recommender has trouble with the online system, be sure to complete their contact information and have them email the letter to  [email protected] . In this case make sure that you have completed the form in the system with their information and check whether or not you have waived your right to view the letter. Inform the recommender of your choice. 

You should return to your online application to check the status of your letters, and remind your recommenders. You may submit your application even if all your recommendation letters have not yet been submitted. Review begins about a week after the deadline, so any letters not received by then will not be viewed.

Transcripts

Transcripts for all relevant degrees,  official or unofficial, must be uploaded to the application system. PDFs must be clearly readable and oriented correctly on the screen. Only those applicants who are accepted for admission will be required to send a hard copy of an official, sealed transcript (with English translation) from each school attended. Please do not have official copies of transcripts sent to our office unless you are admitted. Certificates, study abroad, and community college transcripts do not need to be sent unless the courses are  not  also listed on your primary college transcripts. Non-English transcripts must be translated into English, and if necessary, signed by a licensed notary and accompanied by the original version. If you have taken studios, indicate this on the Test Scores/Experience/Electronic Portfolio section.

We expect you to scan your personal, unofficial copies to the online application. Only those applicants who are accepted for admission will be required to send a hard copy of an official, sealed transcript (with English translation) from each school attended. Any discrepancy between the scanned transcripts and official transcripts may result in a rejection or withdrawal of our admission offer. Applicants should NOT send any supplemental material with their application by mail, and only provide those documents required in the application. You do not have to have completed your degree when you apply, but the final transcripts and certification of the degree will be required before you may enroll, if you are admitted.  Applicants who have begun another program may qualify to waive required courses they have already taken and instead take free electives. There is no option to shorten the 3.5-year MArch program. The graduate program does not allow transfer students to enter the program.

English Test Scores

Applicants whose first language is not English are required to submit an International English Language Testing System ( IELTS ) score (Academic test), a Test of English as a Foreign Language ( TOEFL ), or the Cambridge English Exams upon admission. Starting for the Fall 2024 admissions cycle, the Institute will accept official scores from two Cambridge English exams: the C1 Advanced assessment and the C2 Proficiency assessment. The admissions committee regards English proficiency as crucial for success in all degree programs. In order to meet the admissions deadline, it is recommended that candidates take their test on the earliest possible date. We do accept the Home Version of both IELTS and TOEFL.  NOTE: Official scores do not need to be sent unless you are admitted, and intend to enroll.

You must take an English test if:

-       You did your undergraduate studies in the US but are from a non-English speaking country you DO need to take a test. -       You are from the US but were raised speaking another language, you DO need to take a test.

You do not need to take it if you were raised in a non-English speaking country but have spoken and been educated in English all your life.

Only admitted   applicants must request that an official copy of their test results be sent directly to MIT by IELTS International or Educational Testing Service. Scores must be no older than two years as of the date of application. To avoid delays, please use the following codes when having your scores sent to MIT: 

• Institutional Code: 3514
• Department Code: 12

The minimum score required for the IELTS is 7 and the minimum TOEFL score is 600 (250 for computer-based test, 100 for Internet-based test). While either test score is accepted, the IELTS score is preferred. (HTC PhD requires a TOEFL score of 110 or  IELTS score of 8.) If your scores do not meet the minimum required for admission we are not able to admit you. Applications with scores lower than 100 on the TOEFL or 7 on the IELTS, or missing test scores, will not be reviewed. We will NOT have access to your "My Best Scores" from ETS. We will see all your test scores you have sent to us.

All students whose first language is not English are required to take the  English Evaluation Test (EET)  prior to registration at MIT. Even students who satisfy the IELTS/TOEFL requirement for admission may be required to take specialized subjects in English as a Second Language (ESL), depending on their EET results. These subjects do not count toward the required degree credits. If you do not believe you need to provide a TOEFL or IELTS score, you may use the language test waiver choice in the application, and explain your situation to the faculty in the space provided. No official waiver will be granted unless you are admitted, so the application will not show whether or not the waiver was approved.

Some MIT fellowships are available to MIT Departments. The CV is used by our administrative staff to learn additional information about you in order to apply for MIT scholarships on your behalf. 

The Statement requested by the Department will vary depending on the program to which you are applying. MArch applicants will answer these two questions: 

Statement 1 Our department encompasses architecture, design, history, and the arts; all have a social and cultural meaning and purpose. How does your background and life experience inform your understanding of that purpose? (500 word limit)

Statement 2 Given your values and goals, why is this degree from MIT the best next step for you right now? What will you contribute to our community, and how will our community support your specific future contributions to the world? (500 word limit) SM and PhD applications will answer these two questions: Personal Statement Our department encompasses architecture, design, history, technology, and the arts; all have a social and cultural meaning and purpose. How does your background and life experience inform your understanding of that purpose? (500 word limit) Research Statement Please share a research statement, considering the following: What research questions matter to you, and how might they shape what you want to accomplish at MIT? Who would you consider working with and why? (700 word limit)

Financial Support

Aside from fully funded programs, such as the PhD and SMBT programs, the majority of students receive Departmental support. Be sure to check off whether or not you wish to be considered for financial support. No preference is given to either answer. If you need money to attend grad school, be sure to say "yes." Department aid is distributed on a combined basis of merit and need. The Department will review admitted applicants to see if any additional MIT scholarships may apply. If an admitted applicant to an Architecture program is eligible for an MIT scholarship, the Department will apply on your behalf and detail this in the admission letter.

Application Fee

A non-refundable Application Fee of $90 USD is required to submit your application. You will need to submit a credit card number on the Architecture Graduate Application to process this fee. If submitting an application fee provides any challenge in submitting an application, prospective students are asked to submit a fee waiver application through the  Office of Graduate Education . A fee waiver request is entirely independent of the admissions process itself and is not seen by the admissions committee. Note that those applying to the PhD programs will automatically be considered for the SMArchS program in that area. SMArchS applicants may choose to be reviewed by more than one SMArchS program. 

A portfolio is required for the following programs:

-       MArch -       All SMArchS programs -       Encouraged but not required for Computation PhD -       Optional for SMBT (writing sample instead) -       Optional for BT/PhD (writing sample instead)

The portfolio should include evidence of recent creative work, whether personal, academic or professional. Work done collaboratively should be identified as such and the applicant's role in the project defined. Your name, and program to which you are applying should also be included. We expect the portfolio to be the applicant's own work. Applicants whose programs require portfolios will upload a 30-page maximum (10 pages for ACT) including cover pages and contents), PDF file to the online application system. The dimensions should be exported for screen viewing. Two page "spreads" are counted as one page.

The MArch is the first professional degree preparing students for a career as an architect. The program takes 3.5 years, comprising six studios, followed by a semester working on thesis. Courses are drawn from each of our discipline groups, as well as electives from the Department and throughout MIT.

Degree Prerequisites

The MArch program requires the following academic preparation: • A Bachelor's degree with high academic standing from a recognized institution or, in the judgment of the department, the equivalent of this degree. • One semester of satisfactory study in college-level mathematics (such as, algebra, geometry, trigonometry, pre-calculus, calculus). • One semester of satisfactory study in college-level natural sciences (such as, physics, biology, chemistry). • Two semesters of satisfactory study in college-level humanities and/or social sciences.

Students may be admitted with limited deficiencies in 2, 3, or 4 above, but this deficiency must be removed prior to entry into the first year of graduate study in the department. Pre-requisites may be taken at any accredited institution of higher learning, including on-line courses. Natural science classes with a lab are not required. Upon completion, provide an official transcript showing the final passing grade to the Department of Architecture. AP credit will be accepted if the undergraduate transcript includes institutional credit for each subject taken. The Advanced Placement track has been discontinued, so all applicants apply to the full 3.5-year program. If you have taken any courses in another school, you may petition to waive the required courses and instead take free electives.

Interviews are NOT required for MArch applicants. If you would like to arrange for a student-led virtual tour of the Department, please complete this form  Tour Request .

A digital portfolio is required of all MArch applicants, including those who do not have a previous architecture degree or background. The portfolio file should be exported as PDF for screen viewing. The file should contain no more than 30 pages. Two-page spreads are allowed, but each spread counts as one of the 30 pages.

Our goal is to constitute a diverse community that includes a wide range of interests and talents. We do this for many reasons, including our understanding that, particularly in a community like ours, we all learn from each other. To better understand your creative voice and background, please share a PDF portfolio that best reflects who you are. We review portfolios from a variety of backgrounds; we are seeking the potential to explore and engage architectural questions, but not necessarily previous experience with architecture. We want to understand your potential to think and operate visually and in three dimensions, at any scale. Please share with us any work that best illuminates how you perceive and structure the world that surrounds you. If some of your work cannot easily be understood in a static pdf, please include a link to a sample for review. This field is intended to augment the portfolio submission with audio files from composers and musicians, or video files from performance art, interviews from journalists, etc. If time-based media is not central to your work, there is no problem with leaving this field blank.

If some of your work cannot easily be understood in a static pdf, please include a link to a sample for review. This field is intended to augment the portfolio submission with audio files from composers and musicians, or video files from performance art, interviews from journalists, etc. If time-based media is not central to your work, there is no problem with leaving this field blank.

The Master of Science in Architecture Studies (SMArchS) is a two-year post-masters program of advanced study founded on research and inquiry in architecture as a discipline and as a practice. The program is intended both for students who already have a professional degree in architecture and those interested in advanced non-professional graduate study. We offer this degree in each of our discipline groups, with some overlap between groups. Our goal across the SMArchs programs at MIT is to bring together a diverse set of voices and research interests where students conduct their research through discipline-specific skills, abilities, tools, and media.  We do this for many reasons, and it enables us to create a community at MIT and construct a larger dialogue across disciplines in which we learn from each other. So that we may better understand your creative voice and background, please present a PDF portfolio that reflects your experience and preparation for the specific SMArchs program you are applying to. Interviews are NOT required for SMArchS applicants. All prospective students are welcome to visit the Department. If you would like to visit the campus for a student tour of the Department, please contact in advance of your trip.

Writing samples are required for the MIT SMArchs programs that engage history and theory as research in these programs is presented primarily through the vehicle of writing. Writing samples may be submitted optionally in other SMArchs Programs. If you chose to provide an optional writing sample one for the admissions committee to consider, please share a document that shows how you structure and articulate your views on a subject that matters to you. 

For admission to the SMArchs AKPIA program, a writing sample of a research paper length (15-20 pages) is required of all non-architectural applicants and is an important component of the application. Publications are welcome, but they are not expected. For students of design background, an explanation of how designs presented in the portfolio have prepared the applicant for the intended research project can be submitted in the place of a writing sample. 

Note: The GRE is NOT required or reviewed for any program in the Department of Architecture.

SMArchS Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture 

This program is focused on the history of Islamic art and architecture, Islamic urban and landscape history, and critical history and theory of urban heritage and conservation, especially in conflict- and post-disaster contexts. AKPIA SMArchS students come from diverse backgrounds – from the humanities, architectural, art historical, historical, or curatorial practice or individuals with professional architectural degrees from outside the US who want to continue research in topics related to Islamic architecture. We welcome portfolios so that applicants with design training can communicate their design intelligence and show their capacity for research within a design context. Applicants without design training are not required to submit a portfolio. 

The SMArchS AKPIA program requires the following academic preparation: BArch or BA in architecture or any related field (Art history, planning, landscape, archeology, etc.) Areas of study: architectural and art history, urban history, urban studies, design inquiry, with a special focus on the Islamic world.

SMArchS Architectural Design

This program advances research on a broad range of concerns through the vehicle of design—through fabrication, model making, drawing and representation, prototyping, exhibition design, mapping, digital analysis, and more. A portfolio is a required component of the SMArchs Architecture Design application: it should reflect who you are, include distinctions between individual work and work done in groups, and contain examples of academic projects and/or professional work and community projects that demonstrate your experience in architectural design. 

The SMArchS AD program requires the following academic preparation: • A professional degree in Architecture (Master of Architecture or 5-year accredited Bachelor of Architecture) with high academic standing from a recognized institution or, in the judgment of the department, the equivalent of this degree.

SMArchS Building Technology

This program is focused on technical and scientific research to improve the sustainability of the built environment and the health of its inhabitants.  A portfolio is required for the SMArchs BT program, with projects that speak to the applicants’ design experiences and sensibilities. We welcome portfolios that demonstrate applicants’ knowledge of environmental performance analysis workflows and their application to design.

The SMArchS BT program requires the following academic preparation: • A professional degree in Architecture (Master of Architecture or 5-year accredited Bachelor of Architecture) with high academic standing from a recognized institution or, in the judgment of the department, the equivalent of this degree.

SMArchS Computation

The SMArchS Computation program requires the following academic preparation: • An undergraduate or higher degree in architecture or related field with high academic standing from a recognized institution. 

SMArchS Urbanism

This program is focused on the exploration of a broad range of concerns that advance design and research at the larger scales of city, community, and territory. For this reason, the portfolio is a required component of your application: it should reflect who you are, include distinctions between individual work and work done in groups, and contain examples that demonstrate urban thinking: through a design component on the urban scale and a research/ analytical part applied to the urban scale.

The SMArchS Urbanism program requires the following academic preparation: • A professional degree in Architecture (Master of Architecture or 5-year accredited Bachelor of Architecture) with high academic standing from a recognized institution or, in the judgment of the department, the equivalent of this degree.

SMArchS History Theory + Criticism of Architecture and Art

This group is focused on the history of architecture, art and design, as well as the theoretical and political presuppositions informing that history. We place a strong emphasis on historiography and on interdisciplinary analytical methodologies as means to explore the philosophical, social, and material contexts for works of art, architecture, and design. While not a requirement, we welcome portfolios so that applicants with design training can communicate their particular design intelligence and show their capacity for research and thought within a design context. Applicants without design training are not required to submit a portfolio.

The SMArchS HTC program requires the following academic preparation: • A professional degree in Architecture (Master of Architecture or 5-year accredited Bachelor of Architecture) with high academic standing from a recognized institution or BA in architecture or any related field (Art history, planning, landscape, archeology, etc.). For admission to the SMArchs HTC program, a writing sample of at least 15 pages is required of all applicants and is an important component of the application. For those who have them, publications are welcome, but they are not expected. 

The Program in Art, Culture and Technology (ACT) facilitates artist-thinkers’ exploration of art’s broad, complex, global history and conjunction with culture, science, technology, and design via rigorous critical artistic practice and practice driven theory. ACT emphasizes experimentation and transdisciplinary approaches to studio production in both traditional and new media. Students are encouraged to consider both the physical and the cultural context of their artworks/projects as central to their interpretation. Presentations on contemporary art as well as discussions in theory and criticism, and an understanding of research-based artistic practice complement studio production and the development of projects.

Zoom interviews are only arranged with candidates after the faculty have made an initial assessment of the applicant pool.

The SMACT program requires the following academic preparation: • A bachelor's degree.

What should I put in my portfolio? The portfolio should include evidence of your recent creative work, whether personal, academic, or professional. Collaborative projects should be identified accordingly, and your role must be clearly defined.

What are the portfolio specifications?

• Images and Documentation - Submit one PDF document, maximum of ten 8.5x11 pages, including documentation and/or images of your projects. - Include captions/descriptions for each image: title, artist, year, material, and/or project description.
• Time-based media - Submit no more than seven minutes of material - This means seven minutes if you add the runtime of all your files together, not seven minutes for each file. Video:  High quality QuickTime .mov files only Audio:  high quality .mp3 or .aiff files only
• Technical notes - Portfolios will be reviewed digitally using computer monitors and digital projectors. Do NOT send slides or printouts. - Make sure that all files are able to open on a Mac. - Double-check your files to make sure they open before submitting

May my portfolio include other items as well? The portfolio may also include the following optional items, which are considered secondary material, and will be reviewed only if time permits: Writing sample – five page PDF maximum.

Webpage URLs: I prefer to submit weblinks instead of a portfolio. Is that OK? Yes. If you submit a link or website, you can enter it in Section 3 of the application, under Personal Information: Web page URL (optional).

Can I get advice on the content of my portfolio? No. Your portfolio should reflect the range and depth of your artistic practice. As you prepare it, you may wish to view the profile pages of ACT faculty members to see how your projects may intersect with their research.

How are portfolios submitted? Applicants are encouraged to provide a web link to their online portfolios. Web links can be provided in Section 3 of the application, under Personal Information: Web page URL (optional). Portfolios that are CD or DVDs can also be accepted as an alternative to links. Portfolios are not returned to you.

The disk should be labeled “Attention: Admissions ACT” and include your name and address.

Please do not mail any materials directly to ACT.

Send your portfolio to the Department of Architecture at this address: MIT Department of Architecture 77 Massachusetts Ave., Room 7-337 Cambridge, MA 02139-4307 Attn: Admissions ACT

The Master of Science in Building Technology (SMBT) provides a focus for graduate students interested in the development and application of advanced technology for buildings. Students in this program take relevant subjects in basic engineering disciplines along with subjects which apply these topics to buildings. The program accepts students with undergraduate degrees in a variety of engineering disciplines, in the physical sciences, or in architecture with a suitable background in technology. Students also come to the program with diverse job experiences, from the design of space-conditioning equipment for buildings to the Peace Corps. All share both a keen interest in buildings and a thorough education in mathematics, physics and other technical subjects.

Because of the small size of the program, interviews with faculty are recommended, but not required. It is advantageous for applicants to meet with the Building Technology faculty member doing research most closely aligned with the research interests of the applicant. Faculty schedules vary, so it is best to contact the Building Technology office several weeks prior to an intended visit.

Arrangements can also be made to sit in on final reviews (mid-May) or attend an Open House (mid-November).

The SMBT program requires the following academic preparation: • A bachelor's degree. Research papers or a portfolio of the applicant's work (maximum of 30 pages) may be uploaded to the Architecture Graduate Application to aid the admissions committee but are not required.

The Department of Architecture offers the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Architecture (PhD), which may be pursued in any of these disciplines:

• Building Technology
• Computation
• History, Theory and Criticism of Architecture and Art
• Concentration in Advanced Urbanism

Each student admitted into the doctoral program will work closely with one faculty advisor in their area to develop a plan of study. The minimum residence required by the Institute for the doctorate is two full academic years. Completion of all of the requirements for the doctorate, including the dissertation, is usually accomplished in five or six years. Progress toward the PhD follows required coursework, minor and major declaration, qualifying paper, general examination, and dissertation research, writing, and defense. Students are encouraged to take relevant courses in other departments at MIT and at Harvard University.

The PhD programs require the following academic preparation: • A master's degree is required for a PhD application in Building Technology and Computation, but is not required for a PhD application in HTC.

Research papers or a portfolio of the applicant's work (maximum of 30 pages) may be uploaded to the Architecture Graduate Application to aid the admissions committee but are not required.

Interviews with faculty are recommended but not required. It is advantageous for an applicant to meet with the Building Technology faculty member whose research is most closely aligned with the applicant's interests. Faculty schedules vary, so students should contact faculty members directly at least two weeks prior to an intended visit.

PhD Computation

A portfolio is strongly suggested for PhD applicants. Research papers or a portfolio of the applicant's work (maximum of 30 pages) may be uploaded to the Architecture Graduate Application to aid the admissions committee but are not required.

The portfolio should include evidence of recent creative work, whether personal, academic or professional. Choose what you care about, what you think is representative of your best work, and what is expressive of you. Work done collaboratively should be identified as such and the applicant's role in the project defined. Your name, and program to which you are applying should also be included. We expect the portfolio to be the applicant's own work. Applicants whose programs require portfolios will upload a 30-page maximum) PDF file to the online application system. The dimensions should be exported for screen viewing. Two page "spreads" are counted as one page. Because of the small size of the program, interviews with faculty are highly recommended, but not required. It is advantageous for applicants to meet with the Computation faculty member doing research most closely aligned with the research interests of the applicant. Faculty members have varying schedules, and travel when school is not in session. Thus it is best to contact the faculty member directly at least two weeks prior to an intended visit.

All applicants should submit evidence of recent work: scholarly and/or professional. A 15 to 30 page writing sample is required of all HTC/AKPIA PhD applicants. In addition to the writing sample, a portfolio can be submitted if it demonstrates intellectual direction, scholarly interests, or design capability. Writing sample(s) should illustrate research interests and capacities.

If you choose to submit a portfolio, it should include evidence of recent creative work, whether personal, academic or professional. Select what you care about, what you think is representative of your best work, and what is expressive of you. Work done collaboratively should be identified as such and the applicant's role in the project defined. Your name, and program to which you are applying should also be included. We expect the portfolio to be the applicant's own work. Applicants whose programs require portfolios will upload a 30-page maximum PDF file to the online application system. The dimensions should be exported for screen viewing. Two page "spreads" are counted as one page.

We encourage you to meet with an HTC faculty member by phone or Zoom in the Spring or Fall prior to applying. Applicants are also open to sit in on a class if an in-person visit is possible. Contact  [email protected]  to discuss the HTC faculty you are interested in meeting. Interviews with faculty are not required and should take place well before the application deadline.

Testimonials

Free Resources

PrepScholar GRE Prep

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.

Quick side note: we've created the world's leading online GRE prep program that adapts to you and your strengths and weaknesses. Not sure what to study? Confused by how to improve your score? We give you minute by minute guide.

You don't NEED a prep program to get a great GRE score. But we believe PrepScholar is the best GRE prep program available right now , especially if you find it hard to organize your study schedule and don't know what to study .

Click here to learn how you can improve your GRE score by 7 points, guaranteed .

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:

Want to improve your GRE score by 7 points?  We have the industry's leading GRE prep program. Built by world-class instructors with 99th percentile GRE scores , the program learns your strengths and weaknesses through machine learning data science, then customizes your prep program to you so you get the most effective prep possible.

Try our 5-day full access trial for free:

• 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.

Want to improve your GRE score by 7+ points?

Check out our best-in-class online GRE prep program . We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your GRE score by 7 points or more.

PrepScholar GRE is entirely online, and it customizes your prep program to your strengths and weaknesses . We also feature 2,000 practice questions , official practice tests, 150 hours of interactive lessons, and 1-on-1 scoring and feedback on your AWA essays.

Check out our 5-day free trial now:

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

• Ask a question Ask
• go advanced Search
• Please enter a title
• Please enter a message
• Your discussion will live here... (Start typing, we will pick a forum for you) Please select a forum Change forum View more forums... View less forums... GCSEs A-levels Applications, Clearing and UCAS University Life Student Finance England Part-time and temporary employment Chat Everyday issues Friends, family and work Relationships Health News Student Surveys and Research
• post anonymously
• All study help
• Uni applications
• University and HE colleges
• University help and courses
• University student life

Postgraduate

• Careers and jobs
• Teacher training
• Finance and accountancy
• Relationships
• Sexual health
• Give feedback or report a problem
• University and university courses
• Universities and HE colleges
• Life and style
• Entertainment
• Debate and current affairs
• Careers and Jobs
• Scottish qualifications
• Foreign languages
• GCSE articles
• A-level articles
• Exam and revision articles
• What to do after GCSEs
• What to do after A-levels
• When is A-level results day 2024?
• When is GCSE results day 2024?
• Studying, revision and exam support
• Grow your Grades

Exam results articles and chat

• Exam results homepage
• A guide to GCSE and A-level grade boundaries
• Year 13 chat
• Year 12 chat
• Year 11 chat

A-level results

• Guide to A-level results day
• Get help preparing for results day
• A-level retakes and resits
• Exam reviews and remarks
• Here’s what to expect on A-level results day
• Six ways to help results day nerves
• Understanding your A-level results slip

GCSE results

• Guide to GCSE results day
• How GCSE combined science grades work
• Stressed about GCSE results day?
• Understanding your GCSE results slip

Finding a uni in Clearing

• Clearing articles and chat
• UK university contact details
• Guide to Clearing
• Seven things people get wrong about Clearing
• How to make a great Clearing call
• Finding accommodation after Clearing
• How Clearing can help you prepare for results day
• All universities
• Applying through Ucas
• Student finance
• Personal statement
• Postgraduate study
• Uni accommodation
• University life
• All uni courses
• Apprenticeships
• Arts and humanities courses
• Stem courses
• Social science courses

Universities by region

• North of England
• South of England
• Greater London
• Distance learning
• International study

University guides and articles

• All university articles
• Applying to uni articles
• Personal statements

Personal statement examples

• University open days
• Studying law at university
• Student life at university
• Careers and jobs discussion
• Apprenticeships discussion
• Part-time and temp jobs
• Career forums by sector
• Armed forces careers
• Consultancy careers
• Finance careers
• Legal careers
• Marketing careers
• Medicine and healthcare careers
• Public sector careers
• Stem careers
• Teaching careers
• General chat
• Relationships chat
• Friends, family and colleagues
• Advice on everyday issues
• General health
• Mental health
• UK and world politics
• Educational debate

Undergraduate

• Postgraduate Master’s Loan
• Postgraduate Doctoral Loan
• Disabled Students’ Allowances
• Taking a break or withdrawing from your course

Further information

• Parents and partners
• Advanced Learner Loan

Architecture personal statements

On this page you'll find a collection of real personal statements written by students applying to study architecture and related courses at university.

These personal statements are written by real students - don't expect them all to be perfect! But by reading through a few of these samples, you'll be able to get some ideas and inspiration for your own personal statement. 

Architecture personal statement examples

More help with your personal statement.

You can find personal statement examples for other courses by using this subject list, or by returning to our personal statements by subject page.

Other useful links

• Applying to university

The Student Room and The Uni Guide are both part of The Student Room Group.

• Main topics
• GCSE and A-level
• Exam results
• Life and relationships

Get Started

• Today's posts
• Unanswered posts
• Community guidelines
• TSR help centre
• Cookies & online safety
• Terms & conditions
• Privacy notice

Connect with TSR

© Copyright The Student Room 2023 all rights reserved

The Student Room and The Uni Guide are trading names of The Student Room Group Ltd.

Register Number: 04666380 (England and Wales), VAT No. 806 8067 22 Registered Office: Imperial House, 2nd Floor, 40-42 Queens Road, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 3XB

Graduate School

Architecture

General information, program offerings:, director of graduate studies:, graduate program administrator:.

The School of Architecture, Princeton’s center for teaching and research in architectural design, history, and theory, offers advanced degrees at both the master’s and the doctoral levels.  The curriculum for the master’s degree, which has both a professional and a post-professional track, emphasizes design expertise in the context of architectural scholarship.  Architecture is understood as a cultural practice involving both speculative intelligence and practical know-how.  Each student constructs a personal course of study around a core of required courses that represents the knowledge essential to the education of an architect today.

The five-year doctoral program focuses on the history, theory, and criticism of architecture, urbanism, landscape, and building technology.  The approach is interdisciplinary, covering a broad range of research interests from an architectural perspective.  Working closely with the faculty of the school and allied departments in the University, students build individual programs of study involving at least two years of course work, general examinations, and a dissertation.

In 2014, the School of Architecture launched a new computation and energy Ph.D. track.  The new track focuses on developing and researching new techniques of embodied computation and new systems for energy and environmental performance.  It is supported by connections to the School of Engineering and Applied Science , the Department of Computer Science and the Andlinger Center for Energy and Environment . With the addition of new courses and curricula for the computation and energy track, and with the acquisition of industrial robotic arms and the renovation of the Embodied Computation Laboratory (also known as the Architectural Laboratory), students will actively contribute to hands-on applied research in architecture while becoming experts in their field.

Additional departmental requirements

Ph.D. – At least three samples of written work, no page limit, but maximum size 10 MB each. Please compress the file. In the statement of academic purpose, candidates must describe professional and academic experience and its relevance to future plans for research and teaching. Also outline potential areas of research in the context of Princeton’s program. Applicants are required to select an academic subplan when applying.

M.Arch. – M.Arch. – Design portfolio, bound into a brochure no larger than 8 1/2 by 11 inches (overall size when closed). An electronic version must also be uploaded with your application. There is a 5GB size limit for the digital portfolio. The first page of the portfolio should include a brief statement (less than 500 words) explaining why the student specifically wants to attend Princeton University to earn a professional degree. Portfolios of admitted applicants will be retained. 

Portfolios must be postmarked by January 2 and received by January 10. Please note: If you are tracking the delivery of your package,  Graduate Admission will be closed December 25 - January 1. Normal hours will resume on Thursday, January 2.

Please avoid special packaging as this delays the processing of your materials and does not increase your opportunity for admission. Be sure to include your full name, date of birth, and department on all materials sent. Please mail these materials to:

Princeton University Graduate Admission ATTN: Portfolios One Clio Hall Princeton, NJ 08544

Materials submitted will become the property of Princeton University.

Program Offerings

Program offering: ph.d., program description.

History and Theory Track

The interdisciplinary nature of the doctoral (Ph.D.) program stresses the relationship of architecture, urbanism, landscape, and building technologies to their cultural, social, and political milieu. Supported by strong affiliations with other departments in the humanities, sciences, and social sciences, the program has developed a comprehensive approach to the study of the field. Students interact with their peers to sustain their individual projects in a context of collective research.

Computation and Energy Track

The technology Ph.D. track develops research in the field of embodied computation and new systems for energy and environmental performance.  Through associated faculty it is linked to the School of Engineering and Applied Science, particularly with Computer Science and the Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment. A proseminar for the Ph.D. track supports the initial methods and processes for this research. The applied research component of the track is supported by infrastructure including an industrial robotic arm located in the School of Architecture’s Embodied Computation Lab and research facilities in the Andlinger Center.

History and Theory Track Course requirements for each student are determined by the Ph.D. Program Committee according to students’ previous experience, specialized interests, and progress through the program. For the first two years, each student engages in course work and independent study and is required to take a minimum of four classes each term, including required language and independent reading courses, for a total of 16 courses.

In the first year of residence, a required two-term proseminar introduces students to historical research and methodological approaches and guides the development of individual research proposals. The minimum number of courses are reduced by one when a student serves as an assistant-in-instruction (AI). This does not reduce the number of required papers; the AI assignment replaces an audited course.

Computation and Energy Track Course requirements for each student are determined by the Ph.D. Program Committee according to the student’s previous experience, specialized interests, and progress through the program.  During the first year of residence, a two-term proseminar introduces students to the process of developing prototype-based research, the literature review process, and methods for innovative scientific hypothesis generation and analysis.  It also guides the development of individual research proposals.  The course requirements for each student are set by the Ph.D. Program Committee according to the student’s previous experience, specialized interests, and progress through the program. The course load consists of a total of sixteen courses, nine of which have to be taken for credit, including two required proseminar courses during the first two years of study. Extending the reach of previous coursework, four research projects have to be developed, documented in paper format, and submitted as a package for the general examination once coursework is completed. The coursework must have an interdisciplinary focus that supports the student in developing expertise in an area of research as an extension of the architectural core that serves as the basis for developing a dissertation proposal.

Language(s)

A student must satisfy the program requirement of a reading knowledge of two foreign languages before the end of the second year in residence. These languages should be relevant to the general history of the discipline or specifically relevant to the student’s area of research. An examination of comprehension is administered by the appropriate language department.

Additional pre-generals requirements

Each year in mid-May, doctoral students are expected to present a progress report for review with the Ph.D. Program Committee. The purpose of these oral reviews is to give feedback to the student and to keep all members of the Ph.D. Committee informed about the work of all students.  The progress report should list courses taken for grades or audit, papers completed or in progress, grades received, and a description of how courses relate to the student’s major and minor fields of concentration. The report should also note conferences attended, lectures given, teaching and/or research assistantships. Second-year reports incorporate a prospectus on the materials to be included in the general examination dossier. The prospectus includes a list of six papers (History and Theory track) or four research project reports (Computation and Energy track) to be included in the general examination dossier accompanied by a statement connecting this research and writing to the student’s major and minor fields of concentration.

General exam

The general examination is designed to ascertain the student’s general knowledge of the subject, acquaintance with scholarly methods of research, and ability to organize and present material. The components of the general examination are assembled sequentially during the student’s period in residence, according to a program overseen and approved by the Ph.D. Program Committee. The general examination is normally taken upon completion of two years of course work (preferably in the fall of the third year in residence).

Qualifying for the M.A.

The Master of Arts (M.A.) degree is typically an incidental degree on the way to full Ph.D. candidacy and is earned after a student successfully completes the general examination. It may also be awarded to students who, for various reasons, leave the Ph.D. program after successfully completing the general exam.

Teaching experience is considered to be a significant part of graduate education. The School recommends that Ph.D. candidates serve as Assistants-in-instruction (AI) for at least one term.

Post-Generals requirements

Following the general exam, students meet with the Ph.D. Program Committee each spring. These reviews provide opportunities for all members of the Ph.D. Committee to review progress and provide feedback. Students submit a progress report describing publications, conferences attended, lectures given, teaching or research assistantships completed. The report also includes progress on dissertation writing, funding applications, etc.  At least one new dissertation chapter must be submitted in each of the post-generals years.

Dissertation and FPO

The culmination of the program is the defense of the finished dissertation at the final public oral (FPO) examination, which includes the thesis adviser, a second reader from the Ph.D. Committee, and a third internal or external reader. For full FPO committee composition requirements, please consult the Graduate School website.

Advisers read and comment on initial drafts of the student’s dissertation, consult on methods and sources, and approve any changes in the dissertation outline stemming from research discoveries and shifting emphases. The School often recommends that additional readers from inside or outside the School review sections of the research.  The research toward a dissertation normally includes at least one year spent on archival research.

The Ph.D. is awarded after the candidate’s doctoral dissertation has been accepted and the final public oral examination completed.

Program Offering: M.Arch.

Professional Master’s Degree The Master of Architecture (M.Arch.), accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB), is intended for students who plan to practice architecture professionally. The M.Arch. qualifies students to take the state professional licensing examination after completing the required internship. Refer to the NAAB statement on the School of Architecture’s website for more information.

Students are eligible for admission to the graduate program whether or not they have had undergraduate work in architecture. The typical duration of the program is three years; students with an intensive undergraduate architecture background may be eligible for advanced standing.

Post-Professional Master’s Degree A post-professional M.Arch. degree is available to those who hold the degree of Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch.) or its equivalent from an international institution. These are students who have successfully completed a professional program in architecture and have fulfilled the educational requirements for professional licensing in the state or country in which the degree was granted. Students typically complete this program in two years. The post-professional degree is not accredited by the NAAB.

Students in the professional M.Arch. program must take a minimum of 25 courses, typically four per term, including one design studio each term and the independent design thesis in the final term. The studio sequence, required building technology and professional practice courses, and courses in history and theory of architecture and urbanism constitute a core knowledge of the discipline. In addition to these required courses, each student must complete distribution requirements within the areas of history and theory and building technology. In order to encourage the development of an individual program of study, each student may select up to three electives, which may be fulfilled with any course offered within the University and approved by the director of graduate studies.

Students granted advanced standing are usually required to take a minimum of 16 courses within the distributional requirements of the three-year program, including one design studio each term and the independent design thesis in the final term. Because of the differences in the educational backgrounds of students entering with advanced standing, the required number of courses in the areas of distribution is determined by the director of graduate studies after reviewing each student’s transcript and experience.

While students normally take four courses each term, in their final term of the program they may enroll in and complete as few as two courses, provided that total course requirements will still be met and additional time is needed in the final term to meet the specific research requirements of the thesis.  Students who wish to enroll in fewer than four courses in the final term must have this request reviewed and approved by the director of graduate studies. 

Students in the post-professional master’s degree program are granted wide latitude in course selection in order to create a program of study which aligns with their individual educational and research goals. The courses are distributed across the areas of design studios and a design thesis, history and theory, building technology, and elective courses that can be taken throughout the University with the approval of the director of graduate studies. Students are required to complete a minimum of 14 courses.

The thesis at Princeton is understood to be the culmination of the Master of Architecture curriculum. As such, it is the moment when the student contributes to, and advances, the discipline. Students participate in a thesis workshop during their penultimate semester. The aim of this workshop is to hone topics by situating them within a lineage—articulating where a project resembles or differs from works that have addressed such topics—and by developing a focused argument for a particular approach to the question. The thesis design project, conducted as independent work during the final semester, then tests this approach in a project whose underpinnings are pointed toward the synthesis of intellectual and design objectives. The thesis concludes with a public final review, where the project is evaluated both on its own terms and within the broader field of contemporary architectural discourse.

Additional requirements

Computer Requirement

Students in the Architecture program are strongly encouraged to own a Windows or Mac computer during their tenure.  The School of Architecture does provide 10 high-end Dell desktops in the computer lab with a full suite of software.  Recommendations for personal computer purchases include a minimum 512 SSD hard drive, 16GB RAM, decent graphics card and processor.  Computers should have the most updated operating systems with virus software installed.  Most software provided by the School of Architecture is via network distribution and is Windows based.  In addition, students are required to pay an annual $350 lab fee for access to the computers, plotters, printer, scanners and networked software.

• Mónica Ponce de León

Associate Dean

• Michael Meredith

Director of Graduate Studies

• Marshall B. Brown
• Beatriz Colomina (fall)
• Spyros Papapetros (acting) (spring)

Director of Undergraduate Studies

• Stanley T. Allen
• M. Christine Boyer
• Beatriz Colomina
• Elizabeth Diller
• Mario I. Gandelsonas
• Sylvia Lavin
• Guy J.P. Nordenson
• Jesse A. Reiser

Associate Professor

• Forrest M. Meggers
• Spyros Papapetros

Assistant Professor

• Erin D. Besler
• S.E. Eisterer
• V. Mitch McEwen
• Daniela Mitterberger
• Aaron P. Shkuda

Visiting Professor

• Albena K. Yaneva

Visiting Lecturer with Rank of Professor

• Mark Wigley

Visiting Lecturer

• Sylvester Black
• Cynthia C. Davidson
• Darell W. Fields
• Anda French
• J. Robert Hillier
• Tessa Kelly
• Peter Pelsinski
• Mahadev Raman
• Zachary S. Schumacher
• Daniel Sherer
• Thomas Weaver

For a full list of faculty members and fellows please visit the department or program website.

Permanent Courses

Courses listed below are graduate-level courses that have been approved by the program’s faculty as well as the Curriculum Subcommittee of the Faculty Committee on the Graduate School as permanent course offerings. Permanent courses may be offered by the department or program on an ongoing basis, depending on curricular needs, scheduling requirements, and student interest. Not listed below are undergraduate courses and one-time-only graduate courses, which may be found for a specific term through the Registrar’s website. Also not listed are graduate-level independent reading and research courses, which may be approved by the Graduate School for individual students.

ARC 501 - Architecture Design Studio

Arc 502 - architecture design studio, arc 503 - integrated building studios, arc 504 - integrated building studios, arc 505a - architecture design studio, arc 505b - architecture design studio, arc 505c - architecture design studio, arc 506a - architecture design studio, arc 506b - architecture design studio, arc 507 - thesis studio, arc 508a - m. arch thesis studio, arc 508b - post-prof. thesis studio, arc 509 - integrated building systems, arc 510 - structural analysis for architecture, arc 511 - structural design, arc 513 - contemporary facade design, arc 514 - the environmental engineering of buildings, part i, arc 515 - the environmental engineering of buildings, part ii, arc 518 - construction and interpretation, arc 521 - elemental building function, arc 522 - history of comparative architecture, arc 525 - mapping the city: cities and cinema (also art 524), arc 526 - research in urbanism, arc 530 - m.arch. thesis seminar, arc 531 - proseminar for post-professional m.arch., arc 532 - post-professional m.arch. thesis seminar, arc 537 - architecture, technology, and the environment, arc 546 - technology and the city: the architectural implications of networked urban landscape (also urb 546), arc 547 - introduction to formal analysis, arc 548 - histories and theories of 19th-century architecture (also art 585), arc 549 - history and theories of architecture: 20th century (also art 586), arc 550 - space and subjectivity, arc 560 - topics in contemporary architecture & urbanism, arc 560a - topics in contemporary architecture and urbanism, arc 560b - topics in contemporary architecture & urbanism, arc 560c - topics in contemporary architecture and urbanism, arc 562 - introduction to the architecture profession, arc 563 - founding, building, and managing your own architectural practice, arc 569 - extramural research internship, arc 571 - phd proseminar (also art 581/las 571/mod 573), arc 572 - research in architecture (proseminar), arc 574 - computational fabrication, arc 575 - advanced topics in modern architecture (also mod 575), arc 576 - advanced topics in modern architecture (also art 598/mod 502), arc 577 - topics in modern architecture (also mod 577), arc 578 - utopics: private fantasies, public projects, arc 580 - gender, cities, and dissent (also gss 580/mod 580), arc 594 - topics in architecture (also art 584/hum 593/mod 504/spa 559), arc 598 - m. arch thesis studio-resubmission, arc 599 - post-prof. thesis studio-resubmission, art 504 - studies in greek architecture (also arc 565/cla 536/hls 534), art 547 - early modern architecture (also arc 552), art 551 - from above: european maps and architectural plans before aerial observation (also arc 557), art 565 - seminar in modernist art and theory (also arc 585/mod 565), art 583 - textile architecture (also arc 583), cee 546 - form finding of structural surfaces (also arc 566), hum 595 - interdisciplinary studies in the humanities (also arc 593/cla 595/mod 595), hum 597 - humanistic perspectives on history and society (also arc 597/las 597/mod 597/spa 557), mae 518 - virtual and augmented reality for scientists, engineers, and architects (also arc 516/ene 528), spi 533 - planning theory and process (also arc 535).

100+ Grad School Personal Statement Examples

by Talha Omer, M.Eng., Cornell Grad

In personal statement samples by field | personal statements samples by university.

In this Article

Importance of a Strong Personal Statement

Purpose of this blog post, length and format, tone and style, general tips for success, computer science and engineering, economics and finance, management and business, healthcare and medicine, environment and sustainability, public affairs, international relations and politics, architecture, arts and film, mathematics and statistics, religion and philosophy, phd personal statement examples, scholarship & fellowship personal statements, word count-specific personal statements, prompt-specific grad school personal statements examples, academic achievements and experiences, research experiences, work and internship experiences, volunteer and community service, personal growth and overcoming challenges, future goals and career aspirations, research the program and faculty, emphasize alignment with program objectives, highlight unique program offerings, overused phrases and clichés , excessive self-praise, lack of focus or organization, consulting mentors, and advisors, incorporating feedback and refine, introduction.

A personal statement is essential in the graduate school application process, as it plays a significant role in shaping the admissions committee’s perception of you. In fact, a survey conducted by the Council of Graduate Schools revealed that 64% of graduate admissions officers consider the personal statement to be the most crucial factor in the admissions process. Furthermore, according to a study by Kaplan Test Prep, a well-crafted personal statement can boost an applicant’s chances of acceptance by up to 50%.

The personal statement’s importance stems from its ability to create a lasting impression on the admissions committee. 

Consider this: the admissions committee (adcom) does not know you personally. They have never met or spoken to you, nor have they ever interviewed you. They only know you through quantifiable aspects such as your GPA, test scores, and work experience. However, they lack insight into your thought processes, aspirations, background, and personal experiences. In essence, they need to connect with you on a personal level. The personal statement serves as a bridge, enabling the adcom, who are human beings themselves, to gain insight into your personality, motivations, and aspirations beyond your grades and test scores.

Time and again, adcoms at top universities emphasize the critical role of personal statements in their decision-making process. Drafting a personal statement is your opportunity to market yourself, showcasing your unique qualities and demonstrating your genuine interest in their program. By investing time and effort into creating a powerful personal statement, you can significantly enhance your chances of securing a place in your desired graduate program.

In this blog post, I will be sharing over 100 authentic graduate school personal statement examples from successful applicants across the globe who have secured admission to prestigious programs in the United States and across the world.

These samples encompass a wide range of fields, including MBA, Law, Medicine, Engineering, and Social Work, and originate from esteemed institutions such as Harvard, Stanford, and MIT. You will find examples of personal statements for various degrees, including MSc, MA, LLM, Residency, MBA, and PhD programs. You will also find examples of statements written by applicants who obtained fellowships, and scholarships. By sharing these diverse examples, I aim to achieve the following goals:

• Inspiration and guidance: I want to provide you guys with a wide range of personal statement examples to serve as inspiration and offer guidance for making your own statements.
• Addressing common topics: These samples will cover all the common personal statement elements, helping you understand how to effectively discuss your academic achievements, research experiences, work history, volunteer work, personal growth, and future goals.
• Tips for success: The post will also provide helpful tips on tailoring personal statements to specific graduate programs, avoiding common pitfalls, and seeking feedback to improve the final draft.
• Empowerment: Ultimately, the goal of sharing these for free is to empower you guys to create compelling and unique personal statements that will increase your chances of being accepted into your dream graduate program.

By providing this comprehensive resource, I hope to demystify the personal statement writing process and equip you with the tools and inspiration necessary to craft a captivating narrative that reflects your unique journey and aspirations. 

Personal Statement Basics

When writing your personal statement, it’s crucial to pay attention to three key areas: length and format, tone and style, and general tips for success.

It’s important to create a well-structured personal statement that adheres to the specified word count and follows proper formatting guidelines. Some programs, particularly MBA programs, might not request a single personal statement. Instead, they may pose several questions and require you to write a brief essay for each one. Such programs typically break down a personal statement into multiple short questions, expecting essay responses tailored to each query. 

As a result, it’s crucial to carefully read the guidelines before you start writing, as students often mistakenly create a single personal statement and try to tweak it for various programs without realizing that different requirements exist. By doing so, they lose time and waste considerable effort and energy. 

Adhering to instructions and responding appropriately will leave a positive impression on the admissions committee. To accomplish this, consider these key aspects:

• Word count: Most graduate programs provide guidelines on the desired length of personal statements, typically ranging from 500 to 2,000 words.Adhere to these limits to show that you can follow instructions and communicate concisely.
• Formatting: Use a clear and easy-to-read font (e.g., Times New Roman or Arial) at a standard size (e.g., 11 or 12 points) with 1-inch margins. Ensure your document is well-organized with paragraphs and headings where appropriate.
• Structure: Start with a strong opening paragraph that hooks the reader, followed by body paragraphs addressing the key topics, and conclude with a memorable closing paragraph that reinforces your main points. This structure will ensure a cohesive and engaging narrative that effectively communicates your experiences and aspirations to the admissions committee.

In terms of tone and style, your personal statement should strike a balance between professionalism and authenticity to effectively convey your unique experiences and perspective. To accomplish this, consider the following aspects:

• Professional and confident: Adopt a professional tone in your writing, using clear, concise language. Be confident in presenting your accomplishments without being overly boastful.
• Authentic and personal: Avoid overly formal or academic language that may make your writing feel impersonal. Showcasing your authentic self will help the admissions committee connect with you on a personal level.
• Engaging storytelling: Use storytelling techniques to make your personal statement more engaging and memorable. This can include anecdotes, vivid descriptions, and a strong narrative structure. Starting with a quote that is relevant to your story is also a good way to begin your personal statement.

Lastly, adhering to tried and tested tips can greatly improve your personal statement, ensuring you present a polished and compelling narrative that effectively showcases your strengths and aspirations to the admissions committee. Some general advice is as follows::

• Start early: Give yourself ample time to brainstorm, write, revise, and seek feedback on your personal statement. On average. Grad school applicants spend 20+ hours in perfecting a personal statement of 1000 words. Moreover, they have their personal statement reviewed and redrafted 5 times on average.  
• Be focused and organized: Clearly structure your personal statement, addressing the main topics and ensuring your narrative flows logically from one point to the next. A well-organized statement will demonstrate your ability to communicate effectively and coherently.
• Proofread and edit: Carefully review your personal statement for grammar, punctuation, and spelling errors. Use free tools like grammarly to remove any unwanted errors in your writing.
• Seek feedback: Share your personal statement with your mentors, or peers, to gather valuable feedback. I especially recommend that you show your essay to someone who has already gone through the process successfully as they know the ins and outs well. Then, incorporate this feedback to refine and strengthen your final draft.

To help you get started and see everything that I just discussed in action, here is a list of 100+ personal statement examples from successful graduate school applicants.

Grad School Personal Statement Examples by Field of Study

• Example Personal Statement Computer Science (Admitted to Oxford with Low GPA )
• Example Personal Statement Computer Science (Admitted to Stanford )
• Example Personal Statement Computer Science (Admitted to Cambridge PhD )
• Example Personal Statement Artificial Intelligence (Admitted to UCLA)
• Example Personal Statement Machine Learning (Admitted to Duke )
• Example Personal Statement Data Science and Analytics (Admitted to CMU )
• Example Personal Statement Data Analytics (Admitted to Georgia Tech )
• Example Personal Statement Advanced Analytics (Admitted to NCSU )
• Example Personal Statement Mechanical Engineering (Admitted to USC , Imperial )
• Example Personal Statement Economics (Admitted to LSE )
• Example Personal Statement Economics (Admitted to Oxbridge )
• Example Personal Statement Finance (Admitted to MIT Sloan )
• Example Personal Statement Financial Engineering (Admitted to UC Berkeley )
• Example Personal Statement Financial Engineering (Admitted to UCLA )
• Example Personal Statement Accounting & Finance (Admitted to Michigan University)
• Example Personal Statement Investment Banking (Admitted to UPenn )
• Example Personal Statement (Admitted to Georgetown )
• Example Personal Statement (Admitted to Harvard LLM )
• Example Personal Statement (Admitted to Northwestern )
• Example Personal Statement (Admitted to NYU , Duke )
• 8 MBA Personal Statements (All IVY LEAGUES )
• Example BA Essays ( INSEAD )
• Example MBA Essays ( Kellogg Northwestern )
• Example Personal Statement Operations Management (Admitted to MIT PHD)
• Example Personal Statement Management (Admitted to Duke )
• Example Personal Statement Marketing (Admitted to NYU , Cornell )
• Example Personal Statement Business Analytics (Admitted to MIT , CMU )
• Example Personal Statement Management & Analytics (Admitted to LBS )
• Example Personal Statement Project Management (Admitted to UT Austin )
• Example Personal Statement Logistics & Supply Chain (Admitted to Boston . Penn State )
• Example Personal Statement Supply Chain Management (Admitted to MIT )
• Example Personal Statement Teaching ( Scholarship US State Department)
• Example Education Personal Statement (Admitted to UPenn , NYU , UCLA )
• Example Personal Statement Education Policy (Admitted to USC )
• Example Personal Statement Special Education Teacher (Admitted to TUFTS )
• Example Personal Statement of an Aspiring Teacher (Admitted to American University )
• Example Personal Statement Residency in Internal Medicine (Admitted to ASU )
• Example Personal Statement Counseling (Admitted to Harvard , Yale )
• Example Personal Statement Psychology (Admitted to NYU Steinhardt)
• Example Personal Statement Nursing (Admitted to Duke , Ohio)
• Example Personal Statement Public Health (MPH) (Admitted to Columbia , Emory)
• Example Personal Statement Social Work (MSW) (Admitted to Columbia )
• Example Personal Statement Veterinary (Admitted to UC Davis , CSU , Edinburgh)
• Example Personal Statement Biochemistry (Admitted to Johns Hopkins )
• Example Personal Statement Biology (Admitted to JHU )
• Example Personal Statement Anthropology (Admitted to Stanford )
• Example Personal Statement Environment and Sustainability (admitted to Stanford , CALTECH )
• Example Personal Statement Environmental Sustainability and Energy Management (Admitted to Yale , Duke )
• Example Personal Statement International Relations (Admitted to Columbia , Cornell )
• Example Personal Statement Political Science (Admitted to Duke , UCLA , NYU )
• Example Personal Statement Public Administration MPA (Admitted to Columbia , Harvard )
• Example Personal Statement Public Policy MPP (Admitted to Harvard , Brown , Erasmus Mundus Scholarship )
• Example Personal Statement Architecture (Admitted to Cambridge , Cornell , Yale )
• Example Personal Statement MFA (Admitted to New School and Rhode Island )
• Example Personal Statement in Filmmaking (Admitted to New York Film Academy )
• Example Personal Statement Fashion and Textile (Admitted to Parsons , Royal College of Arts )
• Example Personal Statement Math (Admitted to Oxbridge )
• Example Personal Statement Statistics (Admitted to NCSU , Cornell )
• Example Personal Statement Religious Studies (Admitted to Columbia , Harvard )
• Example Personal Statement 1 (Admitted to MIT )
• Example Personal Statement 2 (Admitted to Cambridge )
• Example Research Statement (Admitted to JHU )
• Example Statement of Research Interests (Admitted to Scripps )
• Example Statement of Objectives (Admitted to MIT )
• Example Personal StatemenT MS leading to Ph.D. (Admitted to Notre Dame )

These essays are written by applicants who are seeking financial aid or funding to support their graduate studies. In most cases, the program does not require a separate essay or application for the scholarship or fellowship, but in a few cases they do.

Most external donors do require a separate application such as the Fulbright program.

The purpose of these essays is to convince the selection committee that the applicant is the best candidate for the scholarship or fellowship.

• Scholarship Personal Statement Example (Won $250,000 Scholarship )
• Scholarship Personal Statement Example (Won Erasmus Mundus Scholarship )
• Fellowship Personal Statement Example (Won MIT Sloan Fellowship )
• Scholarship Personal Statement Example 1 (Won Fulbright Scholarship )
• Scholarship Personal Statement Example 2 (Won Fulbright Scholarship )

Word Count-Specific Personal Statements have a specific word count limit, which must be adhered to by the applicant. These are often required as part of graduate school applications, where the admissions committee wants to ensure that all applicants are providing the same amount of information and not exceeding or falling short of the specified word count.

Writing a word count-specific personal statement can be challenging, as applicants must balance providing enough detail to adequately convey their story and goals, while also being concise and staying within the specified limit. However, meeting the word count requirement is essential for demonstrating an applicant’s ability to communicate effectively, follow instructions, and prioritize information.

Here are a few examples of word-count specific personal statements.

• 100 Word Personal Statement Example
• 150 Word Personal Statement Example
• 200 Word Personal Statement Example
• 250 Word Personal Statement Example
• 300 Word Personal Statement Example
• 400 Word Personal Statement Example
• 500 Word Personal Statement Example
• 600 Word Personal Statement Example
• 700 Word Personal Statement Example
• 750 Word Personal Statement Example
• 800 Word Personal Statement Example
• 1000 Word Personal Statement Example

Prompt specific personal statements are statements that are tailored to answer a specific question or prompt in a personal statement. These statements are typically used in graduate school applications, especially MBA apps. These essays usually have a word-limit as well.

The purpose of a question specific personal statement is to demonstrate to the admissions committee that the applicant has the skills, knowledge, and experience required to succeed in the program. By directly addressing the prompt or question, the applicant can provide a focused and coherent response that highlights their relevant qualities and accomplishments.

For example, if a prompt asks an applicant to discuss their leadership experience, a question specific personal statement would focus on describing specific instances where the applicant demonstrated leadership skills and qualities, such as problem-solving, decision-making, and effective communication.

Here are some samples on Question or Prompt Specific Personal Statements.

• Prompt-specific Personal Statement on Career Goals
• Prompt-specific Personal Statement on Values that have Influenced You
• Prompt-specific Personal Statement on Leadership
• Prompt-specific Personal Statement on 25 Things You Don’t Know About Me
• Prompt-specific Personal Statement on Describe a Challenge you Faced and How you Overcame it?
• Prompt-specific Personal Statement on My Passion in Life
• Prompt-specific Personal Statement on Why do you want to become a doctor?
• Prompt-specific Personal Statement Example 1 ( Responses to 6 Prompts for Fellowship)
• Prompt-specific Personal Statement Example 2 ( Responses to 5 Prompts for Duke)
• Prompt-specific Personal Statement Example 3 ( Responses to 3 Prompts for MIT)
• Prompt-specific Personal Statement Example 4 ( Responses to 4 Prompts for LBS)
• Prompt-specific Personal Statement Example 5 ( Responses to 4 Prompts for UC Berkeley)
• Prompt-specific Personal Statement Example 6 ( Responses to 4 Prompts for MIT)

Addressing Common Personal Statement Components

In this section, I will explore the various components that commonly make up a well-rounded personal statement.I have also discussed these in a lot more detail in a blog post here . In that post, I have also shared various examples of personal statements that show how you can put these components in an essay form. Furthermore, that blog post also introduces an 8-point framework designed to assist you in evaluating and rating your personal statement draft.

When applying for graduate programs that are academic in nature, such as PhD, Master of Science, or Master of Arts, it’s essential to emphasize your academic achievements and experiences in your personal statement. To effectively showcase your educational background, you can do the following:

• Highlight relevant coursework: Discuss courses that have prepared you for graduate study and demonstrate your passion for the subject.
• Showcase your academic accomplishments: Mention awards, honors, high GPA, or scholarships you’ve received, and explain their significance.
• Share influential academic experiences: Describe any conferences, workshops, or seminars you’ve attended, and explain how they’ve shaped your understanding of your field.

When applying for research-oriented programs such as PhD, post-doc, or research-based masters, it’s crucial to emphasize your research background, experiences, and achievements in your personal statement. To effectively highlight your research accomplishments, consider including the following in your personal statement:

• Describe your research projects: Outline the relevant research you’ve conducted, including the objectives, methodology, and results.
• Emphasize your role: Detail your specific contributions (co-contributor, co-author, lead researcher) to the research project, highlighting your skills and expertise.
• Discuss the impact: Explain how your research has contributed to the field (maybe you got published in a journal, got a patent or published a white paper). You can also discuss how it influenced your career goals.

When composing your personal statement, it’s a good idea to show your work and internship experiences, as they highlight your practical skills and dedication to your chosen field. These experiences are especially significant for those applying to professional programs such as MBA, Project Management, and Masters in Engineering. 

However, they can also add considerable value to applications for academic or research-based programs. To effectively emphasize your work experiences and their relevance to your graduate studies, take into account the following aspects:

• Detail relevant experiences: Discuss any internships, part-time jobs, or full-time positions related to your field, highlighting the skills you’ve gained.
• Demonstrate transferable skills: Show how your work experience has equipped you with valuable skills (e.g., teamwork, leadership, problem-solving) that can be applied to your graduate studies.
• Share meaningful moments: Describe any significant projects, accomplishments, or challenges you’ve encountered during your work experience that have shaped your perspective or goals.

In your personal statement, highlighting your volunteer and community service experiences can be a valuable addition, particularly for programs that emphasize social impact or community engagement, such as social work, public health, or education.

These experiences demonstrate your commitment to making a difference, and they showcase your ability to apply the skills and knowledge gained in real-world situations. Additionally, they reflect your extroverted nature, openness to new ideas, and willingness to engage with people from diverse backgrounds. 

Emphasizing your involvement in volunteer work and community service not only reveals your personal growth and alignment with your field of study but also highlights your ability to work collaboratively, appreciate different perspectives, and contribute positively to society. To give you some idea, you can demonstrate your service to the community by doing the following in your personal statement:

• Showcase your involvement: Discuss volunteer work, community service, or extracurricular activities you’ve participated in that are relevant to your field of study or personal growth.
• Emphasize personal growth: Describe the impact of these experiences on your personal development, such as gaining empathy, cultural competence, or leadership skills.
• Connect to your field: Explain how your volunteer or community service experiences relate to your graduate studies and future career aspirations.

By sharing the obstacles you’ve faced and the lessons you’ve learned from them, you demonstrate your resilience, adaptability, and motivation. Connecting these experiences to your academic and career goals will further emphasize your determination to succeed in your chosen field and your readiness for the rigors of graduate study. Here are some ideas to get you started with this:

• Share your story: Discuss any personal challenges or obstacles you’ve faced and how they’ve shaped your character, values, or motivations.
• Demonstrate resilience: Explain how you’ve overcome these challenges and what you’ve learned from the experience.
• Relate to your academic and career goals: Show how your personal growth and experiences have influenced your decision to pursue graduate studies and your future career aspirations.

Your personal statement should also address your future goals and career aspirations. You should discuss both your short-term (3-5 year) and long-term (10-15 year) goals in your grad school personal statement. 

Explain the motivation behind them, and connect these goals to the graduate program you’re applying to. This will show that you have a clear plan for your academic and professional journey, and that the program is an essential stepping stone toward achieving your goals. Here is a helping hand that will assist you include this element in your essay.

• Outline your short-term and long-term goals: Discuss your objectives for both your graduate studies and your future career, demonstrating a clear vision of your path.
• Explain your passion and motivation: Share the driving forces behind your goals, showcasing your enthusiasm and dedication to your field of study.
• Connect your goals to the graduate program: Illustrate how the specific graduate program you’re applying to will help you achieve your academic and career objectives.

Tailoring your Personal Statement for Specific Schools

One common mistake that applicants make is submitting a generic personal statement to multiple programs. This can significantly reduce their chances of admission. 

Universities appreciate when applicants have taken the time to research the specific program, courses, faculty, and research facilities, demonstrating genuine interest and effort. 

While it’s acceptable to have a core personal statement that outlines your personal story, achievements, and interests, it’s crucial to tailor part of the essay to the particular program you are applying to. By customizing your personal statement, you show the admissions committee that you’ve done your homework.

Here I have some suggestions for you that you can use to tailor your personal statement for the specific program.

To tailor your personal statement for specific schools, it’s essential to thoroughly research the program and faculty at each institution. This involves exploring the program’s curriculum, core and optional course offerings, summer internship placement opportunities, industry-affiliated projects that are available, faculty research interests, and the school’s overall reputation in your field. By understanding these aspects, you can demonstrate your genuine interest in the program and highlight how your background and goals align with the faculty and coursework offered.

Once you have a solid understanding of the program and faculty, emphasize the alignment between your own values, objectives, and the program’s values and objectives in your personal statement. This can include showcasing your commitment to the program’s core principles, highlighting your passion for the program’s focus areas, and demonstrating your enthusiasm for working with particular faculty members on research or projects that align with your interests.

Each graduate program may have unique offerings that set it apart from others, such as specialized courses, research centers, or industry partnerships. In your personal statement, highlight these distinctive features and explain how they will benefit you. By doing this, you show the admissions committee that you have carefully considered the program’s offerings and have a clear understanding of how they will contribute to your academic and professional growth.

Personal Statement Pitfalls to Avoid

When writing your personal statement, you should be watchful of common traps that can diminish the impact of your narrative. Avoiding these mistakes will help you create a nice, well-rounded and unique story that will stand out to the adcom.

I have also discussed these in a lot more detail in a blog post here . In that post, I have also shared various examples of personal statements that avoid these traps and some that fall for them.

Here are some critical pitfalls to avoid:

Avoid relying on common phrases or clichés in your personal statement. Nearly all the personal statement templates use clichés like, such as “I’ve always known that I wanted to…”, “I have a thirst for knowledge.”, “I want to give back to society.”, “Ever since I can remember…”. These can make your writing appear as copy paste, dull and boring. Instead, you should try to be creative and unique and use expressions that genuinely reflect your own individual experiences and motivations.

While it’s essential to showcase your achievements and strengths, be cautious not to overdo self-promotion. Overly boastful or self-aggrandizing language can be off-putting to the reader and you could come across as arrogant and self-conceited. Focus on presenting your accomplishments and experiences in a balanced and authentic manner, highlighting the impact and the lessons learned from them. In short, stay humble.

A disorganized or unfocused personal statement can make it difficult for the admissions committee to grasp your main points or understand your narrative. Ensure your personal statement is well-structured, with clear coherence between paragraphs and a logical progression of ideas. Stay focused on only talking about experiences that are relevant to your field of study. However, if you want to talk about something that you feel is important for the application but is not relevant to the chosen program, just touch upon it in your essay.

Again, I would recommend you to go through this post where I have delved deeper into the things you should avoid. Additionally, in that post I have also provided you with a 7-point framework that you can use to circumvent the common pitfalls often encountered in personal statements.

Seeking Feedback and Revising Your Personal Statement

Before submitting your personal statement, it’s essential to seek and incorporate feedback. Applicants who create successful personal statements spend 20 hours on average on creating the perfect essay. You should consult mentors, advisors, and peers, to refine your narrative. This section will guide you through the process of seeking feedback and making revisions to optimize your personal statement.

Seek input from individuals who know you well and have experience with the application process. I would also recommend that you should ask feedback from people who have successfully gone through the process in the past. Their feedback can help you identify areas for improvement, and ensure your narrative aligns properly.

After receiving feedback from various sources, take the time to thoughtfully consider their suggestions and incorporate them into your personal statement. Remember that not all feedback may be applicable or useful, so use your judgment to determine which revisions will enhance your narrative. Continue refining your personal statement through multiple drafts, ensuring your final version presents a polished and compelling story that showcases your strengths and aspirations.

I hope that these 100+ personal statement examples for graduate school and all the associated tips will provide you with the inspiration, guidance, and ideas you need to create a captivating narrative of your own. As you embark on this journey, remember that dedication, self-reflection, and resilience are key to putting up a persuasive narrative. Remember, there is no short-cut to success. Good luck, and we can’t wait to see where your academic journey takes you!

WANT MORE AMAZING ARTICLES ON GRAD SCHOOL PERSONAL STATEMENTS?

• 100+ Outstanding Examples of Personal Statements
• The Ultimate Guide to Writing a Winning Personal Statement
• Common Pitfalls to Avoid in Your Personal Statement
• Writing a Killer Opening Paragraph for Your Personal Statement
• Ideal Length for a Graduate School Personal Statement
• 100 Inspiring Quotes to Jumpstart Your Personal Statement

Sample Personal Statement for Masters in International Business

Sample Personal Statement for Masters in International Business My journey began amidst the kaleidoscope of Qatar's landscapes, setting the stage for a life attuned to cultural nuances. Transitioning to Riyadh in my teens, I absorbed a mosaic of traditions, sparking a...

Sample Personal Statement for Family Medicine Residency

Personal Statement Prompt: A personal letter is required. We are looking for mature, enthusiastic physicians who bring with them a broad range of life experiences, are committed to providing excellent patient care, and can embrace the depth and breadth of experiences...

Harvard Personal Statement Example

In this article, I will be providing a sample grad school personal statement for Harvard 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...

[2024] 4 Law School Personal Statement Examples from Top Programs

In this article, I will discuss 4 law school personal statement samples. These statements have been written by successful applicants who gained admission to prestigious US Law schools like Yale, Harvard, and Stanford. The purpose of these examples is to demonstrate...

Sample Personal Statement Cybersecurity

In this article, I will be providing a sample grad school personal statement in the field of cybersecurity. This sample was written by an applicant who got admitted into George Mason, Northeastern and Arizona State University. This example aims to show how prospective...

WANT AMAZING ARTICLES ON GRAD SCHOOL PERSONAL STATEMENTS?

• 100+ Personal Statement Templates

Graduate School Personal Statement

Criteria for success.

• Your personal statement convinces a faculty committee that you are qualified for their program.
• It convinces them that you are a good fit for their program’s focus and goals.
• You show a select group of skills and experiences that convey your scientific accomplishments and interests.
• Your experiences are concrete and quantitative.
• Your personal statement is no more than 2 pages.

Structure Diagram

The graduate school personal statement tells your story and demonstrates that you are a good match for a particular department or program. Matching goes both ways: they should be interested in you, and you should be interested in them. Your personal statement should make this match clear.

Analyze Your Audience

Your personal statement will be read by a graduate committee: a handful of faculty from the program. They’re trying to determine if you will be a successful graduate student in their department, a positive force in the department’s intellectual life, and a successful scientist after you graduate. They are therefore interested in your qualifications as a researcher, your career goals, and how your personality matches their labs and department.

The graduate committee probably reads hundreds of applications a year. To make it easy for them to figure out that you are a good fit, make direct, concrete statements about your accomplishments and qualifications. To make it easy for them to remember you, create a narrative that “brands” you.

Create a personal narrative

PhD programs invest in the professional and scientific growth of their students. Get the committee excited about investing in you by opening your essay with a brief portrait of what drives you as a scientist. What research directions are you passionate about, and why? What do you picture yourself doing in 10 years?

Close your essay with a 2-3 sentence discussion of your career interests. No one will hold you to this; this just helps your committee visualize your potential trajectory.

Describe your experiences

Experiences are the “what” of your essay. What experiences led you to develop your skill set and passions? Where have you demonstrated accomplishment, leadership, and collaboration? Include research, teaching, and relevant extracurriculars. State concrete achievements and outcomes like awards, discoveries, or publications.

Quantify your experiences to show concrete impact. How many people were on your team? How many protocols did you develop? How many people were in competition for an award? As a TA, how often did you meet with your students?

Describe actions, not just changes in your internal mental or emotional state. A personal statement is a way to make a narrative out of your CV. It is not a diary entry.

Explain the meaning of your experiences

Meaning is the “why” or “so what” of the document. Why was this experience important to your growth as a scientist? What does it say about your abilities and potential? It feels obvious to you, but you need to be explicit with your audience. Your descriptions of meaning should also act as transition statements between experiences: try to “wrap” meaning around your experiences.

Demonstrate match to your target program

Demonstrate an understanding of the program to which you’re applying and how you will be successful in that program. To do this:

• Read the program’s website. See what language they use to describe themselves, and echo that language in your essay. For example, MIT Biological Engineering’s website lists the department’s three objectives.
• Get in contact with faculty (or students) in your target program. If you have had a positive discussion with someone at the department, describe how those interactions made you think that you and the department may be well-matched.
• State which professors in the program you would plan to work with. Show how their research areas align with your background and your goals. You can even describe potential research directions or projects.

This content was adapted from from an article originally created by the  MIT Biological Engineering Communication Lab .

Resources and Annotated Examples

Annotated example 1.

Selected sections from the personal statement a graduate student wrote in a successful application to MIT BE. 536 KB

Annotated Example 2

Personal statement from a graduate student’s successful application to the MIT BE program. 9 MB

• Applying to Uni
• Apprenticeships
• Health & Relationships
• Money & Finance

Personal Statements

• Postgraduate
• U.S Universities

University Interviews

• Vocational Qualifications
• Accommodation
• ​​​​​​​Budgeting, Money & Finance
• ​​​​​​​Health & Relationships
• ​​​​​​​Jobs & Careers
• ​​​​​​​Socialising

Studying Abroad

• ​​​​​​​Studying & Revision
• ​​​​​​​Technology
• ​​​​​​​University & College Admissions

Guide to GCSE Results Day

Finding a job after school or college

Retaking GCSEs

In this section

Choosing GCSE Subjects

Post-GCSE Options

GCSE Work Experience

GCSE Revision Tips

Why take an Apprenticeship?

Applying for an Apprenticeship

Apprenticeships Interviews

Apprenticeship Wage

Engineering Apprenticeships

What is an Apprenticeship?

Choosing an Apprenticeship

Real Life Apprentices

Degree Apprenticeships

Higher Apprenticeships

A Level Results Day 2024

AS Levels 2024

Clearing Guide 2024

Applying to University

SQA Results Day Guide 2024

BTEC Results Day Guide

Vocational Qualifications Guide

Sixth Form or College

International Baccalaureate

Post 18 options

Finding a Job

Should I take a Gap Year?

Travel Planning

Volunteering

Gap Year Blogs

Applying to Oxbridge

Applying to US Universities

Choosing a Degree

Choosing a University or College

Personal Statement Editing and Review Service

Clearing Guide

Guide to Freshers' Week

Student Guides

Student Cooking

Student Blogs

Top Rated Personal Statements

Personal Statement Examples

Writing Your Personal Statement

Postgraduate Personal Statements

International Student Personal Statements

Gap Year Personal Statements

Personal Statement Length Checker

Personal Statement Examples By University

Personal Statement Changes 2025

Personal Statement Template

Job Interviews

Types of Postgraduate Course

Writing a Postgraduate Personal Statement

Postgraduate Funding

Postgraduate Study

Internships

Choosing A College

Ivy League Universities

Common App Essay Examples

Universal College Application Guide

How To Write A College Admissions Essay

College Rankings

Admissions Tests

Fees & Funding

Scholarships

Budgeting For College

Online Degree

Platinum Express Editing and Review Service

Gold Editing and Review Service

Silver Express Editing and Review Service

UCAS Personal Statement Editing and Review Service

Oxbridge Personal Statement Editing and Review Service

Postgraduate Personal Statement Editing and Review Service

You are here

Architecture personal statement example 1.

I believe that having a visual stimulus in your environment is important. For example, if I'm walking down the street I want to see an eclectic mix of buildings that I find exciting to look at, rather than rows of uniform houses. David Harvey, in his book Rebel Cities, describes the value of this connection between people and their environment, writing 'animated by neighbourhood life, squares full of people, children relishing the river bank'. This idyllic vision makes me want to create equally vibrant spaces for people to enjoy.

This ideology influenced a design project I completed while on work experience with PTE architects (October 2013). I wanted to create a building that would both excite its users as well as onlookers. The house I designed using Google Sketch-up I was perched on top of two living trees. I imagined how a passer-by might look up in awe at the sight of a tree house in central London, or how the inhabitant would feel as they ascended into their house on a staircase suspended by wires and draped with vines. Architecture combines creativity and art with a significant social function and it is this that attracts me to study the discipline at university.

On Open House London I enjoyed exploring several unique houses from a range of architectural styles and eras. Comparing Erno Goldfinger's modernist house at 2 Willow Road to new developments such as 44 Willoughby Road allowed me to appreciate the advantages of each architectural movement, and how each is influenced by the social conventions at the time of building. For example the conversions adapting older houses into homes more suitable for today's society tended to remove the traditional separation between the kitchen and living spaces, reflecting how open plan living is now more desirable.

This layout has been embraced by Richard Rogers in his design for Oxley Woods, a new housing development. It presents an interesting solution to the current housing shortage, offering an exciting and colourful exterior that contrasts to the often bland and characterless appearance of typical housing developments. Rogers' exhibition at the Royal Academy increased my admiration of his work, particularly the Bordeaux Law Courts. Its design illustrates how architects can implement political ideology into their designs, with the wide entrance steps leading to the court 'pods' representing large seeds that would draw in the public, where they share in the judicial proceedings.

I am also interested in set design as it has the ability to transform the stage and evoke atmosphere. I find it exciting to see how designers overcome the practical challenges of set design with inventive solutions. One example that stands out was in a West End production of Billy Elliot when a bedroom spirals out of the floor and later retracts. This scene change was much more innovative and creative than simply placing a bed in the corner of the stage, and it is this integration of creativity and practicality that relates architecture to set design.

I enjoy taking the time to observe the buildings around me, considering what it is I like or dislike about a building or bridge then recording my thoughts alongside a drawing in my sketchbook. I hope to continue this during my gap year, when I look forward to seeing a range of foreign architecture, and exploring how each is influenced by the country's culture. To improve my drawing and spatial skills I am attending life drawing and art classes at galleries and The Prince's Drawing School, experimenting with a variety of media including sculpture.

As a hobby, I do parkour, which has given me an unusual perspective of, and interaction with, the urban environment. This has made me think more about how we move through surroundings, and the importance of features such as corridors and how they force us to traverse environment. I look forward to applying these experiences to a degree in architecture, while developing new skills and interests.

Profile info

This personal statement was written by George W Smith for application in 2014.

George W Smith's university choices The Glasgow School of Art The University of Edinburgh The University of Sheffield University of Newcastle Upon Tyne The University of Manchester

Green : offer made Red : no offer made

This personal statement is unrated

Related Personal Statements

Add new comment.

We Trust in Human Precision

20,000+ Professional Language Experts Ready to Help. Expertise in a variety of Niches.

API Solutions

• API Pricing
• Cost estimate
• Customer loyalty program
• Educational Discount
• Non-Profit Discount
• Green Initiative Discount1

Value-Driven Pricing

Unmatched expertise at affordable rates tailored for your needs. Our services empower you to boost your productivity.

• Special Discounts
• Enterprise transcription solutions
• Enterprise translation solutions
• Transcription/Caption API
• AI Transcription Proofreading API

Trusted by Global Leaders

GoTranscript is the chosen service for top media organizations, universities, and Fortune 50 companies.

GoTranscript

One of the Largest Online Transcription and Translation Agencies in the World. Founded in 2005.

Speaker 1: You are special. You may not think it, but we need to extract all of those really important things about you so that we can market you to the grad school application panel and we can make you as memorable as possible. Now you may be thinking, well I'm not memorable, there's nothing special about me. Stop, stop right there. Everyone is special. That's what my mum told me. So, we have got to extract those things. The first thing you're gonna do is list all of the things that make you memorable and it's easier than just sort of brainstorming your way into oblivion. Check out this table. This is what I've created for you. You'll get a link to this in the description. So the first one you should think about is unique personal experiences. What moments in your life do you have that really stand out? Have you done something special? Unique experiences, unique challenges you've overcome, make sure they're in your grad school application. Academic and professional achievements. Have you achieved something very sort of prestigious? Have you got an award? Something that not many people get? I wanna know about that in your personal statement. Research interests and goals. Because this is grad school, in your undergrad was there anything that made you go, ooh, I like that, I wanna do more of it. It's that sort of passion, that sort of interest that needs to come across in your personal statement. So, dig deep. What is it in your past that bubbled up that interest? Motivation and passion. What is it in your past that has really motivated you? What special interests have really sort of made you stand up and go, this is what I wanna do. That's the sort of experience you need to express in your personal statement. Community engagement and leadership. We need to see you as a leader. So, where have you taken charge? Where have you involved yourself in a community's development? That is what we need to make sure comes out as part of your personal statement, if you have that experience, of course. Cultural awareness and diversity. This is becoming increasingly important. What experience have you had with cultural diversity that has enriched your life? I'd love to know about that in your personal statement as well. Your vision for the future. What is it in your field that, if you achieve, will change the world for the better? Think big, think blue sky, think really massive impact of your work. And we wanna make sure that that same feeling, that same feeling of making the world better is expressed in your grad school personal statement. Lastly, we wanna be looking at personal traits and skills. What skills do you have, like critical thinking, like kindness, caring? Those sort of things can be really good to bring a sense of personality and humanness to your application that, quite often, can be really robotic. You don't have to have all of these, by the way. These are just some areas in which you could come up with some ideas. If you're not sure that you're able to do this on your own, do it with someone else that knows you really well, a partner, a best friend, a parent. They have got a great insight into you, and we need to extract all that juicy goodness from you, like a bloody lemon, so that we can put it into your personal statement. Now we have all of those juicy details, we want to be able to create a personal statement, and where do we start? My favorite place with a structure. Let's not overthink it to start with, because we're going to use some secret ingredients later on in this video that will really make your grad school personal statement shine, but for the moment, we just want to get the blocks out of the way. The one thing I always do with AI is head over to ChatGPT and say, hey, create a general structure for, in this case, a personal statement for someone applying to grad school, and then you have the building blocks from which to build your first draft. I'm not saying this is perfect, but I'm saying it just means that you get a start, and we're always thinking about these things in the back of our mind as we're writing this. So, introduction, opening hook, purpose of application, educational and professional background. This is where we're going to just go in and we're just going to put some bullet points about the things we can talk about. Then we'll flesh it out into sentences. That's really easy, but all the time, for each section, we're going to go back to this and say, you know what? What of these special things can I put in? We don't want to include all of them and overwhelm people, but if you have some really powerful, special things about you, you need to make sure they're in the right sections, and this will help you do that. So, go through each section and just write bullet points initially, and then flesh it out with words, and you'll be amazed at what you can build out so very quickly. Why this program? That's really important. The three whys. Why you, why this program, and why now should come through in this personal statement, and then we've got personal qualities and skills. You can see that this links nicely with the format we've got here. Now, this isn't going to be perfect. In fact, it may be a bit rubbish, but it's a first draft. It's meant to be a little bit rubbish. Now, this is where I really feel like we can turn your soup of a personal statement into this bland, onion, gross soup into something that Salt Bae would be proud of. Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. I don't know why I did that. I don't even like Salt Bae. I went through a load of personal statements. I put them into ChatGPT, and I came up with the elements, the secret ingredients that made them super powerful, and now I'm going to share those secrets with you. So, you're going to get this file as well. The link is in the description. So, these are the things that made the personal statements amazing. Quite often, they had uncommon topic and connections. Essays that introduce something that is a little bit uncommon or makes connections between two things that are common but don't necessarily seem to go together makes the person's brain reading it just sort of like go, ooh, this is interesting, because they read hundreds of these. So, that is a really important bit. Don't worry, we're going to include some in a minute. Experimental structure. Sometimes, it's just really boring when it's like, I did this. You know, this structure that we just come up with, it's fine to start with, but sometimes it's a little bit boring. So, is there a narrative structure you can tell? Can you tell it like a story? Can you tell it like a diary? Can you tell it like a play? Something a little bit different, a little bit of a flavor you can sprinkle in may really help your personal statement. A super strong personal statement answers the so what question. So, it's not just about here's some facts, here's some facts, here's some facts, here's some facts. It's about being able to go a little bit deeper. For each thing you say, just ask yourself, so what? A couple of times to get to the layer below the layer, to make sure that they understand you can reflect on your experiences and it provides that deeper reflection on why you're applying and the ability to look inside you and gain information and grow from experiences is what we're really trying to look for. So, ask yourself, so what? Visceral and emocive, emocative. All right, visceral and whatever that word is, language. All right, so we want to use powerful words. We want to use verbs that really hit home and we can do that just by asking for power words and for stronger verbs in place of what we've written. We can do that with ChatGPT, it is amazing at doing that. So, that is what we're looking for in a personal statement. With that first draft, go through it. Every time you see a verb, highlight it. Think about if that's the real verb you want to use or if there's one a little bit better. Effective use of dialogue. In fact, I was amazed at how many personal statements had a little bit of dialogue between characters. It really breaks it up. Even in a short personal statement, you can break it up by having special quotes from really good information or really good insights from mentors that you've been given. You can frame it like a conversation that can be really good at not only sort of like emphasizing you as a person, but also the characters around you that built you to the person and the academic that you are right now. Those are the things it had, but don't worry, don't get overwhelmed. This next step is going to show you how to include all of these in a really simple way. Check this little trick out. I found a little bit of a boring personal statement online and this is what I asked ChatGPT to do. I said, this is the first draft of my personal statement. Give me feedback on the following criteria and how I may be able to improve my draft. Then I've got this, the uncommon topics. I've got the experimental structure. Everything we've just talked about, I just copied and pasted it in. And then I said underneath, this is the draft or the draft. And then I put it in. And this is where the magic really happens is that it will go through and say, okay, for uncommon topic and connections, this is what you're currently doing and this is what you can do to make it better. Was there a particular patient or experiment that solidified your passion? That is going to be so important to flesh out. Experimental structure. So the essay follows a traditional structure and it says here, you could restructure your essay to interweave your personal experiences with your academic interests more creatively. And it gives you an example. If you're not sure about what it means, ask it. Say, hey, for the experimental structure, come up with another draft for me that I may be able to use to model my response. That's a really good way of going deeper than just this information bit. Answers the so what question. Here's what you've done. And then deepen the reflections on your experiences. How did working in the care home change your understanding of medicine's role in society? Super, super powerful, but just a simple little tweak in a range of different areas can make your personal statement shine. Like my bald head. Bing. And it goes on and on. That is what I would do to make a super powerful first draft and I would go through this each section just looking for those five special ingredients seeing if I can inject them in. Now you don't want to overdo it. You still want it to make it seem like you are telling a nice cohesive story. But by adding some of these elements in the best way for your story and your personal statement you can really, really make it shine. And all of this stuff I'm going to share below in the description. Do all of the things in this video and I am convinced that your personal statement will get 100 times more powerful than it ever was before. Small disclaimer, I hope so. Please don't sue me if that doesn't actually happen. If you like this video go check out this one next because it is super powerful. It tells you the five critical elements that every grad school application and personal statement should have. It's a great watch, something that's definitely on your to watch list after this one. Go check it out.